Honors US 2 World War 2

Ch. 27 Study Guide

World War II at Home and Abroad


BACKGROUND INFO-

Pearl Harbor changes everything and now the USA is involved in the war

By the end:

Turning point for USA and its people

  •  We are the most affected by the war with all the fighting and everything

  •  Our global status defines us as #1

Homefront Changes

  • Lots of migration to take on wartime jobs

  • New race, gender, and economic opportunities

To win the war:

  • USG mobilizes industry, labor, technology, science

Dec 1941- We are a nation unprepared basically. 

  • We have had a peacetime draft, war mobilization of industries, commissioned planes for the European and Pacific fronts

  • DESPITE THIS WE ARE NOT READY FOR THIS WAR!

  • Stuff like the Victory plan was not ready, we are 45th in the world


The war is initially going bad for the Allies

  • Hitler is dominating Europe by late 1941

  • Japan is rapidly expanding in the Pacific

  • USSR and Britain cannot stop them 


  • Europe 1st Strategy

  • US knows that if Hitler wins Europe, it will be a more direct threat to the USA

  • Off the bat, there is tension between the allies

  • Winston Churchill

  • Joseph Stalin

  • Franklin D. Roosevelt

  • Stalin pushes for a second front in France ASAP! 

  • To offer the USSR relief since they are being pressured by Germany

  • About 1 million USSR casualties by this point

  • Churchill opposes second front in France

Eventually Stalin agreed to this:

  • Fear of high casualties

  • Win control of North Atlantic shipping lanes

  • Air attack Germany/ and North Africa

  • Protect empire

  • In the end, FDR feared separate peace from the USSR which would undo the allies- everyone needed balance

So, FDR initially sides with Churchill and goes against his advisor’s plans


1942 rolls around and US and GB plan to invade North Africa (Torch)

  • With quick victories in Algeria and Morocco


  • War Production Board (WPB) (1942)

Mass production is key in winning this war according to FDR

  • The goal was to produce 60k planes, and 120k tanks

  • WPB was made to oversee the conversion to wartime economy (this was expensive to convert but it was paid for by the government)

  • “cost+fixed fee” contracts (charge gov’t for production cost, fixed fee for profit)

  • Generous tax deductions, no antitrust laws 

Basically, the company was gonna make money either way- even if they did not meet their quota

  • Corporate profits double and businesses get bigger

  • ⅔ of WPB contracts go to the biggest corps. 





  • Manhattan Project

$2 million project 

  • Einstein warned FDR that the enemies were developing deadly weapons and that the US needed to start doing the same

  • Manhattan project was a government funded operation tasked with creating the first atomic bomb

  • Led by Robert J. Oppenheimer

  • Trinity test was the first successful test of the bomb in Los Alamos, NM

  • Hiroshima- Little Boy, Nagasaki- Fat Man


  • Executive Order 8802

  • FDR bans discrimination in hiring for defense jobs and USG

  • Response to A. Phillip Randolph (head of the largest Black Union) who proposed to march on DC to demand equal opportunity/access to defense jobs


  • Executive Order 9066

  • American ideals are limited as they view Japanese Americans as part of the “enemy race”

  • Executive Order 9066 was when the government ordered all individuals of Japanese ancestry (over 112,000) on the west coast of the United States to be relocated inland, where they would be placed in internment camps

  • Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, Arkansas

  • Done out of fear of Japanese espionage in the United States during WWII. 

  • They lived in what was practically prisons- barbed wire 

  • They lost their homes, businesses, forced to sell their properties at a fraction/value

  • Most were US citizens that were never charged with treason and some even enlisted in the military


  • Korematsu v. US

  • Korematsu was a Japanese man from the west coast being forced to relocate, and he refused. Specifically, he violated Civilian Exclusion Order No. 34.  

  • Consequently, he was arrested, despite not being under any suspicion for disloyalty to the United States. 

  • The arrest of Korematsu was extremely controversial

  • Raised the question in Congress whether such orders should be upheld, if they violated a United States citizen’s constitutional rights, even if it is during a time of war. 

