The Meanings of WWIIThe Meanings of WWII

I. What the War was NotI. What the War was NotA. Abandonment of the JewsA. Abandonment of the Jews

Known by 1942Known by 1942 Henry Ford, “Dearborn Independent”Henry Ford, “Dearborn Independent” “Protocols of the “Protocols of the

Elders of Zion”Elders of Zion” Asst. Sec’y State Breckenridge Long (weaken UN, Asst. Sec’y State Breckenridge Long (weaken UN,

Romania 70,000)Romania 70,000) Congress: reduced quotas for refugeesCongress: reduced quotas for refugees Public: 1938: 71-85% oppose increasing quotas; 1939: Public: 1938: 71-85% oppose increasing quotas; 1939:

KristallnachtKristallnacht 42.3% due to Jews’ “unfavorable 42.3% due to Jews’ “unfavorable characteristics”; Dec. 1944: majority aware cruelty: 12% characteristics”; Dec. 1944: majority aware cruelty: 12% untrue, 27% 100,000, 4% 5mil+untrue, 27% 100,000, 4% 5mil+

Military: bomb w/in 50 miles AuschwitzMilitary: bomb w/in 50 miles Auschwitz

B. Ideological VacuumB. Ideological Vacuum

FDR: Four Freedoms FDR: Four Freedoms (speech, worship, (speech, worship, from want, from fear)from want, from fear)

Most Americans: Most Americans: bring boys homebring boys home 94% opposed US 94% opposed US

intervention pre-PHintervention pre-PH

“He can’t be a combat man. He’s looking for a fight.”

(Bill Mauldin, Stars and Stripes)

“I’m disgusted. I been in th’ infantry two days an’ I ain’t heard a shot.”

Politics of SacrificePolitics of Sacrifice Politics of sacrifice: only Politics of sacrifice: only

willing to give up if others willing to give up if others do as well; sacrifice= not do as well; sacrifice= not gaining too muchgaining too much Only US improved econOnly US improved econ

II. Race WarII. Race WarA. GermanyA. Germany

Lucy Dawidowicz, Lucy Dawidowicz, The The War Against the JewsWar Against the Jews T-4 Program: purify T-4 Program: purify

German raceGerman race EinsatzgruppenEinsatzgruppen

• Ordinary MenOrdinary Men vs. vs. Hitler’s Hitler’s Willing ExecutionersWilling Executioners

B. JapanB. Japan

Greater East Asia Co-Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere: anti-Prosperity Sphere: anti-colonial empirecolonial empire independence from independence from European powersEuropean powers

Japanese Monroe DoctrineJapanese Monroe Doctrine AAA: Japan the Leader of AAA: Japan the Leader of

Asia, Japan the Protector Asia, Japan the Protector of Asia, Japan the Light of Asia, Japan the Light of Asiaof Asia

Racial purity: “Yamamoto Racial purity: “Yamamoto race”race”

Dec. 1937-Mar. 1938: Dec. 1937-Mar. 1938: 6 Weeks of Horror6 Weeks of Horror

260,000-350,000 260,000-350,000 civilianscivilians

20-80,000 rapes20-80,000 rapes Forced incestForced incest

Nazi observers: Nazi observers: “bestial machinery”“bestial machinery” Part of US Part of US

propagandapropaganda

Rape of NankingRape of Nanking

C. United StatesC. United States

Many Americans: G Many Americans: G distraction on way to Japandistraction on way to Japan—annihilate for Pearl Harbor—annihilate for Pearl Harbor Brainwashing/bad leaders vs. Brainwashing/bad leaders vs.

racial diff.racial diff.

Anti-Nazi propagandaAnti-Nazi propaganda Double V, abandonment Double V, abandonment Social DarwinismSocial Darwinism

Caption: “Arizona war worker writes her Navy boyfriend a thank-you note for the Jap skull he sent her.”

Life Magazine, 5/22/1944

D. War Without MercyD. War Without Mercy

Pacific worse EuropePacific worse Europe Except Eastern FrontExcept Eastern Front

Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Bataan Death March, fire Bataan Death March, fire bombingsbombings

Kamikazes: knew Allies Kamikazes: knew Allies uninterested in prisonersuninterested in prisoners

Allies ordered not to Allies ordered not to surrender (W. Churchill + surrender (W. Churchill + D. MacArthur)D. MacArthur)

III. Power PoliticsIII. Power Politics

FDR + WC: Atlantic CharterFDR + WC: Atlantic Charter Territory, markets, resources, peopleTerritory, markets, resources, people Hiroshima + Nagasaki: stop USSR?Hiroshima + Nagasaki: stop USSR?