WWII Part 2
WWII Part II Notes Operation Barbarossa Following the Battle of Britain, came Germany s surprise attack on the USSR. Hitler wanted to create lebensraum for German people by attacking the Slavic 1941 peoples in Russia. This all began in June when Germany attacked the USSR under the above code name. Some feel this attack cost Hitler the war. Hitler s other goals were to attain the: Wheat fields Oil supplies 1. in the South of the USSR 2. in the Caucasus Mountains. Hitler planned on encircling the Soviet forces in a series of blitzkrieg attacks rather than allowing the Soviets to draw the German troops in too deep. The problem seemed to lie in Hitler s assumption that he could win the war before winter
winter clothing No was issued to German soldiers. The Russian troops fell back destroying farms, crops, livestock, buildings 153 3 million Hitler had divisions making up men attacking the USSR. There were 3 army groups each with a separate mission: Leningrad 1. Army Group North under General Leeb was to defeat. Moscow 2. Army Group Centre under General Bock was to capture.
Ukrainian oil in Caucasus region 3. Army Group South under General Rundstedt was to capture the wheat-fields then the. 1200 Early in this Nazi-Soviet War Soviet aircraft were destroyed allowing the German Luftwaffe to outnumber the Soviet aircraft. 300 000 Smolensk 800 000 4-1 Furthermore, Russian prisoners were captured at the attack of the city of. Leningrad citizens lost their lives in a 3 year German siege of that city. The German capture of Zhukov Moscow was diverted by the Soviet defense led by General. Three main errors of Hitler during this battle were: (bottom of 148 DeMarco) 1. He underestimated Russian numbers by half 2. He did not prepare his troops for the Russian winter (Ex -- 100 000 cases of frost bite and 16 winter coats per 800 men) 3. He could not control Russian industry - Stalin moved 1500 factories eastward.
Stalingrad In early 1942, Hitler decided to attempt to win the war against the USSR by capturing both and the. Germany s General Von was ordered to take the city but was cut off by the Russian General. Hitler would not allow his forces to retreat, however, Paulus finally had to surrender in January. The final German offensive was at in. This was the biggest attack ever. Russian troops and tanks were superior in number and quality and therefore were victorious. By Germany had to surrender. Stalingrad oil fields Zhukov Kursk 1943 tank 1944 Paulus The war in Russia was important to total victory. At least 75 percent of Germany s troops and war material had been used at the Russian front.. The Soviets, however, paid dearly with the loss of 20 mill people in this war with Germany. The American and British combined war dead counting civilians was 800 000. allied
The War in the Pacific In December 1941, war broke out in the when Japan attacked the American Naval base at Pearl Harbour. Pacific Background: You ll remember the Japanese leadership had wanted hegemony in the Pacific (Asian Co Prosperity Sphere) and needed resources and markets in the region. Manchuria Japan attacked in 1931 and the rest of China six years later.
This goal conflicted with American plans and President withdrawal Roosevelt demanded the of Japanese troops from China. Japan was already angry over the Washington Naval Agreement, which only allowed them to have 3 naval ships for every 5 American and British ships. Here again we see conflicting imperialist aspirations. In November 1941, General Tojo, a militarist determined to fight a Hirohito war, assured Emperor that Japan could win a war in the Pacific. Hirohito was initially skeptical and wanted to be sure all diplomatic alternatives with the US had been exhausted.
The Attack in brief... On Dec 7, 1941, over Japanese planes were launched from aircraft carriers situated 230 miles north of Hawaii. Their aim - to destroy as much as they could of the US Pacific naval fleet. There were American battleships sunk, American aircraft destroyed and 2350 200 300 lives lost within a few minutes. There were two waves of attack raids. The first took place from 3 altitude levels: Dive torpedo bombers, mid level dive bombers, and high level bombers. Japan lost only planes. For six months Japan could advance in the Pacific unopposed. By May 1942, Japan controlled Indochina, Malyaya, Singapore, Burma, Hong Kong & the Philippines. 5 29
T H E HOW DID THEY PULL IT OFF? The Japanese The First Event Air Fleet attacked the US Pacific naval base at Pearl Harbour (Oahu, Hawaii). The air fleet, led by Vice Admiral Nagumo, consisted of 6 aircraft E V E N T carriers, 2 battleships, 2 heavy cruisers, 1 light cruiser, 9 destroyers and 3 picket submarines. This armada sailed from Japan in strict radio silence so as to be undetected. Moreover, bogus communication signals were maintained in their Japanese port to fake out the Americans.
The preparation... Preparation before the attack 1. Torpedo dropping pilots... Torpedo dropping pilots......were to be the first to arrive - the pilots had to practice dropping their torpedoes at only...were to be the first to arrive. Months in advance, the 20 meters above the water whilst traveling 185 kms per hour - the torpedoes were not to pilots practiced dropping their torpedoes from only 20 bottom out as the harbour was known to be shallow - only 40 feet deep. If torpedo nets meters above the water whilst traveling 185 kms per protected the ships the first pilots were told to crash their planes into the water and thus break hour - these torpedoes were not to bottom out as the the netting for the torpedoes to follow. harbour Dive Bombers was known to be only 40 feet deep. If torpedo nets were found to be protecting the ships, the earlier Practice began months in advance - dive bombers practised on a large barrel in the water in a bay of a mid sized city in the south of Japan. They were to start their dive at 4000 arriving pilots were to crash their planes through the metres but not release their bomb until they were at 450 meters (dangerous) -- then pull out water into the netting, clearing a path for the torpedoes of the dive the entire time maintaining a speed of about 300 kms an hour to follow.
