Transcript American Homefront - Beavercreek City Schools

American Homefront
Aiding in the War Effort
• Congress passed Neutrality Acts
which made it illegal to sell or lend
money to nations at war – trying to
remain isolated
• Cash and Carry – Britain can pay
cash and pick up supplies at
American ports
• Lend Lease – allowed US to lend or
lease arms to any country
considered vital to defense of US –
returned or pay rent for supplies
• Hemispheric Defense Zone –
declared Western half of Atlantic
was Western Hemisphere and thus
neutral
– US Navy would patrol and reveal
location of German subs to Britain
• Atlantic Charter – Signed by US and
Britain – committed both nations
to a postwar world of democracy,
non-aggression, free trade, and
freedom of the seas
American Mobilization
• War production turned the
tide in favor of the Allies
• Auto industry began
producing military
equipment
• Liberty ships – quickly built
cargo ships that sacrificed
quality for quantity
– Ship could be built in 41 days
• Selective Service and
Training Act – needed to
build up troops so initiated
a draft before we were
actually at war
Segregated Army
• Double V Campaign
– Urged African Americans to
support the war to achieve a
double victory over racism
abroad and racism at home
• Tuskegee Airmen
– Pilots trained in Tuskegee, Al
who helped with the Battle at
Anzio
– Also protected American
bombers as they flew to
targets
• Japanese Americans
– ½ had been in internment
camps
– 442nd Infantry became most
decorated in history of US
military
African Americans served in
war but were in segregated
units
• Not one received a Medal
Honor until 50 years later
• Truman fully integrated the
military in 1948
Women and Minorities
• Women were pilots and nurses
during war
• Women went to work in
factories – Rosie the Riveter
– Paid significantly less than men
• Executive Order 8802 –
Roosevelt outlawed
discrimination in the
employment of workers in
defense industry
• Bracero Program – arranged
for Mexican farm workers to
help with the harvest in the
Southwest
– Migrant workers became
important part of Southwest’s
agricultural system
Zoot Suit Riots
• Zoot suit – baggy, pleated
pants and overstuffed kneelength jacket and wide
brimmed hat – many juveniles
wore them
• Considered Unpatriotic and
extravagant
• Soldiers had heard a rumor
that zoot-suitors had attacked
Sailors
• US soldiers and sailors
attacked Mexican American
neighborhoods in LA
• Police did not intervene
• One example of the racial
tension at home
Paying for the War
• 1) Increased taxes
• 2) War Bonds – citizens
by bond to lend money
to war – they would get
money back plus
interest at a future date
– E bonds – buy for $18.75
and after 10 years you
could redeem for $25
Rationing
• Meats, sugars, and
gasoline were rationed
• Blue Points – ration book
that controlled processed
foods
• Red Points – ration book
that controlled meats,
fats, and oils
• Victory Gardens – plant
own garden in backyard,
school, park, etc.
WWII Ends
• V E Day – May 8, 1945
• V J Day – August 15, 1945
• United Nations was created to
prevent another war
• UN would consist of a General
Assembly – each country would
get a vote on how to handle issue
– Responsible for maintaining peace
and security
– Investigate international problems
and propose settlements
– 5 Permanent members would have
veto power:
1. Great Britain
2. France
3. USA
4. USSR (Soviet Union)
5. China
Nuremburg Trials
• International Military
Tribunal created to hold
trials for war crimes
• 22 leaders of Nazi
Germany were
prosecuted at Nuremburg
Trials
– 3 acquitted
– 7 prison sentences
– 12 sentenced to death
• Trials also held in Tokyo,
Japan
– 18 sentenced to prison
– 7 sentenced to death
• Side note: Erwin Rommel
was forced to commit
suicide after he was
named in a conspiracy to
get rid of Hitler…Valkyrie