World War II Europe, Africa and Asia (the Pacific) World War II: an overview
War Fought in Europe but also Asia and Africa ‘Allied Powers:’ Britain, France, Poland ‐ supported by African, Indian, Commonwealth (Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, South African) troops ‐ Soviet Union joined 1941 (after initial co‐ operation with Germany) ‐ China also joined 1941 By 1942, ‘direction’ of Allies in hands US, Britain and Soviet Union
World War II: an overview
War Fought in Europe but also Asia and Africa ‘Axis Powers:’ Germany, Italy, Japan (grew from mid‐1930s Com‐Intern Pact) ‐ included support of several ‘puppet’ states in eastern Europe, Asia ‐ e.g. Japanese Manchukuo, Burma, Philippines, Indochina (Vietnam) ‐ French North/West Africa following fall of France (e.g. Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria ) ‐ Italy’s North African colony, Libya World War II: an overview
Overview: German Aggression ‐ 1939: officially ‘War in Europe’ began in when Germany invaded Poland, Britain and France responded by declaring war on Germany ‐1940: Germany attacked, occupied Denmark, Norway, ‐ followed by Belgium, the Netherlands, and finallyFrance ‐ only now did British ground forces engage The Momentum of War April-May 1940
World War II: Fall of France
Occupation of France 1940: ‐ French forces backed by British allies fell to Germans in seven weeks (spring) ‐ British forces scrambling to escape: many losses ‐ country divided between Military Occupation (north) and ‘Vichy government’ (south) –1942‐44 whole country occupied ‐ French colonies North/West Africa became by extension ‘Vichy’: supported Germany [see ‘War in North Africa’, below] World War II: Fall of France World War II: Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain: July‐October 1940 ‐ Germany launched air attack on Britain ‐ battle between RAF and Luftwaffe first major military battle fought in the air ‐ crucial for Hitler’s plan to control English Channel (military traffic) and invade Britain ‐ targeted shipping, airfields: British RAF had many advantages (home ground, radar) ‐ terrorized civilians: towns indiscriminately bombed World War II: Battle of Britain
‐ by mid‐September, Luftwaffe clearly ‘out‐ gunned’: lost 1700 planes (to RAF’s 900) ‐ Hitler no longer looking to invade but focused bombing on large cities, centres industry, ship building: e.g. Coventry, Plymouth ‐ much of London destroyed during Battle of Britain Battle of Britain: Programme of shipping children out of cities like London into countryside ‘to safety’
Images of Devastation: London during the Battle of Britain “Never, in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”
(speaking of British RAF during the Battle of Britain) World War II: North Africa
The War in Greece and North Africa ‐ Italy took advantage of fall of France: entered war with Axis powers ‐ late autumn/winter 1940‐41: invaded Greece ‐ disaster: Britain became involved and new ‘front’ opened up against Germany in Greece World War II: North Africa
The War in North Africa ‐ part of German invasion of Britain had included Italian attack from Libya into Egypt ‐ when British invasion was sidetracked in September 1940, Mussolini ordered forces to attack anyway ‐ although Italians were numerically superior, British highly mobile ‐ campaign a disaster: by December Italian forces in North Africa on verge of collapse World War II: North Africa
Germans in North Africa: ‐ February 1941, German General Field Marshal Rommel arrived to provide more firepower and new leadership ‐ became known as the “Desert Fox” World War II: North Africa
‐ new, more suitable Italian troops and equipment lent support
Italian Tank on Tunisian Frontier World War II: North Africa
Rommel’s ‘Afrika Korps’: took firm root in North Africa –invited Allied engagement ‐ Tobruk (Libya): following Italian defeat 1940, British forces took Tobruk 1941 ‐ saw several major battles over next two years ‐ finally remained in Allied hands after 1942 World War II: North Africa
British Engaged in ‘Cat-and-Mouse’ Chase with Rommel World War II: North Africa
El‐Alamein and ‘Operation Torch’: 1942 ‐ Battle of El‐Alamein (Oct. 23 ‐ Nov. 3): considered most decisive battle in North African Campaign ‐ British force twice as strong, Rommel not present at beginning of attack: overwhelming Allied victory ‐ turning point for hugely successful ‘Afrika Korps’ specializing in surprise attacks and outflanking maneuvers Word War II: North Africa
El‐Alamein and ‘Operation Torch’ ‐ “Operation Torch” (Nov. 8): British and US sea invasion French North Africa (Morocco) ‐ 100,000 men, over 600 ships: among the largest amphibian invasions in history ‐ faced more resistance than expected from Vichy French colonies ‐ drew German forces needed in Europe into Tunisia: defeated ‐ May 1943: Allied forces controlled 1000 miles North African Coast World War II: North Africa
