THE ALLIES ARE VICTORIOUS
SUMMARY
The Unites States entered the war in 1941, in the fight against the Axis Powers. In an attempt to weaken Germany, the Soviet Union asked the allies if they could open another front in the west. Eventually, they opened a front in North Africa and Southern Europe, causing the Germans to invade Northern Africa in 1941. General Erwin Rommel led the Germans and took the port city of Tobruk in June 1942. London sent General Bernard Montgomery to aid the troops, and they eventually won the battle of El Alamein against the Germany. In the summer of 1942, Germany invaded Stalingrad in the Soviet Union, but ultimately surrendered because the Red Army's defense was too strong. In January 1943, the US and Britain decided to invade Italy through Sicily. The conquest of Sicily removed Mussolini from power, but he was soon put back into power in Northern Italy, where German control was established. By 1943, the Allies were making a plan to attack the Germans across the English Channel by creating a force in Great Britain. On May 1944, American General Dwight D. Eisenhower led his troops to Normandy, and both the Allies and Axis Armies fought in one of the greatest land and sea attack in history, known as D-Day. When the Allies fought threw with a great and strong military, they eventually pushed the Germans back and won the Battle of the Bulge. Hitler did not want to surrender to the Allies, so he and his wife killed themselves on April 28th, and the Allies accepted the unconditional surrender. When the battle in Europe was over, the Allies then fought off Japan, and finally won when Japan surrendered because of the atomic bomb (which was created during the Manhattan Project) America landed on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The war officially ended on September 2nd, and although the Allies experienced struggles on the home front, economic and social, they still came out victorious.
TEN BEST ARTICLES
1. BATTLE OF EL ALAMEIN TIMELINE- Discusses the strategies of both Montgomery and Rommel, and provides a timeline of events in chronological order. "In the first Battle of El Alamein beginning on July 1st, 1942, German General Erwin Rommel tried in vain to attack the Allied defensive positions with his Africa Corps (and Italian allies), yielding tremendous losses to his army forces as a result. The actions in this first campaign forced an end to fighting by July 22nd. The Allied defensive perimeter near El Alamein held and that was that.... During the lull following the fighting, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill made some strategic leadership changes in the region, placing General Harold Alexander as Commander-in-Chief, Middle East (over Auchinleck) and General Bernard Law Montgomery as commander of 8th Army....On October 23rd, Operation Lightfoot is put into effect by Montgomery as 800+ artillery guns open up on the Axis positions. A two-pronged attack is activated, with a northern and southern force. "
2. WORLD WAR II: THE BATTLE OF STALINGRAD- Discusses the beginnings of the Battle of Stalingrad, including the invasion of the USSR (Known to the Germans as Operation Barbarossa), the Battle strategies of both sides, and how Russia defeated the Germans. "On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa...On September 5, the Soviet 24th and 66th Armies organised a massive attack against XIV Panzerkorps. The Luftwaffe helped the German forces repulse the offensive by subjecting Soviet artillery positions and defensive lines to heavy attack. The Soviets were forced to withdraw at midday after only a few hours. Of the 120 tanks the Soviets committed, 30 were lost to air attack. Soviet operations were constantly hampered by the Luftwaffe...The life expectancy of a newly-arrived Soviet private in the city dropped to less than 24 hours, while that of a Soviet officer was about 3 days. Stalin’s Order No. 227 of July 27, 1942, decreed that all commanders who order unauthorized retreat should be subjects of a military tribunal. “Not a step back!” was the slogan. The Germans pushing forward into Stalingrad suffered heavy casualties...Nevertheless, when Soviet forces closed in on Paulus’ headquarters in the ruined GUM department store the next day, Paulus surrendered. The remnants of the German forces in Stalingrad surrendered on February 2; 91,000 tired, ill, and starving Germans were taken captive."
3. SEP 3, 1943: ALLIES INVADE ITALIAN MAINLAND- Discusses the Allies invasion of Italy, the overthrowing of Mussolini, and the invasion of Sicily.
