Marine Corps Marine Corps HistoryHistory

LE-1508LE-1508pages 51 - 70pages 51 - 70

WW IIWW II

1939-19451939-1945

Countries & LeadersCountries & Leaders Japan: Emperor HirohitoJapan: Emperor Hirohito Germany: Adolf HitlerGermany: Adolf Hitler Italy: Benito MussoliniItaly: Benito Mussolini Russia: Joseph StalinRussia: Joseph Stalin Great Britain: Winston ChurchillGreat Britain: Winston Churchill United States: Roosevelt/TrumanUnited States: Roosevelt/Truman

General EisenhowerGeneral Eisenhower

A War With 2 FrontsA War With 2 Fronts

Eastern Europe: ArmyEastern Europe: ArmySouth Pacific: MarinesSouth Pacific: MarinesAllied Nations: 50 Allied Nations: 50 CountriesCountries

Axis Nations: 9 Axis Nations: 9 CountriesCountries

EASTERN EUROPEEASTERN EUROPE

1939 1939 - Germany not satisfied- Germany not satisfied

23 Aug23 Aug- - Hitler & Stalin NegotiateHitler & Stalin Negotiate 1 Sep- Hitler invades Poland1 Sep- Hitler invades Poland 30 Nov- Hitler invades Finland30 Nov- Hitler invades Finland 9 Apr 9 Apr 19401940- Hitler invades Norway - Hitler invades Norway

& Denmark& Denmark

Eastern EuropeEastern Europe continuedcontinued

10 May 10 May 19401940- British Govt.- British Govt.

collapse, collapse, Winston Churchill isWinston Churchill is new Prime Ministernew Prime Minister

10 June10 June- Mussolini invaded France- Mussolini invaded France 13 Sept13 Sept- Mussolini attempts an- Mussolini attempts an

invasion of Egypt (unsuccessful)invasion of Egypt (unsuccessful) 28 Oct28 Oct- Mussolini attempts an- Mussolini attempts an

invasion of Greece (unsuccessful)invasion of Greece (unsuccessful)

Eastern EuropeEastern Europe continued continued

3 Apr 3 Apr 19411941- Germany invades Africa- Germany invades Africa 6 Apr- Germany invades Greece and 6 Apr- Germany invades Greece and

YugoslaviaYugoslavia 23 May- Germany invades Crete23 May- Germany invades Crete 22 June- Germany, Finland and22 June- Germany, Finland and

Rumania invade Soviet Union Rumania invade Soviet Union

In The U.S.A.In The U.S.A. Oct. Oct. 19411941 U.S. protest Japan U.S. protest Japan

Military ExpansionMilitary Expansion 7 Dec. Japan attacks 7 Dec. Japan attacks

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Pearl Harbor, Hawaii 8 Dec. U.S. declares war8 Dec. U.S. declares war

on Japanon Japan

11 Dec. 194111 Dec. 1941–Germany and Italy Germany and Italy Declare Declare War on the United War on the United StatesStates

Marine CorpsMarine Corps Defensive Defensive OperationsOperations

Pearl HarborPearl Harbor GuamGuam Wake IslandWake Island PhilippinesPhilippines MIDWAYMIDWAY Island Island

Turning PointTurning Point of the War of the War

4 June 19424 June 1942MIDWAY IslandMIDWAY Island

U.S. Aircraft attacked U.S. Aircraft attacked the Japanese forces the Japanese forces before they attacked before they attacked Midway IslandMidway Island

Strength of the Strength of the CorpsCorps

7 Dec. 1941 = 7 Dec. 1941 = 65,00065,000

2 Sep. 1945 = 2 Sep. 1945 = 485,000485,000

Offensive Offensive OperationsOperations

““Island Hopping Island Hopping Campaign”Campaign” Solomon Solomon Islands Islands Gilbert Islands Gilbert Islands

Marshall IslandsMarshall IslandsMariana IslandsMariana Islands----> ----> JAPAN JAPAN <----<----

Solomon Solomon IslandsIslands

Guadalcanal : Guadalcanal : Aug 1942 - Feb Aug 1942 - Feb

1943 1943 John Basilone & Chesty John Basilone & Chesty PullerPuller

New Georgia :New Georgia : 101 Japanese 101 Japanese Aircraft Shot Down Aircraft Shot Down

