The War Ends
Chapter 14 Section 5 The Third Reich Collapses
MAIN IDEA
The war in Europe ended in spring 1945 after major battles, as the Allies moved west toward Germany The Third Reich Collapses
D-day was a success but it was only the beginning. German’s had used “hedgerows” (dirt walls, several feet think covered in shrubbery) as natural bunkers to defend their position. July 25 1944 2,500 bombers blew a hole in German lines enabling American tanks through the gaps As the Allies continued through Normandy, the French resistance started a rebellion in Paris. Allied forces liberated Paris on August 25
The Third Reich Collapses
The Battle of the Bulge Allies were advancing toward German border, Hitler decided to do one last big offensive strike Attack began on December 16 1944 with 6 inches of snow on the ground and bitterly cold weather German’s caught the American defenders by surprise and soon surrounded American Troops Eisenhower ordered General Patton to rescue the surrounded soldiers There was a snow storm so everyone was surprised when Patton's troops arrived 3 days later to attack the German forces As the weather cleared, allies started bombing German fuel depots to help soldiers
The Third Reich Collapses
Battle of the Bulge On Christmas Eve, Germans were out of fuel and had suffered heavy losses German troops who were moving toward the town of Antwerp were forced to stop Patton’s forces had broken through the German line to reach surrounded American’s Fighting continued for three weeks after Christmas even though American’s had basically won the Battle of the Bulge January 8 Germans began to withdraw 100,000 casualties Lost many tanks and aircrafts Had few resources left to prevent allies from entering Germany The Third Reich Collapses
The War Ends in Europe While American’s and British liberated France, Russia was also launching attack on Germany By the end of the Battle of the Bulge, Soviets had driven Hitler’s forces out of Russia and back across Poland February 1945 Soviets forces were 35 miles from Berlin By February on the American side, troops had made their way to the Rhine River, the last major line of defense in the West Crossed river on March 7th April 16th Soviet forces broke through German defenses and reached the outskirts of Berlin April 21 1945 The Third Reich Collapses
The War Ends in Europe In his Berlin Bunker, Hitler saw war’s end was near April 30th 1945 Hitler committed suicide Before his death appointed Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz as successor Doenitz tried to surrender to Americans and British but keep fighting Soviets Eisenhower insisted on unconditional surrender May 7th 1945 Germany accepted terms of surrender May 8th was proclaimed “V-E Day” Victory in Europe day Japan is Defeated
Main Idea
The United States decided to end the war with Japan by using napalm and atomic bombs Japan is Defeated
FDR did not live to see the defeat of Germany April 12th 1945 FDR died of a stroke while on vacation Vice President Harry Truman became president Truman was forced to make most difficult decisions of the war in his first six months in office Japan is Defeated
The Battle of Iwo Jima November 24th, 1944 80 B-29 bombers hit Tokyo from the New American base at the Mariana Islands First they did little damage because of missing targets and didn’t have enough fuel to fix the navigation errors American Military planners decided they needed a refueling stop and decided to invade Iwo Jima Japan is Defeated
The Battle of Iwo Jima Iwo Jima was perfect location for refueling About halfway between Mariana’s and Japan Geography of island was not as great Dormant Volcano on southern part of island Terrain was filled with rocky cliffs, jagged ravines and caves Japanese had built large network of concrete bunkers connect by tunnels Japan is Defeated
The Battle of Iwo Jima February 19, 1945 about 60,000 Marines landed on Iwo Jima Feet sunk into volcanic ash that covered island Japanese artillery started firing on invaders Marines crawled inland using flamethrowers and explosives to attack Japanese bunkers More than 6,800 marines were killed during the capture of the island
Japan is Defeated
Firebombing Japan While air field was being prepared in Iwo Jima, General Curtis LeMay decided to have a new strategy for B-29 bombers To help them hit targets, ordered that bombs dropped be filled with “Napalm” A kind of jellied gasoline Bombs would explode AND start fires so even if they missed, fire would spread to intended target Japan is Defeated
Firebombing Japan Use of firebombs was VERY controversial Fires could also kill civilians LeMay could find no other way to destroy Japan’s war production quickly Loaded with firebombs, B-29s attacked Tokyo on March 29th 1945. Strong winds fanned flames, caused a firestorm so huge is sucked all the oxygen from the air killing thousands. Tokyo firebombing killed more than 80,000 people and destroyed 250,000 buildings June 1945 Japan’s six most important industrial cities firebombed By end of the war B-29s firebombed 67 Japanese Cities Japan is Defeated
The Invasion of Okinawa Despite firebombing was no sign that Japan was going to surrender in Spring of 1945 Many American officials believed Japan wouldn’t surrender until they were invaded To prepare for an invasion, American needed a based near Japan to stock pile supplies and build up troops Iwo Jima too far and too small, so decided on Okinawa, only 350 miles from Japan Japan is Defeated
The Invasion of Okinawa Troops landed on Okinawa on April 1 1945 Japanese didn’t defend beaches, but set up troops in the mountains To take over Japanese, American’s had to fight up steep slopes against constant fire 12,000 American soldiers, sailors and marines died during fighting June 22 1945 Okinawa finally captured Japan is Defeated