"On the day of the landing, the Italian government secretly agreed to the Allies' terms for surrender, but no public announcement was made until September 8. Italian dictator Benito Mussolini envisioned building Fascist Italy into a new Roman Empire, but a string of military defeats in World War II effectively made his regime a puppet of its stronger Axis partner, Germany. By the spring of 1943, opposition groups in Italy were uniting to overthrow Mussolini and make peace with the Allies, but a strong German military presence in Italy threatened to resist any such action....On July 10, 1943, the Allies began their invasion of Axis-controlled Europe with landings on the island of Sicily, off mainland Italy. Encountering little resistance from demoralized Sicilian troops, Montgomery's 8th Army came ashore on the southeast part of the island, while the U.S. 7th Army, under General George S. Patton, landed on Sicily's south coast. Within three days, 150,000 Allied troops were ashore. On August 17, Patton arrived in Messina before Montgomery, completing the Allied conquest of Sicily and winning the so-called Race to Messina"
4. D-DAY-An overview of the events and obstacles leading to D-Day and Normandy's victory. "The invasion was one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history and required extensive planning. Prior to D-Day, the Allies conducted a large-scale deception campaign designed to mislead the Germans about the intended invasion target. By late August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated, and by the following spring the Allies had defeated the Germans. The Normandy landings have been called the beginning of the end of war in Europe."
5. THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE- A detailed description of the Battle of the Bugle (1944-1945), from the battles original main points to it's execution. "The Ardennes battle drives home the lesson that a large-scale offensive by massed armor has no hope of success against an enemy who enjoys supreme command of the air. Our precious reserves had been expended, and nothing was available to ward off the impending catastrophe in the east."
6. GERMANY SURRENDERS UNCONDITIONALLY TO THE ALLIES AT REIMS- A description of the events that occurred after German surrender, specifically addressing the remarks of the Generals on the German and Soviet side. "Eisenhower was prepared to seal off the Western front, preventing Germans from fleeing to the West in order to surrender, thereby leaving them in the hands of the enveloping Soviet forces."
7. V.E. DAY- An overview of the Allied powers victory in the European side of the war officially announcing the end of World War II. "In the late afternoon, the Royal Family came out onto a balcony at Buckingham Palace. In front of them were 20,000 people. George VI wore his Royal Navy uniform while Princess Elizabeth wore her ATS uniform. They were joined by Churchill. He later spoke to those gathered outside the Ministry of Health. At the end of the speech, the crowd sang ‘For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow’."
8. ALL AMERICAN FORCES IN THE PHILIPPINES SURRENDER UNCONDITIONALLY- "Although still managing to sink many Japanese barges as they approached the northern shores of the island, the Allied troops could hold the invader off no longer."
9. THE PERILOUS FIGHT- An explanation of the kamikaze threat imposed by the Japanese as a way to defeat the Allied Powers. "The concept was Vice Admiral Onishi Takijiro's. Japanese air forces were no longer competitive, so Takijiro proposed turning planes into human missiles. The pilots needed little training — takeoffs, but no landings — and a sacrificial dive-bomber would be hard to shoot down. They were called kamikazes, or "divine wind" — typhoons that saved Japan in 1274 and 1281 by driving off Kublai Khan's invasion fleet. Those at home would be inspired by the kamikaze sacrifice. The enemy would be terrified."
10. WORLD WAR TWO: HOW THE ALLIES WON- An article explaining how the Allies were able to win World War II through their enemies mistakes and their own strong defensive strategy. "Even with these vast resources to hand, however, it took American forces considerable time before they could fight on equal terms with well-trained and determined enemies."
AUDIO/VIDEO SOURCES
1. BATTLE OF STALINGRAD- A short summary of the Battle of Stalingrad, between the Soviets and the Germans, resulting in one of the most deadliest wars in Soviet history.
2. D-Day- A short summary of D-Day, the day when the Allies invaded Normandy, in an attempt to defeat the Germans.
3. Manhattan Project- A short summary of the atomic bomb that the American and British built in case the Germans were planning on creating a nuclear weapon. In the end, it was used on Japan in order to end the war.
PRIMARY SOURCE DOCUMENTS
1. TERMS OF THE GERMAN SURRENDER- After Germany's unconditional surrender, terms and agreements where made up in order to prevent another Nazi period. "There is no central Government or authority in Germany capable of accepting responsibility for the maintenance of order, the administration of the country and compliance with the requirements of the victorious Powers."
2. GENERAL DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER ORDER OF THE DAY (1944) - Eisenhower's order for how D-Day was going to turn out and how him and his men will be victorious. "I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less that full Victory!"
3. VICTORY ORDER OF THE DAY, 1945- Order sent by Eisenhower informing the Allies that they have won the European part of World War II. "Working and fighting together in a single and indestructible partnership you have achieved a perfection in unification of air, ground and naval power that will stand as a model in our time."
