The History of~World War 2 (Part 7: It's Over)

As we left off from our last part (click here) The Allies take the initiative as they turn the tide of the war in their favor, and with some very careful planning and unrelenting determination, the Allies have now cornered the Axis. With the tide of the war overwhelming the Axis, the Allies are now going to end the war, and make the Axis surrender.

## The End: European Theater

### Battle of the Bulge

Throughout the summer in 1944, the Allies have quickly advanced into Europe (they liberated France, Belgium and The Netherlands from Nazi Germany). But as winter came, the Allied advancement has hit a snag by a Nazi plan of deception.

As Nazi Germany was being sandwiched by both the Allies and the Soviets, Hitler tried to help his fading faction to re-gain the initiative on either from in Europe, in the west he wants to make a plan to cut off The Allies' troop size and their supplies. Nazi Soldiers disguised as Allied Soldiers re-arranged old road signs in the thick wooded area known as the Ardennes to throw off the Allies. By December, the Nazis have gained around 70 Miles into the Allied frontlines, this is known as the *Battle of the Bulge*. The Allies were pinned down in not just the powerful Nazi force, but also the harsh winter conditions, a thick fog often settled onto the forest which made air support impossible. But for around a week the Allied 101st division would hold off the Nazis.

Around this time, the Nazis were facing some unsuspecting problems as they tried to reach the Muse River, their supplies were quickly running low, and their huge *King Tiger* tanks were too big to go through the thick wooded areas. Plus, General Patton's 3rd Army turned around and aided the 101st Division and with the fog lifted, the Allies could also aid the ground troops with air support. By January 1945, the Allies have launched a counter-offensive against the Nazis as their supply difficulties got worse, within just a few weeks the Allies re-gained their lost frontlines.

Both sides suffered heavy casualties (Germany suffered 100,000 loses compared to the Allies' 80,000), but the heavy casualties of the Nazis have sealed their fate, the war would come to a close quite soon.

### The Fall of Fascism

By the spring of 1945, the Allies advanced into the Rhineland (now in the heart of Germany).

It wasn't until late April of 1945 where Nazi Germany was dealt the fatal blow as the USSR invaded the Nazi capital of Berlin. The Nazis were defeated and the Soviets laid waste to the capital city.

Seeing no way that the Nazis can win, Hitler made the decision to take his own life as he shot himself in the head, his wife Eva Braun swallowed a Cyanide pill. Mousselini was executed by King Emanuel the 3rd's forces once the Italian Civil War ended a few days after.

By May of 1945, the Nazis Surrendered and with the Fascist Italians a few days after the Italian Civil War. Though, some sporadic battles still occurred throughout May of 1945.

## The End: The Pacific Theater

Now that the Nazis and Fascist Italians were defeated, Japan stands alone against an overwhelming Allied tide. But what will happen next will take the Japanese by complete surprise.

After Japan's defeat at Okinawa, many of the surviving Japanese forces were re-called to protect the main islands of the Japanese Archipelago, preparing for an all-out invasion by the USA, but what they don't know is that the USA have something different in mind.

### Birth of Atomic Energy

In December of 1938, Nazi Scientists have discovered Atomic Energy by splitting Atoms, which creates 200 Million volts of electricity. After hearing about this, Hitler wanted production for Atomic weapons to be produced immediately.

German Scientist Albert Einstein then came and warned the US Government that the Nazis are quickly developing an Atomic Weapon program, the Government agrees to be in a race for the Atomic Bomb.

The USA, Great Britain and Canada call came together to form their very own Atomic weapon program: *The Manhattan Project.*

Though, Nazi Germany was ahead of the Atomic Bomb race, but it wasn't until Allied spies infiltrate and destroyed a Hydrogen plant in Norway is when the Allies gained the advantage.

Many places around the USA were chosen for Atomic energy research and the feasibility of making Atomic Bombs, The Tizard Mission also provided with the details on how to make the Atomic Bomb, in all the entire project cost $30 Million.

By July of 1945, the Allies have made 2 bombs: *Little Boy* (an Uranium Bomb) and *Fat Man* (a Plutonium Bomb).

But before the bomb were finished, President Roosevelt died, and in his place *Harry S. Truman* took over as President. In the summer of 1945, the Allied leaders met again in Potsdam (in Allied Occupied Germany), and now he faces with a dilemma to use these bombs or not.

After testing the bomb in White Sands, New Mexico. Truman gives the order to drop the bombs as soon as possible.

Now, the question is, where to drop these bombs?

The USA have already bombed the majority of Japan's cities in the Firebomb raids from 1944. Tokyo was hit the hardest as most of the city is in ruins, and a lot of people died as a result.

With most of Japan's cities off the list, it became quite difficult to know where to use these new bombs. Eventually, they chosen a target: *Hiroshima*.

Early in the morning on August 6, 1945. A B-29 bomber named Enola Gay leaves US occupied Saipan on route to Hiroshima. A few hours later, the bomber drops Little Boy on the city, it creates a blinding flash and it burns at over 3,000°F and it created a force which would take down every building within the blast. Everything for around 5 miles were obliterated instantly, with fires continuing for another 10 miles. Though, dropping Fat Man would be more difficult as bad weather delayed the next Atomic Bomb run, and even changed it's target (which was originally Kokura, but Allied command changed it to nearby Nagasaki). But on August 9, another B-29 Bomber (named Bockscar) flew towards the Japanese town and dropped Fat Man.

In total, over 200,000 people died in these Atomic Bomb raids, but with these Atomic Bombs dropped. It changed the world forever, now a country can have the power to cause destruction on a massive scale, and even the entire world \*if\* the wrong circumstances present themselves.

At around the same time, the USSR officially declares war on Japan, and the day before Fat Man was dropped the Soviets invaded Japanese Occupied Manchuria and begin to push the Japanese out of Mainland Asia.

The combination of both the Atomic Bombs and the Soviet invasion of Manchuria caused the Japanese to wave the white flag, thus closing the book to Mankind's global conflict.

On September 3, the US Battleship: *USS Missouri* arrives in Tokyo to accept the surrender of the Japanese military, officially ending the war.

In total, World War 2 has caused around 78 Million casualties, most of these deaths can be contributed to civilian deaths, either by the Nazis and the Holocaust, or the Japanese raping and maiming anybody that got in their way of conquest. But the USSR suffered the most deaths in the war.

Though the war would be over, but things aren't immediately "honky dory". From the ashes and smoke of the war, the USA and the USSR would be locked in a heated debate on politics as well as an arms race, which would lead to the *Cold War*.

The Chinese Civil War would resume with the Nationalists and the Communists fighting for supremacy.

Well, that does it for my 7-Part of the History of World War 2. However, I will be making some interesting details of WW2 in my "Extra" parts which can talk about either the weapons, the warfare, and even the environments of the war. Until next time, this is JohnnyOTGS singing out.