Mobilizing for Defense Section 25*1

Americans Join the War Effort Selective Service drafted 10 mil GI’s Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps –Formed to meet additional labor needs –Only worked in non-combat positions

Americans Join the War Effort Recruiting and Discrimination –Live in segregated bases –Restricted from combat duties –Japanese serve as interpreters

A Production Miracle Industrial Response –Factories converted to war production –Shipyards function at record speed

A Production Miracle Labor –Women replace men as labor source –A. Philip Randolph Protest for equal labor rights for Afr. Amer. FDR issued executive order for equality

A Production Miracle Office of Scientific Research & Development –Improved use of radar and sonar –Manhattan Project researched atomic weapons

Federal Government Takes Control Office of Price Administration –Froze prices to prevent inflation –War bonds

Federal Government Takes Control War Production Board –Allocated raw materials –Organized collection drives

The War for Europe and North Africa Section 25*2

US & Britain Join Forces Agree to defeat Hitler first, then Japan Battle of the Atlantic –Prevent supplies from reaching UK –Convoys and sonar help US ships survive –Allies gain control of the seas

Eastern Front & Mediterranean Battle of Stalingrad –First turning point in the war –Soviets trap Germans and cut off supplies –Germany surrenders 1/31/43 –Soviets lost 1.1 million defending city

Operation Torch – November 1942 –Allies attempt to take N. Africa –Led by Gen. Eisenhower –German Gen. Rommel surrendered May 1943 –Morale for Allies Eastern Front & Mediterranean

Italian Campaign –“Soft Underbelly” of Europe –Allies capture Sicily –Mussolini forced to resign –Allies don’t capture Italy

Eastern Front & Mediterranean Decorated Minority Units –Tuskegee Airmen: African Americans –Japanese 442 nd Combat Team was most decorated unit in US history

Allies Liberate Europe D-Day: June 6, 1944 –Massive invasion of Normandy coast Largest land-sea-air invasion in history German retaliation was brutal –Allies work for 3 months to liberate France August 1944: Paris liberated September 1944: All of France liberated

Allies Liberate Europe Battle of the Bulge –Hitler tried to cut off Allied supply lines –Germans push 60 miles into France –Germans forced to retreat, suffer heavy losses Allies begin discovering concentration camps

Allies Liberate Europe Hitler shot himself to avoid capture April 12, 1945: FDR dies in GA VE Day: May 8, 1945