Building the War Machine U.S. in a perfect condition for amassing arms and supplies Massive European orders ended the depression The War Production Board converted factories to war goods America became the Arsenal of Democracy Farmers grew large amount of crops Gov’t rationed food to save things like meat for soldiers Gov’t also took control of key industries such as coal and RR’s to prevent strikes

Manpower and Woman Power Draft called up 15 million men Women served in noncombat positions in Army, Navy, and Coast Guard Draft pulled men from farms, so gov’t called in Mexican workers through the Bracero Program Millions of women went into factories, characterized by Rosie the Riveter Many women wanted to keep their jobs after the war Most were forced out after the war After war, a new women’s movement begins

Wartime Migrations WWII caused massive migrations into large boom cities (LA, Detroit, Seattle) Blacks once again moved out of the south and into these booming cities Philip A. Randolph threatened to march on Washington to protest inequality in the workplace FDR responded by creating the Fair Employment Practices Commission to monitor workplace treatment Blacks also were drafted into the military, but usually served in menial roles in segregated units The Tuskegee Airmen were an exception (all-black pilot squadron) South’s need for cheap labor disappeared w/ inventions of new mechanical tools

Many Native Americans were drafted too Most famous group were the Navajo Code Talkers – Important code transmitters, Japanese and Germans couldn’t understand their language All these migrations caused race riots Most infamous were the Zoot Suit Riots, in which Mexican males were targeted

The Home Front Most Americans in good shape during the war Made lots of money After war, Americans go on spending frenzy The war paved the way even more for big gov’t Millions of people now worked directly for gov’t Overall, WWII cost around $330 Billion

The Asian Theater After Pearl Harbor, Japanese had taken much of the Pacific General Douglas MacArthur’s forces forced to surrender the Philippines US POW’s forced on the Bataan Death March Major turning points in the Pacific were the Battle of the Coral Sea which 1 st stopped the Japanese advance The Battle of Midway, US under command of Admiral Chester A. Nimitz destroyed all four Japanese aircraft carriers After Midway, Americans Island-hopped to Japan – Take over less-fortified islands and build airports US eventually take Guadalcanal and Philippines back

The European Theater After Britain’s cracking of German Enigma Code, U-boat locations were made known Gave the Allies upper hand in fighting Germans Allies first invade N. Africa in Operation Overlord Goal was to protect British oil shipping through the Suez Canal 1942, British defeat Nazi general Erwin Rommel (The Desert Fox) Operation Overlord gave USSR hope and same year, they defeat Nazis in a massive Battle of Stalingrad Allies next moved to Italy, offering them unconditional surrender Rome was taken on June 4, 1944

Next, FDR, Stalin, Churchill, and China’s Jiang Jieshi meet at Tehran At this meeting, Preparations were made for a joint invasion of Germany (Soviets from the East, Br. And US. From West) D-Day, The Invasion of Normandy Allied forces win after brutal fighting and land millions o troops and supplies in France By October, 1944, Nazis in trouble

Election of 1944 Roosevelt runs with vice candidate Harry S. Truman And he wins the election

End of Hitler Hitler’s last-ditch effort to save the war was called the Battle of the Bulge By 1945, US and Allied forces had reached the Rhine River Allies began uncovering concentration camps of the Holocaust Meanwhile, Soviets invading from the east On April 12, 1945, FDR dies and Truman takes over Hitler commits suicide on April 30, 1945 Germans surrender on May 7, 1945, called V-E Day or Victory in Europe