Warm Up #4! American soldiers of color were among the most decorated (most awards and medals) troops in WWII. Why do you think this is?
Major Battles & Special Contributions of WWII! FLT: I will be able to analyze the major battles of WWII along with the special contributions of American people of color.
Special Contributions: Heroes in Combat Notes
99 th Pursuit Squadron! aka the Tuskegee Airmen! First all-black combat air squadron in the Army Air Corps successful in Italy! Among the most decorated air units in WWII! Showed exceptional skill and bravery and were respected legends in their own time! https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=bpa6tc0t_lw
442 nd Regimental Combat Team! All Japanese American (Nisei) unit from continental U.S. and Hawaii! Nisei American born citizens whose parents emigrated from Japan! Most decorated unit in WWII
Navajo Code talkers! 400 Navajo were recruited as code talkers! Navajo spoken only in the American Southwest and had no alphabet or other written symbols! Perfect for code language that enemy troops could not understand https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=zqhhbhtpj3m
Major Battles of WWII (U.S.)! Use your textbook to complete the graphic organizer on the major battles of WWII
EUROPEAN THEATER
Operation Torch! On November 8, 1942, American troops led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower landed in Morocco and Algeria (North Africa)! Defeated and ended General Rommel s (German) African campaign
Invasion of Italy! July 10, 1943, Allied forces landed in Sicily, Italy to capture it from Italian and German troops! Italians overthrow Mussolini shot and hanged! September 3, Italy surrendered. Germany fell in May, 1945
D-Day Invasion! D-Day = Designated Day! Allies planned to strike on the beaches of Normandy, France led by U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower! On June 6, 1944, British, American, French, and Canadian troops fought in the greatest land and sea attack in history! On August 25, the Allies liberated France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Netherlands
D-Day Clip (Saving Private Ryan)! https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=_cytrcxthno
Battle of The Bulge! December 16, 1944 in Belgium! Germans made a final push to break up American and British forces! Allies eventually pushed Germans back and caused heavy losses for Hitler! Hitler s final attempt at victory fails
Germany s Unconditional Surrender! Allies rolled into Germany; Soviets surrounded and attacked Berlin! Hitler shot himself after taking poison! May 7, 1945, Germans unconditionally surrendered! May 8 = V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day). Allies celebrate winning the war!
PACIFIC THEATER
Battle of the Coral Sea! New naval warfare with aircraft carriers! Japanese won battle but Allies had stopped them from southward expansion! Prevented Japanese capture of the islands there and possibly Hawaii
Battle of Midway! Midway was a UScontrolled island! Japan attempted to take over in June 1942! The US was very successful with an ambush attack! First big Japanese defeat: gained naval superiority over Japan
Douglas MacArthur! He was commander of the Allied forces in the Pacific! Developed islandhop strategy: hopping islands to get to Japan ASAP! Very successful!
Battle of Iwo Jima! February 19, 1945 in the Japanese island of Iwo Jima! U.S. needed the airstrips on Iwo Jima to get close and bomb Japan! U.S. Marines take the island after a month of fighting and heavy losses