World War II

The Americans,
Chapters 16 and 17

Why did the U.S. become

involved in WWII?
After WWI, the U.S. wanted to retreat to our
former isolationist policies.
We watched the rise of dictatorships around
the world.
Mussolini established a fascist government
in Italy in 1922, crushing all opposition.
A military tribunal took over the government of
Japan, ignoring the protests of elected officials.
Hitler was elected chancellor in Germany
in 1933 and the Nazis gained full power.

What should the

League of Nations
have done?
When Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931, the League
of Nations protested but took no further action.
When Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935, the League
organized an ineffective economic boycott.
When Germany invaded Czechoslovakia in 1938,
England and France followed a policy of
appeasement, hoping Hitler would stop there . . .
But when Germany invaded Poland in 1939, WWII
officially began in Europe.

Could the U.S.

remain neutral?
Before WWII broke out in Europe, the
U.S. had passed Neutrality Acts.
Despite these restrictions, the U.S.
gave assistance to our former allies by
sending aid under the Lend-Lease Act.
The biggest threat to our neutrality
would come from the events in Asia . . .

Japan Invades China

To gain access to resources such as food

crops, rubber and oil, Japan invaded China in
1937 and Southeast Asia in 1941.
The U.S. responded by sending arms and
supplies to China and by stopping shipments
of oil and scrap metal to Japan.
Japan then regarded the U.S. as an enemy.

The Attack on Pearl Harbor

On Dec. 7th, 1941, Japan
bombed the U.S. bases at
Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
Roosevelt asked congress
to declare war on Japan.
This surprise attack united
Americans in the decision
to join the Allies in their fight
against the Axis Powers in
World War II.

Fighting a War on Two

Fronts (1941-1945)
American forces would face the challenge of
fighting a war with Japan in the Pacific theater
and assisting the Allies fighting against
fascism in the European theater.

Major Turning Points

in World War II
Pacific Theater
European Theater
Battle of Midway-the Battle of Stalingrad-the
Soviets turned the tide
Americans launched
against Nazis (1943).
a surprise attack on
the Japanese fleet,
Invasion of Normandydestroying 4 aircraft
(D-Day)
the
Allies
carriers and handing
captured the Northern
Japan their first major
coast of France from the
defeat (1942).
Nazis (1944).

The Tragedy of
the Holocaust
The Nazis carried out a plan to exterminate
all Jewish people (and others they considered
undesirable) in the areas that they controlled.
Between 9 and 12 million peopleincluding
about 6 million Jewsdied in concentration
camps from 1939 to 1945.
The record of this slaughter is a vivid reminder
of the results of racism and intolerance.

The American
Home Front
While Americans
were fighting
overseas, the U.S.
transformed itself.
Our top priority shifted
to producing the
tremendous amount
of arms and supplies
needed by our troops
and our allies.

Conserving Scarce
Resources
Americans participated in voluntary
programs to reduce consumption and
help wartime production by recycling
items and by growing their own food.
Additionally, the U.S. government
imposed a mandatory rationing system
whereby citizens were limited in the
amount of food and gas they could buy.

Scrap
Metal
Drives

The Contribution of
Women to the War Effort
Women enlisted in
non-combat positions in
special branches of the
service set up for women.
On the home front, they
worked in factories, many
times in jobs traditionally
performed by men.

The Impact of WWII on

the U.S. Economy
WWII brought the Great
Depression to an end by
providing jobs for all.
During the war, the U.S. spent
330 billion dollars, producing
arms, ships, airplanes, and
supplies.
American industries outproduced and outlasted our
opponents and, ultimately,
won the war.

The Japanese
Internment
In the first months after Pearl Harbor, JapaneseAmericans on the west coast
were ordered to
leave their homes and jobs and were relocated
to internment camps.
This was justified at the time as being for the sake
of national security. It is now known, however, that
this group was never a threat.
This action was a violation of their constitutional
rights. Japanese-Americans suffered great
inconvenience and financial loss as a result of this
move.

Ending WWII
After the Germans surrendered to the Allies in
May of 1945, the U.S. still faced the task
of
defeating Japan in the Pacific theater.
Throughout the war, the U.S. was working on a
top-secret project to develop the atomic bomb.
In August of 1945, in an effort to save lives by
forcing the Japanese to surrender, President
Truman made the decision to use the atomic
bomb on two cities in Japan, Hiroshima and
Nagasaki. The results were devastating.
Japan surrendered on August 14th, 1945
and
WWII was finally over.