  • The case was brought before the supreme court to debate the constitutionality of executive order 9066, and whether or not it was a true necessity. 

  • Supreme Court voted against him

  • Korematsu argued that he was denied equal protection under the law because he was a Japanese American.

  • In 1988- court issued an apology



  • Zoot Suit Riots

Big aspect of the racial conflicts occuring on the homefront

  • With competition for housing/jobs increasing, so did tensions between minorities and whites (discrimination)

  • Mobs of whites began to attack African Americans (250 race riots by 1943)- including the worst one being in Detroit

Zoot Suit Riots targeted Mexicans

  • June 3-8

  • White servicemen vs. Mexicans/Latinos

  • Assault, strip, burn suits

  • Over 500 victims, 150+ injured 

  • More Mexicans had ended up being arrested in larger quantities than whites

  • Zoot suits were considered flamboyant and a waste of fabric during the war. 

Ended through confinement/deployment 


  • “Double V” campaign

Advocated for both at home and abroad 

  • Victory at Home and Abroad

  • The Double V Campaign was a significant movement during World War II that sought to address the systemic racism and segregation faced by African Americans, while also supporting the war effort against Axis powers

  • Campaign had not fully achieved its goal, as discrimination was still legal in America after the war, despite the efforts of African American soldiers. 

  • Defeat axis, racism, and Jim Crow laws


  • Segregation of American troops

  • 887,000 black men and women serve:

  • segregated, usually service units

  • 6% of armed forces black (10% of pop)

  • Red cross segregated blood

  • Military resist integration due to troops from southern states

  • Navy disregard black sailors safety (CA, 1944)

  • Black soldiers suffer violence from whites

  • Black combat units perform well (pilots) - Tuskegee Airmen

  • Jackie Robinson becomes major figure


Tuskegee Airmen

  • During World War II, for the first time, the War Department sanctioned the training and use of African American pilots. 

  • These members “Tuskegee Airmen” because they trained at Alabama’s all-black Tuskegee Institute

  • Joined combat over North Africa in June 1943. 

  • Like most African American units in the racially segregated armed forces, Tuskegee airmen were under the command of white officers.

  • Very skilled and performed well



  • Tehran Conference

While the USA and England continued to delay the 2nd front, relations were strained with the USSR, as Stalin was NOT impressed with air raids on Germany

  • Conference- Dec (1943) FDR overruled Churchill 

  • He set the cross channel invasion of 1944

  • The USSR had promised to aid in Japan vs. USA after the german defeat 


  • Yalta Conference

Feb 1945- The Big 3 meet in Russia (FDR was ill by this point and went against his doctor’s orders to attend so that Stalin did not dominate discussion)

Different goals arise for each country at the conference:

  • Russia 

  • Reparations to help rebuild

  • Poland as a buffer against Germany- Germany permanently weakened

  • Install pro-USSR government

  • England

  • Just wants to preserve its empire

  • USA

  • Avoid the errors made with WWI peace- Long term/no reparations

  • Advance self determination/ power of the US

FDR wants for the 4 policemen to guide the world (USSR, China, England, USA)


So… They set up UN (United Nations) of security council- the 4 policemen + France

  • It is the military positions that help shape settlements 

USSR- dominated Eastern Europe mostly (Poland)

But, the Big 3 end up compromising

  • Some of Eastern Germany transferred to Poland

  • Stalin WILL enter into war with Japan after Germany defeat

  • Great Britain, France, USSR, and USA split Germany into 4 occupied zones

  • Sign treaty with pro-US Jiang

  • US supports regaining land from the Japanese 

This was a HIGH POINT for THE BIG 3




  • Potsdam Conference

At the end of the day, even with Truman appointed to power and the cooperation between the allies becoming more difficult, everyone agreed that Japan had to surrender “unconditionally”


Potsdam was a Truman ultimatum (7/26/45)

  • Unconditional Surrender or “prompt and Utter destruction”

