“Major European Theater Battles

Battle of France/Miracle of Dunkirk

May 27, 1940

1. There was a 14ft boat that came to help
2. It was the biggest military evacuation.
3. 933 ships came to help
4. There were lots of civilian ships 5.40,000 British troops didn't make it back It is one of the biggest turning points in the war Ended in June 4 1940

Battle of Britain

Jul 10, 1940

1. The german's code for it was operation sea lion
2. It was one of the first times radar was used in combat
3. It ended because Hitler needed to bomb Russia
4. It allowed Britain to rebuilt their airfields
5. The bombings continued after the war The first major battle to be fought in the air It ended on October 31, 1940

Battle of Leningrad

Sep 8, 1941

1. About 1,500,000 people died
2. People were so hungry they went to cannibalism
3. Books and paintings were burned to warm the people
4. Hitler was trying to starve the city
5. Cats were sent as food for the people It inspired the Soviets. It ended on January 27, 1944

Battle of Stalingrad

Aug 23, 1942

1. Hitler invaded Russia without declaring war
2. The Germans surrendered even though Hitler said to fight to the last man
3. Soldiers got their protein from rats.
4. Civilians were not allowed to leave
5. Hitler was trying to take the oil field and not the city It was the first major German defeat It ended on February 2, 1943

Operation Torch

Nov 8, 1942

1. It was the first large U.S. airborne drop
2. Allies 107,000 Axis Powers 60,000
3. At Oran, the shallow water caused damage to the equipment
4. Only 500 Allied soldiers were killed
5. It was an amphibious operation It was the first time Britan and the U.S. worked together in an invasion It ended on November 10, 1942

D-day

Jun 6, 1944

1. An early copy of the plans blew out the window and an old man got them and turned them in
2. It was postponed due to weather
3. A flame-throwing tank was made for d day
4. The boats were designed to rescue people during a flood.
5. When it happened no one would wake Hitler. It freed France It ended June 6, 1944

Battle of the Bulge

Dec 16, 1944

1. 7 of Hitler's lieutenants thought it would fail
2. Germany ran out of fuel
3. Germans wearing American outfits were sent to sabotage equipment
4. About 84 prisoners of war were killed
5. The troops that were attacked were resting or training It was the last major Nazi offensive It ended on January 25, 1945

Battle of Berlin

Apr 16, 1945

1. The Soviet Union only used secondary forces to capture Berlin
2. Hitler and many of his followers committed suicide before surrendering
3. It was the last major battle during the war
4. Stalin planned to encircle the city and then attack
5. More bombs were dropped on Berlin than any other time during the war It resulted in the end of the war It ended on May 2, 1945