Mr. Long

AP US History

What was America’s mindset prior to entering WWII?

IsoloationalismWe need to fix our own problems (Great Depression)Didn’t know much about the war

What was US policy towards the War prior to involvement?

Neutrality ActsLend-Lease ActThe Stimson Doctrine (1932)

US would not recognize any territorial acquisitions achieved by force. (After Japan took Manchuria in 1931)

What caused the change in people’s mindsets?

PEARL HARBOR sparked a “revenge” mindset towards Japan. NATIONAL UNITY/PATRIOTISM

Most American’s wanted a “Japan First” strategy to war to get revenge for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Washington’s War Strategy wins out…

ABC-1 Agreement: FDR went for a “GET GERMANY FIRST” strategy

It is more important for the Allies to stop Germany from becoming an unconquerable Fortress in Europe

Full Scale war on Japan would wait until Europe was won; the US sent just enough troops to hold Japan off.

Racial Issues

Unlike WWI national unity was strong and their were no ethnic witch hunts EXCEPTION = Japanese Americans

Executive Order #9066

Japanese American’sMost lived on the West Coast (Closer to Japan)Rounded up and put in internment camps to “protect them

from mobs and violence on streets after Pearl Harbor”

Decision in Korematsu v. US said this was constitutional. In 1988 the gov apologized and paid $20,000 to survivors

ECONOMY

Many New Deal programs ended (All jobs were war jobs)Huge war orders ended the Great Depression

$100 Billion ordered in 1942War Production Board took control of industry

Ended the production of non-essential items (EX: passenger cars)

Price controls: regulated prices, wage ceilings, rationed critical items to keep consumption down.

Agricultural output increased (new machines, fertilizers)Need for valuable resources changed life…

Rubber: Speed Limits, gasoline rationedSteel: License Plates

PEOPLE

Selective Service Act 1940African Americans move North to work in

factoriesWomen join the workforce “Rosie the Riveter”

Over 200,000 joined the militarySmith-Connally Anti-Strike Act 1943

Gave the Federal Gov the authority to seized and run industries effected by strike (Labor Unions had pledged not to strike, some did)Took over coal industry and railroads for a short time

Bracero ProgramBrought workers from Mexico to harvest crops

Japan’s dream = New massive EmpireThey began to take island after islandGuam, Wake Island, the Philippines, Hong Kong,

Malaya, Burma much of coastal China.

Battle Midway: June 1942US intercepted messages about a Japanese attack

on Midway IslandAdm. Chester Nimitz sent US fleet suprising the

Japanese instead of being surprised.THE U.S. WON IN A ROUT

This is the turning Point in the PACIFIC WAR

After stopping the expansion of Japan the US began “Island hopping” toward Japan.

PLAN: to take the smaller weaker islands, build Air Force bases and then take stronger islands by bombing and cutting off the resources. Two main thrusts (MacArthur in south, Nimitz in

central Pacific)Guadalcanal (Aug 1942)New Guinea (Aug 1944)Marianas Islands

Future take-off point of B-29 Bombers (Atomic Bombs)

War was slow in EuropeREASONS:

American War machine was slow to get going (but amazing)

German U-boats were very successfulAllies didn’t gain control of Atlantic until 1943 (Battle

of Atlantic)German “Enigma Code”

1942 was the TURNING POINT of the war in Europe

1. British bombed the Germans in Cologne, France2. Americans bombed Germany itself3. Battle of El Alamein (Oct 1942)

Stopped Germans from linking to Japan via the Mediterranean Sea (Suez Canal in Egypt)

4. Russians stopped Germans at Stalingrad (Sept 1942)

Month later pushed Germans back and recaptured 2/3 of their lost territory in one year

US want to elevate pressure from USSR by going through Europe (France) straight at Germany

Britain wants to take war far from England and attack the “soft underbelly” (N. Africa) and go through Italy to get to Germany

Britain

The Allies chose the “Soft Underbelly” Approach

Gen. Eisenhower led an attack on N. Africa (Nov. 1942)Allies push Germany out of Africa by May 1943

Casablanca Conference

Roosevelt and Churchill met to make plans for war in Jan. 1943Decide to seek “unconditional surrender” of Germany

The Allies move up to ItalyMussolini was overthrown and Italy surrenders

(Sept. 1943)German soldiers refuse to stop fighting

Allied thrust got bogged down and stalled about half way up the Italian peninsula. (Mere distraction for D-Day)

Positives of “soft approach”Took some of Germans men/suppliesDefeated Italy

Negatives of “soft approach”Delayed the D-Day invasionGave Russia extra time to fall further into Eastern Europe

Tehran Conference (Nov.-Dec 1943)

The “Big Three” met to formulate goals and coordinate attacks. (European second Front)

D-Day (June 6, 1944)Assault across the English channelLargest amphibious assault in historyAssault took place at Normandy

Germans had thought it would take place Calais (narrowest point in the channel)

Gen George Patton led U.S. troops across the channel

PARIS was liberated in August of 1944 = moral boost

Election Roosevelt had served 12years to this point in

time but even with a war at hand an election year loomed.

FDR WON ELECTION in a BIG WAY (432-99)Harry Truman was his Vice President

FDR continued to win elections throughout the Great Depression and War mainly because…

HE WAS BEING SUCCESSFUL AND WHY CHANGE SUCCESS DURING HARD TIMES/WAR.

Last Days of HitlerThe Nazi army is on the retreat after Russia

pushed back and Paris was captured (Days are numbered)

Hitler’s last real offensive came at the Battle of the BulgeNazi troops surprised American troops in the

Ardenne Forest.US troops pushed back creating a “bulge” in battle

line

Reinforcements allowed US troops to win and continue to make progress towards Berlin

Hitler’s Last DaysGermany officially surrendered on May 7,

1945

V-E Day = May 8, 1945

THE END