MAPS
The Unites States entered the war in 1941, in the fight against the Axis Powers. In an attempt to weaken Germany, the Soviet Union asked the allies if they could open another front in the west. Eventually, they opened a front in North Africa and Southern Europe, causing the Germans to invade Northern Africa in 1941. General Erwin Rommel led the Germans and took the port city of Tobruk in June 1942. London sent General Bernard Montgomery to aid the troops, and they eventually won the battle of El Alamein against the Germany. In the summer of 1942, Germany invaded Stalingrad in the Soviet Union, but ultimately surrendered because the Red Army's defense was too strong. In January 1943, the US and Britain decided to invade Italy through Sicily. The conquest of Sicily removed Mussolini from power, but he was soon put back into power in Northern Italy, where German control was established. By 1943, the Allies were making a plan to attack the Germans across the English Channel by creating a force in Great Britain. On May 1944, American General Dwight D. Eisenhower led his troops to Normandy, and both the Allies and Axis Armies fought in one of the greatest land and sea attack in history, known as D-Day. When the Allies fought threw with a great and strong military, they eventually pushed the Germans back and won the Battle of the Bulge. Hitler did not want to surrender to the Allies, so he and his wife killed themselves on April 28th, and the Allies accepted the unconditional surrender. When the battle in Europe was over, the Allies then fought off Japan, and finally won when Japan surrendered because of the atomic bomb (which was created during the Manhattan Project) America landed on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The war officially ended on September 2nd, and although the Allies experienced struggles on the home front, economic and social, they still came out victorious.
TEN BEST ARTICLES
1. BATTLE OF EL ALAMEIN TIMELINE- Discusses the strategies of both Montgomery and Rommel, and provides a timeline of events in chronological order. "In the first Battle of El Alamein beginning on July 1st, 1942, German General Erwin Rommel tried in vain to attack the Allied defensive positions with his Africa Corps (and Italian allies), yielding tremendous losses to his army forces as a result. The actions in this first campaign forced an end to fighting by July 22nd. The Allied defensive perimeter near El Alamein held and that was that.... During the lull following the fighting, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill made some strategic leadership changes in the region, placing General Harold Alexander as Commander-in-Chief, Middle East (over Auchinleck) and General Bernard Law Montgomery as commander of 8th Army....On October 23rd, Operation Lightfoot is put into effect by Montgomery as 800+ artillery guns open up on the Axis positions. A two-pronged attack is activated, with a northern and southern force. "
2. WORLD WAR II: THE BATTLE OF STALINGRAD- Discusses the beginnings of the Battle of Stalingrad, including the invasion of the USSR (Known to the Germans as Operation Barbarossa), the Battle strategies of both sides, and how Russia defeated the Germans. "On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa...On September 5, the Soviet 24th and 66th Armies organised a massive attack against XIV Panzerkorps. The Luftwaffe helped the German forces repulse the offensive by subjecting Soviet artillery positions and defensive lines to heavy attack. The Soviets were forced to withdraw at midday after only a few hours. Of the 120 tanks the Soviets committed, 30 were lost to air attack. Soviet operations were constantly hampered by the Luftwaffe...The life expectancy of a newly-arrived Soviet private in the city dropped to less than 24 hours, while that of a Soviet officer was about 3 days. Stalin’s Order No. 227 of July 27, 1942, decreed that all commanders who order unauthorized retreat should be subjects of a military tribunal. “Not a step back!” was the slogan. The Germans pushing forward into Stalingrad suffered heavy casualties...Nevertheless, when Soviet forces closed in on Paulus’ headquarters in the ruined GUM department store the next day, Paulus surrendered. The remnants of the German forces in Stalingrad surrendered on February 2; 91,000 tired, ill, and starving Germans were taken captive."
3. SEP 3, 1943: ALLIES INVADE ITALIAN MAINLAND- Discusses the Allies invasion of Italy, the overthrowing of Mussolini, and the invasion of Sicily.
