C6: End of WW2 in Europe & Asia-Pacific (2261 ELECTIVE HISTORY)

CHAPTER 6: Reasons for the End of WW2 in Europe and the Asia-Pacific 1. Strengths of the Allies 2. Military Weaknesses of Germany and Japan POSSIBLE QUESTIONS: Reasons for Germany / Japan’s Defeat 'The entry of America was more decisive than the Allied Resistance in defeating Germany'. How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. ‘The main reason why Germany lost the war in Europe was due to US military might’. How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. ‘The defeat of Japan only came about with the dropping of the atomic bombs.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. How do I explain these factors? While it all depends on the key issue, here are some general guiding questions for you to consider: - [Effect on warring parties] How did this factor affect this side’s war effort? Did it contribute in helping their war effort or did it result in severe consequences? - [Link to issue] How then did this lead to the defeat of Germany / Japan? Why was Blitzkrieg unsuccessful in the long term? (pp.6-7) Blitzkrieg was successful at the initial stages of the war. However, once the war dragged on and turned into a battle of attrition, it grew increasingly disadvantageous for Germany. - June 1941, Germany declared war on USSR who pressured the Germans from the Eastern Front. - In late 1941, the US entered the war and bolstered the Allied forces from the Western Front. - In June 1944, the Allies landed on Normandy (in France) and invaded Germany on March 1945.

WW2 IN EUROPE (1939 - 1945) Fall of France, 1940 (p.7) - Germans attacked France in May 1940 - British Expeditionary Force and Royal Air Force (RAF) supported the French, but were not successful - The Allied armies retreated to the Channel coast in the region around the port of Dunkirk, where they were vulnerable and could have been destroyed - However, the German forces decided to slow down their advancement on the Allied armies, and this provided an opportunity for the Allied armies to reorganise and recuperate for the war - France fell into the hands of Germany in June which allowed Germany to avenge for their defeat in 1918 Battle of Britain, 1940 (p.7) - After the fall of France, Hitler focused his German Air Force (Luftwaffe) to carry out large scale attacks against Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) to try to achieve air superiority - However, Britain was not an easy target to fight and the Germans turned to bombing British cities, known as the Blitz - The Blitz lasted from September 1940 to May 1941 - Although the Blitz brought about much damage to Britain, The British RAF held on and resisted against the German forces, which contributed to the defeat of Germany later Operation Barbarossa, 1941 (p.8) - June 1941: Germany launched Operation Barbarossa against USSR - Initially, the German forces gained an upper hand as Stalin was close to abandoning Moscow in September 1941 - However, the Germans could not overwhelm the USSR fast enough and the harsh winter halted their advance - USSR used the time to reorganise the Soviet war effort and with the extensive resources provided by the US Lend-Lease scheme - This allowed the Soviets to turn the tide of war and enabled them to put up strong resistance on the Eastern Front Operation Overlord: D-Day, 1944 (p.9) - Strong fortifications were laid in France since its fall in 1940 - 6 June 1944: the US launched Operation Overload, or D-Day to liberate France - They landed on the heavily fortified coasts of Normandy - Germany was fighting on its own against the Allied forces as Italy signed an armistice

with them on September 1943 - D-Day was a success as it involved overwhelming resources, effective planning and leadership contributed by the entry of the US Victory in Europe (p.9) - December 1944: Germans launched counterattack through the Ardennes Forest, but were driven back - Huge victory in Stalingrad in early 1943 also halted the German advance - 30 April 1945: facing imminent defeat by the Allies, Hitler committed suicide - 8 May 1945, the war in Europe was over when Germany formally surrendered

WW2 IN ASIA-PACIFIC (1937 - 1945) Attack on Pearl Harbor, 1941 (pp.12-13) - US intelligence failed to warn the US forces and Japanese planes achieved almost complete surprise against the American forces. - Three Days after Pearl Harbor: Japanese forces sank the British Prince of Wales and the Repulse in the Pacific region. - US forces were able to recover quickly within a few monthS and retaliate against Japan. American outrage allowed President Roosevelt to rally the country. The country’s huge resources were directed towards war. - The USA constructed aircraft carriers which it was able to use throughout 1942. Battle of Midway, 1942 (p.13) - Midway Islands were important due to their airfields and location on the route to Pearl Harbor. - Japan’s aim: bomb the island defences and land troops on it so it could become a base for Japanese naval and armed forces. - June 1942: Japan and the USA fought each other. - Japan lost 4 of its aircraft carriers and nearly 3/4 of its experienced pilots. - This significantly affected its naval and air defence capabilities as Japan could not match the output of the US shipyards and aircraft factories. Defeat of Japan and the Atomic Bomb (pp.14-16) - The USA and its allies used the strategy of island-hopping (attacking strategically important islands one by one, establishing a foothold there and then moving on to the next island). - 1942 – 1945: Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands (Aug 1942), Marianas Islands (June 1944), the Philippines (Oct 1944), Iwo Jima (Feb 1945) and Okinawa (Apr 1945). - Japan’s military became weaker with each successive battle. Japan’s resources were severely overstretched and it was not able to defend its entire empire. - 1945: the USA became conducting air raids on Japanese soil, such as the bombing of Tokyo. April 1945: British and US forces took the island of Okinawa. This was a brutal battle as none of the Japanese soldiers would surrender. Allied ships were badly damaged by Japanese kamikaze suicide bombers. - April 1945: Roosevelt passed away and Truman became the new President. Truman was faced with the prospect of a year or more of heavy casualties. Truman decided to use the newly developed atomic bombs to compel Japan to a quick surrender. - 6 August 1945: ‘Little Boy’ was dropped over Hiroshima. - 9 August 1945: ‘Fat Man’ was dropped over Nagasaki. - 14 August 1945: Japan surrendered.

REASONS FOR THE END OF WW2 STRENGTHS OF THE ALLIES - Importance of America - Economic and Military Power - Allied Strategies (Battle of the Atlantic, Island-Hopping in the Pacific, Use of the Atomic Bomb) - Importance of Britain - Importance of the Soviet Union - Reorganisation