Sec. 2: The Allied Response

European Theatre

Ch. 14: World War II, 1930-1945

Battle of the Atlantic

Allies must control Atlantic for its shipping lanes to supply Britain & USSR with food/weapons Germans forced to rely on U-boats again U.S. lent British ships & offered escort assistance

The Homefront Mobilize army – millions volunteered/others drafted Production of weaponry- peacetime industries converted

to wartime production Raise labor force- women & other minority groups moved

into industries to produce needed supplies Rationing of food, fuel, rubber, nylon; scrap drives

By 1943, U.S. winning the Battle for the Atlantic

North Africa and Italy North Africa of strategic importance

Control of Mediterranean Sea & Suez Canal meant access to Middle East’s oil reserves

1941-’42: British forces under Gen. Bernard Montgomery fought a combined army of Italians/Germans (the Afrika Korps) under command of Gen.Erwin Rommel (Desert Fox) over Egypt & Libya

Nov., 1942: Allied invasion of North Africa “Operation Torch”- US forces under Gen. Dwight D.

Eisenhower invade No. Africa from the west, placing Rommel in a 2-way trap

May, 1943: Afrika Korps forced to surreneder nearly 250,000 men

Italy

Allies invade island of Sicily in July,1943

By end of July, Italians have toppled the fascist government & executed Mussolini

German forces are pushed into Italy to try and resist the Allied advance

The Allies face stiff resistance and high casualty rates as they slug their way up through Italy towards southern Germany

The Soviet Union Turns the Tide Siege of Leningrad (Summer, 1942)

Having been slowed by Russian winter of ‘41-’42, Hitler lays siege to old Czarist capital of Leningrad (St. Petersburg)

Siege was harsh as an average of 3-4,000 civilians a day died from starvation

Battle of Stalingrad Nazis ordered to take the industrial center of Stalingrad

(vital to wartime production/shipments of food & supplies) Soviet Red Army refuses to buckle & puts Nazis in retreat

westward out of USSR This victory, coupled with Allied victories in No. Africa &

Italy, marked turning pt. of WWII