HIST: Balkins, N Africa, Italy

The Balkans, North Africa and

Italy

Learning Goal

1) Students will be able to understand that in order to

secure victory in Europe, the Allies waged war in the
Atlantic, North Africa, The Soviet Union and
Western Europe between (1941-1945)

• Germany

• Italy

• Japan

• Greece

• Yugoslavia

• Also Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Croatia

Axis

• British

• Soviet Union

• Eventually the US

Allies

Allies v. Axis

Barbarossa

German and Axis Troops Invade Soviet Union

​Hitler wanted a quick win like the blitzkrieg in Europe

___

• Stalin didn't believe it was going to happen - not prepared.

• Germany killed many prisoners - violated war protocols

___

Barbarossa FAILED

• Winter weather made it hard

• Not enough supplies

• Soviet were tough

Multiple Choice

Germans had 90% of the city (Moscow) but were ultimately unsuccessful why?

• They had other fronts to get back to

• Hitler deemed it not important

• They ran out of men to fight

• The winter

Italy invades Greece - 1940

Mussolini led Itay into Greece

• Even Hitler thought this was dumb - should have focused on N. Africa

• Greece fought back and won!

_____

Mussolini LOST and was humiliated!

Axis (germany) gains Greece & Yugoslavia

German Army attacks

Greece and Yugoslavia surrender and join the Axis

____

These two small wars delayed German invading Soviet Union (Barbarossa)

Multiple Choice

What was the name of the German operation to invade the Soviet Union in 1941?

• Operation Barbarossa

• Operation Overlord

• Operation Market Garden

• Operation Desert Storm

North Africa and the Balkans

NA Campaign Begins- August,

1940

- Early on British forces under

General Bernard
Montgomery have their
way with Italian forces.

• October 1940: Italian

forces invade Greece

• Greece and Yugoslavia

became members of
the Axis Power (April
1941)
– Guerillas in both

countries fought the
occupying forces

– In addition, Hungary and

Bulgaria joined the Axis
Powers

– DELAYED

BARBAROSSA!!

Germany v. North Africa

​Hitler sends Erwin Rommel to N. Africa

Known as the Desert Fox

​British forces getting beat by Rommel

.........UNTIL

El Alamein - Germany forced to retreat West

Multiple Choice

nickname given for German General Erwin Rommel; led German forces through North Africa

• Desert Fox

• Hitler's Right Hand Man

• The General

• The Desert Stonewall

Multiple Choice

1942-British victory in WWII that stopped the Axis forces from advancing into Northern Africa

• Battle of El Alamein

• Battle of the Bulge

• D-Day

• Blitzkrieg

US enters N. Africa

US (Allies) Land in Morocco & Algeria

US lost in Tunisia

_____

Eisenhower consolidated his forces and increased communication

_____

US wins - Germany and Italy surrender 1943

North Africa

Feb, 1941 Hitler sends General Erwin Rommel the “Desert

Fox” and 1 German Division to reinforce the Italians.

- German forces push deep into Egypt, but forced to retreat

at El Alamein. (NOV 1942)

- Germans retreat West
- American forces land in Morocco and Algeria days later

under General Eisenhower .

- Feb, 1943 – Americans suffer defeat in Tunisia.
- May 1943, 240,000 German and Italian forces surrender

(Surrounded)

Multiple Choice

American General who helped defeat the Axis Powers in North Africa

• Eisnehower

• Patton

• Roosevelt

• MacArthur

Casa Blanca Conference

FDR and Churchill in Casa Blanca, Morocco 1943

BEAT HITLER FIRST!

Only accept unconditional surrender from Germany, Italy and Japan

Casa Blanca Conference- Meeting between FDR and

Churchill in Casa Blanca, Morocco Jan, 1943.

1)

“Beat Hitler First”

2)

Accept nothing but unconditional surrender from
Germany, Italy & Japan.

Multiple Select

According to the allied war plan what are the ultimate goals of the war? (pick 2)

• Victory in Europe

• Victory in the Pacific

• Defeating the Axis powers

• The unconditional surrender of the Axis powers

Multiple Choice

Accepting defeat without any consequences

• Strategic bombing

• Conditional surrender

• Appeasement

• Unconditional surrender

Multiple Choice

The Allies decided to pursue a "Europe First" strategy because they

• thought that Germany was closer to surrendering than Japan was

• believed that Germany posed a more serious threat than Japan did.

• knew that it would be easier to ship supplied to Europe than to the Pacific

• understood that fighting a two-front war was impossible

Invasion of Italy

July, 1943 American 7th Army under

General George S. Patton and
British Forces under Montgomery
invade Sicily. (Taken in 38 days)

Mussolini arrested July 25, 1943

Sept- Mussolini rescued (12 SS

Paratroopers)

Oct 13, Italy declares war on Germany

Mussolini is in power in Northern Italy

(German puppet state)

Multiple Choice

British General who stopped Italian advances in North Africa

• Montgomery

• Churchill

• Eisenhower

• Blair

Multiple Choice

Founded Italy's Fascist Party who is arrested by US and then rescued

• Adolf Hitler

• Joseph Stalin

• Benito Mussolini

• Franklin Roosvelt

Multiple Choice

T or F. Italy turns on Germany and declares war on former Axis partner Germany

• True, They joined the Allies and turned on Germany

• False, They still backed Mussolini even though he was out.