The End of the War in Europe

Framing this lecture…

I’d taken us to the end of 1944 Britain started to turn the Battle of the Atlantic Normandy Invasion broke out from

Cherbourg Peninsula Allies were struggling up the ‘Tough Old Gut’ Soviets were smashing through Eastern

Europe after the Stalingrad victory

Map version…

European Theater- Eastern Front is key

Virtually unbroken string of victories after Stalingrad

Soviet Army is a tad bit ANGRY!

– 20 million Soviet dead

– Commissar Order

Race to Control the Most of Europe Possible

Churchill argued for an amphibious invasion of the Balkans to ensure freedom for Eastern Europe

Rejected– FDR thought he could work with Stalin– Churchill’s last plan for an amphibious front in

southeastern Europe was a colossal failure Gallipoli (WWI)

Stalin’s Intentions Slowly Come Into Focus

Warsaw Uprising Polish Partisans rose up as the Soviets approached the city Stalin paused his troops while the partisans were brutally

crushed by the Nazis… over 80% of the city was destroyed by the Nazis

Stalin refused to let Western relief missions anywhere in Soviet controlled territory… prompting speculation that Stalin doesn’t want us to see his manipulation of local politics …

The Red Army Reaches Berlin

Hitler called on all citizens to defend Berlin– Refuses to accept what is now obvious– Hitler’s brand of Social Darwinism argues that races prove their

worth by success- do you see why this is significant? Incredibly brutal fighting… many tales (mostly unconfirmed) of

mass rapes of Berliners by the Soviet invading forces Hitler and Goebbels committed suicide in the fuhrerbunker with

Russians only blocks away Anyone know why there were so many rumors about Hitler

being alive over the next 20 years?

VE-Day

May 8th, 1945 Flags in the U.S. were at half mast on this day (why?)

Why wasn’t the atomic bomb used against Germany? Hunt for leading Nazis and war crimes trials –

Nuremberg War Tribunal Potsdam Declaration to Japan