history ch24 &25

Section 1: A Prelude to Global War

Chapter 24: World War II

A. The Rise of Fascism - the peace terms of WWI and worldwide economic depression led to political

instability in many nations.

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Fascist governments came to power in Germany under Adolf Hitler and Italy under Benito Mussolini.

Within their own countries, these governments suppressed civil rights and any political opposition to their

rule. They built up their militaries and believed that the interests of the people were subservient to the needs

of the nation.

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Hitler and Mussolini also viewed conquest of other lands as a way of making their countries great.

In 1936, Germany and Italy formed an alliance that would later include Japan and become known as the

Axis Powers.

B. Axis Aggression – In Asia, Japan invaded China in 1931 and by 1940 had gained control of many areas in

the Pacific.

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In 1935, Italy began invading North Africa, starting with Ethiopia.

In 1936, Hitler had the German army began taking over neighboring territories, including Austria and

Czechoslovakia.

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Britain and France at first responded with a policy of appeasement – giving in to Hitler’s demands for

territory in hopes of avoiding war.

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When Hitler’s army invaded Poland in September of 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany.

By June of 1941, Germany had gained control of most of France. Britain stood alone in opposition to the

Axis Powers in Europe.

C. America’s Response – at the start of the war, the U.S. was officially neutral and many Americans called for

a policy of isolationism.

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Congress passed a series of Neutrality Acts that forbade the sale of weapons and loaning of money to

warring nations and restricted sale of other supplies to a “Cash and carry” policy.

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Charles Lindbergh became the lead spokesman for the America First Committee, calling for the United

states to stay out of the war and not send aid to Britain.

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Despite the strong isolationist sentiment in America, Roosevelt felt that U.S. involvement in the war was

inevitable and began to push for measures that would aid the Allies as well as prepare the U.S. for war

Steps Away from Neutrality

1. In November, 1939, Roosevelt convinced Congress to allow the sale of armaments to the allies on a

“cash and carry” basis.

2. In September of 1940, Roosevelt gave Britain 50 aging U.S. war ships in exchange for rights to build

naval bases on British territories. (“Destroyers for Bases Deal”)

3. A few weeks later, Congress passed a Selective Service Act, establishing the first peacetime draft in

U.S. history.

4. In 1941, he had Congress pass the Lend-Lease Act allowing Britain to obtain military supplies from the

U.S. without paying up front for them. (“Arsenal of Democracy“)

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In response to Japanese aggression in the Asia and Pacific, Roosevelt began increasing the size of U.S.

naval forces in the Pacific particularly at Pearl Harbor.

D. U.S. Enters the War – in August, 1941, FDR had a secret meeting with Winston Churchill to discuss

possible U.S. entry into the war. They signed the Atlantic Charter, spelling out Allied goals for the war. The

major goal would be to assure that, in the future, all nations would be safe from aggression.2

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Pearl Harbor – on the morning of December 7, 1941, Japan launched an air attack on the U.S. naval base at

Pearl Harbor. 2,400 Americans were killed, and many U.S. ships and airplanes were destroyed.

FDR referred to Japan’s attack on the U.S. as, “a date which will live in infamy,” and called on Congress to

declare war on Japan.

Within a few days, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States.

Section 2: The Road to Victory in Europe

Beginning of U.S. Involvement- The United States was forced to fight a two front war.

Roosevelt and his advisers decided to prioritize winning the war in Europe, however significant resources had

to be devoted to fighting Japan in Asia and the Pacific.

When the U.S. entered the war they were allied with Britain, led by Winston Churchill, and the Soviet

Union led by Joseph Stalin. France had been taken over by the Axis Powers.

U.S. Armed Forces- would eventually grow to 15 million troops.

The Armed Forces reflected America’s diversity, containing about many Mexican, Native, and eventually

Japanese Americans, as well as almost a million African Americans.

Minorities served mostly in segregated units, and were at first limited to support roles. Eventually

minorities were allowed to become more involved in combat duty.

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About 275,000 women joined the military serving in a variety of support roles.

Fighting in Europe- the first U.S. forces began fighting in North Africa in 1942 against German and Italian

forces led by General Erwin Rommel.

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By summer of 1943 the Allied forces had won control of North Africa.

