World War Two, 1941-1945

Main Points

Causes of WarU.S. Entry into ConflictImpact on Society, Economy,

PoliticsMain EventsEnd of the War

An Unstable World

Global DepressionNew Countries in Europe(Inter)National DebtU.S., Japan, German ExpansionNo International Organizations

Germany and the U.S.

Hitler elected leader of GermanyExpansion into Rhine River, FR-G

BorderU.S. NeutralityItaly into Ethiopia 19351937: Italy, Germany & Japan signed

Anti-Comintern Act, against Russia

German Expansion

1938 Nazis entered AustriaSacrificed Czechoslovakia for

“Peace” with Hitler1939 total invasion of Czech1939 G-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact1939 G-invaded PolandBR & FR declare war

U.S. Response

Slow and contradictory1941 Lend-Lease to alliesMilitary modernizationAwareness of German expansionAmerican embargo and quarantine

of Japan in PacificDecember 7, 1941: Pearl Harbor

Burning Ships in Pearl Harbor

A Global War

European TheaterPacific TheaterWar in Mediterranean, North AfricaAll of British possessions in India

and AustraliaTotal War for U.S. Fear of invasion

Yellow = AlliesPink = AxisOrange = Axis controlledCream = Neutral

A Total War

War MobilizationFederal Control of the EconomyWestward Shift of people and

industrySacrifice and PatriotismMillions of men to war

Building Support for War

Office of War InformationWar as fight for American

Way of Life, freedomCensorshipOnly positive imageshttp://www.youtube.com/w

atch?v=A4o0kVX7iNc&feature=related

War Propaganda

Masculinity and War

Women in IndustriesIndustries vacated by soldiersSingle & Married45% of workers in shipbuildingWomen’s “duty” to work on the

“home front” while men were “away” fighting

High wages, freedom, enjoyment, personal pride

Rosie the Riveter

Women in the War

140,000 in WACS 100,000 in Navy

WAVES Challenge to gender

roles and norms Women’s freedom

and independence

Gendered Propaganda

Women = Home = Homefront

African Americans

Segregated Units125,000 into San

Francisco & OaklandHousing & school

shortages Segregation in schools

increased

German Expansionism Two fronts

Western Europe & France

Russia Blitzkrieg and massive

industrial output Air Raid on England Control of Northern Africa

through Italy

Allied Successes

Battle of Coral Sea, May 1942 Pacific Success

Battle of Midway, June 1942 Overturned J- Supremacy

Battle of El Alamien, Fall 1942 Northern Africa

Operation Torch, May 1943 Eisenhower’s invasion

Hitler Weakens

Turned east and tried to invade Russia

Stalled for months, winter hit, millions died August 1942-February 1943

Hitler pulled out of Russia and lost momentum in war

The End is Near

Operation Overlord, Summer 1944Second Western frontLanded in FranceBeaches of NormandyD-Day, June 6, 19442 million participatedLiberated Paris

D-Day June 6, 1944

End of the War

Germany Surrounded Island Hopping in

Pacific February 1945: Yalta

Conference (UKR) Britain: Churchill Russia: Stalin US: Roosevelt

Race and the War

Home frontSegregated UnitsA. Philip Randolph Fair Employment

Practices Commission

Zoot-Suit Riots

1940s LA Death of a Mex. Am

youth Police arrested,

convicted several for murder

Anti-Mexican riots Stripped “zoot-suiters”

Japanese/American Internment

Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942

110,000 relocated to “War Relocation Camps”

150,000 in Hawaii 1944 US Supreme Court

supported it Over half were US citizens $1.6 billion in reparations

Bracero Program

1942-1964 1 yr contracts paid Over 4 million Some $ kept by gov’t Racism and economic

exclusion

Holocaust

.

Holocaust

Over six Million killed in gas chambers & concentration camps

“Final Solution” U.S. State Department had

informationAnti-Semitism in U.S

End of the War

Roosevelt Died Poland Sacrificed to

Stalin Atomic Testing “Manhattan Project” $2 billion = $20 billion

today Trinity Test Site, NM

Post-War Situation

Japan Truman agreed to dropping two Atomic Bombs Hiroshima & Nagasaki, 1945 Nearly 120,000 died immediately

USSR Roughly 25-35 million dead Fear of Germany Suspicion of the U.S. Control over eastern Europe

Continued

World Economy International Monetary Fund Investment, loans, economic growth

World Politics United Nations Security Council Member nations Debate, conflict resolution

Significance

Ended the Great Depression Migration to the American West New economic opportunities for Women and

People of Color Brief unity and ongoing racism Defeat of Nazis and crippled Germany Destroyed Europe U.S. and Soviet Union became superpowers