The War Front

• In the Atlantic, the year 1942 was difficult : German submaries sank 500 American merchant and troop ships. Threatening the supply to Britain.
• Due to better US/UK technology and strategy, by the end of 1942, Germany was losing more ships than it could build in the Atlantic Front
• In the Eastern Fron, there was a Soviet war effort against the Nazi Germany.
• In 1942, in the eastern front, the Red Army stopped the German advancement at Stalingrad followed by the Soviet advance to Berlin.
• On the Eastern Front, the U.S. didn't send troops but provided material support and aerial bombings
• FDR wanted to invade France as early as 1943. Churchill convinced him to start with North Africa in late 1942. The victory in Africa served as a foothold for the invasion of Europe, starting with Italy.
• SIcily fell in August 1943. Mussolini was overthrown and an armistice was signed on September, 3 1943
• British and American forces instituted "saturation bombing", killing 300,000 civilians and destroying 5 million homes in the european front.
• The Allied massed more than 3 million soldiers (15 different nationalities) in England
• In May 1942, the U.S. Navy intercepted and destroyed a Japanese troop convoy planning an attack on Australia at Coral Sea.
• In June 1942 : the battle of Midway broke the back of the Japanese Navy
• Creation of the "Leapfrog strategy" : invading strategic islands
• February-March 1945 : Battle of Iwo Jiwa (Pacific front)
• April-June 1945 : battle of Okinawa