From 1939 to 1942 the Axis Powers dominated

From 1939 to 1942, the Axis Powers dominated Europe, North Africa, & Asia

Germany used blitzkrieg tactics to dominate Eastern & Western Europe England was wounded Hitler broke the from German attacks in Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression the Battle of Britain Pact & marched into Russia

The German & Italian armies dominated Northern Africa, threatened the Suez Canal & the oil fields in the Middle East

The Japanese dominated Asia, crippled the U. S. navy after the Pearl Harbor attack, & seized most Western colonies in the Pacific

However, U. S. entrance into the war in 1941 helped the Allies turn the tide and defeat the Axis by 1945 FDR & Churchill agreed that defeating Hitler was the top priority, but American troops would be deployed to fight Japan at the same time

To win in Europe, the The Allies won the U. S. had to secure the trans Battle of the Atlantic by -Atlantic supply lines breaking Germany’s against German submarines coded communications

American & British troops invaded Italy, took Sicily in 1943, seized Rome in 1944 The Alliesthe defeated Germany Instead, Britain & USA When USA entered Mussolini was. Axis at the Battle of El Alamein WWII, Stalin wanted the In 1945, agreed to fight the captured & executed by in 1942 to&open thenapushed Allies Westernthe Powers in North Africa Axis&Powers out of Africa Front divide German army the Italian (Stalinresistance was angry )

Meanwhile, the Soviet army The defeated The Soviet victory at Stalingrad was. Soviets a turning point stopped German attack the German at in Worldthe War II because theat. Russians began army pushing Moscow & Leningrad in 1942 the. East Battle Stalingrad towards Germany from the byof 1943

By 1944, the Allies decided to open a Western Front by invading Nazi-occupied France Operation Overlord (called D-Day) in June 1944 was the largest land & sea attack in history

The Normandy invasion was deadly, but the Allied victory created a Western Front… America: Story of Us: D-Day

…and allowed the At the same time, the Soviet Allies to push towards army pushed from the East Germany from the West Forced to fight a two-front war, Hitler ordered a massive counter-attack at the By March 1945, the Allies were fighting in Germany & pushing towards Berlin

In February 1945, the “Big Three” met at the Yalta Conference to create a plan for Europe after the war was over Stalin agreed to send troops to help the U. S. invade Japan They agreed to allow selfdetermination (free elections) in nations freed from Nazi rule They agreed to occupy Germany after the war They agreed to create & join a United Nations

As the Allies pushed into Germany & Poland, troops discovered & liberated concentration & death camps Liberation of Nazi Concentration Camps (2. 16)

In April 1945, the Soviet army captured Berlin On April 30, 1945, Hitler committed suicide On May 9, 1945, the German government signed an unconditional surrender to the Allies The world celebrated V-E Day (Victory in Europe)

The United States & the Holocaust ■ Examine the timeline “Stages of the Holocaust” & read “Response to the Holocaust from the U. S. ” ■ With a partner, answer the 3 discussion questions & prepare for a class discussion