JAN 22 1944 ALLIES LAND AT ANZIO Known

JAN. 22, 1944 ALLIES LAND AT ANZIO *Known as OPERATION SHINGLE, it was an Allied amphibious invasion of Anzio, Italy 30 miles south of Rome. *The landing had very little resistance and within a week the Allies had established a beachhead at Anzio.

After a week of little resistance the Germans regrouped and counterattacked. The next few months would be some of the bloodiest battles in the European War. (The Battle for Anzio) On May 23 the Allies started the beak out and began to move towards Rome. ANZIO CONTINUED

LENINGRAD IS RELIEVED The Siege of Leningrad ended on Jan. 27, 1944 – 872 days after it began. 3200 residential building, 9, 000 wooden houses, and 840 factories were destroyed. 500, 000 Axis casualties, 350, 000 Soviet Soldiers killed, over 100, 000 Soviet soldiers missing, over 1 million Soviet civilian casualties.

On March 18, 1944 the begin massive bombing attacks on Germany. On this date the British drop 3000 tons of bombs on Hamburg, Germany. BRITISH BEGIN BOMBING RAIDS ON GERMANY

REALITIES OF WAR

ALLIED INVASION OF NEW GUINEA Beginning on April 22, 1944 the Allies Begin their invasions of New Guinea. The United States continue the island hopping strategy to push the Japanese back to Japan and to protect Australia.

On May 12, 1944 the Germans surrender in Crimea. The Germans wanted this area to re-locate Germans and push out the Slavs. The Germans held this area until 1944 when they were forced to surrender. THE GERMANS BEGIN TO RETREAT

GERMANS WITHDRAW TO THE ADOLF HITLER LINE The Adolf Hitler (SENGER) line was a line of defense in Central Italy. It was a “fall-back” position, the British, Canadians, and Poles pushed the Germans back to this position starting on May 15, 1944.

By May 25, 1944 the push by the Allies in Italy was working and the Germans retreat from Anzio heading north towards Rome.

JUNE 5, 1944 – THE ALLIES ENTER ROME The Allies took Rome in June of 1944, the hope was to have taken it many months earlier. Even after the liberation of Rome the Italian campaign would last another eleven months before complete victory.

The Superfortress was a four engine propeller driven heavy bomber. It was designed as an high altitude daytime bomber. It was mostly used in the firebombing campaign against Japan. Carried the atomic bombs used against Japan. JUNE 5, 1944 – THE FIRST MISSION OF THE B-29 SUPERFORTRESS

JUNE 6, 1944 – THE D-DAY LANDINGS AT NORMANDY (FRANCE) Code name - OPERATION OVERLORD. It was the largest amphibious invasion in the history of the world.

The Normandy shoreline was divided into five different beaches for the purpose of the invasion. From West to East: UTAH = U. S. OMAHA = U. S. GOLD = BRITISH JUNO = CANADA SWORD = GREAT BRITIAN PLANNING THE INVASIONOF NORMANDY

Dwight Eisenhower (U. S. ) was the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe and in charge of the planning. Bernard Montgomery (G. B. ) Ground Forces Commander in Chief. PEOPLE IN CHARGE OF THE PLANNING

OTHERS WHO HELPED IN THE PLANNING Bertram Ramsay (G. B. ) = Naval Commander in Chief Omar Bradley (U. S. ) = U. S. 1 st Army

THE NUMBERS OF THE INVASION *6, 900 ships were involved. (4, 100 landing crafts) *12, 000 aircraft (1, 000 to fly in parachute troops) *10, 000 tons of bombs would be dropped on German positions. *14, 000 attack sorties were flown

On D-Day itself about 150, 000 troops landed on the beaches. June 11, 1944 = 327, 000 troops, 55, 000 vehicles. June 30 th = 850, 000 troops, 148, 000 vehicles. July 4 th, 1944 = Over 1 million troops had landed. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE INVOLVED

POINT DU HOC – OMAHA BEACH