Par 2.3 Hitler causes a world war - Turning points/End of the war

• History
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

§2.3 Hitler causes a world war

Turning points / End of the war

Program

• Homework next class
• Invasion of Russia part 1
• War in the Pacific / USA joins the allies
• Invasion of Russia part 2: Battle of Leningrad and Stalingrad
• Germany loses in North Africa and Italy
• War in Western Europe: D-Day
• Operation Market Garden
• German surrender / Japanese surrender

Homework next class

• Make assignments 8, 9 and 10 from §2.3

Want to know more about WWII? Check this Youtube Channel: https://youtube.com/c/WorldWarTwo (made by historians)

After today...

• … You will be able to explain how the war in Europe developed
• ... You will be able to explain the most important turning points of the war
• ... You will be able to explain why Germany lost the war

Invasion of Russia part 1

• 22nd June 1941 : Operation Barbarossa
• First: huge success for Germany
• But: the winter bogged the German advance down in 1941
• Until the fall of 1942 the Germans were winning

• USA and Britain help the Russians with weapons and food

War in the Pacific

Turning point 1)

• 7th December 1941: Japan attacks Pearl Harbour -> USA joins the war. This is a huge boost for Britain and Russia
• At the same time Japan takes over South-East Asia
• Now the American economy is going to focus entirely on the war effort. A sleeping giant has been woken up

• USA starts to fight against both Germany and Japan

Invasion of Russia part 2

Turning point 2)

• Battle of Stalingrad during winter 1942-1943: German army suffers a tremendous defeat. From then on the German army only retreats
• Battle of Leningrad: German army besieged the city from Sep 1941 - Jan 1944, but is not able to take over the city and therefore retreats

• Russian army becomes stronger and stronger and starts the offensive to take Berlin in 1945

Germany loses in Africa/Italy

Turning point 3)

• 1943: German army loses in North Africa and retreats to Italy
•  The Allies invade Italy, Italy surrenders
• German army keeps fighting in Italy and hold out until 1945

War in Western-Europe

Turning point 4)

• D-Day 6th June 1944: landings in Normandy, France
• Allies break the German resistance at the end of July
• German army collapses and the allies take France, Belgium and the southern part of The Netherlands

War in Western-Europe

• September 1944: Operation Market Garden. Attempt to take the bridges across the River Rhine and finish the war before the end of the year
• The operation fails miserably and stops the allied advance
• December 1944: Germany starts a counter attack in the Ardennes (Belgium), but fail to break the allied  lines

German surrender 

• Germany gets attacked from eastern and western side
• It is quite amazing how long the Germans kept up their resistance for so long against so many powerful countries
• After heavy fighting Berlin is taken by the Russians
• Hitler commits suicide in April 1945
• Germany surrenders 7th May 1945

Japanese surrender 

• Pacific war takes longer to finish
• Japan finally surrenders after the deployment of two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
• Japan surrenders 14th August 1945

Why did Germany lose the war in Russia?

1. Because of the cold winters
2. They didn't have enough soldiers
3. The Russians fought very well
4. Because of the fierce resistance and the cold Russian winters

Which three turning points are the most important?

1. Leningrad/North Africa/D-Day
2. Stalingrad/Pearl Harbour/D-Day
3. North Africa/Stalingrad/D-Day
4. Leningrad/D-Day/Pearl Harbour