The Tide Turns for the Allies

Japanese Victories Early On

The Japanese seemed unstoppable early on and conquered Guam Philippines Wake Island Hong Kong The Dutch East Indies Burma

The Tide Turns in the Pacific

The Americans experienced their first taste of victory at the Battle of Coral Sea, stopping the Japanese from invading Australia.

The Battle of Midway

At Midway (a tiny island), the American Navy destroyed all of the Japanese aircraft carriers stationed there and most of the airplanes.

The Americans began island-hopping: a strategy where Americans skipped some islands and only attacked islands that would help get them to Japan quicker.

The Official Turning Point

The Battle of Guadalcanal was the official turning part in Asia. It was the first assault launched against Japan by the Allies on land, sea, and air.

Meanwhile in Europe

By the end of 1942, the tide was turning in favor of the Allies in the Mediterranean and along the Eastern Front. Allied forces, led by American General Dwight Eisenhower, defeated German General Rommel’s forces in North Africa.

Back to the U.S.S.R.

By 1943, the Soviets beat the Germans in the Battle of Stalingrad. The Germans began to retreat then.

Meanwhile, American and British forces conquered Sicily in 1943.

“The End of the Beginning”

The Allies arrived in Rome of 1944 and Mussolini was killed by his own people.

D-Day, the invasion of Normandy, occurred on June 6, 1944. It allowed the Allies a foothold in France and within a few months the Allies had freed all of France.