Operation Torch November 1942: successful Morocco, Algeria. ‘Agreement’ left Vichy administration in place but colonists ordered to support Allies. Germany sent troops to prop up Tunisia. Fierce fighting continued until May 1943 when German troops finally surrendered. World War II: North Africa
Importance of War in North Africa: ‐ showed weakness of Italian colonial adventure (adding British and French colonies to Libya) ‐ failure forced Germany to ‘come to the rescue’: turned into large‐scale, long‐term conflict ‐ weakened much‐needed German efforts elsewhere in Europe: defeat costly ‐ first involvement of US in European theatre World War II: Eastern Front
The War on the Eastern Front: ‐ during same period, Germany also turned eastward: “Operation Barbarossa” ‐ June 1941 began long‐planned invasion Soviet Union (three‐pronged attack ): 4 million soldiers ‐ anticipated easy victories: initially achieved goals ‐‐swift progress, deep into Soviet heartland World War II: Eastern Front World War II: Eastern Front
Plan to complete conquest by onset of winter: failed ‐ country too large to control all forces ‐ winter: brutal – men, equipment bogged down; temperatures unbearable ‐ Russians determined to fight, no matter what the costs: both soldiers and local partisans World War II: Eastern Front
Battle for Moscow: ‐ November: civilians dug 5000kms trenches around city ‐ kept German troops mired in place: vulnerable to partisan harassment ‐ in three weeks, lost 85,000 men: as many as had been lost in “Operation Barbarossa” to date ‐ Hitler stopped the offensive: stalemate over the winter The Battle for Moscow: German forces kept several kilometers from city World War II: Eastern Front
Taking German soldiers as POWs
Civilian-built barricades, Moscow World War II: Eastern Front
Battle of Stalingrad: 1942‐43 ‐ next summer, operations shifted south ‐ Stalingrad: centre Russian communications, manufacturing; stood between Germany and oil fields of Caucuses ‐ critical to both Stalin and Hitler: neither would step back ‐ both armies told no retreat, surrender possible –no matter what! World War II: Eastern Front World War II: Eastern Front
Battle of Stalingrad: 1942‐43 ‐ initial attack August: German air bombings set city on fire: 40,000 inhabitants died ‐ oil spill set Volga River on fire ‐ looked like quick victory: wrong ‐ became “one of deadliest single battles in history”: lasted six more months and over another winter in Russia World War II: Eastern Front
Battle of Stalingrad: 1942‐43 ‐ one of most brutal of in War: hand‐to‐hand daily conflict; both sides used snipers ‐ city bombed‐out shell: fighting took place street‐by‐street, building‐by‐building ‐ “what Germans took by day, Russians took back by night” Street Fighting, Stalingrad Word War II: Eastern Front
Russians Defending Positions, Stalingrad World War II: Eastern Front
Battle of Stalingrad: 1942‐43 ‐ November: Soviets used 1million soldiers to surround city, trapped 300,000 Germans ‐ Hitler would not permit escape attempt: siege continued ‐ both armies suffered but Germans less able to cope with temperatures, lack of heat, shortages food: army dying of starvation ‐ Germans surrendered end of January 1943 Word War II: Eastern Front
Soldiers in Winter, Stalingrad World War II: Eastern Front
Battle of Stalingrad: 1942‐43 ‐ in addition to complete Army lost, 91,000 taken prisoner ‐ losses manpower, equipment left Germany unable to resist Russian forces when they returned the attack ‐ Germany in retreat through 1944 ‐ Hitler declared national day of mourning: not for the men lost but for the shame brought upon Germany by surrender! World War II: Eastern Front
Of 91,000 prisoners, half died en route to concentration camps; only 5-6000 returned home alive . World War II: Western Front
The War in the West: Normandy and “D‐Day” ‐ long‐awaited invasion of France: ‘Operation Overlord’ ‐ ‘misinformation campaign’ using turned German spies convinced Hitler attack would take place at Calais ‐ June 1944: British and US forces landed at Normandy, further south ‐ backed up by forces dropped inland by parachutes World War II: Western Front
The War in the West: Normandy and “D‐Day” ‐ Hitler still convinced another attack was planned for Calais, so withheld reserve forces ‐ mistake: although Allies had high casualties first day, still outnumbered Germans ‐ secured coast: movement inland more difficult, took July, August World War II: Western Front World War II: Western Front
The War in the West: Normandy and “D‐Day” ‐ American forces had taken Rome just before D‐Day: Italy now southern gateway to France ‐ August 15: 100,000 Allied soldiers invaded France from south ‐ armies approached Paris from north and south: Hitler evacuated soldiers, withdrew from southern France World War II: Western Front
