Turning Points of WW2

Question 1

Battle of Coral Sea (aims)

Answer 1

• The Japanese planned to invade Port Moresby and the Solomon Islands
• Cut US and Australian supply routes

Question 2

Battle of Coral Sea (outcome)

Answer 2

• While no clear winner, it can be said that the USA had a strategic victory as it prevented the invasion of New Guinea and a possible invasion of Australia
• Japanese losses = One aircraft carrier sunk and two more damaged
• American losses = one aircraft carrier sunk and one more damaged

Question 3

Battle of Coral Sea (significance)

Answer 3

• First naval battle in history where combat took place solely between carrier planes and the ships never saw each other

Question 4

Battle of Coral Sea (why was it a Turning Point)

Answer 4

• First time Japanese advance had been stopped in the Pacific

Question 5

Battle of Midway (aims)

Answer 5

• If Midway is captured by Japan, US bases in Hawaii = Threatened
• It was a major submarine base

Question 6

Battle of Midway (Outcomes)

Answer 6

• Japan loses = 4 aircraft carriers, 3000 men, 300 planes
• America loses = just over 300 men

Question 7

Battle of Midway (Why was it a Turning Point)

Answer 7

• First time Japan had been defeated in the Pacific

Question 8

North Africa Campaign (reason)

Answer 8

• NA had important shipping routes (the Suez Canal), access to oil in the Middle East and for Britain to access India

Question 9

North Africa Campaign (reasons for British Victory)

Answer 9

• Germans kept out running their supply lines and had to stop many times

Question 10

North Africa Campaign (significance)

Answer 10

• Allies could now plan their invasion of Italy, which would come 2 months later
• 400,000 allied and Axis soldiers were lost, injured or died from disease
• Allies were able to capture up to 500,000 Axis soldiers

Question 11

Stalingrad (reasons for battle)

Answer 11

• The city bore Stalin’s name, and if captured, it would hurt his pride
• Volga River through Stalingrad = important for shipping supplies around the Soviet Union
• Germany needed more oil

Question 12

Stalingrad (nature of fighting)

Answer 12

• Because the city was bombed before the invasion, the Germans had to fight using urban warfare, which was beneficial to the Russians
• Order number 227 “not a step back” meant that if R soldiers tried to retreat they would be killed
• Civilians were forced to stay in city t/f soldier were literally fighting for their loved ones

Question 13

Stalingrad (significance)

Answer 13

• The largest ever battle fought in WW2 = fought with over 2 million men, up to 1.9 million casualties and at least 40,000 civilian casualties
• Germany does not win another battle for the rest of WW2