War Unit: WWII

Q: How many times was FDR elected President?

A: Four times (1932, 1936, 1940, 1944).

Q: What amendment did FDR's presidency prompt?

A: The 22nd Amendment, limiting presidents to two terms.

Q: What was FDR's foreign policy before the U.S. entered WWII?

A: Initially neutrality, but later he supported policies aiding the Allies, such as Lend-Lease and the "Arsenal of Democracy."

Q: What were the Neutrality Acts?

A: A series of laws passed in the 1930s to keep the U.S. out of future wars by banning arms sales and loans to warring nations.

Q: What did FDR argue "peace-loving nations" must do?

A: Isolate ("quarantine") aggressive nations to prevent war from spreading.

Q: Which country was FDR specifically referring to in his "quarantine" speech?

A: Japan, due to its invasion of China in 1937.

Q: What was the "cash-and-carry" policy?

A: Allowed the sale of arms to warring nations if they paid in cash and transported the goods themselves.

Q: What did "cash-and-carry" reflect about U.S. foreign policy?

A: The U.S. was moving away from strict neutrality and favoring the Allies.

Q: What was the "Great Arsenal of Democracy" policy?

A: FDR's commitment to supplying the Allies with military goods to fight Axis powers.

Q: What did the "Great Arsenal of Democracy" reflect about U.S. foreign policy?

A: The U.S. was increasingly supporting the Allies while still remaining officially neutral.

Q: What was the "Lend Lease Act"?

A: Allowed the U.S. to lend or lease military supplies to Allied nations without immediate payment.

Q: What did the "Lend Lease Act" reflect about U.S. foreign policy?

A: A shift away from neutrality toward active support for the Allies.

Q: What was FDR's "Four Freedoms" speech?

A: FDR's 1941 address outlining four essential freedoms: speech, worship, want, and fear.

Q: What did FDR's "Four Freedoms" speech reflect about U.S. foreign policy?

A: It framed WWII as a fight for democracy and human rights.

Q: What was the U.S. policy regarding German U-boats?

A: U.S. naval forces protected British ships from German U-boats before officially entering the war.

Q: What did the U.S. policy regarding German U-boats reflect about U.S. foreign policy?

A: The U.S. was already engaged in conflict with Germany before Pearl Harbor.

Q: What was the Atlantic Charter?

A: A 1941 agreement between FDR and Churchill outlining post-war goals, including self-determination and free trade.

Q: What did the Atlantic Charter reflect about U.S. foreign policy?

A: The U.S. was aligning itself with the Allies and planning for a post-war world.

Q: What happened at Pearl Harbor?

A: Japan attacked the U.S. naval base in Hawaii on December 7, 1941, leading to U.S. entry into WWII.

Q: What did the event at Pearl Harbor do to U.S. foreign policy?

A: Ended isolationism; the U.S. declared war on Japan and later Germany and Italy.

Q: How were the European and Pacific Theaters different?

A: The European Theater focused on land battles against Germany and Italy, while the Pacific Theater involved island-hopping against Japan.

Q: What is bushido?

A: The Japanese samurai code of honor, which emphasized loyalty and no surrender, leading to fierce resistance.

Q: What was the Double V Campaign?

A: A movement by African Americans advocating victory against fascism abroad and racism at home.

Q: What did the Double V campaign lead to in the 1950s and 1960s?

A: Helped lay the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement.

Q: What was Executive Order 8802?

A: It banned racial discrimination in defense industries.

Q: Why was Executive Order 8802 a major win for Civil Rights activists?

A: It was the first federal action promoting workplace equality.

Q: Who were the Tuskegee Airmen and how did they contribute to the Allied WWII victory?

A: A group of African American fighter pilots who protected bombers and proved the effectiveness of Black pilots.

Q: Who were the Navajo Code talkers and how did they contribute to the Allied WWII victory?

A: Native American Marines who used the Navajo language to create an unbreakable military code.

Q: Who is Rosie the Riveter?

A: A symbol representing women who worked in factories during WWII.

Q: How does Rosie the Riveter represent the changing lives of women during WWII?

A: Showed women taking on roles traditionally held by men, leading to increased workforce participation.

Q: What happened to Japanese Americans during WWII?

A: Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated to internment camps during WWII.

Q: Why were Japanese Americans treated the way they were in American during WWII?

A: Fear and racism following the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Q: Did the U.S. ever apologize for how they treated Japanese Americans during WWII? How?

A: Yes, the U.S. issued a formal apology and reparations.

Q: How was Hitler portrayed vs. Tojo in WWII era propaganda and political cartoons?

A: Hitler was depicted as evil but human, while Tojo and the Japanese were shown as subhuman.

Q: Why did the difference between how Hitler was portrayed and how Tojo was portrayed exist?

A: Racial stereotypes and deep-seated anti-Asian sentiment influenced wartime propaganda.

Q: What were war bonds and rationing things?

A: War bonds were sold to finance the war, and rationing limited civilian use of goods to support the military effort.

Q: What does the Voyage of St. Louis tell us about U.S. treatment of Jewish refugees and awareness of the Holocaust?

A: The U.S. refused entry to over 900 Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution, showing limited willingness to help.

Q: How does Harry Truman become President?

A: He became president after FDR died in April 1945.

Q: How does Harry Truman decide to end WWII?

A: He ordered the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.

Q: What are some major legacies of WWII?

A. 1. Creation of the United Nations, 2. Beginning of the Cold War, 3. Division of Germany and Europe, 4. U.S. and Soviet Union emerging as superpowers, 5. Expansion of civil rights movements, 6. Advancements in military technology (nuclear weapons), 7. Economic boom in the U.S.A