WW2 in the Americas Paper 3

the Nye Committee

Investigated the financial and banking interests that underlay the US involvement in WW1

It was also a significant factor in public and political support for American neutrality in the early stages of WW2

Prevented people from profiting off the war

Also prevented people in the weapons industry from lobbying in favour of the war for their own profits and interests

The Five Neutrality Acts

First one prohibited the export of arms, ammunition and implements of war from the US to foreign nations at war

Second neutrality act: cash and carry

A nation could buy from the US as long as they could transport it themselves

Neutrality act of 1941: Lend-Lease agreement

Now they could actually lend arms to foreign nations

Cash and carry provided a loophole which allowed FDR to help France and the UK against the Axis powers

These acts was FDR trying to appease the Americans publics isolationist desires with his desire to protect Western democracy

Quarantine Speech

FDR speech 1937

Called for an international quarantine against the epidemic of world lawlessness by aggressive nations

He pushed for the use of economic pressure against these countries

Received backlash for its interventionist ideals

The Committee to Defend America

1940-1942

Organisation to persuade the American public that the United States should supply the Allies with as much material and financial aid as possible in order to keep the US out of the war

Wanted to achieve pro-British politics in the US government against Nazi Germany

Hey wanted to provide economical resources so they would not have to actually fight

They did not want to actually join the conflict

But it was a better directive than just not intervening at al

The America First Committee

Rivals of the committee to defend america

Isolionasists for their own sake

Included people from all over

They were controversial for the for their anti-semetic and pro-fascists views tho

Belief that a british defeat by Nazi Germany would not imperil American national security and that giving military aid would risk bringing the US into the war

Peacetime Draft

Sept 16, 1940

Selective training and service act

Wanted to recruit men in order to train them to be prepared in the outbreak of war

Lend-Lease Agreement

1941

They could actually lend weapons to other nations now which were deemed "vital to the defense of the US"

Benefitted the UK and France war efforts against Germany

The Atlantic Charter

1941

FDR and Churchill met on a ship outside Newfoundland to sort out a plan to help out Stalin on the Eastern Front

Increased the size of the US navy and extended naval combat zones to help the UK and to help transport supplies

The Battle of the Atlantic

Struggle between Allies and Germans for control of the Atlantic

UK needed supplies from North America and Germany wanted to cut off its supply chain

1939: Canada's navy, merchant marine and air force was thrust into the Atlantic

1941: US fully involved

Then they had to leave for the Pacific so the Canadians had to fill in the gaps

Black Pit: stretch of ocean beyond the range of Allied aircraft

This was the first major Allied victory against Germany when they managed to push the u-boats out of the Atlantic

The allies had less losses than the nazis

Allowed Canada to massively develop its navy which will come in handy later

The Invasion of North Africa (Allied Landings)

1942

Involved the US, UK vs French North Africa ( mainly took part in Algeria and Morocco

Try to open a Southern Europe front to relieve pressure off of the Eastern Front

Mussolini was the weak link to they also wanted to gain access to that

First time where they used amphibious warfare

Canadian navy supported Algerian and Morocco landings

French Armee d'Afrique sided with the Allies

Opened up a front to invade France and Italy

Lack of French resistance motivated Germany to invade the rest of France

Also gained access to the Suez canal which was important to gain supplies from the Middle East

Also delayed D-Day till 1944

The Dieppe Raid

Year(s)

1942

Major defeat

Code name: Operation Jubilee

Canadians made up a majority of the raid and it was their first involvement in the European theatre

This was also their first time to test amphibious assault and gain info on Nazi defense

Wanted to gain an opening into France and create a front there

Bloodbath

Showed the Allies that they are not ready for a full scale invasion of France yet

Also showed them where they have to improve in amphibious warfare when it came to Nazi defenses and the infrastructure of French beaches

Allied Invasion of Sicily, Italy

1943

Code name: Operation Husky

Combined air and sea landings

Wanted to destroy the Italian fascist regime and draw away the Axis troops from France and the Eastern front

They successfully captured Sicily with help from the Italian mob

Techniques of "mouse holing" which was going from house to house bringing down defenders

Gained control of Italy and opened a Southern Front on the Axis powers

Also allowed them to again perfect amphibious warfare

Major Allied victory

The D-Day Landings

1944

American, British and Canadian troops

large scale deception to make sure that the Germans did not know about the day and place of the invasion

