World War II

Isolation vs. Neutrality Similar policies but with one major difference Isolationism- remain apart from political or economic foreign entanglements Neutrality- taking no side in a dispute; noninvolvement; trading not limited

Nation trying to recover from depression Isolationism in the 1930s Nation trying to recover from depression Refusal of US to join League of Nations reinforced by Senate who forbid the US to join the World Court No loans to nations at war

“Cash and Carry” Acts meant that nations who were in conflict were allowed to purchase US good only if they provided their own transportation and used cash immediately

The rise of totalitarian governments Events Leading To War The rise of totalitarian governments Totalitarian- “Total” control; one political party has total control over the gov’t and bans all other parties.

Hitler Comes to Power in Germany Sets up a fascist government. Fascism places the importance of the nation above all Individual rights and freedoms are lost

Wanted to strengthen the military and expand its borders. Wanted to purify the Aryan race. Because of this he slowly gains power in Germany.

Japan withdraws from League of Nations During the 1930s the military started to gain control. 1931 Japan seized Manchuria. 1937 Japan resumed its aggression in China.

Led the Fascists in Italy. Mussolini in Italy Led the Fascists in Italy. Governments were characterized by extreme nationalism, racism, and militarism.

World War II Begins

Adolf Hitler Speech Hitler Speech

Munich Conference Sept. 1938 Held after Hitler demanded the Sudetenland. France and Britain agreed only if Hitler did not try to take over more land Appeasement- agree to demands of a political enemy in order to keep peace

Went against his agreement and annexed the rest of Czechoslovakia March 1939 Went against his agreement and annexed the rest of Czechoslovakia March 31 France and Britain pledged their support for Poland.

France and Britain declare war on September 3 Hitler invaded Poland and signs a treaty with Russia against any aggressive behavior. France and Britain declare war on September 3

Invades Russia for its land for German living space in East. June 22, 1941 Invades Russia for its land for German living space in East. Went against his non-aggressive treaty with Stalin.

Agreement between Roosevelt and Churchill. Atlantic Charter August 1941 Agreement between Roosevelt and Churchill. “A peace that will afford all nations the means of dwelling in safety inside their own boundaries”

Roosevelt froze Japanese financial assets. Pearl Harbor Roosevelt froze Japanese financial assets. Roosevelt also cutoff trade with Japan (Oil)

Japan attacks the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. December 7, 1941 Japan attacks the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. 9:45am 2,400 Americans killed, 1,200 wounded 300 planes destroyed and 18 ships sunk or damaged.

Great Britain (Churchill) USSR (Stalin) Allied Powers Axis Powers Great Britain (Churchill) USSR (Stalin) United States (Roosevelt; Truman) France (de Gaulle- leader of Free French) Germany (Hitler- NAZI) Italy (Mussolini- Fascist) Japan (Emperor Hirohito; Prime Minister Tojo Hideki)

FDR Addresses Congress FDR Declares War

World War II on the Home Front During World War II, the United States’ wartime economy produced vital military supplies for the war effort

Americans at home contributed to the war effort by conserving resources and growing their own food (Food Rationing)

During World War II, woman contributed to the war effort by filling jobs in American factories.

World War II brought job opportunities to many minorities, although discrimination against Japanese Americans increased.

200,000 joined the service Women in World War II Served in separate units- operated radios and repaired planes and vehicles Assigned clerical duties (along with men)

Many women took jobs once only occupied by men 5 million work in factories devoted to wartime production Rosie the Riveter became popular because it captured the sense of duty and patriotism felt by millions of women

After World War II women became increasingly involved in the workforce Child care becomes an important issue in WWII

African Americans in World War II Approximately 1 million serve in WWII Initially units were separated (limited to support roles) but soon saw combat as the war went on

Continue to move North in search of economic opportunities (face discrimination) Race riots break out in the summer of 1943 (Detroit and New York)

Migration North made African Americans a significant voting bloc in the North Factory jobs allowed Africans-Americans to make more money than they ever had before

Immigration increases after Civil War and settle on the West Coast Japanese Americans Immigration increases after Civil War and settle on the West Coast By 1941 many Americans of Japanese decent were born in America and have never seen Japan (Nisei)

Wartime Relocation Authority (WRA) imprisons more than 100,000 Japanese Americans in military style barracks guarded by troops No discrimination was focused on Italians or German citizens

“How to Tell Chinese from a Jap,” from an Army Manual How to Tell a Chinese from a “Jap.” Three panels from the Pocket Guide to China, a U.S. Army pamphlet distributed to soldiers and illustrated by cartoonist Milton Caniff (best known for the comic strips Terry and the Pirates and, after the war, Steve Canyon), show how outrageous racial stereotypes were used to distinguish between Asian friend and foe in official wartime publications. American Social History Project.

Map of Japanese-American Internment Camps This map shows the ten major relocation centers, or camps, and the fifteen assembly centers in thirteen states extending from California east as far as Arkansas and from Montana and North Dakota south to Arizona and Texas. A much smaller number of Japanese Americans (about 17,000, most of whom were considered "enemy aliens") were placed in internment camps. Manzanar and Santa Anita--first relocation centers

Korematsu v. United States Upheld the forced evacuation as a reasonable wartime emergency No Japanese- Americans were ever identified for being treasonous or committing sabotage Many Japanese- Americans served honorably in WWII

with a letter of apology from In one of the landmark Supreme Court cases, Fred Korematsu was convicted in 1944 for defying the order to intern Japanese-Americans. This Court decision was eventually reversed and in 1988 Korematsu received a medal of freedom. When in 2004 some detainees challenged government’s authority to hold them without trial in the Supreme Court, Fred Korematsu submitted a brief in support of detainees. He wrote: “When viewed in its historical context, the Government’s position is part of a pattern whereby the executive branch curtails civil liberties much more than necessary during wartime and seeks to insulate its actions from any judicial scrutiny… Only later errors are acknowledged and apologies made.” Fred Korematsu with a letter of apology from the White House in 1988

Almost 50 years later, the United States admitted the WRA was unjust $20,000 paid to each of the 60,000 surviving Japanese Americans First payments made in 1990 and an formal apology was issued

GI Bill Provided college or vocational education for returning World War II veterans One year of unemployment compensation. Provided many different types of loans for returning veterans to buy homes and start businesses

Levittown, Long Island

Post- WWII Policy Marshall Plan- supplies economic aid to European nations after WWII $13 billion from 1948 to 1952 Taft-Hartley Act- labor unions must sign Non-Communist oath Truman Doctrine- financial commitment to nations fighting communism

The Holocaust

During the Holocaust, individuals were singled out for persecution because of their membership in a group.

Anti-Semitism- feelings of hatred against Jewish. Hitler encouraged Germans to turn viciously on all Jewish citizens.

THE FINAL SOLUTION The Nazis set as a primary goal the total extermination, or genocide, of all Jews under their domination.

CONCENTRATION CAMPS Nazis built concentration camps to isolate Jews and other groups from society.

"Work Makes You Free"

As Hitler’s conquests continued, the camps became factories of death.

More than 6,000,000 Jews were killed in the camps as were another 6,000,000 people– Gypsies, homosexuals, the mentally and physically handicapped.