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The United States in WWII
The United States in WWII
Allied Powers
• Main Powers: Great Britain, Soviet Union, United States, China, France
• Latin America: Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, Paraguay, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ecuador, Guatamala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Venezuala
Allied Powers
• Europe: Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Greece, Norway, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Poland, San Marino, Turkey, Yugoslavia
• Africa: Egypt, Ethiopia, Liberia, South Africa
• Asia/Other: China, India, Iran, Iraq, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, New Zealand, Australia, Canada
US after WWI
•US never signed the Treaty of Versailles•Wilson(Democrat) vs Congress(Republican controlled)• Join the League of Nations or go back to isolationism?
•Republican Warren Harding won the 1920 Presidential election with a promise to “Return to Normalcy”
•The US went back to focusing on America in the 1920’s and 1930’s
Washington Naval Conference-1921
4 Power Pact
•4 Power Pact-US, GB, France and Japan would respect each other’s possessions in the Pacific
5 Power Pact
•Signed by Great Britain, the United States, Japan, France, and Italy
•Designed to prevent an arm’s race
• It limited the construction of battleships, battle cruisers and aircraft carriers
•Did not restrict cruisers, destroyers or submarines
9 Power Pact
•Guaranteed Chinese independence and upheld the Open Door Policy
•Signed by the United States, Japan, China, France, Great Britain, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, and Portugal
Kellogg-Briand Pact
•The US did sign the Kellogg-Briand Pact denouncing war as a means to settle disputes
Neutrality in General
• The Neutrality Acts were passed by the US in the 1930s in response to the issues in Europe and Asia that eventually led to World War II
• They were caused by the desire to be isolationist in the US following WWI
• Passed to ensure that the US would not become involved in world conflicts(war)
• US had very strong history of isolationism
Interventionists vs. Isolationists
Neutrality Act of 1935
• Signed on August 31, 1935
• It was designed to last six months
• Banned US trade of arms and war materials with any country at war
• It also declared that US citizens traveling on warring ships traveled at their own risk
Neutrality Act of 1936
• Signed in February 1936
• Renewed the provisions of the 1935 act for another 14 months
• It also forbade all loans or credits to belligerents
• The act did not cover "civil wars," such as the Spanish Civil War
• The act also did not cover materials such as trucks and oil
Neutrality Act of 1937
• Passed in May, 1937
• Set to expire after two years
• Included the provisions of the earlier acts this time without expiration date
• This time it also included civil wars
• U.S. ships were prohibited from transporting any passengers or items to belligerents
• U.S. citizens were forbidden from traveling on ships of belligerentnations
• A “cash and carry” system was set up
• The President could permit the sale of supplies to belligerents in Europe as long as they paid immediately in cash and transported the goods on their own ships
• FDR believed that cash-and-carry would help France and Great Britain in the event of a war with Germany
• FDR chose not to invoke the Neutrality Acts on Japan and China since they had not formally declared war
Quarantine Speech-1937
Panay Incident-December 1937
• American gunboat attacked on river in China by Japan
• 3 US troops killed, 45 wounded
• Japan said it was an accident, apologized and paid US $$
• Worsened US-Japanese relations
Neutrality Act of 1939
• Passed in November, 1939
• Allowed for arms trade with belligerent nations on a cash-and-carry basis
• US citizens and ships were barred from entering war zones designated by the President
End of US Neutrality-Lend Lease Act
• The end of neutrality for the US came with the Lend-Lease Act , passed in March, 1941
• This act allowed the U.S. to sell, lend or give war materials to nations the US wanted to support
• US gave $50 billion($650 billion today) to Allied nations throughout the war
German U-Boats
• After repeated attacks by German U-boats on U.S. ships in the Fall of 1941, FDR announced that he had ordered the U.S. Navy to attack German and Italian war ships in the "waters which we deem necessary for our defense"
• War was imminent!
• US ships damaged/sunk prior to 12-7-41
Bases for Destroyers
• Passed in September, 1940 between the US and Great Britain
• Fifty US destroyers were given to Great Britain in exchange for land rights(for 99 years) on British colonies for naval or air base purposes
• Newfoundland, eastern side of the Bahamas, southern coast of Jamaica, western coast of St. Lucia, west coast of Trinidad, Antigua, British Guiana and Bermuda were the areas the US received
Selective Training and Service Act
• Passed in September, 1940 and ended in 1947
• Required that men between the ages of 21 and 35 register for the draft.
