The Allied Victory

How do the Allies defeat the Axis Powers?

D-Day: Invasion of Normandy (European War)General Eisenhower is named Allied Supreme Commander in Europe

June 6 1944: Allies launch an invasion of the beaches in N. France

Great Britain One month later, one million more Allied troops arrive – Allies winning 150K allied troops land: 2700 killed on first day (D-Day)

Aug 25: Allied Army liberates Paris. De Gaulle & France are back!

Allied army continues to push Germany from the west

•Dec 1944: last ditch attempt, Hitler decides to counterattack in the west•Battle of the Bulge:Germans break weak American line at Ardennes

Battle of the Bulge

•Jan 1945:Allied troops win Battle of Bulge, Mar 45: FDR dies in America

D-Day

August: German army begins to retreat east

Soviet army is pushing from the east

•Attack catches Allies by surprise – Germans do well earlyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a8fqGpHgsk

Map Time!

April 1945: 3 million Allied troops cross the Rhine River into Germany

Six million Soviet troops are pushing from the east

Hitler and his closest associates are in his private bunker

After marrying his girlfriend Eva Braun, Hitler & Braun commit suicide

Suicide Suicide Suicide

•May 7, 1945: Germany unconditionally surrenders to Eisenhower

Propaganda minister Goebbels & SS Chief Himmler commit suicide

The Pacific WarAllies & Chinese Army (Mao & Chiang) liberate Korea & China – Japan now using Kamikaze pilots to defend remaining territory

March 1945: After a month of bitter fighting, the Allies take the island of Iwo Jima (over 18K-Japan, 7K-Allies killed)

Iwo JimaOkinawa

Next, Allies take island of Okinawa, 350 miles south of Japan

Okinawa is one of the bloodiest battles of the war: 100K Japanese & 12K Allied troops killed in a month and a half of fighting

Despite the heavy casualties, Japan refuses to surrender. Allies preparing for a full-scale invasion of Japan

Map Time!