Aim What role did the USA play in

Aim: What role did the USA play in winning the war in Europe?

When the U. S. entered WW 2 in late 1941, Japan dominated Germany controlled the western half of almost all ofvictory Europeseemed remote the Pacific Ocean Germany pressed into Russia Axis armies controlled Northern Africa & threatened But…over the next 2 years, the U. S. & the Allies Suezto. Canal began win the wars in Europe & the Pacific

Tehran Conference, 1943 By agreeing to “Operation Overlord” (D • In 1943, FDR, Churchill, Stalin met in Tehran, Iran for the -Day), the Allies would divide the Axis first of three wartime conferences: military across two fronts • The USA, Britain, USSR coordinated their war strategy • FDR & Churchill finally committed to Stalin’s demands to open a western front (D-Day) THE PLAN of D-DAY? • liberate France! • organized by General Dwight D. Eisenhower

D-Day June 6 th, 1944

Why was it called D-Day? Ø According to the U. S. military, “D-Day” was an Army designation used to indicate the start date for specific field operations. Ø In this case, the “D” in D-Day doesn’t actually stand for anything—it’s merely an alliterative placeholder used to designate a particular day on the calendar.

Who was involved in D-Day? United States VS. Britain Canada Germany

Will become the largest land-sea-air operation in history Invade the coast to open the Western Front

Europe 1944 -1945 U. S. & British troops landed at 5 strategic points, pushed through France drove towards Germany The long-awaited 2 nd front came on June 6, 1944 with D-Day

When it was finally over. . .

Western Front • August 23, 1944 – France liberated! • Dec. 1944 – Battle of the Bulge = Turning Point! • Germans begin to retreat.

War in Europe Ends • Soviets and Americans move toward Berlin • Concentration Camps liberated and atrocities uncovered • April 25 th 1945 - Soviets storm Berlin • April 29 th - Hitler commits suicide • V. E. Day = May 8, 1945 • Surrender by Germany