  • Tokyo ignored this 


Due to A-bombs of massive blast, fires, and radiation:

  • Little boy- 130,000 die at Hiroshima

  • Fat man- 60,000 at Nagasaki

THE GOAL OF THE BOMBS: END THE WAR AND SAVE US LIVES

  • Truman wanted to avoid invasion (approx. 1 mil casualties estimated)

  • Reject peace feelers:

  • Unlikely to make Japan surrender fully

  • Anger at “beasts” (Pearl Harbor, Bataan)


  • Importance of Doolittle Raid

  • it was our first response after Pearl harbor bombing

  • it did not cause much damage but overall was a success

  • it boosted morale in the states and gave US confidence moving forward


  • Turning Points in WWII

Turning point for USA and its people

  •  We are the most affected by the war with all the fighting and everything

  •  Our global status defines us as #1


Turning point for civil rights

  • About 887,000 black men and women served (segregated service units) 6% of armed forces were black

  • Even the Red cross had segregated blood

  • Military resist integration

    • due to troops from Southern states

  • Jackie Robinson…military bus/ faced C.M.

  • Navy disregard black sailors safety (CA, 1944)

  • Black soldiers suffer violence from whites

  • Black combat units perform well (pilots) - Tuskegee Airmen

Executive Order 8802


Stalingrad- Huge turning point in the war on the Eastern front 

  • Stops Hitler’s advances through heavy losses in Russia

  • Germany wanted Russian oil fields, and it turned into the bloodiest battle in history

  • Began the German retreat back to Europe


Guadalcanal/Midway

  • G- Turning point because it is the first battle of the war that puts the US on offense and Japan on defense

  • M- Our first time we basically surprise attacked the Japanese and cracked their codes 

  • Beginning of the end


  • US Strategy for WWII

USG mobilizes industry, labor, technology, science to win the war

  • Wanted to stomp out the problem of Hitler within Europe (Europe First strategy) so they Ger. would not become a threat to the US

In the Pacific- 

  • Strategy of US was to “Island hop” 

  • Hawaii (1942) —> Iwo Jima —> Okinawa (1945)

  • Chose decisive naval battles

But, the war was won by the cohesive efforts of the war-industry homefront doubled with the fighting abroad.


  • Tensions between the Big 3

Tensions between the Big 3 arose early on in their alliance (FDR, Stalin, Churchill)

Differing opinions on the Europe First Strategy

  • Stalin pushes for a second front in France ASAP! 

  • Churchill opposes second front in France

  • FDR feared separate peace from the USSR which would undo the allies- everyone needed balance

So, FDR initially sides with Churchill and goes against his advisor’s plans

  • Importance of Stalingrad 

Stalingrad- Huge turning point in the war on the Eastern front 

  •  Hitler’s advances through heavy losses in Russia

  • Germany wanted Russian oil fields, and it turned into the bloodiest battle in history

  • Began the German retreat back to Europe

  • The Nazis were left with little supplies and took great losses during the winter (200,000)

  • The Nazi’s surrendered in Jan. 1941


  • US “Great Arsenal of Democracy”

  • War production is the “Great Arsenal of Democracy”

  • Went along with us producing planes and tanks

  • Mass production is key

  • Unprepared to fight a war of such magnitude, the U.S. government turned to the nation’s largest and most efficient corporations to produce the planes and ships and guns that would make America the “great arsenal of democracy,”


  • Conversion to wartime factories

Corporations- under the supervision of the WPB- were converted to accommodate wartime

  • These conversions were paid for by the government- who had the goal of 60K planes, 120K tanks 

  • In the end, big businesses got bigger and corp. profits doubled 

  • GM in particular had about 14 bil of the 175 bil in contracts

  • guarantee profits

  • “cost+fixed fee” contracts (charge gov’t for production cost, fixed fee for profit)

  • And, who mostly worked at these new factories- women, minorities



  • Government contracts effect on Large corporations

The government would do the following to account for wartime conversion

  • guarantee profits

  • “cost+fixed fee” contracts (charge gov’t for production cost, fixed fee for profit)