• Extended to all men aged 18 to 45 once US entered war
• First peacetime draft in US history
How Did the Draft Work?
• Local draft boards were set up from coast to coast
• Each male registered was given a number between 1-7,836
• In Washington, papers with the numbers 1 through 7,836 printed on them were put into capsules, one number to a capsule
• The capsules were dumped into a giant fishbowl and then stirred
• Finally the capsules were drawn from the bowl one by one to establish the draft order
• If your number was chosen, you were now officially part of the US military! Congrats!
• 158 was the first number chosen(6175 young men were drafted with that number)
Atlantic Charter
• Signed in August 1941 between the US(FDR) and Great Britain(Churchill)
• Defined the Allied goals for the post-war world
• Many similarities to Wilson’s 14 Points
WWII Major Battle Timeline Vs Japan
• Pearl Harbor-December 7, 1941
• Battle of the Philippines(1942 and 1944)
• Doolittle’s Raid-April, 1942
• Battle of Coral Sea-May, 1942
• Battle of Midway-June, 1942
• Battle of Guadalcanal-1942-43
• Battle of Saipan-1944
• Battle of Guam-1944
• Battle of Iwo Jima-1945
• Battle of Okinawa-1945
• Hiroshima/Nagasaki Bombing-August, 1945
Pearl Harbor-December 7, 1941
Pearl Harbor
USS Arizona Memorial
• The names of the Arizona’s dead are engraved on this white marble wall at the memorial.
•
Pearl Harbor Propaganda
December 8, 1941
Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbor?
• After Japan invaded French Indochina in 1940, US stopped trading with Japan
• Japan signed the Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact in April, 1941 guaranteeing that Japan and USSR would not go to war
• Japan realized they needed US trade to be successful in war
• Only way to force US’ hand was to hit them hard in a surprise attack forcing them out of the war
• Japan knew that this plan was a huge risk, but thought it was the only way to defeat US
• Plan backfired. Instead, Japan “awoke a sleeping giant”.
Backdoor to War Conspiracy
• Discuss
FDR’s War Message
• Pearl Harbor was not the only area Japan attacked on December 7
• “Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya.”
• “Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.”
• “Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.”
• “Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.”
• “Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island.”
• “This morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.”
December 7, 1941-Philippines
Bataan Death March
Bataan Death March-Philippines-1942
• Up 10,000 Filipino and 650 American POW’s died during march
Doolittle’s Raid-April, 1942
Battle of Coral Sea-First Turning Point in Pacific
Battle of Midway-June 1942-Major Turning Point in Pacific
Guadalcanal-August,1942-February, 1943
Kamikazes
Battle of Leyte Gulf-Philippines
MacArthur’s Return to the Philippines
Iwo Jima-February-March, 1945
6,821 US Deaths at Iwo Jima
Raising Flag on Mt. Suribachi
Battle of Okinawa-April-June, 1945
Summer 1945-Preparing for the Invasion of Japan
• Operation Downfall
• Planned for October 1945
• Estimated to have over 1 million casualties
• Estimated to have 267,000 deaths
• Why did this never take place?
The Manhattan Project
•1939-1945
Trinity Test-July 16, 1945
Enola Gay
Paul Tibbits
Hiroshima Bombing
• “Little Boy”
Before
After
The Atomic Shadow
Radiation Sickness
Nagasaki Bombing
• “Fat Man”
• Bockscar
Before
After
VJ Day
• August 14/15, 1945(Official UK)
• September 2, 1945(Official for US)
• When Japan officially signed on USS Missouri
Potsdam Conference-July, 1945
• On July 26, the United States, Great Britain, and China issued the Potsdam Declaration
• Announced the terms for Japan's surrender
• "We will not deviate from them. There are no alternatives.”
Potsdam Declaration-July, 1945
• Dismantle the current government of Japan(excluding Emperor Hirohito)
• The Allies(US) will occupy Japan
• Japan will consist only of the major islands(Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku). It will lose all territory gained in WWII and years leading up to it.
