Getting to California Allied Strategy – Although Stalin wanted the U.S. and England to attack Germany on the Western Front, Churchill and Roosevelt wanted

• Allied Strategy – Although Stalin wanted the U.S. and England to attack Germany on the Western Front, Churchill and Roosevelt wanted to attack on the periphery (edges) of Germany’s strength and focused on North Africa.

• Erwin Rommel – German general (The Desert Fox) who enjoyed great success in Africa controlling the Suez Canal

• Invasion of North Africa – American troops led by Generals Dwight Eisenhower and George Patton joined British forces to attack the Germans and after early failures forced the Germans to surrender within one year.

• Battle of the Atlantic – German submarines continue to attack cargo ships head to the Atlantic but American industries were able to produce more ships then the Germans could sink

• Stalingrad – turning point of the war in Europe. Germany attempts a land invasion of the Soviet Union that is turned back at Stalingrad. 91,000 German troops surrendered but only 5,000 of them returned home after the war.

Ch 20 Sec 2: Early Battles (Europe)

Intro 3

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Chapter Objectives

• Analyze how the Allies were able to fight a war on two fronts and turn the war against the Axis in the Pacific, Russia, and North Atlantic.

• Explain why Stalingrad is considered a major turning point of World War II.

Section 2: The Early Battles

Section 2-1

Guide to Reading

By late 1942, the Allies had stopped the German and Japanese advance.

• Chester Nimitz

Main Idea


Key Terms and Names

• Douglas MacArthur • James Doolittle

• periphery

• George Patton

• convoy system

Section 2-11

Turning Back the German Army• The leader of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin, urged

Roosevelt to open a second front in Europe.


(pages 621–623)(pages 621–623)

Turning Back the German Army• Although Roosevelt wanted his

troops to enter into battle in Europe, Prime Minister Churchill wanted to be more cautious and attack the periphery, or edges, of Germany.


(pages 621–623)(pages 621–623)

Turning Back the German Army• In July 1942,

Roosevelt ordered the invasion of Morocco and Algeria–French territories indirectly under Germany control.


(pages 621–623)(pages 621–623)

• On November 8, 1942, the American invasion of North Africa began under the command of General Dwight D. Eisenhower.


Turning Back the German Army (cont.)

(pages 621–623)(pages 621–623)

• General George Patton led the American forces in Morocco and captured the city of Casablanca.



(pages 621–623)(pages 621–623)

• Outmaneuvered and outfought, Americans suffered huge losses.

• The general in charge was fired and Patton was put in command.



(pages 621–623)(pages 621–623)

• At the Battle of Kasserine Pass, Americans faced the German army for the first time.

• The Allied forces pushed the Germans back in the Battle of El Alamein.



(pages 621–623)(pages 621–623)

• The Nazis lost despite having one of their greatest Generals in charge Erwin Rommel (The Desert Fox)

• On May 13, 1943, German forces in North Africa surrendered.

• After Germany declared war on the United States, German submarines began sinking American cargo ships along the American East Coast.



(pages 621–623)(pages 621–623)

• The situation greatly improved when the U.S. Navy set up a convoy system, in which cargo ships traveled in groups and were escorted by navy warships.



(pages 621–623)(pages 621–623)

• The German submarine campaign continued into the spring of 1942.

• From July on, American shipyards produced more ships than German submarines could sink.



(pages 621–623)(pages 621–623)

• Hitler wanted to defeat the Soviets by destroying their economy.

• So he ordered his army to capture oil fields, industries, and farmlands vital to the Soviet economy.

• The Germans tried to capture Stalingrad, but the Soviets held their ground.



(pages 621–623)(pages 621–623)

• The Germans were surrounded and surrendered.



(pages 621–623)(pages 621–623)



(pages 621–623)(pages 621–623)

• The Battle of Stalingrad was a turning point in the war because it put the Germans on the defensive.



(pages 621–623)(pages 621–623)

Summary and Study Guide 1

End of Section 2

Documents

Getting to California Allied Strategy – Although Stalin wanted the U.S. and England to attack Germany on the Western Front, Churchill and Roosevelt wanted