  • generous tax deductions, no antitrust laws

  • Corporate profits double, 1939-1943

  • Big business grow bigger:

⅔ of WPB contracts go to 100 largest corporations (175 Billion in contracts … GM (8%) 14 billion)


  • Impact of WWII on American Industry

  • Corporations and industry boomed because of the shift to a wartime economy

  • The national threat did skyrocket, but wages/prices were controlled, and taxes increased

  • Mobilization:

  • ends depression

  • spurs economic poverty


With men deployed, there were MASSIVE labor shortages 

  • New job opportunities for women, African Americans, Mexican-Americans, poor/southern whites

  • Production increased and about 16 million new jobs created 

  • American industry was never the same- women entered to do the job “HE left behind”

  • More than 6 mil women enter (400,000 million african americans included)- and were able to enter some of the male jobs (riveters, welders)

  • We won the war because of the super industry production

  • 1 out of 10 people moved to take on production jobs (such as 700,000 blacks that left the south for cities in the North/West)

even then… businesses were reluctant to take on these women/minorities

  • Bracero Program

  • The US government began to encourage Mexican immigration

  • There was an influx of 200,000 braceros - which were farm laborers 

  • They filled in for the whites that left for the war 

  • By 1944- 17,000 worked in LA shipyards



  • Roles of Women in the war

Women needed in the workforce with the massive labor shortages- to do male jobs (businesses resisted in hiring them)

  • More than 6 mil women enter (400,000 million african americans included)- and were able to enter some of the male jobs (riveters, welders)

  • “Do the job HE left behind”

  • Unlike the Great Depression, they received praise 

  • Some businesses even offered women healthcare, USG funded childcare centers

  • Work schedule of 10 on, 1 off


  • Women earned paychecks and gained knowledge and experience.

  • Future generations benefited from new opportunities - lays the foundation for Women’s

Liberation movement of the 60/70s

  • Day-care options for children expanded.


350,000 women entered non combat roles in the military (clerks) /nurses 


  • Rosie the Riveter

  • Meant to encourage women to join the workforce, and do the job “HE” left behind

  • Historians do not know exactly who Rosie was

  • Most believed her to be based off of Geraldine Hoff Doyle who worked at a Navy machine shop in Michigan.

  • Others claim it was Rosalind P. Walter who was a riveter in Long Island, NY. 


  • Roles of the Federal Government in the war

  • The USG financed the entire war basically and just asked citizens to do their part (ie working in converted factories, victory gardens, etc.)

  • Responsible for internment of Japanese Americans 

  • Helped to manage the homefront and keep America in the war through industry 

  • Managed economy/finances - corporate and income taxes 


  • War Labor Disputes Act (Smith-Connelly)

USG pass War Labor Disputes Act (1943)

  • Also known as Smith-Connally- Give FDR power to seize strike bound plants


  • Prior to this, the Unions (memberships of these doubles) worked with the USG to form a no strikes/lockouts pledge

  • National War Labor Board mediated conflicts (“no closed shops”)

  • Eventually NWLB limited raises and strikes began to occur, triggering the War Labor Disputes Act


  • Office of Price Administration

  • Also known as the OPA

  • ration (points) for key goods (food, gas)

  • Every citizen get 2 ration books p/month

  •  place a ceiling on prices of most goods, and to limit consumption by rationing

Later were the ones to set the prices to control inflation 


  • Office of War Information

  • Also known as the OWI

  • Created to essentially sell war at home (Hollywood)

  • “Serve & Sacrifice”

Near unanimous support for war:

  • in popular culture (SEP) = fight for way of life

To conduct the government's wartime information and propaganda programs


  • Americans knowledge of Nazi Death camps

Lots of soldiers had heard rumors of the Nazi death camps, but the average soldier never would have known for sure

  • Even then, nobody knew just how bad they really were until they saw them for the first time

  • The allies themselves HAD known about the camps since around 1943- but not their severity


  • Allied Response to Hitler’s extermination of Jews

  • Allies do not attack death camps from air 

  • In 1944, USA saves 200,000 Jews 

  • War Refugee Board - take care of jews who are hurt/displaced-  all throughout Eastern Europe

  • Allied troops often compelled local townspeople to watch exhumations of mass graves, attempting to make them confront the atrocities that many insisted they never knew were happening.


