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Liberation of Concentration Camps
Liberation of Concentration Camps
most of the Jews of Poland had already been killed
The Soviets liberated Auschwitz, the largest killing center and concentration camp, in January 1945
Soviet forces were the first to approach a major Nazi camp -
Period: to
Timeline - WWII 1945
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Operation Norwind, Hitler's Last Offensive
According to Adolph Hitler, "Strength lies not in defense but in attack!" Fought during bitter winter weather and soldiers suffered from frostbite. Goal was to attack and break through the lines of the French and US Army and destroy them. Then another German Operation would attack the rear of another US Army and destroy them too. The US fought against the Germans on three sides until reinforcements arrived and they eventually won. 40,000 German and American soldiers were wounded or die -
The Battle of the Bulge
n's offensive battle, fought though forests in Belgium, France and Luxembourg on the Western Front of the battle lines. The largest battle of World War II in the European Theatre. The Germans planned the attack with a goal of recapturing the harbor of Antwerp, Belgium, which was important to them. The Germans were successful in secretly planning the attack and the Allies were caught off guard. The German attack made a bugle in the Allies line, but it didn't last. The German lost man -
Yalta Conference
codenamed the Argonaut Conference
meeting of the heads of government of the United States, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union
the purpose was discussing Europe's post-war reorganization and the re-establishment of the nations of war-torn Europe
the Soviet Union would join the fight against Japan and get to keep Poland after the war
one of the big three Conferences to take place during the war in Crimea -
Operation Veritable
The goal was to clear out the German military between the Rhine and Maas Rivers, so that the Allies could occupy the whole side of the west bank of the Rhine River before crossing it. It was supposed to start a month earlier when the ground was frozen, but the area was flooded by the Germans. When they started the ground was soft and muddy, and in a forest. The delay gave the Germans more time to get ready, but the Allies won. General Eisenhower, Allied Supreme Commander said "this -
Mussolini's Death
Mussolini
27 April 1945
Mussolini was executed in Giulino (a civil parish of Mezzegra)
he was captured by Italian partisans as forces closed in on Milan
bodies were then taken to Milan and hung up on the Piazzale Loreto of the city -
Hitler,s death
Hitler
shot himself on April 30 1945
Hitler and Braun lived together as husband and wife in the bunker for fewer than 40 hours
he was losing (Soviets less than 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the bunker) -
Western Allied invasion of Germany or Central Europe Champaign
The final overrun of Nazi Germany organized by the western Allies in the last month of the war in the European theatre. Western Allies attacked by crossing the Rhine river in Germany before spreading out and taking over western Germany from both north and south to Austria. The Battle of the Bulge had taken a lot of German resources. For this battle, the Germans did not have enough troops or weapons to defend themselves. The Germans surrendered on May 8, 1945. -
Final German Surrender
late April and early May, 1945
official statement declaring the end of the war, made simultaneously in London, Washington and Moscow
the document was signed by General Bedell Smith for the Allied commander, General Ivan Susloparov for Russia and General Francois Sevez for France
Soviets were approaching the German capital of Berlin from the east and the Western Allies were approaching it from the west. -
Berlin Declaration
June 5, 1945 Berlin Declaration
proclaimed the unconditional surrender of Germany and complete control by the four winners (Allied or Western Powers: American, Wiped out Germany's status as a nation
Wiped out Germany's status as a nation · Ceased all German military operations · Forced the surrender of all German force were weapons, factories, blueprints and anything relating to war activities · Released all prisoners of war · Required that al -
Potsdam Conference
July 17 - August 2, 1945
held at Cecilienhof which was the home of the Crowned Prince Wilhelm Hohenzollern in Potsdam, Germany
also referred to as the Berlin Conference it included the Three Heads of Government from the USSR, USA and UK
gathered to decide how to administer punishment to the defeated Nazi Germany, which had agreed to unconditional surrender nine weeks earlier, on 8 May (V-E Day)
