Copy of APUSH Period 7 World War II Study Guide.docx

APUSH Period 7: World War II Contextualization

Broad Contextualization

  • Refer to the Imperialism & Progressivism handout for a broader understanding of Period 7.

  • Detailed contextualization can be found in handouts on The Interwar Period and World War I.

  • "Interwar Foreign Policy" section includes helpful content for essays on WWII.

Relevant Foreign Relations

  • Imperialism and Progressive Era foreign policies influence the era.

  • US reasons for entry into WWI: understanding of historical precedents.

  • Isolationism in the 1920s: key factor in shaping US policies.

  • US immigration policy in the 1920s: affects social dynamics.

  • International impacts of the Great Depression: triggered shifts in global power and economy.

Relevant Domestic Relations

  • US WWI mobilization efforts set a precedent for WWII.

  • WWI propaganda shaped public opinion and policy.

  • Women and African Americans in WWI: roles pave the way for future contributions.

  • Great Depression: economic context leading to war mobilization.

  • New Deal: helped address socio-economic challenges faced by Americans.

World War II Era Topics

  • Interwar Foreign Policy: Focused on maintaining US interests.

  • World War II: Mobilization: Shift towards warfare industries.

  • World War II: Military: Overview of military strategies and changes.

  • Postwar Diplomacy: US involvement in establishing a new global order.

Interwar Foreign Policy

Major Theme: America in the World

  • Post-WWI, US was ready but reluctant to be a superpower.

  • Pursued a unilateral foreign policy focusing on US interests.

  • Isolationism gradually declines in the 1930s.

Goals of US Foreign Policy

  • Maintain international order while ensuring American isolation.

Examples of Foreign Policy Initiatives

Disarmament Treaties

  • Washington Armaments Conference (1921-1922): limits navy sizes.

  • Five-Power Treaty: agreement among US, Japan, Great Britain, France, and Italy.

  • Nine-Power Treaty: respects the Open Door Policy for China.

  • Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact (1928): outlaws war except in self-defense.

Financial Initiatives

  • US war debt significant, affecting European economies.

  • Fordney-McCumber Tariff (1922): high tariffs complicating debt repayment.

  • Dawes Plan (1924) and Young Plan (1929): aimed at reducing reparations and providing loans to Germany.

Peace-Keeping Initiatives

  • Stimson Doctrine: US refusal to recognize territorial changes from aggression.

Decline of Isolationism

Factors Leading to War

  • Fascism and totalitarianism rise in Japan, Germany, and Italy.

  • Major military events leading to US involvement:

    • Japan's invasion of Manchuria (1931).

    • Italy's invasion of Ethiopia (1935).

    • Germany's annexation of territories leading up to WWII.

  • Nye Committee (1934-1937): Inquired into US involvement in WWI, leading to neutrality acts.

Neutrality Acts

  • Neutrality Act of 1935: bans arms sales to warring nations.

  • Neutrality Act of 1936: prohibits loans to warring nations.

  • Neutrality Act of 1939: establishes cash & carry for weapon trades.

  • Lend-Lease Act (1941): aid to countries fighting Axis powers.

Pearl Harbor and US War Declarations

  • Pearl Harbor attack: December 7, 1941, leads to declaration of war.

  • FDR's "day of infamy" speech prompts Congress to declare war on Japan.

  • December 11, 1941, US declares war on Germany and Italy.

World War II: Mobilization

Major Theme: Social Structures

  • War mobilization helps end the Great Depression.

  • Increased demand for goods boosts US economy.

  • Change in industries supports wartime needs:

    • Office of Price Administration (1941): prevents inflation.

    • War Production Board (1942): directs resources and industries for war.

Role of Women and Minorities

  • Mobilization opens opportunities:

    • Rosie the Riveter campaign for women workers.

    • 80% of the aircraft industry's workforce comprised of women.

  • Increased African American contributions lead to civil rights debates:

    • Emphasis on the Double V campaign.

    • Segregation in the military challenged post-war.

Japanese American Internment

  • Internment of Japanese Americans: loss of homes and rights during wartime.

  • Supreme Court upheld internment in Korematsu v. United States.

  • Federal apology and reparations in 1988.

Bracero Program

  • Temporary migration of Mexican workers for agricultural labor.

  • Led to discrimination despite positive economic impacts.

Military and Global Context

Theme: America in the World

  • WWII framed as a fight for democracy against totalitarianism.

Military Service Impact

  • Women serve in diverse roles across military branches.

  • African Americans serve in segregated units but fight for equal rights.

  • Nisei regiments: decorated all-volunteer Japanese-American units.

  • Navajo code talkers: unique role utilizing unbreakable code.

Factors Contributing to Allied Victory

European Theater

  • Defeat Hitler first strategy and cooperation among Allies.

  • Key events:

    • D-Day invasion: pivotal moment in European liberation.

Pacific Theater

  • Island hopping strategy to defeat Japanese forces.

  • Leadership of generals like Douglas MacArthur.

  • Deployment of atomic bombs in Hiroshima & Nagasaki.

Postwar Diplomacy

Major Theme: America & the World

  • Post-WWII, the US emerges as a dominant global power.

  • Extensive destruction in Europe and Asia contrasts with US recovery.

  • US takes on major roles in shaping postwar policies:

    • Marshall Plan and Truman Doctrine to contain Communism.

  • Tensions during WWII lay groundwork for the Cold War.