Bougainville : Bougainville : Nov & Dec 1943Nov & Dec 1943 used Close Air Support used Close Air Support

effectivelyeffectively

Gilbert IslandsGilbert Islands Tarawa Atoll : Tarawa Atoll : Nov 1943Nov 1943

Marines had to Marines had to wade 700 wade 700 yards to yards to shore under fireshore under fire

Betio : Betio : 19441944

Makin : Makin : 19441944

In EuropeIn Europe 1943: 1943: Turning point for GermanyTurning point for Germany

Last German offensiveLast German offensive

1 Dec 1943:1 Dec 1943: Churchill, Stalin & Churchill, Stalin &Roosevelt Roosevelt organize theorganize the United United

NationsNations

6 Jun 1944: 6 Jun 1944: Normandy Invasion Normandy Invasion Largest Amphibious OperationLargest Amphibious Operation

of all timeof all time

Marshall Marshall Islands Islands

Kwajalein Atoll : 1943Kwajalein Atoll : 1943 Roi : 1944Roi : 1944 Namur : 1944Namur : 1944

The MarianasThe Marianas Saipan : Saipan : 15 June 1944 15 June 1944

29,600 Japanese defended the 29,600 Japanese defended the islandisland

Guam :Guam : 18 June 1944 18 June 1944 18,000 Japanese defended the 18,000 Japanese defended the

islandisland

Tinian : Tinian : 24 July 194424 July 1944 6,000 Japanese defended 6,000 Japanese defended

the islandthe island

PeleliuPeleliu Sep. & Oct. 1944Sep. & Oct. 1944 Extensive caves & Extensive caves &

tunnel systemtunnel system Marines used bulldozersMarines used bulldozers

& flame throwers & flame throwers Napalm & RocketsNapalm & Rockets used for the first time used for the first time

In EuropeIn Europe 16 Dec 1944 :16 Dec 1944 :

“Battle Of The Bulge”“Battle Of The Bulge” German Counter-German Counter-

OffensiveOffensive

Feb 1945 :Feb 1945 : New Allied Offensive New Allied Offensive

BeganBegan

Iwo JimaIwo Jima Feb 1945Feb 1945 U.S. Needed an air base U.S. Needed an air base

for B-29 Bombers for B-29 Bombers Mt. Suribachi : flag raisingMt. Suribachi : flag raising

5 Marines & 1 Navy corpsman5 Marines & 1 Navy corpsman ““Un-Common Valor was a Common Virtue” Un-Common Valor was a Common Virtue”

Admiral NimitzAdmiral Nimitz

                                                                                          

OkinawaOkinawa U.S. needed a place U.S. needed a place to mass troops for to mass troops for an attack on Japanan attack on Japan

Last great battle of the Last great battle of the warwar

181,000 soldiers & Marines181,000 soldiers & Marines attacked the attacked the

island from both sides island from both sides

In EuropeIn Europe 7 Mar 1945 :7 Mar 1945 : Allied Forces crossAllied Forces cross

Rhine River Rhine River 25 Apr :25 Apr : Allied Forces cross Allied Forces cross

the Elbe & Mulde Rivers the Elbe & Mulde Rivers 30 Apr : 30 Apr : Berlin in flames & Berlin in flames &

Hitler commits suicide Hitler commits suicide

7 May: Germany Surrenders7 May: Germany Surrenders 8 May: V-E Day 8 May: V-E Day (victory in (victory in

Europe)Europe)

In JapanIn Japan 26 July 194526 July 1945 : U.S. offers Japan : U.S. offers Japan

the opportunity to the opportunity to surrendersurrender

6 Aug6 Aug : Hiroshima bombed : Hiroshima bombed 9 Aug9 Aug : Russia attacks Japan & : Russia attacks Japan &

Nagasaki bombed Nagasaki bombed 14 Aug14 Aug : Japan surrenders : Japan surrenders 15 Aug15 Aug : V-J Day (victory in Japan) : V-J Day (victory in Japan) 2 Sep2 Sep : Surrender Documents : Surrender Documents

signed aboard the USS Missourisigned aboard the USS Missouri

The Cost of WWIIThe Cost of WWII United StatesUnited States 390,000 390,000 France France 400,000 400,000 Britain Britain 410,000 410,000 Italy Italy 410,000 410,000 China China 1,300,000 1,300,000 Japan Japan 2,500,000 2,500,000 Germany Germany 3,500,000 3,500,000 Poland Poland 5,600,000 5,600,000 Soviet Union Soviet Union 20,000,000 20,000,000 TOTAL =TOTAL = 40,000,000 40,000,000

Q U E S T I O N SQ U E S T I O N S

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