The battle to control Normandy had codename Overlord

The landing operation had code name Operation Neptune

USA had beaches Utah and Omaha

UK had beaches Gold and Sword

Canada had Juno beach

Canadians did good and secure the beachhead successfully and they also made it the farthest in

Americans in Omaha did not so good

Only 100 tons out of 2400 tons of supplies made it

High Allied casualties in return of a fighting front in Europe

Gave them an opening to go into Germany and end the war

Strategic Bombing of Germany

1943-1945

Were used to destroy the countries ability to wage war + demoralize civilians +targeting infrastructure and industrial regions

USA did controversial bombings on Hamburg and Dresden

Also attacked waterways in 1943

A lot of German civilians died

The Liberation of the Netherlands

1944-1945

Operation Market Garden (sept. 1944)

Canada played crucial supporting role

Operation was overall a failure but Canada provided reinforcements and made sure Dutch civilians don't die

Canadian 1st Division led push to liberate key cities

Relieving Starvation (1944-1945)

Canadian forces participated in a series of airdrops that brought food and supplies

The Battle of Scheldt ( oct -nov 1944)

Canadian troops fought to clear German troops from the city

Victory in Europe (VE)

8 May 1945

The Battle of the Coral Sea

May 4-8 1942

apan wanted to capture a port in New Guinea to gain control of the sea around Australia,

USA decoded their plans and could plan against their invasion

Ended in Japanese defeat and Australian troops secured the port preventing an invasion of Australia

One of the first major Allied victories in the Pacific theatre

Allies learned valuable lessons on naval and aerial warfare and also evened the odds for the battle of midway

The Battle of Midway

June 4-7 1942

Japanese navy planned to occupy midway to draw the US fleet away from Pearl Harbour

US code breakers deciphered Japanese messages and were aware of the plan

Japan los all of its carriers while the US only lost one

Turning point for the War in the Pacific

First major victory

Left Japan with only six carriers in the Pacific and they lacked the capacity to replace them

They also lost personnel with a lot of expertise

Prevented Japan from launching other attacks on the US for months

The Battle for Guadalcanal

1942-1943

Strategically important island in the solomon islands

Series of battles fought on land in the air and at sea

Success

USA capturing Guadalcanal meant that Australia and New Zealand could be easily supplied by US ships, preventing their invasion

First time Japan was defeated on land in the air and sea

Lost 3 carriers and did not have ability to rebuild while the US did

Island Hopping

1943-1945

Bypassing and isolating heavily fortified Japanese positions while preparing to take over strategically important islands

Choose to invade lightly guarded islands in order to be able to bring supplies to the next major battle

Uses a two pronged approach to reach Japan

Key Operations

Tarawa Atoll

Marshall Islands and Truk

Saipan

Mariana Islands

Iwo Jima and Okinawa

Allowed them to preserve resources and pick and choose the battles that they fought

Was very successful in their approach of Japan

Victory in Japan (VJ)

August 9,1945

The Orthodox View - atomic bomb

the atomic bombs were necessary and saved both American and Japanese lives

The Revisionist View - atomic bomb

The bombings was unnecessary and used to intimate the Soviet Union and limit its expansion in East Asia and Europe

Post Revisionist View - atomic bomb

The bombs would be used regardless of the Soviets but the Soviet problems added a supplementary reason for their use

WASPS

Women's Airforce Service Pilots

None of them flew combat missions they filled vital roles in the US alongside male pilots

Advanced the war effort by freeing experienced male pilots to move to the front

Ferried over 50% of the combat aircraft during the war years

They were also instructors

After the war their presence was forgotten and they only received recognition years after the war ended

[WAACs

Women's Army Auxiliary Corps

They were traind to be switchboard operators, mechanics and bakers

Then they started a campaign to make them fit to replace men

The army air forces were an early supporter of the women troops while others were not very excited of this development.

