WORLD WAR II 1939-1945

Americans showed patriotism by

Volunteerism, Financing the War (Government paid for the war effort by increasing taxes and the selling of War Bonds), The U.S. Office of War Information: Few people opposed the war

Victory Gardens

Government turned to its citizens to encourage them to plant Victory Gardens

Executive Order 9066

FDR authorized the relocation of Japanese in America from their homes to internment camps or specific areas designated military zones 

• Supreme Court Case Korematsu vs US ruled the policy was justified in wartime

Pacific Theater

Japanese forces reached the height of their power in 1942, occupying islands throughout the Pacific Ocean.  

European Theater

Hitler controlled almost all of Europe

Allies

Uk, USA, Soviet Union, China, France, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece, Yugoslavia, and many others from around the world. Axi

Axis power

Germany, Italy, Japan, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria.

Battle of Stalingrad: The Turning Point

Hitler wanted to take the city because it held the name of Joseph Stalin. Around 1.1 million casualties. 

OPERATION OVERLORD

Allied drive to invade Western Europe and liberate France began on June 6, 1944.  D-Day, the invasion of Normandy, France 

Winter 1944: Battle of the Bulge

Germans launch final counter-offensive designed to split the Allied forces and win the war. Soviet Union liberates Baltic States, Poland, Hungary and penetrates Germany.

Anti- Semitism

The unshakable belief that all Jews were participants in a long-range and subtle conspiracy to take control of the world and destroy Christian Civilization

Ghettos

small communities that became overcrowded quickly. German High Command issued an order for the army to use “ruthless and energetic measures” against all Jews, Communist Party Members, and anti-German resisters encountered during the invasion  

WANNSEE CONFERENCE 1942

Convened by Heydrich the final phase of the decision-making process that led to the final solution  

Why did Germany lose?

German began running out of soldiers, made careless errors 

• didn’t annihilate Britain in Battle of Britain 

•  Invasion of USSR 

• Declaration of war against US 

• Industrial capacity was not equal to the Allies 

  • Grand Alliance overwhelming 

  •  Worked together for unconditional surrender 

Potsdam conference

To decide the fate of post-war Europe and how to defeat Japan. Allies warned Japan to surrender or face prompt & utter destruction 

Manhattan Project

FDR created a secret $2B A-bomb program 

Hiroshima

US drops atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, 78,000 killed plus 60% of the city 

Nagasaki

US drops second bomb on August 9th 
• One day after USSR declared war on Japan 
• Japan surrenders two days later August 11, 1945