The Terms for Surrender After Okinawa, Japanese emperor urged government to find a way to end the war Biggest problem – American wanted unconditional surrender Japanese leaders willing to surrender, but wanted to keep emperor in power Most American’s blamed emperor for war and wanted him removed Truman didn’t want to go against public opinion and knew they were ready to test a new weapon that would force Japan to surrender Japan is Defeated
The Manhattan Project 1939 Leo Szilard, physicist, learned German scientists had split the uranium atom Szilard first to suggest that doing that would release enormous energy Worried that Nazis were working on an atomic bomb, Szilard convinced Albert Einstein to sign a letter to send to FDR about the threat of an extremely powerful bomb being constructed in Germany Roosevelt set up a scientific committee to study the issue Nothing done until 1941 when met with British scientists who were working on an atomic bomb Their research convinced FDR to begin a program to build atomic bomb Japan is Defeated
The Manhattan Project Secret American program to build an atomic bomb was code named “Manhattan Project” Project headed by General Leslie R Groves First breakthrough in 1942 Szilard and Enrico Fermi built first nuclear reactor at University of Chicago Groves organized engineers and scientists to build atomic bomb at lab in Los Alamos New Mexico Team led by J. Robert Oppenheimer July 16 1945 detonated worlds first atomic bomb
Japan is Defeated
Hiroshima and Nagasaki Before bomb tested, America debated how to use it Admiral William Leahy (Joint Chiefs of Staff) opposed using the bomb because it killed civilians Leahy believed economic blockade and conventional bombing was enough Secretary of War Henry Stimson wanted to warn Japan about the bomb and tell them they could keep emperor if surrendered Secretary of State James Byrnes wanted to drop bomb without any warning to shock Japan into surrendering Japan is Defeated
Hiroshima and Nagasaki Truman believe bomb was military weapon and meant to be used Had been told that there would be massive casualties to the US if we invaded Japan Believed it was his duty to use every weapon available to save American Lives America threatened Japan with destruction if they didn’t surrender With no reply from Japan, Truman ordered bomb to be dropped August 6 1945 B-29 bomber (Enola Gay) dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima (important industrial city) Japan is Defeated
Hiroshima and Nagasaki Hiroshima bomb destroyed 63% of the city Between 80,000 and 120,000 people died instantly, thousands more died later from burns and radiation sickness 3 days later (August 9) Soviet Union declared war on Japan Same day, United States dropped another Atomic bomb on city of Nagasaki Bomb kidded between 35,000 and 74,000 people With so much destruction and the Soviets joining the war, Japanese emperor ordered government to Surrender August 15 1945 – called “V-J Day” Japan surrendered
Building a New World
Main Idea
The victorious Allies tried to create an organization to prevent future wars Building a New World
Creating the United Nations FDR believed new international political organization could prevent another world war 1944, delegates from 39 countries met to discuss new organization New Organization would be called “United Nations” Delegates agreed UN would have general assembly with all members in world would have one vote US also have security council with 11 members (5 permanent members) Britain, France, China, the Soviet Union and United States The five members would have veto power Building a New World
Creating the United Nations April 25, 1945 representatives from 50 nations officially organized the United Nations and created a charter (constitution) General Assembly power to vote on resolutions, choose non-permanent members of security council and vote on UN’s budget Security Council responsible for international peace and security Could investigate any international problems and propose settlements Take action to preserve peace, including asking members to use military force to uphold a UN resolution Building a New World
Creating the United Nations After UN was founded, created a Commission on Human Rights Eleanor Roosevelt was first person to serve as head of commission Commission drafted Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 Lists 30 rights that are said to universally applicable to all human beings in all societies Building a New World
Putting the Enemy on Trial Allies wanted to punish German and Japanese leaders for war crimes In August 1945, United States, Britain, France and Soviet Union created International Military Tribunal Tribunal held trials in Nuremberg Germany (called “Nuremberg Trials” ) where Hitler staged Nazi Party rallies 22 leaders of Nazi German were prosecuted at the trials. 3 acquitted, 7 given prison sentences and the rest were sentenced to death Trials of lower officials continued until April 1949 with 24 sentenced to execution and 107 given prison sentences
Building a New World
Putting the Enemy on Trial Similar trials were held in Tokyo 25 Japanese leaders charged with war crimes Japanese Emperor was NOT indicted with any war crimes Feared any trial against him would cause an uprising in Japan 18 sentenced to prison, the rest were sentenced to death by hanging War trials punished the people responsible for World War II but were also part of the US plan to build a better world “The wrongs we seek to condemn and punish have been so calculated, so malignant and so devastating, that civilization cannot tolerate their being ignored because it cannot survive their being repeated.” – Robert Jackson