"On the day of the landing, the Italian government secretly agreed to the Allies' terms for surrender, but no public announcement was made until September 8. Italian dictator Benito Mussolini envisioned building Fascist Italy into a new Roman Empire, but a string of military defeats in World War II effectively made his regime a puppet of its stronger Axis partner, Germany. By the spring of 1943, opposition groups in Italy were uniting to overthrow Mussolini and make peace with the Allies, but a strong German military presence in Italy threatened to resist any such action....On July 10, 1943, the Allies began their invasion of Axis-controlled Europe with landings on the island of Sicily, off mainland Italy. Encountering little resistance from demoralized Sicilian troops, Montgomery's 8th Army came ashore on the southeast part of the island, while the U.S. 7th Army, under General George S. Patton, landed on Sicily's south coast. Within three days, 150,000 Allied troops were ashore. On August 17, Patton arrived in Messina before Montgomery, completing the Allied conquest of Sicily and winning the so-called Race to Messina"
4. D-DAY-An overview of the events and obstacles leading to D-Day and Normandy's victory. "The invasion was one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history and required extensive planning. Prior to D-Day, the Allies conducted a large-scale deception campaign designed to mislead the Germans about the intended invasion target. By late August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated, and by the following spring the Allies had defeated the Germans. The Normandy landings have been called the beginning of the end of war in Europe."
5. THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE- A detailed description of the Battle of the Bugle (1944-1945), from the battles original main points to it's execution. "The Ardennes battle drives home the lesson that a large-scale offensive by massed armor has no hope of success against an enemy who enjoys supreme command of the air. Our precious reserves had been expended, and nothing was available to ward off the impending catastrophe in the east."
6. GERMANY SURRENDERS UNCONDITIONALLY TO THE ALLIES AT REIMS- A description of the events that occurred after German surrender, specifically addressing the remarks of the Generals on the German and Soviet side. "Eisenhower was prepared to seal off the Western front, preventing Germans from fleeing to the West in order to surrender, thereby leaving them in the hands of the enveloping Soviet forces."
7. V.E. DAY- An overview of the Allied powers victory in the European side of the war officially announcing the end of World War II. "In the late afternoon, the Royal Family came out onto a balcony at Buckingham Palace. In front of them were 20,000 people. George VI wore his Royal Navy uniform while Princess Elizabeth wore her ATS uniform. They were joined by Churchill. He later spoke to those gathered outside the Ministry of Health. At the end of the speech, the crowd sang ‘For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow’."
8. ALL AMERICAN FORCES IN THE PHILIPPINES SURRENDER UNCONDITIONALLY- "Although still managing to sink many Japanese barges as they approached the northern shores of the island, the Allied troops could hold the invader off no longer."
9. THE PERILOUS FIGHT- An explanation of the kamikaze threat imposed by the Japanese as a way to defeat the Allied Powers. "The concept was Vice Admiral Onishi Takijiro's. Japanese air forces were no longer competitive, so Takijiro proposed turning planes into human missiles. The pilots needed little training — takeoffs, but no landings — and a sacrificial dive-bomber would be hard to shoot down. They were called kamikazes, or "divine wind" — typhoons that saved Japan in 1274 and 1281 by driving off Kublai Khan's invasion fleet. Those at home would be inspired by the kamikaze sacrifice. The enemy would be terrified."
10. WORLD WAR TWO: HOW THE ALLIES WON- An article explaining how the Allies were able to win World War II through their enemies mistakes and their own strong defensive strategy. "Even with these vast resources to hand, however, it took American forces considerable time before they could fight on equal terms with well-trained and determined enemies."
AUDIO/VIDEO SOURCES
1. BATTLE OF STALINGRAD- A short summary of the Battle of Stalingrad, between the Soviets and the Germans, resulting in one of the most deadliest wars in Soviet history.
2. D-Day- A short summary of D-Day, the day when the Allies invaded Normandy, in an attempt to defeat the Germans.
3. Manhattan Project- A short summary of the atomic bomb that the American and British built in case the Germans were planning on creating a nuclear weapon. In the end, it was used on Japan in order to end the war.
PRIMARY SOURCE DOCUMENTS
1. TERMS OF THE GERMAN SURRENDER- After Germany's unconditional surrender, terms and agreements where made up in order to prevent another Nazi period. "There is no central Government or authority in Germany capable of accepting responsibility for the maintenance of order, the administration of the country and compliance with the requirements of the victorious Powers."
2. GENERAL DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER ORDER OF THE DAY (1944) - Eisenhower's order for how D-Day was going to turn out and how him and his men will be victorious. "I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less that full Victory!"
3. VICTORY ORDER OF THE DAY, 1945- Order sent by Eisenhower informing the Allies that they have won the European part of World War II. "Working and fighting together in a single and indestructible partnership you have achieved a perfection in unification of air, ground and naval power that will stand as a model in our time."
MAPS