Liberation of Paris
World War II: Western Front Closing in on Germany: west and east ‐ by September, Germany close to defeat ‐ Allies moved into Belgium, Netherlands ‐ ability to launch bombing campaigns from France and Italy increased intensity and distance of attacks into Germany ‐ meanwhile, Soviets moving in from East: retaken much of Poland, eastern countries ‐ air attacks on industry, oil reserves; loss of oil resources in Romania (to Russia) left Germany in desperate situation World War II: Western Front
Closing in on Germany: west and east ‐ German military high command aware of seriousness of situation: several plots against Hitler, attempts to assassinate him followed ‐ with purging (executing 4,000 ‘suspects’), conscription ‘every able‐bodied man’ ‐‐ survived the winter and prolonged war ‐ finally May 1945: as Hitler committed suicide in bunker, Soviets ‘liberated’ Berlin Soviet Union Liberates Berlin, May 1945 Soviet Union Liberates Berlin, May 1945 World War II: the Pacific
The War in the Pacific: Pearl Harbor ‐ meanwhile yet a third ‘theatre’ opened up in Pacific ‐ December 7, 1941 Japanese warplanes attacked the U.S. Navy base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii [see lecture, video on Japan & Facism] ‐ after successful attack: Japan undertook massive expansion throughout Southeast Asia–Pacific region.
World War II: the Pacific
The War in the Pacific: Pearl Harbor ‐ early 1942: conquests extended as far west as Burma ‐ British colonial forces (Indian, African) responsible for containing this conflict: failed ‐ Japan took port of Rangoon: primary supply point, crucial base for British RAF ‐ by May, Allies driven back across Indian border Japanese Conquest of Burma Apr-May 1942
British Evacuation to India World War II: the Pacific
Allied (American and Chinese) Troops in Northern Burma, 1944 [Note Difficulty of terrain] World War II: the Pacific
The War in the Pacific: the U.S. Entrance and Battle of Midway ‐ several months before US forces could back up declaration of war with military action ‐ late spring 1942: US engaged Japan in series of naval battles climaxed in famous Battle of Midway (June 3–6): decisive battle in ‘War in Pacific’ ‐ Japan lost four aircraft carriers –over 300 planes and 5,000 sailors Battle of Midway
Japanese Cruiser Sinking (above) World War II: the Pacific
The War in the Pacific: Solomon Islands and Guadalcanal ‐ Japan then shifted attention south: Solomon Island of Guadalcanal crucial for Allied shipping in region ‐ already had foothold in north: July 1942 took Guadalcanal ‐ Allies launched amphibious landing in August: heavy losses in ships, 1000 men ‐ but met little resistance on Island: at first World War II: the Pacific
The War in the Pacific: Solomon Islands and Guadalcanal ‐ Japan soon sent wave after wave of soldiers in from the south: ‘suicide squads’ ‐ fought to the death, each one ‐ battle to recover Guadalcanal lasted until February when Japanese could no longer sustain losses: abandoned island World War II: the Pacific
The War in the Pacific: Solomon Islands and Guadalcanal ‐ Allies followed up through 1944‐45, forcing Japanese from other Pacific Islands it had occupied (e.g. Philippines) ‐ major famous battles fought at Iwo Jima, and Okinawa –latter huge civilian casualties ‐ by late spring 1945: most of Japan’s conquests ‘liberated’ World War II: the Pacific
The War in the Pacific: Destruction of Japan ‐ Allied forces closing in on Japanese home islands ‐ Allies began heavy bombing campaigns against major cities, including Tokyo ‐ continued through summer 1945 ‐ plan was to land ground troops for final conquest: two considerations changed that plan World War II: the Pacific
The War in the Pacific: Destruction of Japan First: Japanese showing increasing commitment to ‘fight to the death’: even some civilians had committed suicide in Okinawa rather than surrender ‐ what would it take to ‘win’? ‐ how many Japanese lives would be lost? ‐ how many Allied lives...? ‐ how long would the Japanese extend the War in spite of hopelessness of winning? World War II: the Pacific
The War in the Pacific: Destruction of Japan Second: the extended bombing campaigns suggested an alternative to ‘boots‐on‐the‐ ground’ warfare ‐ “The Manhattan Project”: begun 1939 in America; supported by Canada and Britain ‐ grew to employ more than 130,000, cost nearly 2billion USD (about $26 billion in 2014 dollars) ‐ built the Atomic Bomb World War II: the Pacific
The War in the Pacific: Destruction of Japan 1945 ‐ August 6: the ‘Enola Gay’ (name of plane) dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima ‐ August 8: the Soviet Union declared war on Japan ‐ August 9 (just after midnight): Soviet troops invaded Manchukuo ‐ later that day, the second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki World War II: the Pacific
