Editing Franklin D. Roosevelt (section)

====Course of the war====
{{see also|Military history of the United States during World War II}}

The Allies invaded [[French North Africa]] in November 1942, securing the surrender of [[Vichy France|Vichy French]] forces within days of landing.{{sfn|Smith|2007|pp=563–64}} At the January 1943 [[Casablanca Conference]], the Allies agreed to defeat Axis forces in North Africa and then launch an invasion of Sicily, with an attack on France to take place in 1944. At the conference, Roosevelt also announced that he would only accept the [[unconditional surrender]] of Germany, Japan, and Italy.{{sfn|Smith|2007|pp=565–67}} In February 1943, the Soviet Union won a major victory at the [[Battle of Stalingrad]], and in May 1943, the Allies secured the surrender of over 250,000 German and Italian soldiers in North Africa, ending the [[North African Campaign]].{{sfn|Smith|2007|pp=573–74}} The Allies launched an [[Allied invasion of Sicily|invasion of Sicily]] in July 1943, capturing the island the following month.{{sfn|Smith|2007|pp=575–76}} In September 1943, the Allies secured an [[Armistice of Cassibile|armistice]] from Italian prime minister [[Pietro Badoglio]], but Germany quickly restored Mussolini to power.{{sfn|Smith|2007|pp=575–76}} The [[Allied invasion of Italy|Allied invasion of mainland Italy]] commenced in September 1943, but the [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italian Campaign]] continued until 1945 as German and Italian troops resisted the Allied advance.{{sfn|Smith|2007|pp=581–82}}

[[File:Ww2 allied axis 1944 dec.png|thumb|upright=1.35|The Allies (blue and red) and the Axis Powers (black) in December 1944]]

To command the invasion of France, Roosevelt chose General [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], who had successfully commanded a multinational coalition in North Africa and Sicily.{{sfn|Smith|2007|pp=596–97}} Eisenhower launched [[Operation Overlord]] on June 6, 1944. Supported by 12,000 aircraft and the largest naval force ever assembled, the Allies successfully established a beachhead in [[Normandy]] and then advanced further into France.{{sfn|Smith|2007|pp=598–99}} Though reluctant to back an unelected government, Roosevelt recognized [[Charles de Gaulle]]'s [[Provisional Government of the French Republic]] as the de facto government of France in July 1944. After most of France had been liberated, Roosevelt granted formal recognition to de Gaulle's government in October 1944.{{sfn|Smith|2007|pp=613–17}} Over the following months, the Allies liberated more territory and [[Western Allied invasion of Germany|began the invasion of Germany]]. By April 1945, Nazi resistance was crumbling in the face of advances by both the Western Allies and the Soviet Union.{{sfn|Smith|2007|pp=630–31}}

In the opening weeks of the war, Japan conquered the Philippines and the British and Dutch colonies in Southeast Asia. The Japanese advance reached its maximum extent by June 1942, when the U.S. Navy scored a decisive victory at the [[Battle of Midway]]. American and Australian forces then began a slow and costly strategy called [[Leapfrogging (strategy)|island hopping]] or [[leapfrogging]] through the Pacific Islands, with the objective of gaining bases from which strategic airpower could be brought to bear on Japan and from which Japan could ultimately be invaded. In contrast to Hitler, Roosevelt took no direct part in the tactical naval operations, though he approved strategic decisions.{{Sfn|Burns|1970|p=228}} Roosevelt gave way in part to insistent demands from the public and Congress that more effort be devoted against Japan, but he always insisted on Germany first. The strength of the Japanese navy was decimated in the [[Battle of Leyte Gulf]], and by April 1945 the Allies had re-captured much of their lost territory in the Pacific.{{Sfn|Brands|2009|p=785}}