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In July of 1943 U.S. forces began invading Italy from the South, and Mussolini was overthrown by the

Italian people. German forces would continue to fight to control Northern Italy until 1945.

June 6th,1944: D- Day- the invasion of France by U.S. and British troops began. It included 23,000 airborne

troops, and 150,000 troops making an amphibious landing on the beaches of Normandy.

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After intense fighting, Allied forces were able to push back German defenders and establish a beachhead for

landing more troops and equipment.

Within a week 500,000 allied troops had entered France, and began to push the German forces eastward.

By late August, Allied forces had liberated Paris.

In order to defend their homeland the Germans launched a counteroffensive in December, 1944, known as

the Battle of the Bulge.

After this counteroffensive was defeated, it was now only a matter of time before Germany was conquered.

British and American forces were advancing from the West, and the Soviet Army was fighting its way

through Eastern Europe towards Berlin.

On April 12th 1945, Roosevelt died by a heart attack making Harry Truman President, after having been

Vice President for only 83 days.

On April 30th 1945, Adolph Hitler committed suicide.

On May 8th

, known as V-E Day, Germany surrendered unconditionally.

Section 3: The War in the Pacific

The U.S. began engaging Japan in Naval battles almost immediately after Pearl Harbor.

Battle of Midway, June 4, 1942- was a naval battle in which the U.S. destroyed four Japanese aircraft carriers,

severely limiting Japan’s ability to wage an offensive war. This was an important turning point in the Pacific

War.

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After Midway, the U.S. practiced a strategy of island hopping, or fighting to gain control of one pacific

island after another to get closer to the Japanese mainland to launch an attack.

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Iwo Jima and Okinawa- These were two islands very close to Japan. The U.S. planned to use them to launch a

large scale invasion of Japan.

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The Japanese defended these islands fiercely, knowing that they were the key to defending their homeland.

The U.S. suffered about 75,000 casualties in the battles for these two islands. This would influence the

decision to use the atomic bomb, instead of launching an invasion of Japan.

Potsdam- while at a conference with Churchill and Stalin, Truman was informed that the Manhattan Project

had successfully developed the Atomic Bomb. Truman warned Japan to surrender or perish.

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On August 6th 1945, a U.S. plane dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Three days later another was

dropped on Nagasaki. About 300,000 Japanese were killed in the bombings.

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Japan formally surrendered on September 2, 1945 (V-J Day).

Section 4-The Holocaust

Beginnings

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In the 1930’s, the Nazis began to persecute Jews in Germany.

The Nuremberg Laws deprived all Jews of citizenship.

Jews were expelled from jobs and schools and forced to wear the Star of David, an ancient Jewish symbol

so they could be easily identified.

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After war broke out, the Nazis extended these policies to the lands that they conquered.

To control the Jewish population in Poland and the Soviet Union, the Nazis forced Jews into designated

areas of cities called ghettos.

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The largest ghetto was in Warsaw, where 500,000 Jews were kept.

Thousands died in the ghettos from hunger, disease, and the cold.

From the populations of occupied countries, Nazis sent millions into concentration camps and massacred

millions more.

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Between 1939 and 1944, about 7.5 million people were deported to Germany and forced to work in

factories, on farms, and in mines.

The Holocaust

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Nazi leaders secretly agreed to the “final solution”–the Nazi code word for the destruction of all European

Jews.

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Beginning in 1941, Nazi leaders carried out a plan aimed at the complete extermination of all Jews in

Europe.

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Over the next four years, the Nazis murdered more than 6 million Jews.

This mass destruction of the Jewish people based on racial grounds has become known as the Holocaust.

Another 6 million people, including Slavs, Gypsies, Poles, and Ukrainians were also killed by the Nazis.

The US and the Roosevelt administration have faced criticisms for not doing enough to help the Jewish

population of Europe that was persecuted by Germany.

1. The St. Louid - 1939 a passenger ship with over 900 Jewish Refugees from Germany. When they were

denied entry into Cuba, they appealed to the US to take them in. They were denied and had to return to

Europe resulting in many of them dying in the Holocaust. (US did not expand its immigration quotas to

help save refugees)

2. Breckinridge Long -Assistant Secretary of State was anti-semitic. He obstructed aid for Jewish refugees.

Suppressed reports of atrocities. He made it extremely difficult to obtain visas. Interfered with/delayed

papers that would have allowed groups to act to help Jewish refugees in Europe.4

3. During the war, FDR declined to order the military to prioritize targets such as rail lines that would

disrupt the process of the holocaust. Military leaders advised Roosevelt that targeting the infrastructure

of the Holocaust would take away from more essential targets and delay the winning of the war.

