WWII Notes Packet

Hitler Crushes Europe: In 2 months, Hitler Conquers most of Europe Maginot Line: System of heavily armed bunkers along German/French border

Battle of Britain The Blitz Name for German’s constant bombing of London

American Policies Help the Allies Stay out of Europe’s problems Isolationism Interventionism Stay out of Europe’s problems Help the Allies

First peace time draft in U.S. history Selective Service Act First peace time draft in U.S. history

Lend-Lease: President got the right to sell, lend or lease military supplies to any nation for “defense purposes”

Atlantic charter Joint public statement between Roosevelt and Churchill.

Japanese Threat Increases UN: United Nations Alliance: Japan made an alliance with Germany and Italy

Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis They promised to defend one another if attacked by the United States

U.S. Responds U.S. slowed then eventually stopped trade Yamamoto’s Plan: He suggested a direct attack on pearl harbor

Mobilizing the Home Front 4 Freedoms 1. Freedom of Speech and Expression 2. Freedom of Worship 3. Freedom from Want 4. Freedom from Fear

Office of Civilian Defense Slogan was “An hour a day for the U.S.A”

War Production Board Their job to exercise general responsibility over the nation’s economy

Gross National Product Dollar value of all goods and services produced

Wartime economy Inflation: General rise in wages and prices Rationing: Coupons were needed to purchase many goods such as meat and butter

Paying for a costly war: Income tax now paid by everyone War Bonds: Certificates that promise the government would pay the holder the amount borrowed plus interest after the war is over.

Labor Unions Labor Unions: issued a no strike pledge New Workers: About 6 million women joined the workforce

Japanese Internment Camps Purpose: Round up 120,000 Americans of Japanese heritage and putting them into one of 10 internment camps. Interment camps: also called relocation camps

Locations 10 total in the states of California, Iowa, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, and Colorado

Pearl Harbor’s effects: Last straw Camp Conditions Food: Rationed 48 cents a day Nisei: American born Japanese Homes: tarpaper covered barracks

Court Cases Hirabayashi vs. United States Koremats vs. United States Rights not violated Rights not violated

Important Years & statistics Last Camp: Closed by 1945 Nisei: 5,766 renounced their citizenship 1968: Government gave reparations for lost property 1988: Govt. gave 20,000 to each surviving internee

December 7, 1941: Pearl Harbor attacked Pearl Harbor was attacked Minorities in uniform: Many African Americans joined the war effort as cooks or laborers.

Germany’s policy changes towards the Soviet Union Beginning of the War Germany and Soviet Union sign a non aggression pact Later during war Pact broken: in 1942 when Germany attacks Russia. Battle of Stalingrad: More Russians died in one battle than the number of U.S. deaths in the whole war. 1942: Risky assault on north africa

General Erwin Rommel Nicknamed the “desert fox” Invasion: allies invaded Europe through N. Africa then Sicily 1943: Italy announces unconditional surrender

D-Day: Codename Operation Overlord U.S. feared triple peril: attacks from Above (planes) Surface Below (subs)

European Front Sonar Technology: used sound waves to locate and sink U-boats Battle of the Bulge: Last great German offensive… Allies won and entered Germany

Holocaust: Great Destruction Hitler’s final solution: were Death Camps About 6 million Jewish men, women and children were massacred. About 6 million Slavs, Gypsies, Communists, homosexuals and other civilians also murdered.

Roosevelt to Truman Victory in Europe: is being led by the United States and Soviet Union Roosevelt dies April 12, 1945: Truman becomes President

Island hopping: U.S. strategy to capture key islands and build bases on them Guadalcanal: U.S. victory paves the way for more to follow Atomic bombs: “little boy” dropped on Hiroshima 2nd bomb dropped on Nagasaki