USH test 4: WW2

Explain US foreign policy in the 1930s including the various Neutrality Acts, and the Cash and Carry Policy.

  • 1935: won't trade arms to countries at war, US travel at own risk

  • 1936: will not loan money to belligerent nations

  • 1937: “cash and carry” - countries trading must pay in cash + transport goods

  • Only Britain and France have acceptable forms of currency

  • 1939: repeals 1935 act for France and Britain

Explain the policy of Destroyers for Bases in 1940.

  • US would give older WW1 destroyers to Britain

  • Britain would give leases of bases in British territories (mostly in the caribbean)

What is the Lend Lease Program and why is it important?

  • US can sell or lend war materias to “any country” whose defense the president deems vital to the defense of the US

  • US supplies Great Britain, Soviet Union, France, China

What is the Atlantic Charter and why is it important?

  • Aug. 14, 1941; Churchill + FDR meet secretly off coast of Newfoundland (canada)

  • They draw up goals for both nations to follow if US enters the war

  • Nations will cooperate for peace in the future, new LON will be established, victorious powers will seek no new territory, nations will be restored following the defeat of Germany, Italy, and Japan

Explain the importance of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor.

  • US cuts off trade with Japan, Dec. 7, 1941; Japanese warplanes attack the US naval fleet at PH (lasted 2 hours), fueled American nationalism, congress agreed to FDR’s request to declare war in Japan, then on Germany+Italy (leads to Japanese incarceration)

What is the Selective Service Act and why is it important?

  • All men 18-45 are eligible; 50 million register, 10 million serve

  • 1 million A-A’s served in segregated units

Explain the economy at home during WWII including the Labor Force, Wartime Production, and paying for the war.

  • LF: expansion of production ends dep., second great migration (fill labor shortages) and women take jobs of men serving; rosie the riveter

  • WP: advisory boards to monitor use of material, resources such as gasoline rationed

  • PFTW: cost $350 bil. And americans buy war bonds

What was the military strategy for the US in Europe during WWII?

  • Beat hitler in EU first; presents greatest threat to WH, starts with weakest are; North Africa, move into mediterranean, then Italy (sharp German resistance, cost more in lives and achieved less than expected, fighting continued in 1945)

What is the Casablanca conference and why is it important?

  • FDR and churchill agree to o[en a 2nd front

What is the Tehran Conference and why is it important?

  • Attack through Italy, 2nd front within 6 months, Russia will enter war against Japan after Germany surrenders, talk of UN

Explain the push to establish a second front including Operation Overlord and D-Day.

  • Russians calling for help, mounting casualties, in the east

  • OO: land on beaches at Normandy, push to interior

  • DD: largest military invasion in US history: 1 mil troops landed and TONs of tanks, jeeps, and ammunition supplies

Explain what is going on in Europe Post D-Day

  • Allied forces moved through France, liberating it, face strong opposition, but the Germans are on retreat, beginning in Dec. ‘44 the Germs. stage their counter-offence

What is the Battle of the Bulge and why is it important?

  • Last major German counter-offensive, over 89,000 American troops were wounded or killed, up to 125,000 German casualties, the coldest and snowiest weather “in memory” in the Ardennes forest on the Germ./Belgium border; 101st airborne div.

What is the Yalta Conference and why is it important?

  • Big 3 (Churchill, Stalin, FDR) agree to divide Germany into occupation zones, soviet promises free elections in E. europe; “yalta betrayal”

  • Soviets get half of poland and occupation zone in Korea

  • ratify plans for UN (cause they know they're gonna win)

Explain the conclusion of the War in the Atlantic Theater.

  • Germans retreat from BOTB, jan.; soviets begin to liberate poland, concentration camps are liberated

  • Apr. 12 - FDR dies, Apr 16 - Soviets attack Berlin

  • Apr. 30 - hitler commits suicide, May 8th - VE day

What was the US strategy in the Pacific Theater?

  • Island hopping, only fight for strategically important islands (airstrips, fresh water, radio/radar, close to mainland, etc), move closer to Japanese islands

What were the characteristics of battles against the Japanese?

  • No respect between the Js and As (there was some between Gs and As), Js feel contempt towards Americans bc they will surrender and nt fight till death

  • Js believe surrender shows lack honor, Js abuse POWs - bataan death march

Who is Harry Truman and why is he important?

  • Dem., 23 pres. Takes over when FDR dies, makes crucial decision to drop A-bomb

What is the Potsdam conference and why is it important?

  • plans to reconstruct Europe and Germany, Potsdam declaration; demands Js surrender or ultimate destruction, Js don't surrender, bombs dropped in Aug.

Explain the role of African Americans during WWII.

  • 1 mil serve in segregated units; begin to support roles, eventually saw combat, at home many migrated north; new jobs, begin to have some political power, face discrimination, experiences lead to the civil rights movement

What happened to Japanese Americans during the war?

  • Most are centered in the west coast, discriminate against after pearl harbor, 1942- executive order 9066; 100,00-120,000 JAs were forced to go to internment camps; revenge for pearl harbor and fear of JA sabotage

Why was this considered legalized racism?

  • Military-style barracks; barbed wire guarded by troops, no similar action taken against Germans and Italians

Explain Korematsu vs. the United States and why it is important.

  • 1944; F. Korematsu challenges EO 9066, us never identifies any JA sabotage or treason, 1988; US apologizes and pays $20,000 to those still alive

What were the possible alternatives to dropping the atomic bomb? What was the justification?

  • Alt.: blockade or invasion of Js main island, dem power of bomb by using one on a desert area, drop a bomb on a military site

  • Jus.: revenge for PH, to save lives, intimidate SU, unwillingness to surrender

Explain what happened with the bombing of Hiroshima.

  • 70,000 killed immediately, 100,000 die later, 48,000 buildings destroyed

Explain what happened with the bombing of Nagasaki.

  • 40,000 killed immediately, 60,60,000 injured,100,000 die later (cancer, rad pois.)