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On the tern Front, the Ruians were driving toward Germany. The Communist leaders had another goal sides defeating Germany. They intended to ensure viet domination of stern Euro after the war. In Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Yugoslavia, Rumania and Bulgaria, Communists were actively at work. In most of the countries anti-Com­ munist movements op d any attempt to replace one tyranny (Nazism) with another (Communism). The fate of the countries de nded largely on Great Britain and America British Prime Minister Churchill and American President Franklin R velt agreed to give Stalin a free hand in Eastern Europe in exchange for his continued c ration with them. As a result, the brave anti mmunist movements were crushe The Communists established themselves in power by brutality and terror every bit as ruthle as that of the Nazi
By April 15, 1945, Berlin alone remained under Nazi control The sound of the Ruian guns could heard in the distance. Hitler and a few companions retired to an underground bunker. Hitler could not face the prospect of defeat On April 30 he shot him lf. He had en Chancellor of Germany for twelve years and three days, after having pr laimed a Thousand Year Reich (empire). The Reich lasted one more week. At 2:41 on May 7, what was left of the German High Command surrendered un­ conditionally to General Eisenhower.
Victory in the Pacific
In the meantime, Japan had en steadily driven back in the Pacific after the Battle of Midway and the hard-fought struggle for Guadalcanal Finally the islands of Saipan, Tinian and Guam were taken, cl enough to u d as ba s to mb the Japane homeland. On June 16, 1944 the American mbing of Japan gan; on June 19 and 20 the Japane air­ craft carriers struck back. In the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the Japanese lost 40 ships and 405 aircraft, and their naval air force was never again a threat in the war.
On Octo r 20, 1944 General MacArthur kept his promise to the American and Filipino people by returning to the Philippines in command of a mighty American landing force. Four days later what was left of the Japanese navy challenged the landing Since they now had alm t no car­ rier planes, the Japanese admirals cleverly used their empty carriers as de­ coys to draw the invincible American carriers far away from the landing ache Then the Japanese attacked with their battleships and cruiser Only a handful of planes and three small destroyers remained to protect