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The Second World War Part 3
In this lecture, Professor Totten describes the combat of the Second World War from North Africa to the Pacific theater. The Grand Alliance between the Soviets, Great Britain, and the United States was merely a marriage of convenience. Stalin kept pushing for a second front in Europe and was disappointed by delays to the invasion of France. With victories in North Africa and Sicily, the Allies invaded Italy, but progress was slow and costly. As the Allies prepared for D-Day, a massive disinformation campaign ensued in an attempt to divert German strength away from the Allies intended target, Normandy. D-Day was a massive amphibious invasion that cost thousands of lives, but it successfully established a beach head that the Allies used to plunge deep into France. The last German counter offensive in the West, occurred at the Battle of the Bulge and despite high casualties, the Allies hung on and recaptured all lost territory. Finally, the Red Army besieged Berlin and the fall of the city brought about V-E Day.
In the pacific, the Americans fought a holding action against Japanese forces, and embarked on an "island hopping campaign" where they seized some strategic islands, while bypassing others. Fighting was brutal and costly, which led to intense racism from both belligerents. At Guadalcanal, Saipan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and elsewhere, fanatical Japanese fighting convinced the civil-military leadership to use an Atomic Bomb to bring the Japanese to heel. Thus, two Atomic Bombs were dropped on Japan, which finally brought about their surrender, though these remain controversial to this day.
The Second World War was the costliest war in human history. It changed the map of Europe, it led to the occupation of Germany and Japan by the Allies, and Eastern Europe by the Soviets. Racial and gender issues came to the forefront in the United States, which helped catapult later protest movements. Lastly, the war led to a wave of decolonization across the globe, as oppressed peoples through off European Imperialism. However, these efforts were often misunderstood by Americans, which led directly to the Vietnam War.
Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-the-american-people-since-1877/donations
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By Eric Paul Totten
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In this lecture, Professor Totten describes the combat of the Second World War from North Africa to the Pacific theater. The Grand Alliance between the Soviets, Great Britain, and the United States was merely a marriage of convenience. Stalin kept pushing for a second front in Europe and was disappointed by delays to the invasion of France. With victories in North Africa and Sicily, the Allies invaded Italy, but progress was slow and costly. As the Allies prepared for D-Day, a massive disinformation campaign ensued in an attempt to divert German strength away from the Allies intended target, Normandy. D-Day was a massive amphibious invasion that cost thousands of lives, but it successfully established a beach head that the Allies used to plunge deep into France. The last German counter offensive in the West, occurred at the Battle of the Bulge and despite high casualties, the Allies hung on and recaptured all lost territory. Finally, the Red Army besieged Berlin and the fall of the city brought about V-E Day.
In the pacific, the Americans fought a holding action against Japanese forces, and embarked on an "island hopping campaign" where they seized some strategic islands, while bypassing others. Fighting was brutal and costly, which led to intense racism from both belligerents. At Guadalcanal, Saipan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and elsewhere, fanatical Japanese fighting convinced the civil-military leadership to use an Atomic Bomb to bring the Japanese to heel. Thus, two Atomic Bombs were dropped on Japan, which finally brought about their surrender, though these remain controversial to this day.
The Second World War was the costliest war in human history. It changed the map of Europe, it led to the occupation of Germany and Japan by the Allies, and Eastern Europe by the Soviets. Racial and gender issues came to the forefront in the United States, which helped catapult later protest movements. Lastly, the war led to a wave of decolonization across the globe, as oppressed peoples through off European Imperialism. However, these efforts were often misunderstood by Americans, which led directly to the Vietnam War.
Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-the-american-people-since-1877/donations