1939-1945 Worldwide military conflict

2 Main Conflicts: Japan in Asia, Germany in Europe

An estimated 40-60 million people died (technological advancements)

Civilian populations as targets 56 Nations involved Two “Super Powers” emerge: U.S.

and Soviet Union

Japan aims to be richest nation in the world-invades Manchuria 1931-2 then China’s capitol 1937

Germany- Nazi rise to power fueled by resentments over Treaty of Versailles

Italy- Fascist dictator Mussolini seized power in 1922, invaded Ethiopia 1935

Spain- Francisco Franco is supported by Hitler in Spanish Civil War

Soviet Union- Led by Joseph Stalin, first an ally of Germany, then invaded by Germany in 1941

Britain & France allied against the “Axis” powers

Americans are strongly opposed to involvement

France falls to Nazi army June 1940 Lend-Lease Act provides limitless

supply of arms ($50 billion) Sept. 1940 peacetime draft (1.2 million

troops, 800,000 reserves/year) June 1941 Hitler invades Soviet Union Aug. 1941 Atlantic Charter (post-war

plans including self-determination & security)

9/27/1940, Japan officially joins “Axis Alliance” Japan aims to conquer all of SE Asia Roosevelt freezes Japanese assets and cuts off

oil after Japan invades Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia) demands Japan withdraw from China

Dec. 7, 1941 Japan responds by attacking Pearl Harbor

Destroyed 200 American planes, badly damaged Pacific fleet

2,400 Americans dead, 1,200 wounded Same day Japan struck U.S. bases in

Philippines, Guam, and Wake Island Dec. 11 1941, US declared war against Axis

powers

Primary focus became PRODUCTION Numerous agencies emerge under

the War Powers Act to sell the war and prevent subversion of the war effort

War cost- $250 million/day New Deal agencies vanished,

unemployment plummeted War effort created largest economic

boom in the history of any nation Federal government begins spending

vast amounts of money on defense related production

17 million new jobs created, gains distributed unevenly

American workers were 2x as productive as the Germans, 5x the Japanese

Government investments in the military benefited and transformed many regions…..these regions became reliant on defense production

Large numbers of women and minorities joined the workforce in newly opened positions

Strikers and labor unions gained power before the war by having the upper hand in negotiations…labor demand

American farmers couldn’t keep up with international demand or domestic market

Food, gas and clothing rationed by government = everyone was affected by the war

Diet changes, packaged meals (Kraft mac and cheese)

Marriages skyrocketed and divorces set records

Housing shortages (post-war housing boom) Childcare became a problem with both

parents working, dropout rates increased

Fear of Japanese invasion and suspected loyalty of Japanese Americans led to the worst violation of civil liberties during the war.

Financial assets of 1st generation Japanese American’s frozen 12/8/1941

112,000 people were forced to relocate to internment camps, some for up to 4 years

Many families received no more than 1 week notice to close businesses and homes

Internment camps located in Western military areas, small rooms, army cots, no lights, stoves or washrooms, “American concentration camps”

Formal apology and reparations given in 1988 Topaz, Utah

Airplanes and tanks gave mobility and firepower = mobile war

Two-way radios transmission and other improvements in communication

Sub-sinking destroyers, landing craft and amphibious vehicles, trucks and jeeps

Chemical and nuclear weapons

Allies on defensive until 1942 1942 Allies invade N. Africa, later Italy, then

plan for France Allies win major victories in France, Italy ,

Tunisia, Egypt, Belgium, and Soviet Union 6 months after Pearl Harbor Allies begin to

regain military superiority in Pacific, “island hopping”

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:World_War_II_alliances_animated_map.gif

Famous figures: General Douglas MacArthur in Pacific, Dwight Eisenhower and George Patton in Europe

U.S. government released little info during the war

Major news sources treated killings as minor news items

Government resisted intervention, thought it a diversion of valuable resources

Killed 6 million Jews, and millions of other “inferior races”

Unconditional surrender Europe:

Italy surrendered Sept. 8 1943 Bombing of German cities -> several hundred

thousand civilian deaths Hitler commits suicide & Germany surrenders VE Day May 8, 1945

Asia: MAJOR bombing campaign, Tokyo & others Soviet plan to join fighting in Pacific Atomic bombs (justified?) Aug. 6 1945 Hiroshima, Aug. 9 Nagasaki VJ Day Aug. 14 1945