The War in the Pacific: Destruction of Japan 1945
September 2: Japan surrendered
World War II was finally over –half a world away from where it had begun in Europe! World War II: the Pacific World War II: the Horrors
Horrors of World War II:
The Holocaust: ‐ largely hidden during the course of the war – extent of atrocities emerged in later
Hiroshima and Nagasaki: ‐ hugely visible: devastation appalling ‐ yet full extent of atrocities took years, even another generation to be realized World War II: the Horrors
Horrors of World War II: the Holocaust ‐ as War in Pacific began, War in Europe accelerated ‘genocide’ ‐ by late 1941, Jews (and other minorities) from Germany, Western Europe transported to concentration camps hidden in German‐ occupied in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, and Western Russia World War II: the Horrors
Horrors of World War II: the Holocaust ‐ they were first used as slave labour ‐ many were then systematically murdered ‐ the infamous gas chambers not yet in use: murders of groups undertaken by individual soldiers ‐ by end 1941, numbers of dead already in 100s of thousands World War II: the Horrors
Horrors of World War II: the Holocaust ‐ 1942: the “final solution” took shape ‐ needed to ‘speed up process’ of ridding German territories of Jews, mixed‐bloods, homosexuals and others ‐ murders become increasingly systematic ‐ experiments with different methods (1941) showed gas chamber to be most efficient World War II: the Horrors
Horrors of World War II: the Holocaust ‐ “the Death Camps”: prisoners died by the thousands from disease, overwork and starvation in labor camps but there were only seven camps (six in Poland, one in Belarus) built purely for the purpose of killing ‐ prisoners taken to them were usually dead within hours of arrival ;; World War II: the Horrors
Horrors of World War II: Hiroshima ‐ bomb exploded 1,900 feet above the city. ‐ tail gunner described what he saw
"The mushroom cloud itself was a spectacular sight, a bubbling mass of purple‐gray smoke and you could see it had a red core in it and everything was burning inside. . . . It looked like lava or molasses covering a whole city. . . ." ‐ cloud estimated to have reached height of 40,000 feet Hiroshima Nagasaki World War II: the Horrors
Horrors of World War II: Hiroshima ‐ the co‐pilot stated: "Where we had seen a clear city two minutes before, we could no longer see the city. We could see smoke and fires creeping up the sides of the mountains.“ ‐ two‐thirds of Hiroshima destroyed ‐ within three miles of explosion 60,000 (of 90,000) buildings demolished. ‐ clay roof tiles, metal, stone‐‐ melted together. ‐ shadows imprinted on buildings, hard surfaces World War II: the Horrors
Horrors of World War II: Hiroshima ‐ the bomb killed civilian women and children in addition to soldiers: the target was a city not a military installation
‐ a survivor described what he saw in aftermath: World War II: the Horrors
Horrors of World War II: Hiroshima
“The appearance of people was . . . well, they all had skin blackened by burns. . . . They had no hair because their hair was burned, and at a glance you couldn't tell whether you were looking at them from in front or in back. . . . They held their arms bent [forward] like this . . . and their skin ‐ not only on their hands, but on their faces and bodies too ‐ hung down. . . . If there had been only one or two such people . . . perhaps I would not have had such a strong impression. But wherever I walked I met these people. . . . Many of them died along the road ‐ I can still picture them in my mind ‐‐ like walking ghosts.” World War II: the Horrors
Horrors of World War II: Hiroshima ‐‐ ‐Hiroshima's population estimated 350,000: approximately 70,000 died immediately from the explosion ‐ another 70,000 died from radiation within five years ‐ birth defects affected next generation World War II: the Horrors
Horrors of World War II: Nagasaki ‐ three days later: second bomb dropped on Nagasaki ‐ approximately 40 percent of city destroyed ‐ although this bomb much stronger than preceding one, terrain Nagasaki prevented it from doing as much damage ‐ decimation still great: approximately 70,000 people (of population 270,000) died by the end of the year World War II: the Horrors
Horrors of World War II: Nagasaki
“I saw the atom bomb. I was four then. I remember the cicadas chirping. The atom bomb was the last thing that happened in the war and no more bad things have happened since then, but I don't have my Mummy any more. So even if it isn't bad any more, I'm not happy. ”
‐‐‐ Kayano Nagai, survivor