WWII Of the limitless topics we could talk about during the WWII era, we will focus on the following: American Isolationism Up Until Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor and the American Response The Internment of Japanese Americans The Mobilization for Total War in American Society The Atomic Bombing of Japan

Critical of the policy of Appeasement Not in favor of the Neutrality Act of 1935

In favor of supporting Britain and the Lend Lease Act 1941

Executive Order 9066 Creates Military Zones in which any person residing in the zone can be relocated at the discretion of the military in the name of national defense

Military Zones and Internment Camps

WWII: American Homefront Just like in WWI, American society mobilizes for Total War War Powers Board: Government Agency set up to give tax incentives for major industries to convert to war related production. They also awarded various defense contracts and allocated and rationed scarce resources like rubber and oil for military use Ford and General Motors will produce basically no cars during the three years of war. They produce tanks, ammunition, engines, and planes instead.

Henry Kaiser Major Capitalist in the game in the 1940’s who was awarded massive contracts to make “Liberty Ships” in the San Francisco Bay Area Revolutionized the shipbuilding process by applying Henry Ford’s assembly line tactics to the shipyard Small specialized tasks that workers kept doing over and over. They were able to produce a ship every two weeks. Kaisers shipyards in Richmond, CA will draw tens of thousands of African-Americans to the west and north in another Great Migration

Civil Rights in War time Executive Order 8802: Roosevelt orders that discrimination based on race is prohibited in defense industries, the federal government, and work related to government contracts. It did not de-segregate the military. Although this sets a good tone and does help pave the way for future Civil Rights legislation, this particular order is not always enforced during the WWII era