The document summarizes key events at the end of World War II in Europe. It describes the Battle of the Bulge as Germany's last major offensive in December 1944. It also outlines Soviet successes in liberating Eastern Europe and extermination camps. Major Allied successes in 1945 included liberating Western Europe and the deaths of Hitler and FDR. The postwar period saw the rise of the Eastern Bloc, establishment of NATO and the Warsaw Pact, and rebuilding efforts like the Marshall Plan.

1. World War II
Part III

2. Battle of the Bulge
 Germany’s last major stand
 Began December 16, 1944
 Known as the The German
Ardennes offensive or the
Battle of the Bulge
 The Americans were taken
completely by surprise
 Resisted and held Saint-Vith and
Bastogne
 German effort was doomed after
December 23, when good flying
weather allowed the
overwhelming Allied air
superiority to make itself felt.
 End of January, the last of the
80-km- (50-mi-) deep "bulge" in
the Allied lines is eliminated.
 Allied advance into Germany
resumed in February

3. Soviet Successes
 By December 1944
 Soviets have forced the Nazis out of Belarus, Ukraine,
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania, and
half of Hungary and Poland
 Liberation of Majdanek – July 23, 1944
 Fighting in Budapest
 Warsaw Uprising – Summer 1944
 By the end of the war
 Soviets have also liberated Czechoslovakia, Poland,
the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camps, and
parts of Germany

4. Liberation of Majdanek

5. Former Inmates After Liberation

6. By December 1944

7. Warsaw Uprising
http://www.warsawuprising.com/photos.htm

8. Allies Successes
 Through the Spring of 1945
 Liberated the Netherlands,
Belgium, Luxembourg,
Denmark, Norway, Austria,
 Occupied portions of
Germany
 April 1945 – FDR dies
suddenly
 April 30, 1945 – Hitler
commits suicide

9. Conclusion of War
 Unconditional surrender
from Germans on May 7th
at General Eisenhower's
post
 VE Day – Victory in
Europe – May 8, 1945
 Unconditional surrender
from Germans on May 9th
in Soviet occupied Berlin

10. Yalta Conference
• Yalta – Feb 4 to Feb 11, 1945
• Big Three
• Begin making post-war plans
• Roosevelt – wants Soviets to
help in the Pacific
• Churchill – pushed for
importance of democratic gvts
and free elections in Eastern
Europe after the war
• Stalin – demands that Eastern
Europe become a Soviet sphere
of political influence for the
USSR’s protection
• Discuss how to handle Germany

11. Potsdam • July-August 1945
• Truman, Stalin, Churchill, and
Atlee
Conference • Issue ultimatum to Japan of
“prompt and utter
destruction” if they don’t
agree to unconditional
surrender
• **Truman receives word of
successful atom bomb test**
• Truman tells Stalin that the
USA has a new powerful
bomb
• Agree to partition Germany
and work on
• demilitarization,
democratization,
• de-nazification, and
decentralization

12. Casualties of WW II
 Quotes in Handout

13. Partitioning Germany
 Germany is divided up
into four parts
 Britain, United States,
France and the Soviets
 The democratic states
become West Germany
 Soviet state becomes
East Germany

14. The Eastern Bloc
 Soviets refuse to give up Poland and
cling onto the countries they had
liberated from Nazi Germany
 Soviet Red Army hand picked dictators
that would be allegiant to the Soviet
Union
 Eastern European countries forcibly
become communist
 opposition is eliminated
 noncompliant states are threatened to be
“crushed with Soviet tanks”

16.  Eastern Bloc states forced to have communist leadership
and have “loyalty” to Soviet Union
 NATO established April 1949, still exists
 North Atlantic Treaty Organization
 Today: 26 member states, 14 allies
 Soviet Union successfully tests the atom bomb August
1949
 Warsaw Pact established to counter NATO
 Officially Warsaw Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation,
and Mutual Assistance
 Signed May 1955, not disestablished until 1991
 Founding members: Albania (leaves 1961), Bulgaria,
Czechoslovakia, Romania, Poland, Hungary, and later
East Germany

17. Rebuilding Europe
• Europe is in ruins
• Aerial attack abilities devastated most of the
major cities of Europe
• Rebuild buildings, railroads, and infrastructure
• Where do you start?
– brick by brick

18. Warsaw in Ruins

19. Hamburg, Germany

20. Marshall Plan
 European Recovery Plan
 Secretary of State – George Marshall
 Reconstruction plan offered in July 1947
 Intended to help foster stability and rehabilitation to
European countries
 4 year plan of economic and technical assistance – 13
billion US Dollars
 West takes advantage
 Eastern bloc offered same deal if the Soviets were willing
to make political reforms and allow for some external
controls – Deny help

21. Marshall Plan
 Extremely successful!
 Restores countries to even better status
than before the war

22. United Nations
 April 1945 50 countries met
 Charter and purpose developed
 Save future from war
 Promote national self-determination
 Promote respect for human rights
 Help nations solve problems
 Headquarters- New York City
 The P5 – Permanent 5 members with veto
power
 USA, China, GB, France, and USSR

23. Advantages Over
League
No major power refused
to join
UN peace keeping force
Armed group to enforce
decisions

24. Overall…
 UN more effective socially,
economically not politically
 1948 Universal Declaration of
Human Rights-
 Protect from oppression
 Preservation of rights