Given the technology of the times, it proved extremely difficult to pinpoint particular factories or other strategic targets. Allied military planners therefore came to an agreement: a cross-Channel invasion would take place in spring 1944.Įven before the invasion took place, however, the British and Americans conducted a massive campaign of aerial bombardment against cities across German-occupied Europe. Finally, the main arguments against a second front in France-that the Allies did not possess unchallenged control of the Atlantic and the skies over Western Europe-had both vanished.
The Soviet Army was now on the offensive in the East, while Stalin continued his demands for a more determined effort from the West. The campaign in Italy was proceeding slowly, and while Italy had been forced out of the war it seemed to be having little effect on Germany's overall war effort. Guiding Questionsīy late 1943 the debate between the British and the Americans over which strategy to pursue in Europe was finally settled. Also, students will study the summary report of the United States Strategic Bombing Survey for Europe, allowing them to gauge the effectiveness of the bombing campaign against German cities. By examining military documents and consulting an interactive map of the European theater, students will learn why they chose to land at Normandy, and how the Allied offensive in the West contributed to Germany's defeat. This lesson plan will focus on the overall strategy pursued by the Allies in the final months of World War II in Europe. These bombing raids were designed to disrupt production of war materiel, divert German fighters from the Eastern and Western fronts, and undermine civilian morale. During the same time, cities both in Germany and in German-occupied lands were subjected to intense aerial bombardment by U.S. Thereafter the Germans had to face not only the relentless onslaught of the Soviet Army from the East, but from British, American, and other allied forces from the West. That invasion took place on the famous D-Day-June 6, 1944. As a result, priorities were shifted to an invasion of France across the English Channel. Although the campaign in the Mediterranean was successful in forcing Italy out of the war, Allied military planners by late 1943 had concluded that it would not be enough to defeat Nazi Germany.
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