VOA慢速英语听力:珍珠港事件回顾

2024年3月17日发(作者：期盼的拼音)

The Japane attack on Pearl Harbor ended the long American debate over whether to become involved in the Second

World War.

American politicians and citizens had argued for years about whether to remain neutral or to fight to help Britain and France

and other friends.

Japan's aggressive attack at Pearl Harbor united Americans in a common desire for military victory. It made Americans

willing to do whatever was necessary to win the war. And it pushed America into a kind of world leadership that its people

had never known before.

President Franklin Roovelt and his advirs had to make an important decision about how to fight the war. Would the

United States fight Japan first, or Germany, or both at the same time?

Japan's attack had brought America into the war. And it had verely damaged American military power. But Roovelt

decided not to strike back at Japan immediately. He would u most of his forces to fight Germany.

There were veral reasons for Roovelt's decision. First, Germany already controlled much of Europe, as well as much of

the Atlantic Ocean. Roovelt considered this a direct threat. And he worried about possible German intervention in Latin

America.

Second, Germany was an advanced industrial nation. It had many scientists and engineers. Its factories were modern.

Roovelt was concerned that Germany might be able to develop deadly new weapons, such as an atomic bomb, if it was

not stopped quickly.

Third, Britain historically was one of America's clost allies. And the British people were united and fighting for their lives

against Germany. This was not true in Asia. Japan's most important opponent was China. But China's fighting forces were

weak and divided, and could not offer strong opposition to the Japane.

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Adolf Hitler's decision to break his treaty with Soviet leader Jof Stalin and attack the Soviet Union made Roovelt's

choice final.

The American leader recognized that the Germans would have to fight on two fronts: in the west against Britain and in the

east against Russia.

He decided it was best to attack Germany while its forces were divided. So the United States nt most of its troops and

supplies to Britain to join the fight against Germany.

American military leaders hoped to attack Germany quickly by launching an attack across the English Channel. Stalin also

supported this plan. Soviet forces were suffering terrible loss from the Nazi attack and wanted the British and Americans to

fight the Germans on the west.

However, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and other leaders oppod launching an invasion across the English

Channel too quickly. They worried that such an invasion might fail, while the Germans were still so strong. And they knew

this would mean disaster.

For this reason, British and American forces decided instead to attack the Italian and German troops occupying North Africa.

British forces had been fighting the Italians and Germans in North Africa since late nineteen forty. They fought the Italians first

in Egypt and Libya. British forces had successfully pushed the Italians across Libya. They killed more than ten thousand

Italian troops and captured more than one hundred thirty thousand prisoners.

But the British success did not last long. Hitler nt one of his best commanders, General Erwin Rommel, to take command of

the Italians. Rommel was brave and smart. He pushed the British back from Libya to the border with Egypt. And in a giant

battle at Tobruk, he destroyed or captured more than eight hundred of Britain's nine hundred tanks.

(SOUND: Rommel's tanks)

Rommel's progress threatened Egypt and the Suez Canal. So Britain and the United States moved quickly to nd more

troops and supplies to stop him.

Slowly, British forces led by General Bernard Montgomery pushed Rommel and the Germans back to Tripoli in Libya.

In November nineteen forty-two, American and British forces commanded by General Dwight Einhower landed in

northwest Africa. They planned to attack Rommel from the west, while Montgomery attacked him from the east.

But Rommel knew Einhower's troops had done little fighting before. So he attacked them quickly before they could launch

their own attack.

A major battle took place at Kasrine Pass in western Tunisia. American forces suffered heavy loss. But in the end

Rommel's attack failed. Three months later, American forces joined with Montgomery's British troops to force the Germans in

North Africa to surrender.

The battle of North Africa was over. The allied forces of Britain and the United States had regained control of the southern

Mediterranean Sea. They could now attack Hitler's forces in Europe from the south.

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The Allies wasted no time. They landed on the Italian island of Sicily in July of nineteen forty-three. German tanks fought

back. But the British and American forces moved ahead. Soon they captured Sicily's capital, Palermo. And within weeks,

they forced the German forces to leave Sicily for the Italian mainland.

In late July, Italy's dictator, Benito Mussolini, was overthrown and placed in prison. The Germans rescued him and helped

him establish a new government, protected by German troops. But still the Allies attacked.

They crosd to the Italian mainland. The Germans fought hard. And for some time, they prevented the allied troops from

breaking out of the coastal areas.

The fighting grew bloodier. A fierce battle took place at Monte Cassino. Thousands and thousands of soldiers lost their lives.

But slowly the allies advanced north through Italy. They captured Rome in June of nineteen forty-four. And they forced the

Germans back into the mountains of northern Italy.

The allies would not gain complete control of Italy until the end of the war. But they had succeeded in increasing their control

of the Mediterranean and pushing back the Germans.

One reason Hitler's forces were not stronger in Africa and Italy was becau German armies also were fighting in Russia.

That will be our story next week.

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Our program was written by David Jarmul. You can find our ries online with transcripts, MP3s, podcasts and pictures at

. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter at VOA Learning English. I'm Steve Ember, inviting you to join

us again next week for THE MAKING OF A NATION – American history in VOA Special English.

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