us enters wwii. american moving toward war… march 1941 – lend-lease to allies summer 1941 – us...

US Enters WWII

American Moving Toward War…

• March 1941 – Lend-Lease to Allies • Summer 1941 – US escorting British ships carrying arms

• Hitler orders the sinking of all merchant vessels (including US ships)

• US ordered to shoot U-Boats on sight

• ATLANTIC CHARTER – meeting between FDR and Churchill to discuss what to do with post-Nazi Europe• Self-determination• Conduct trade

Churchill & FDR at the signing of the Atlantic Charter

Hitler and the US

• Thought the USA was fat and weak, not motivated for war

• Did not want war with US until the Nazis controlled all of Europe

Japan on the Move

• Oct 1940 – US cracks Japanese codes• Watch as Japan conquers China,

then Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos in July of 1941

• US response• Cut oil exports to Japan

• Summer 1941 – tries to negotiate lasting peace with US

The Dagger at the Throat

• US in Philippines could attack at any time to flank of Japanese assault on Asia• Unacceptable risk…

Japanese on the Offensive

• Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto planned attack at Pearl Harbor to take US out of war on first day• Sleeping Giant

• Attack plan:• Aircraft carriers• Other ships• Oil Tanks

7 December 1941

• 2,300 dead

• 1,100 hurt

• 19 ships sunk or badly damaged

US Declares War!

Greater Assault

• Japanese also take Hong Kong, Guam, Wake, Thailand, Dutch East Indies, Burma• India is threatened

• January 1942 – took the Philippines• Bataan Death March

• 16,000 of 70,000 die

• 9 April 1942 – forced transfer of Filipino and American POWs

Japanese Empire - 1942

“Tokyo Rose”

• Nickname of any 12 radio women broadcasting propaganda from Japan to weaken American morale• Would name units and soldiers to freak

out the GI’s

The Doolittle Raid

• April 1942• 16 B-25

bombers under Jimmie Doolittle

• Morale boosting raid on Japan

Stopping the Unstoppable

• May 1942 - Battle of the Coral Sea• First battle using

solely aircraft carriers in history

• Allies lose many ships but stop the Japanese advance

• Prevented the invasion of Australia

Midway – Why so Important?

• Gave US advantage in aircraft carriers

• Superior US production ensured gradual rollback of Japanese from here

Turning the Tide

• June 1942 – Midway Island• Code breakers told US that

Japan was heading toward the island

• First Japanese naval defeat since 1863

• In hours, 332 planes are downed, 4 aircraft carriers sunk

• Turning point in the Pacific theater