WACs landed on Normandy beach a few weeks after the initial invasion

General Douglas MacArthur said that they were his best soldiers and they worked harder and were better disciplined than men

The Marine Corps Women's Reserve

Purpose was to release officers and men for combat and replace them with women

They did not accept african american or japanese american, but they did accept native american women

In the beginning they had many that opposed this group, but they later ended up changing their minds and supporting them

SPARS

The Coast Guard Women's Reserve

Again their purpose was to relieve men working for sea duty and replacing them with women on shore stations

After victory over japan they were demobilized but then brought back into action for the Korean wa

Canadian women divisions

CWAC : Canadian women army corps

WDs: Womens Division of the RCAF

Wrens: womens royal canadian naval service

The March on Washington Movement

1941-1946

Organized by A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin

Was created to pressure the US government into providing fair working opportunities for African Americans and desegregation of the army

Because normal negotations didn't work they threatened with a full on march

In the end the march didn't happen, because President Rooselvelt relented into making the first Fair Employment Practices Committee.

Fair Employment Practices Commission (FEPC)

It was created to implement Executive Order 8802 "banning discriminatory employment practices by Federal agencies and all unions and companies engaged in war related work"

Created in 1941, shortly after they joined ww2

Jim Crow Laws

Enforced racial segregation and prevented African Americans from having the same rights and opportunities based on their race

The National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP)

Formed in 1909

During ww2 it renewed efforts to end discrimination in the military

Through NAACP intervention FDR established black organizations in every major branch of the armed services

The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)

Founded in 1942 it pioneered the use of nonviolent direct action in America's civil rights struggle.

It included both black and white founding members

Fought against racial segregation for everbybody affected

The Double V

"Victory in Europe and victory at home"

Discrepancy of fighting for the rights of other people overseas and then you come back home and are treated worse.

Other armies were not segregated and it opened the eyes of African Americans

Spark for the civil rights movement

Growing tensions led to race riots in 1943

March 27, 1943 FDR issues an executive order forbidding racial discrimination by government contractors

Apr 3rd 1944, Smith vs Allwright: US Supreme Court rules that an American cannot be denied the right to vote because of color

Executive Order 8802

Pased on june 25, 1941

It prohibited ethnic or racial discrimination in the nations defense industry including in companies, unions and federal agencies.

It set up the Fair Employment Practice Committee

First federal action to promote equal opportunity and prohibit employment discrimination

Participation of Native Americans in the War (USA)

Many were eager to join the war

Many argued though that since the Federal government did not guarantee their rights and were not allowed to vote then they should not fight

Indigenous people fought in key battles

Many of them after the war ended up moving into cities

The average income increased a lot, but it still wasn't comparable to what white people received

The Navajo Code Talkers played a crucial role and were never decoded by the Japanese making them essential in the Pacific Theatre

However their efforts weren't recognized until years later

Additionally their desire to fight was seen as a desire to be assimilated into the US which motivated the government to forcefully disband their tribes sparking disputes

Participation of First Nations People in the War (Canada)

A lot of Indigenous people were not recognized and in order to fight they had to give up their status

Indigenous people were exempted from the Air Force and the Navy

They resented conscription

Some First Nations and Metis women are known to have enlisted in the womens auxiliary

Hispanic Americans

They also served in the military and worked on the Home Front

After the war ended they were no longer willing to accept second-class citizenship

Issei and Nisei

Issei: generation of people born in Japan who latter immigrated into another country

Nisei: the generation of people born in North America, Latin America, Australia, Hawaii to at least one Issei or one non-immigrant Japanese parent

Kibei ( go home America): term used in the 1940s to describe Japanese Americans born in the US who returned to America after receiving their education in Japan

442nd Regimental Combat Battalion

It was a segregated japanese american unit

It is distinguished as the most decorated unit for its size and length of service in US military history

Attached to an African American unit they helped drive the Germans from Northern Italy

Executive Order 9066

Passed on 19th February 1942

Removal or incarceration of "any and all persons" that were deemed vulnerable to sabotage.

Gave them an excuse to put Japanese Americans in internment camps

Two thirds of the people displaced were American citizens

Only Japanese Americans were incarcerated to this extent, german and italian americans were not and german and italian canadians were not persecuted at all

Relocation, Dispossession, Internment of Japanese

After the war ended the japanese were allowed to leave only in 1949

In 1948 the government gave 38 million dollars to everybody, the money was split between all of the thousands of people that were in the camps

Only in 1988 did Congress pass an official apology for their actions and actual compensation to the survivors