Part One: America and World War II (1939-45) U.S. Entry 1941
Section 1: American Policies Toward War in Europe
Isolationism U.S. returns to isolationism Discouraged at lack of progress after WWI European nations failed to pay war debts during the Depression
Neutrality Congress passed Neutrality Act of 1935 Made it illegal for U.S. to sell arms to any country in war
FDR First priority: ending the Depression Second: International relations Believed trade is necessary for wealth & to prevent war No public support
Section 2: Gov t Actions Leading Up to War
Neutrality Act of 1939 U.S. remains neutral, but can sell arms to nations at war Must pay cash and carry arms on their own ships
Destroyers for Bases Deal U.S. gave Britain old destroyers In return, Britain allowed U.S. to build bases on their territory
Lend-Lease Act FDR needed to find a way to give Britain weapons Lend-Lease Act The U.S. can lend arms to nations that are vital to the defense of the U.S.
FDR s Justification If Britain falls, Italy, Japan, and Germany will form an unholy alliance If so, all of...the Americas will be living at the point of a gun
Tensions with Japan U.S. primary goal is to aid Britain Britain needed to protect territories in Asia U.S. needed to discourage Japan FDR blocked sale of war materials to Japan Result: Japan signed an alliance with Germany & Italy U.S. sold arms to China to defend itself
Japan s Plan Publicly: striving to reach an agreement with U.S. Privately: preparing to attack Pearl Harbor
December 7, 1941: Japan attacks U.S. at Pearl Harbor December 8, 1941: U.S. declares war on Japan December 11, 1941: Germany and Italy declare war on the U.S.
Section 3: America Prepares for War
Alliances Allied Powers: Axis Powers: Britain Germany France Japan The U.S. Italy* China USSR (Russia, Soviet Union)* *Eventually abandoned initial alliance
World War II Divides the World
U.S. Economy American output was unbelievable 2X German workers 5X Japanese workers
Cost-Plus Contracts U.S. gov t reimbursed companies for the cost of making goods Plus a profit The more war materials a company produces, the more $ they make Automobile industry produced approximately ⅓ of all U.S. war materials
Selective Service Training Act 1940 First peacetime draft
Attitudes Amongst Troops Sense of camaraderie Soldiers kept on so they wouldn t fail their buddies However, black soldiers still trained and served in separate units
Double V Campaign Black soldiers fought to end Hitler s racism abroad and racism in the U.S. Blacks played an important role in FDR s election In return, he promoted black soldiers
Women in the Military 1943-Women allowed to join the military Women s Army Corps (WAC) Coast Guard, Navy, & Marines followed suit
Part Two: The United States Enters WWII 1941
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto Just after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto remarked, I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve. Which historical event proved his words to be true?
Section 4: The Pacific theatre
World War II was being fought in Europe, as well as the Pacific. Japan and the U.S. struggled for control over islands in the Pacific, such as the Philippines and Guam.
Japanese Advancements After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan was able to advance and conquer territories in the Pacific
Bataan Death March Japan took the Philippines 78,000 prisoners of war (POWs) forced to march 65 miles to a Japanese prison camp
Leon Beck s Words on the Bataan Death March They d halt us in front of these big artesian wells...so we could see the water and they wouldn t let us have any. Anyone who would make a break for water would be shot or bayoneted. Then they were left there. Finally, it got so bad further along the road that you never got away from the stench of death. There were dead bodies laying all along the road in various degrees of decomposition-swollen, burst open, maggots crawling by the thousands.
Japan s New Plan Attack island of Midway U.S. found out about the attack Assaulted Japanese planes with a blizzard of anti-aircraft fire 38 planes shot down
Results of Battle of Midway Turning point of the war U.S. stopped Japanese advancement in the Pacific 362 Americans killed & 3,057 Japanese Japanese navy lost 4 largest carriers
Section 5: Life on the Home Front
War Transforms the Economy Need for war supplies ends Depression More supplies = more jobs Federal gov t put money into the economy Taxes Banks War bonds- civilians bought over $150 billion Rise in union memberships
Rationing and Shortages Rationed sugar, meat, metal, and gasoline Planted victory gardens
Japanese American Relocation After Pearl Harbor... Mobs attacked Japanese businesses and homes Stores wouldn t cash their checks or sell them food Newspapers printed rumors of Japanese spies U.S. declared a military zone Japanese from the West Coast moved into internment camps
Section 6: Pushing the Axis Back
Two Fronts Allies fought primarily in Europe The Pacific
Island Hopping in the Pacific Geography in the Pacific made it difficult to attack Americans began to wonder how many lives would be lost Amphtrac used for military purposes for the first time
Americans Take Back the Philippines Over 700 ships Over 160,000 troops First time Japanese used kamikaze attacks
Kamikaze Attacks Means divine wind Dates back to the 1200 s: storm destroyed the Mongol fleet during the invasion of Japan Japanese pilots crashed planes into U.S. ships Killed themselves, but caused severe damage
Kamikaze Attacks
Section 7: World War II Ends
Sad News FDR died on April 12, 1945 Did not live to see Germany s surrender Harry Truman became president
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima U.S. marines captured Iwo Jima in one of the most violent horrific battles of the war Photographer Joe Rosenthal won the Pulitzer Prize for his portrayal of 5 marines and a navy medical corpsman raising the flag on Iwo Jima.
Firebombing Japan U.S. began dropping bombs filled with napalm Jellied gasoline that started fires Wind spread fires, sucked oxygen out of air, asphyxiating thousands Killed over 80,000 Destroyed Japan s 6 most important industrialized cities
Japan s Surrender U.S. captures Okinawa Japan won t surrender unconditionally Want emperor to stay in power
The Manhattan Project Leo Szilard & Einstein warned FDR of a possible German atomic bomb U.S. learned Britain was working on one Scientist convinced FDR to create a program to build one The Manhattan Project
Decision to Drop the Bomb U.S. threatened Japan with prompt and utter destruction No response Enola Gay dropped Little Boy on Hiroshima Killed 80,000-120,000 instantly Three days later USSR declares war on Japan U.S. drops Fat Man on Nagasaki Kills 35,000-74,000
Japanese Surrender V-J Day August 15, 1945
The Trolley Car Problem
Section 8: Building a New World
The United Nations The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization to promote international cooperation. A replacement for the ineffective League of Nations