  • Wages for workers during WWII

  • The war had a huge effect on the economy

  • Despite national debt skyrocketing and tax increases, wages were controlled

  • Employment/wages/savings boomed ($691 in 1939 to $1515 in 1945 ($25,082 in 2024))

  • OPA forced to set prices to control inflation and savings increase due to nothing to buy 


  • Wartime Revenue Acts

Employment/wages/savings skyrocket

  • $691 in 1939 to $1515 in 1945 ($25,082 in 2024)

OPA set prices to control inflation

  • Savings rise due to lack of products to buy

USG finance war with deficits:

  • debt balloon ($49 billion to $259 billion) 

  • Cost of war est. $304 B (over 3 trillion today)

  • Income tax payers rose from 4 M to 42 M

More than 15 million civilians move:

  • strain resources of burgeoning cities 

  • Some in North dislike poor whites from South

Greatly increased federal income tax rates while simultaneously lowering exemptions.


  • Alien Registration Act of 1940

Alien Registration (Smith) Act of 1940

  • unlawful to advocate overthrow of Government

This was part of the USG censorship and propaganda meant to dehumanize the enemy (Japanese)

  • The Alien Registration Act of 1940 required that all persons who were not citizens or nationals of the United States and were living within U.S. borders go to the local post office and register their alien status with the government


  • D-Day

Allied forces stormed 5 beaches of Normandy, France (Axis occupied at the time)

  • June 6, 1944

  • Juno, Gold, Sword, Omaha, Utah (Omaha bloodiest)

  • Huge psychological war on Hitler- practically the beginning of the end

  • largest amphibious attack in history- Allied win


  • End of WWII/Japanese Surrender

  • We slowly island hopped closer and closer to Japan- but it would be the A-bomb that brought an end to the war

  • Japan refused to surrender as USA was closing in

  • Fire bomb of Tokyo kill 100,000 (prior to Hiroshima/Nagasaki)

  • Japanese civilians incinerated, suffocated, boiled to death

  • Bombings continued and numbers climbed of casualties (by June kill almost 900,000)

  • Japan’s leaders reject unconditional surrender (esp. on Emperor) …honor vs. humiliated

  • Extensive bombing occurred during WWII already

  • Bombing of civilians widespread:

  • 225,000 die at Dresden, Feb. 1945 

Then- after Potsdam and the warnings of what would happen if Japan did not unconditionally surrender- Hiroshima was bombed by the Enola Gay (Aug 6, 1945) and then Nagasaki (Aug 9, 1945)

  • Hiroshima- Little Boy

  • Nagasaki- Fat Man

The goal of this was to END THE WAR 

  • Harry truman chose to end the war with the bomb because of the numbers that were predicted in US casualties if they were to attempt to invade Japan (1 mil)

  • Truman and others assume A-Bomb:

    • will deter postwar aggression

    • will encourage USSR concessions (Eastern Europe)

    • Will end Pacific War before USSR entry

  • Soviet declare war on Aug. 8 anyway but it doesn’t matter

And yet… KEY to Japan’s surrender- Historians claim that this (USSR war declaration) had a larger impact than the A-bomb

  • Allies allow Japan to keep emperor (ceremonial/in title only)



EFFECTS OF WAR:

  • 55 million soldiers/civilians die

  • USSR lose 21 million, China over 10 mil, Germ/Aust - over 6 mil, Japan almost 3 mil

USA:

  • escape devastation (about ½ million cas.)

  • world’s dominant economic/military power


WWII change US at home and abroad

WWII alliance strained by disagreements