United Nations

Was created by the Allies towards the end of the war as an international peacekeeping organization. (collective

Security)

It would be headquartered in the U.S. and would help to regulate international relationships. It would also carry

out humanitarian efforts and help coordinate international economic activity.

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The UN would be organized into a General Assembly of all nations, and a Security Council of 11

nations, five permanent (U.S., Soviet Union, Britain, France, China) and 6 rotating members.

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The Security Council has control of the U.N. ability to use military force. Each member nation has the

right to veto any proposed U.N. action.

WWII Diplomacy Reference Sheet (Chapter 24)

Atlantic Charter - August 1941

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Roosevelt and Churchill agree to a common set of war goals that includes self determination and freedom

from aggression for all nations. Stalin also signs the charter.

Casablanca, Morocco - January 1943 (Roosevelt and Churchill, Stalin does not attend)

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Roosevelt and Churchill agree that nothing short of “ unconditional surrender” of the Axis Powers will be

accepted

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They also decided to delay the proposed invasion of France from 1943 until 1944, and instead to invade

Italy from the south. (This greatly angered Stalin.)

Tehran, Iran - November 1943

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Roosevelt and Churchill promise to launch invasion of France by mid 1944.

Stalin promises that the Soviet Union would declare war against Japan following an Allied victory over

Germany

The Yalta Conference - February 1945- as victory in Europe neared, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin met to

discuss Postwar Europe and reached a number of important agreements.

1. Further settled plans for the creation of an international peacekeeping organization (United Nations)

2. Germany would be partitioned into four zones of occupation, one for each of the four major Allies. (U.S.,

Soviet Union, Britain and France) The zones were to be reunited at a later time. (The Soviets later reject this

plan and keep their zone seperate)

3. The Soviet Union confirmed its intention to enter the war against Japan.

4. Stalin reluctantly promised to allow free elections in Poland and the rest of the Eastern European nations that

the Red Army now occupied after liberating them from Germany. This promise would not be kept.

Potsdam, Germany - July 1945 - This was Truman’s first conference with the other allied leaders after taking

over the Presidency in April.

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Truman is informed by U.S. officials of the successful test of the atomic bomb.

Disagreements begin to arise between the western allies and the Soviet Union regarding post war Europe.

Truman and Churchill decide to block Stalin’s demands for massive economic reparations from Germany.

This leads Stalin to decide to keep the Soviet Zone separate when re-unification is proposed.

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It is clear following this conference that the U.S.-Soviet Alliance is transforming into a bitter rivalry.56

Chapter 25, World War II at Home

Section I – Shift to Wartime Production

During WWII the U.S. economy became focused on producing goods for war, similar to what had taken place

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during WWI.

This shift to wartime production, beginning around 1940, boosted the economy and finally brought an end

to the Great Depression.

American factories converted their operations from producing consumer goods, such as cars and

refrigerators, to making war goods, such as planes and bombs.

The use of improved manufacturing techniques, such as assembly lines and specialization of labor, allowed

the U.S. to produce enormous amounts of ships, aircraft, armaments, and other needed supplies.

The institution of the peacetime draft in 1940 and the subsequent U.S. entry into the war in 1941 led to labor

shortages.

Women and minorities were again presented with increased employment opportunities and were encouraged

to take jobs in war industries.

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The government took a much larger role in directing industry and the economy in general, as it had done

during WWI.

The government set up agencies, often with broad powers - such as the War production Board (WPB) to

direct industrial output of war materials.

Office of Price Administration (OPA)- was created to control inflation due to shortages of food and

consumer goods.

The government instituted a program of rationing for food, gasoline, and other consumer goods.

To guarantee profits to businesses that participated in war production, the government instituted a

“cost-plus” policy for military contracts, paying companies for their production costs, plus a percentage of

those costs as profit.

The American public was again urged to contribute to the war effort in numerous ways: controlling

consumption, recycling needed materials, planting “victory gardens,” and buying war bonds.

