Topic 3.1:
Strategies Used in the European Theatre
The Goals of the Allies
The goal of the Allies was to stop the Axis and defeat them unconditionally so that they could not invade other countries again.
Allies’ Strategies in the European Theater
(The European Theatre was an area of heavy fighting across Europe, during World War II, from Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 until the end of the war with the German unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945 (V-E Day).
Hitler and his German army had taken over much of North Africa and Europe and had also attacked the Soviet Union (This caused Joseph Stalin, the dictator of the Soviet Union to join the Allied Powers). Japan controlled much of the Pacific region including the Philippines. In 1942, the Allies began to strike back. The Allies agreed that there first priority was to defeat Germany and Italy. The Allies landing in North Africa (Operation Torch) was to free the Mediterranean Sea from German Control, protect the oil fields of the Middle East and to take some pressure off of the USSR who was taking heavy losses as it was being invaded by Germany. The Allies invasion of North Africa led to all German troops in Africa being captured. This huge loss of experienced troops greatly reduced the military capacity of the Axis powers. The capture caused Axis forces resistance in Africa to collapse. The Axis forces surrendered on the 13 of May 1943 yielding over 275,000 prisoners of war.
Following the defeat of the Axis Powers in North Africa, there was disagreement between the Allies as to what the next step should be. Winston Churchill in particular wanted to invade Italy, which he called the "underbelly of Europe" (commonly misquoted as "soft underbelly"). Popular support in Italy for the war was declining, and he believed an invasion would remove Italy, and open a marina in the Mediterranean Sea to Allied traffic. This would make it much easier to supply Allied forces in the Middle East and Far East, and increase British and American supplies to the Soviet Union. In addition, it would tie down German forces, keeping them away from the planned invasion of Normandy, France.
The Allies first action in Italy was the capture of Sicily, an island off the coast of Italy on July 10, 1943. From there, the Allies invaded the Italian mainland. Benito Mussolini was overthrown, and their king was put back in power. This brought the surrender of Italians. However, German soldiers still occupied most of Italy, so the Allies had to continue to bitterly fight their way north to the capital city, Rome. They took control of Rome in June of 1944, two days before the invasion of Normandy.
The Invasion of Normandy, France (D-Day)
The Battle of Normandy was fought during World War II in the summer of 1944, between the Allied nations and German forces occupying Western Europe. More than 60 years later, the Normandy Invasion, or D-Day, remains the largest seaborne invasion in history. More than 170,000 troops, 20,000 vehicles, 1,500 tanks, and 12,000 planes were made ready for attack. The plan was for the Allied forces to cross the English Channel June 4, 1944 and to come ashore on the beaches of Normandy in France. From there, they would attack German troops. Due to poor weather conditions, the Battle of Normandy was held off until June 6, 1944. This would be known as D-Day, when Allied forces worked together in the largest water-to-land invasion in history. Many soldiers died that day but the Allies were successful in breaking through German lines, forcing the Germans to retreat. This invasion led to the eventual surrender of the Axis Powers in Europe, but the Allied Powers continued to struggle against a Japanese army that was determined to fight until all was lost.
Strategies Used in the European Theatre
The Goals of the Allies
The goal of the Allies was to stop the Axis and defeat them unconditionally so that they could not invade other countries again.
Allies’ Strategies in the European Theater
(The European Theatre was an area of heavy fighting across Europe, during World War II, from Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 until the end of the war with the German unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945 (V-E Day).
Hitler and his German army had taken over much of North Africa and Europe and had also attacked the Soviet Union (This caused Joseph Stalin, the dictator of the Soviet Union to join the Allied Powers). Japan controlled much of the Pacific region including the Philippines. In 1942, the Allies began to strike back. The Allies agreed that there first priority was to defeat Germany and Italy. The Allies landing in North Africa (Operation Torch) was to free the Mediterranean Sea from German Control, protect the oil fields of the Middle East and to take some pressure off of the USSR who was taking heavy losses as it was being invaded by Germany. The Allies invasion of North Africa led to all German troops in Africa being captured. This huge loss of experienced troops greatly reduced the military capacity of the Axis powers. The capture caused Axis forces resistance in Africa to collapse. The Axis forces surrendered on the 13 of May 1943 yielding over 275,000 prisoners of war.
Following the defeat of the Axis Powers in North Africa, there was disagreement between the Allies as to what the next step should be. Winston Churchill in particular wanted to invade Italy, which he called the "underbelly of Europe" (commonly misquoted as "soft underbelly"). Popular support in Italy for the war was declining, and he believed an invasion would remove Italy, and open a marina in the Mediterranean Sea to Allied traffic. This would make it much easier to supply Allied forces in the Middle East and Far East, and increase British and American supplies to the Soviet Union. In addition, it would tie down German forces, keeping them away from the planned invasion of Normandy, France.
The Allies first action in Italy was the capture of Sicily, an island off the coast of Italy on July 10, 1943. From there, the Allies invaded the Italian mainland. Benito Mussolini was overthrown, and their king was put back in power. This brought the surrender of Italians. However, German soldiers still occupied most of Italy, so the Allies had to continue to bitterly fight their way north to the capital city, Rome. They took control of Rome in June of 1944, two days before the invasion of Normandy.
The Invasion of Normandy, France (D-Day)
The Battle of Normandy was fought during World War II in the summer of 1944, between the Allied nations and German forces occupying Western Europe. More than 60 years later, the Normandy Invasion, or D-Day, remains the largest seaborne invasion in history. More than 170,000 troops, 20,000 vehicles, 1,500 tanks, and 12,000 planes were made ready for attack. The plan was for the Allied forces to cross the English Channel June 4, 1944 and to come ashore on the beaches of Normandy in France. From there, they would attack German troops. Due to poor weather conditions, the Battle of Normandy was held off until June 6, 1944. This would be known as D-Day, when Allied forces worked together in the largest water-to-land invasion in history. Many soldiers died that day but the Allies were successful in breaking through German lines, forcing the Germans to retreat. This invasion led to the eventual surrender of the Axis Powers in Europe, but the Allied Powers continued to struggle against a Japanese army that was determined to fight until all was lost.
The War Ends in Europe
The Allies continued their march, soon crossing the border into Germany. At the
same time, the Soviet Union was invading Germany from the east. When the Soviet troops neared the German capital of Berlin, Hitler killed himself. On May 8, 1945, Germany surrendered. The Allies named May 8 V-E Day- for “Victory in
Europe.”
*modified from the South Carolina Support Document