2. Dive bombers... also began practice months in advance on a large barrel in a bay in southern Japan. The pilots were to: start dives from 4000 metres release bombs @ 450 meters maintain 300 kms per hour while pulling out of dive
3. High Level Bombers......Practiced gruelingly without knowing what they were preparing for. Had to rehearse dropping bombs that would penetrate the heavy steel decking of the American battleships. Initially dropped bombs from 4 kms -- but this was reduced to 3 kms (risking anti-aircraft guns). After 10 days, no direct hits were made. More experienced pilots were brought in. On the afternoon of the 3rd day, the first clean strike occurred.
The attack in detail...
In the first wave... 185 planes were launched from the aircraft carrier Akagi beginning at 6:05 am. Swells were high - foam sprayed across flight decks - the carrier was listing b/w 11-15 degrees. One plane plunged into the ocean after take off & another was forced to circle back (engine trouble), leaving 183 to make the attack. The planes circled until all were in the air (this took only 15 minutes * * Approximately that many more made a second raid an hour or so later for a total of about 350 planes, there was to be a 3rd wave but it was cancelled.
First wave continued... There were: 49 high level bombers 43 fighters 51 dive bombers 40 torpedo planes At 6:20 am, the lead plane flown by Fuchida (marked by an orange light to distinguish from the all the others which had yellow lights) led the way to Pearl Harbour - 230 miles away - they would arrive in 1 hour 30 minutes at 7:50 am. They got back to aircraft carrier at noon = 5 and a half hours in the air.
Why such high destruction of US aircraft? (329 destroyed or damaged) The commanding officer of the Army Headquarters at Pearl, General Short, decided to move the planes into the centre of the air fields - wing tip to wing tip. Given his fear of sabotage by local Hawaiian Japanese, he thought the planes were safer far from the edges of the base. This made them an easy target for Japanese pilots.
The damage & consequence 5 of 8 US battleships were sunk The other 3 lightly damaged There was also damage to 3 light cruisers 4 destroyers 4 auxiliary ships 19 / 96 vessels at PH sunk or seriously damaged 161 aircraft destroyed & 159 damaged 2389 servicemen and civilians killed or missing This set the US Pacific fleet back 6 months
A word about the aircraft carriers - There were 3 and although these were the ultimate target - none were present the Sunday morning of the attack. Conspiracists argue the attack was provoked by the US Admin. to give themselves an excuse to enter the war--in their theory, these 3 ships were conveniently arranged to be on practice maneuvers that Sunday morning but the fact is Saratoga was in San Diego, the Enterprise was just overdue back at Pearl Harbour but for bad weather - (several planes took off from her to fight but most were shot down) and the Lexington was delivering planes to Midway as of December 5th as an attack was expected any day, even any hour at one of these islands according to American intelligence.
Battle for North Africa... just listen and try to keep up...
The Normandy Landings June 6, 1944 After the USA was in the war, Stalin began urging the Western Allies to launch an invasion second front Germany in France thus opening a to relieve the Soviet s in their fight against in the USSR. In November at the Conference, Roosevelt did promise Stalin a second front in as soon as possible. It was who delayed this invasion from 1943 until 1944 1943 Tehran Europe Churchill June. Churchill said that a second front in France would work better after the enemy was attacked from the soft underbelly of Europe. 1943 June 1944 The allies thus invaded Italy in but could not defeat them there until the fall of Rome in.
Dieppe There was a trial invasion by Canadian troops at in August. 1942 It was quite disastrous but provided useful information for a later invasion. The final invasion of France (by the Allies in order to liberate France from the June 6, 1944 Operation Overlord Nazis) began on. This was codenamed and was the largest cooperative invasion in history. The British, American and Canadian troops all landed on the beaches after fooling Nazi intelligence by setting up dummy decoy camps across the English Channel at. The General in charge of this huge invasion was US General Eisenhower Normandy. Calais By the end of June 6, 1944 - troops had landed. After one month, allied troops were fighting the Nazis in Europe. 130 000 1 million
Floating harbours called mulberries (with all necessary supplies) were pulled across the Channel from which allied invasion could be launched. Fuel was piped across under the channel water. Montgomery General took charge of the land forces and De Gaulle s Free French August 25, 1944 forces proudly marched through Paris on liberating her from the Nazis. One final fight for France was carried out by German troops in the Battle of the in 1944 Germany December. The allies won this battle and the invasion of then began. Germany s surrender came in April 1945 of. Bulge
Back to the Pacific Theatre The turning point in the Pacific war was the American success at the island of Midway. This halted Japan s string of victories. Two American Generals of note in these Pacific battles were and Nimitz. MacAurthur The Americans leap frogged from island to island and converged in the Philippines in the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June. This too was an important American victory because the Japanese were now cut off from their oil supplies in Dutch E. Indies 1944. The actual invasion of Japan took place after this and again civilians paid dearly 80 000 with their lives. In March 1945, Tokyo was bombed and 1945 were killed. Two atomic bombs were dropped in August on Hiroshima Nagasaki 160 000 Aug 14, 1945 and. The death toll in Hiroshima alone was. Japan surrendered on. World War II was over.