Allied StrategyAllied Strategy

Early WWIIEarly WWII

The AlliesThe Allies

Big Three: Great Britain, Soviet Union, United States

Other allied nations: China, France, Poland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc.

Big Three: Great Britain, Soviet Union, United States

Other allied nations: China, France, Poland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc.

The AxisThe Axis

Germany, Italy, Japan Also: Hungary, Romania, Slovak

Republic, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Thailand, etc.

Germany, Italy, Japan Also: Hungary, Romania, Slovak

Republic, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Thailand, etc.

PrioritiesPriorities

Defeat Germany first, then invade Japan later Twin offensives against Japan:

Douglas MacArthur moves north from Australia Chester Nimitz moves west from Hawaii “Island hopping”

Win the “Battle of the Atlantic” to keep the shipping lanes open to Britain (the invention of sonar and radar make this possible)

Where should we attack the Nazis first?

Defeat Germany first, then invade Japan later Twin offensives against Japan:

Douglas MacArthur moves north from Australia Chester Nimitz moves west from Hawaii “Island hopping”

Win the “Battle of the Atlantic” to keep the shipping lanes open to Britain (the invention of sonar and radar make this possible)

Where should we attack the Nazis first?

Stalin’s demandStalin’s demand

Demanded that Churchill and FDR open up a second front in western Europe (France) immediately to relieve the pressure on his people

Germany had pushed 1,000 miles into the Soviet Union; the Soviets stood alone to fight the Nazis (20.6 million deaths in WWII-11% of their total population)

Opening a second front would force Hitler to split his forces and lighten the burden on the Soviets

Demanded that Churchill and FDR open up a second front in western Europe (France) immediately to relieve the pressure on his people

Germany had pushed 1,000 miles into the Soviet Union; the Soviets stood alone to fight the Nazis (20.6 million deaths in WWII-11% of their total population)

Opening a second front would force Hitler to split his forces and lighten the burden on the Soviets

Churchill’s planChurchill’s plan

Churchill feared that a premature landing in Europe would lead to a terrible stalemate as in WWI

His approach: protect the Suez Canal and liberate North Africa from the Nazis, then move on to Sicily and Italy and move north toward Germany

Churchill feared that a premature landing in Europe would lead to a terrible stalemate as in WWI

His approach: protect the Suez Canal and liberate North Africa from the Nazis, then move on to Sicily and Italy and move north toward Germany

The verdictThe verdict

FDR backs Churchill Stalin continues to hold off

the German invasion alone throughout 1942 and 1943, with American supplies

British and American soldiers land in North Africa to take on the Nazis in November 1942

Bitterness, hostility, and distrust between Stalin and the other two leaders grows

FDR backs Churchill Stalin continues to hold off

the German invasion alone throughout 1942 and 1943, with American supplies

British and American soldiers land in North Africa to take on the Nazis in November 1942

Bitterness, hostility, and distrust between Stalin and the other two leaders grows