We discussed how America entered the war in Europe and the reason Churchill thought the Allies should focus on North Africa before Europe. We discussed Hitler's reaction to the surrender of Italy and that the siege of Stalingrad was a turning point in the war because it showed that totalitarianism was weakening. We also discussed how Hitler blamed the Jews for Germany's problems in the 1930's and learned about other groups that were to be exterminated as part of the Final Solution. We discussed Kristallnacht, genocide, D-Day, where the allied forces landed to commence Operation Overlord (at Normandy), and how the Battle of the Bulge got its name. I informed Ben that I had a Wikipedia article about Kristallnacht, should he wish to read it as supplemental reading.