• Japanese military forces will be disarmed and allowed to return home
• There will be war crimes trials for the atrocities committed by Japan throughout WWII
Potsdam Continued
• Democracy will be promoted as well as Freedom of speech, religion, and of thought, as well as respect for fundamental human rights(Universal Declaration of Human Rights-1948)
• Japan will be allowed to have industry so they can make money to pay for reparations. World trade will also be enabled at some point.
• Allied(US) occupation of Japan(1945-1952) will end once Japan accomplishes all the above points.
• "We call upon the government of Japan to proclaim now the unconditional surrender of all Japanese armed forces, and to provide proper and adequate assurances of their good faith in such action. The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction.” President Harry Truman
WWII Major Battle/Operations Timeline Vs Germany
• Battle of the Atlantic-1941-45
• Operation Torch(Invasion of Morocco)-1942
• Operation Avalanche(Invasion of Italy)-1943• Battle of Salerno(1943)
• Battle of Anzio(1944)
• Battle of Monte Cassino(1944)
• Operation Overlord(D-Day)-June 6, 1944
• Operation Dragoon(Invasion of southern France)-August, 1944
• Battle of the Bulge(Hitler’s last major offensive)-Winter 1944-45
• Operation Varsity(Invasion of western Germany past the Rhine River)-March 1945
• Fighting in Germany-Issues with the Siegfried Line(WestWall)
The German Westwall-Siegfried Line
Convoy System
Allied Intelligence
• Churchill and Roosevelt knew the importance of intelligence in safeguarding Allied commerce to defeat the Axis powers.
• The Allies shared information from RADAR and High Frequency Radio Direction Finding (HF/DF or "huff duff").
• RADAR provided a means of detecting vessels and aircraft above the surface
• HF/DF was used to locate the sources of enemy radio transmissions such as submarines.
• British and American trackers exploited special intelligence to locate Axis forces with extreme precision.
• Allied intelligence leaders began sharing code-breaking secrets, known as "very special intelligence" and classified under cover-names like "ULTRA" and "MAGIC".
Enigma
• System in which Germany transferred their information through codes
• Solving the Enigma system remains one of the great Allied triumphs of World War II
• During periods when Allied cryptanalysts were unable to solve Enigma, U-boats caused great damage to Anglo-American commerce
Enigma
Bombe
Hunter-Killers
Hunter-Killers Chasing down an Axis Submarine—USS Pillsbury (DE 133) and USS Guadalcanal (CVE 60)
U.S. Navy photograph in the collections of The Mariners' Museum
Depth Charges
• Bomb Bay Showing Depth Bombs and Sonobuoys inside a TBF "Avenger"U.S. Navy photograph in the collections of The Mariners' Museum
Allied Hunter-Killer Escorts Conducting a Depth Charge Attack on a U-Boat
U.S. Navy photograph in the collections of The Mariners' Museum
• Hunter-Killer Grumman TBF "Avenger" Configured for Antisubmarine WarfareU.S. Navy photograph in the collections of The Mariners' Museum
Dwight Eisenhower
D-Day-Operation Overlord-June 6, 1944
Ike, Patton and Bradley
Battle of the Bulge
BATTLE FACTS
The coldest, snowiest weather “in memory” in the Ardennes
Forest on the German/Belgium border.
Over a million men, 500,000 Germans, 600,000 Americans (more
than fought at Gettysburg) and 55,000 British.
100,000 German casualties, killed, wounded or captured.
81,000 American casualties, including 23,554 captured and 19,000
killed.
1,400 British casualties 200 killed.
800 tanks lost on each side, 1,000 German aircraft.
The Malmedy Massacre, where 86 American soldiers were
murdered, was the worst atrocity committed against American
troops during the course of the war in Europe.
The Battle of the Bulge was the worst battle- in terms of losses -
to the American Forces in WWII.
Yalta Conference Feb 1945
Yalta Conference-February, 1945
• Before the end of the World War II, Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt met at Yalta, USSR to plan what should happen when the war ended.
