THE UNITED STATES IN THE UNITED STATES IN WORLD WAR IIWORLD WAR II

The End of NeutralityThe 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

Mushroom cloud of the atomic bomb dropped on

Nagasaki

Americans celebrated the end of World War II

US Marines raise the American flag on Iwo Jima

The Japanese surrender is signed by General

MacArthur on the deck of the USS Missouri