Events of World War II

Events of World War II

War Begins

& the European Theater

Invasion of Poland (1939)

• Germany, led by Adolf Hitler, invaded Poland

• The Soviet Union, led by Joseph Stalin, assisted Germany

• The invasion of Poland led Britain to declare war on Germany

France & Britain

• Germany invaded France in 1940, and maintained control there for much of the war

• Germany bombed Britain in an attempt to weaken/destroy important British resources (called the Battle of Britain)

America

• America remained "neutral"

• Assisted Britain with the Lend-Lease Act - allowed them to borrow war supplies, like naval ships

• America joins the war at the end of 1941

Multiple Choice

When did World War II begin in Europe?

• 1939

• 1941

• 1945

Allies

• Britain - Winston Churchill (right)

• Soviet Union (June 1941) - Joseph Stalin (left)

• America (Dec 1941) - Franklin D. Roosevelt (center)

European Axis

• Germany - Adolf Hitler (right)

• Italy - Benito Mussolini (left)

Multiple Select

Select the Allied nations

• Britain

• Germany

• Soviet Union

• United States

• Japan

Battle of El Alamein (1942)

• North Africa (Egypt)

• Britain vs. Germany & Italy

• British victory that prevented Germany from getting access to the Suez Canal and Middle Eastern oil

Battle of Stalingrad (August 1942-February 1943)

• Soviet Union

• Germany vs. Soviet Union

• Germany attempted a siege of the city Stalingrad

• It failed and Germany lost a large number of men during the harsh winter

^{Invasion of Normandy - D-Day (June 6, 1944)}

• Normandy, France

• American, British, & French invasion

• The allies stormed the beaches of Normandy to take back France from Germany

• It was a success and began the liberation of France from German control

Battle of the Bulge (Dec 1944-Jan 1945)

• Western Europe (near Germany)

• Germany tried to split the Allied forces

• Costly battle for everyone involved

• Allied victory that weakened the Germany army beyond repair

V-E Day

• Victory in Europe

• Germany surrendered

• May 8, 1945

Multiple Choice

Which battle began the liberation of France & the rest of Europe from German Control?

• D-Day

• Stalingrad

• El Alamein

• Battle of the Bulge

Multiple Choice

The battle of Stalingrad took place in -

• Egypt

• Germany

• Soviet Union

• France

Multiple Choice

The Battle of El Alamein prevented Germany from accessing -

• the Suez Canal

• Belgium

• London

• Stalingrad

America's Involvement

& the Pacific Theater

Japan in the 1930s

• Japan was trying to control the Pacific (economic $ and military control)

• They invaded China

• America placed an embargo on oil and steel exports to Japan to discourage them from continuing their invasions

Axis in the Pacific

• Japan

• Emperor Hirohito (left)

• General Hideki Tojo (right)

Pearl Harbor (Dec 7, 1941)

• Japan attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

• Air attack using planes & bombs

• Surprise attack on a Sunday morning

• U.S. declared war on Japan the next day

Battle of Midway (June 1942)

• Pacific Ocean

• U.S. vs. Japan

• U.S. won

• Prevented Japan from accessing Hawaii

• Set up a supply base in the Pacific

• Started "island hopping" campaign

Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa (spring 1945)

• Two islands south of Japan

• America captured Iwo Jima

• The victory at Okinawa brought U.S. closer to Japan than ever before

• Could invade if we wanted to

^{Hiroshima and Nagasaki (August 1945)}

• ^{Surprise! America has been working on these super secret, super scary atomic bombs during this war!}

• ^{Dropped one bomb on Japanese city Hiroshima - extremely destructive.}

• ^{Japan did not surrender}

• ^{America dropped a second bomb, Japan surrendered after the bomb on Nagasaki}

V-J Day

• Victory in Japan

• August 14, 1945

Multiple Choice

Which battle began America's "island hopping" campaign in the Pacific?

• Pearl Harbor

• Iwo Jima

• Okinawa

• Midway

Multiple Choice

Where did the United States drop nuclear bombs?

• Iwo Jima and Okinawa

• Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Multiple Choice

Which event did President FDR call "a date which will live in infamy"?

• Pearl Harbor

• Iwo Jima

• Nagasaki

• Midway

Match that Leader!

Which country did each person lead during WWII?

Multiple Choice

Adolf Hitler

• Germany

• Italy

• Soviet Union

• United States

Multiple Choice

Emperor Hirohito

• Soviet Union

• Italy

• Great Britain

• Japan

Multiple Choice

Franklin D. Roosevelt

• France

• United States

• Germany

• Japan

Multiple Choice

Winston Churchill

• United States

• Great Britain

• Italy

• France

Multiple Choice

Benito Mussolini

• Germany

• Japan

• Great Britain

• Italy

Multiple Choice

Joseph Stalin

• Italy

• Soviet Union

• France

• Great Britain