• They agreed on the following:
1. The establishment of the United Nations.
2. Germany to be divided into four zones.
3. Free elections allowed in the states of eastern Europe.
4. Russia promised to join the war against Japan.
V-E Day May 8, 1945
FDR Dies, Harry Truman is sworn in-April 12, 1945
Women in WWII
•Rosie the Riveter
-represented women workers in WWII
WAVES-Women’s Navy
WASP-Women’s Army Service Pilots
“Tokyo Rose” Iva Toguri
• Forced to broadcast propaganda to the Allied troops for Japan.
• In these radio programs, she taunted the troops and played music from home
• She was a US citizen in Japan
• Convicted of treason
African-Americans in WWII
Asian Americans in WWII
Hollywood in WWII
• The Captain (Cary Grant) speaks to his men about the death of Mike in Destination Tokyo.
Casablanca
Bob Hope and the USO(United Service Organizations) Tour
Bob Hope
Bing Crosby
John Wayne
OPA and Rationing• The Office of Price Administration was established in 1941 under to administer price controls
• Food rationing included restrictions on sugar and meat; clothing rationing restricted silk and nylon.
• Gasoline rationing began in May 1942 limiting use to five gallons per week
• By the end of 1942, half of the nation's automobiles were issued an A sticker, allowing 4 gallons per week.
• The other half of automobiles had either a B sticker (supplementary allowance for war workers) or a C sticker (vital occupation such as doctor).
• Truckers had a T sticker for unlimited amounts.
• A black market developed in stolen or counterfeit stickers that were used in 5-30% of gasoline sales.
• By 1945, there were 32,500 motorists arrested for using such false stickers, 1300 convictions, 4000 gas stations closed.
People standing in line for sugar
Rationing Front Cover
Back Cover
• The following is a set of instructions that came with every book:
Your first ration book has been issued to you, originally containing 28 war ration stamps. Other books may be issued at laterdates. The following instructions apply to your first book and will apply to any later books, unless otherwise ordered by theOffice of Price administration. In order to obtain a later book, the first book must be turned in. You should preserve War Rations Books with the greatest possible care.
1) From the time the Office of Price Administration may issue orders rationing certain products. After the dates indicated bysuch orders, these products can be purchased only through the use of War rations Books containing valid War Ration Stamps.
2) The orders of the Office of Price Administration will designate the stamps to be used for the purchase of a particular rationed product, the period during which each of these stamps may be used, and the amounts which may be bought with each stamp.
3) Stamps become valid for use only when and as directed by the Orders of the Office of Price Administration.
4) Unless otherwise announced, the Ration Week is from Saturday midnight to the following Saturday midnight.
5) War Ration stamps may be used in any retail store in the United States.
6) War Ration Stamps may be used only by or for the person named and described in the War Ration Book.
7) Every person must see that this War Ration Book is kept in a safe place and properly used. Parents are responsible for thesafekeeping and use of their children's War Ration Book.
• 8) When you buy any rationed product, the proper stamp must be detached in the presence of the storekeeper, his employee, or the person making the delivery on his behalf. If a stamp is torn out of the War Ration Book in any other way than above indicated, it becomes void. If a stamp is partly torn or mutilated and more than one half of it remains in the book, it is valid. Otherwise it becomes void.
9) If your War Ration Book is lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated, you should report that fact to the local Ration Board.
10) If you enter a hospital, or other institution, and expect to be there for more than 10 days, you must turn your War Ration Book over to the person in charge. It will be returned to you upon your request when you leave.
11) When a person dies, his War Ration Book must be returned to the local Ration Board, in accordance with the regulations.
12) If you have any complaints, questions, or difficulties regarding your War Ration Book, consult your local Ration Board.
NOTEThe first stamps in War Ration Book One will be used for the purchase of sugar. When this book was issued, the registrar asked you, or the person who applied for your book, how much sugar you owned on that date. If you had any sugar, you were allowed to keep it, but stamps representing this quantity were torn from your group (except for a small amount which you were allowed to keep without loosing any stamps). If your War Ration Book one was issued to you on application by a member of your family, the number of stamps torn from the books of the family was based on the amount of sugar owned by the family, and was divided as equally as possible among all the books.
War Production Board
WWII Semester Test Questions
•Be able to describe the causes(in Asia, Europe and for the US), effects and major events of WWII.
•Be able to describe why the US and Allies won WWII.