The office of war information produced posters, and films urging Americans to do their patriotic duty by

cooperating with government controls and requests.

Financing the War – the cost of WWII to the U.S. government was about $321 billion

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Much of the cost of war was paid for through higher taxes. The Revenue Act of 1942 raised taxes and

increased the number of taxpayers from about 13 million to 50 million. In 1943 a tax withholding system

was implemented.

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War bonds financed about half of the cost ($156 billion) The government also took out loans from banks

and other financial institutions. This government spending of money beyond its revenues is known as

deficit spending.

Section 2 – Daily Life on the Home Front

Americans followed news of the war from newspapers and, especially, by listening to radio.

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For entertainment, people increased their reading of books and magazines, and millions of Americans

attended movies.

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Sports, especially baseball, were also popular entertainment attractions.

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Americans dealt with rationing and shortages of many consumer goods, as supplies were sent to Europe

and the Pacific for the armed forces.

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Children went on “scrap drives” in their neighborhoods to gather materials that could be used by war

industries.7

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The rate of marriage increased significantly as couples worried about the reality of separation that the war

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would necessitate.

About 60,000 American soldiers married women from foreign countries during the war. Most of these “war

brides” would move to the United States with their husbands.

The war would also lead to the beginning of the “baby boom” trend that would continue after the war.

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Section 3 – Women and the War

With the entry of over 15 million men into the armed forces, women in the United States would see an

increase in their responsibilities as well as opportunities, both on the home front and in the armed services.

Women in homes and on farms saw an increase in the tasks that they would have to carry out including

providing income.

As during the First World War, women came to make up a larger percentage of the US workforce (about 37

%). Images of “Rosie the Riveter” celebrated women’s crucial role in the war industries.

Following the war, many women were pressured to leave jobs in heavy industry, and return to more

tradition roles.

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Female veterans were also not afforded the same benefits as men through programs such as the GI Bill.

Section 4 – The Struggle for Justice at Home

In an executive order (8802) in 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt banned “discrimination in the employment of

workers in defense industries or government because of race, creed, color, or national origin.” discrimination

in hiring against women and minorities in war related industries.

It also established a Fair Employment practices committee to enforce the order

This was in response to a plan by A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin to organize a march on Washington

DC to protest employment discrimination and segregation.

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These groups did experience increased economic opportunities during WWII; however, many

discriminatory practices remained.

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Women and minorities were paid less than white men and were kept out of higher level jobs.

Jim Crow laws in the South continued to enforce racial segregation.

During the 1940s, over 2 million African Americans left the South for cities in the North and West. Outside

of the South, however, they still faced discrimination in employment, housing, and social settings.

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There were many businesses that not only refused to hire African Americans, but also refused to serve them.

This discrimination in the U.S. was particularly frustrating now that thousands of African Americans were

fighting the war in Europe and the Pacific.

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The Pittsburgh Courier, a black newspaper, initiated the Double Victory Campaign.

Victory over Americas enemies abroad and victory over racism in the United States.

CORE-Congress of Racial Equality was Founded in 1942 by an interracial group of students in Chicago (James

Farmer, George Houser,Homer Jack, Bayard Rustin).

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Called for an end to segregation and discrimination in the US. They promoted racial equality.

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Japanese Americans – faced the worst discrimination during the war, especially after the bombing of Pearl

Harbor. The majority of Japanese living in America had been born in the United States.

Many people felt that Japanese Americans could not be trusted and that they would spy for Japan and

sabotage the U.S. war effort.

In 1942, Roosevelt issued executive order 9066 that authorized the War Department to relocate any people

on the West coast that it viewed as a possible threat.8

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The War Relocation Authority sent about 110,000 Japanese Americans to internment camps away from the

Pacific coast. They were usually very rudimentary camps located in isolated areas.

When they were sent to internment camps, Japanese Americans often lost their homes, businesses, and other

property.

Korematsu v. United States – a Japanese American named Fred Korematsu argued that internment was a

violation of his civil rights. The Supreme Court ruled against Korematsu, stating that relocation was

justified as a temporary military necessity

The dissenting opinion by justice Robert Jackson stated that relocation was obvious racial discrimination.

Despite the discrimination against them, thousands of Japanese Americans served in the American armed

forces. The all Japanese 442 Regiment won more medals for bravery than any other unit in U.S. history.