Great Depression to WWII

United States History

Getting out of the Depression President Roosevelt’s New Deal had

some positive effect… New Deal Programs▪ Created millions of jobs▪ Created public works projects▪ Federal protection on bank deposits▪ Regulation and oversight of the stock market▪ Reformed the social security system

America’s entrance in World War II (although some historians/economists will argue this claim)

The Players

ALLIED POWERS

Britain Winston Churchill

Soviet Union Joseph Stalin

United States (later) Franklin D. Roosevelt

AXIS POWERS

Germany Adolf Hitler

Italy Benito Mussolini

Japan Hideki Tojo

Dark Green: Allies before the attack on Pearl Harbor, including colonies and occupied countries.Light Green: Allied countries that entered the war after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.Blue: Axis Powers and their coloniesGrey: Neutral countries during WWII

Theaters of War:

EUROPEAN THEATER

Began in 1939 Germany’s invasion of

Poland Allied Forces fought

on two fronts: Western Front Eastern Front

PACIFIC THEATER

Began in 1937 Japanese invasion of

China Japan’s main objective

was to seize economic resources

Island hopping strategy was used by the United States to expedite the War in the Pacific Ocean

Western Front Eastern Front

American Isolationism

Isolationism = government policy of not taking part in economic and political alliances with other countries Neutrality Acts – a series of acts passed

during the 1930s that kept the United States out of growing turmoil of Europe and Asia

American attitudes towards involvement change greatly during the early years of the war.

Attack on Pearl Harbor and America’s Entrance into the War

Dec. 7, 1941 Japan attacks the United States naval

base at Pearl Harbor (Hawaii)▪ The next day President Roosevelt asked

Congress to declare war on Japan Video Clip

Japanese Internment

Over 127,000 United States citizens were imprisoned during World War II.

Their crime? Being of Japanese ancestry.

Video Clip

African Americans Fighting TWO Battles

SEGREGATION IN THE MILITARY

A.A. were segregated in training camps Slept in separate

barracks and ate in separate mess halls

A.A. were not allowed in the Marines and jobs were limited in the Navy Cooking, cleaning and

shoe shining

RACISM AT HOME

While many A.A. were fighting for the US, blacks faced severe racism at home Race riots broke out in

may cities

Mexican-Americans and WWII Approx. 500,000 – 750,000 Mexican-

Americans served in the armed forces Many received various combat awards,

including several Medal of Honor recipients

Mexican-Americans faced racial discrimination at home Zoot Suit Riots - a series of riots that broke out

in Los Angeles, California, between white Sailors and Marines and Latino youths, who were recognizable by the zoot suits they favored