the united states in world war ii

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Transcript the united states in world war ii

THE UNITED STATES IN
WORLD WAR II
The End of Neutrality
By 1941 American neutrality was
one-sided
-secret talks with Britain about entering the war
-FDR’s Lend-Lease Program; “Arsenal of Democracy”
-aid sent to the USSR
-key to sending aid was the Atlantic supply lines and
the German submarine “wolf packs”
-1941 Churchill and FDR sign the Atlantic Charter to
outline their goals for WWII- led to the UN
The Japanese Attack the US
-Japan felt encouraged by the success of Germany
-felt provoked by US actions; trade embargo, assessts
frozen
-US leaders expected an attack, but not Pearl Harbor
-Japan gambled on a sudden attack that would destroy
the US fleet, but missed the aircraft carriers
-declaration of war was received after attack
-Philippines, Guam, Hong Kong also attacked
-US declares war on Japan, Germany and Italy declare
war on the USA
USS Arizona after attack on
Pearl Harbor
American prisoners on the
Battan Death March
Americans at Home Help Win the War
-American industrial power was the key element
arms and machinery produced rapidly
-Women participated in all branches of the military in
non-combat roles (WACs, WAVEs, ferry pilots)
-Blacks used in segregated units- Red Ball Express,
Tuskeegee Airmen
-One army regiment was of Japanese-Americans
-”Relocation” of the Nisei unfair
A Tuskeegee Airman examines bullet holes in his plane after a
mission
The U.S. Work Force Was Reorganized
-US had full employment and high wages; inflation
-women and minorities replaced men in factories, etc
-were some racial tensions; riot in Detroit
-FDR issued order banning racial discrimination in
companies with government contracts
-transportation and raw materials allocated by gov’t
-agricultural production and prices doubled
-almost everything was rationed, recycling urged
-taxes increased, prices were controlled, bond sales
-research into rockets, radar, Manhattan Project
Fighting in the Europe and the Pacific
-Axis powers were winning until 1942
surrender of Philippines, Bataan Death March
-European war got first priority in men and supplies
-the Dolittle Raid raised American morale
-sonar and convoy system won Battle of the Atlantic
-Allies invaded North Africa then Italy
-2 turning point battles in 1942; Stalingrad + Midway
-June 6, 1944 = D Day invasion of France
-last great German offensive the Battle of the Bulge
D Day – the
Invasion of
Normandy
General
Patton
General Eisenhower
Admiral Halsey
Fighting continued
-In the Pacific the US used an “island hopping”
strategy; Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, Okinawa
-FDR dies just before German surrender in 1945
-1945 war ends when US drops atomic bombs on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
-decision to use atomic bombs very controversial
-Japan was occupied by US forces and a democratic
gov’t was created by General MacArthur
-Nazi and Japanese war criminals were put on trial
for crimes against humanity
Americans celebrated the end of
World War II
Mushroom cloud of the
atomic bomb dropped on
Nagasaki
US Marines raise the
American flag on Iwo Jima
The Japanese surrender is
signed by General
MacArthur on the deck of
the USS Missouri