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Battle of the Atlantic
The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest running military campaign during WWII, lasting from September 1939 until Germanys surrender in 1945. Germans used U-Boats to sink 360 American vessels that were unprotected by convoys. Wolf packs were groups of U-Boats that hunted in groups at night. From 1940-1941, the Germans enjoyed a "happy time" in this fight until the US joined the war. The US produced ships at record rates and attacked from the air, leading to an Allied victory. -
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Briatin was the longest sustained bombing operation to that date. Hitler's Lutwaffe sought to destroy the British Royal Air Force (RAF), but were insuccessful due to Britains advanced radar system. The German commnication was known as the Enigma and was not as advanced as the radar system. Although the British suffered damage, this was a turning point in the war because it showed that the Germans could be beat. -
Battle of El Alamein, Egypt
Italian troops stationed in Libya attempted to force out the British troops in Egypt and gain control of the Suez Canal. The Italians did not fair well, so Hitler sent the Afrika Korp led by Erwin Rommel to aid them in their efforts. The British, under the leadership of General Bernard Montgomery, ultimately gained control. This is also a turning point of WWII because the Germans were unsuccuessful -
Battle of Stalingrad
This was one of the bloodiest battles in the history of warfare. The Germans targeted the city of Stalingrad in an attempt to weaken the Soviet Union (going against the Nazi-Soviet Pack). Not only did the Germans fail in capturing the city, but they also left themselves exposed to a Soviet counterattack in which 250,000 axis soldiers were trapped by soviet forces. All involved suffered devastating losses, including 800,000 civilians in Leningrad alone. This was a major turning point in WWII. -
Operation Torch
Dwight D. Eisenhower was the commander of the mission. Operation Torch called for the invasion of Morocco and Algeria, a territory that France had controlled up until the German takeover. The Vichy French leaders had installed themselves there. However, when the Americans arrived, they faced little resistance and the French soon joined their side. Americans gained valuable foghting experience and had defeated Rommel's forces by May 1943. -
Invasion of Scicily/Italy
In July of 1943, the island of Sicily was invaded by the Allies. As a result of this, the Italians turned against Benito Mussolini and forced him from power. After taking Sicily, the US, led by George S. Patton, aimed to invade the Italian Peninsula. Hitler and the Germans however, put up a resistence. The US Tuskegee Airmen, a black unit of airmen was the first African American air unit to recieve training in the U.S. Military. They were vital in the Battle of Anzio, a key battle. -
Operation Overlord
Allied soldiers parachuted behind German lines to try and secure vital sites. Allied aircraft filled the sky to provide cover for the incoming troops. Then, soldiers were brought in on amphibious vehicles and boats to storm the beaches of Normandy. Omar Bradley led the charge. The courageous soldiers would move off the crafts, storm the beach, and hide before gaining the courage to continue pressing forward. This day will forever be known as D-Day, and it was costly, yet sucessful. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Germans launched a surprise attack known as teh Battle of the Bulge, which reffered to the buge in the ALlied battle lines created by the Germans advance. For several days, Hitler's forces threatened to reclaim vital ground from the Allies. In Bastogne, Belgium, a small force of Americans braved the harsh conditions and helped blunt the German offensive. This served as a symbol of American strength and determination. -
Hitler Commits Suicide
The Allied forces were putting immence pressure on the German forces, and Hitler knew he was in deep trouble. In late April 1945, Hitler commited suicide through taking a cyanide pill followed by a gunshot in his bunker knowing that he could not win the fight. -
VE Day
VE-Day stands for Victory in Europe day and is the day that German forces surrendered. This was the official end of the Europan Theatre of World War II, and the Allies had emerged victorious.
