USH Notes World War II GPS 19

A. Philip Randolph African American civil rights activist during WWII and head of the union: Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters Problem: Many factories were hiring women during the war, but not African Americans Randolph informed Roosevelt he would march on Washington in an effort to secure jobs for African Americans as well as integration into the Armed Forces.

Excerpt from “Why Should We March?” “A community is democratic only when the humblest and weakest person can enjoy the highest civil, economic, and social rights that the biggest and most powerful possess…”

Roosevelt’s Executive Order 8802 Response to Randolph’s proposal to march Order: “There shall be no discrimination in the employment of workers in defense industries or government because of race, creed, color or national origin” Fair Employment Practices Commission

Neutrality Acts Congress passed a series of acts to keep FDR from involving America in European conflict Made it illegal to sell arms or make loans to nations at war After Germany invaded Poland, a new act was passed to allow America to sale arms to nations at war on a “cash and carry” basis Kept American ships out of harms way because they would not be shipping goods and at risk of being sunk by German U-boats

Lend-Lease The U.S. did not want to join in WW II; a series of Neutrality Acts were passed to keep us out of war. The US supported the Allies, in particular Britain, by passing the Lend-Lease Act. (also sent aid to China, France, & the Soviet Union) Allowed the president to send aid to any nation whose defense was considered vital to US national security w/o violating the Neutrality Acts. Countries would be loaned supplies (ships, etc) and could pay later. “If your neighbor’s house is on fire, you don’t sell him a hose, you give it to him. Then, you take it back after the fire is out. This helps your neighbor and makes sure that the fire doesn’t spread to your own house.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 the navy of the Empire of Japan launched a surprise attack on the U.S. Navy base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. 2,403 Americans were killed and 1,178 more were wounded, 21 ships were damaged, and 300 aircraft were destroyed. The Japanese attack brought the United States officially into World War II.

Internment of Japanese-Americans, German-Americans, and Italian Americans fear of espionage (spying) led to government the relocation of Japanese-Americans, German-Americans, and Italian-Americans to internment camps in various parts of the country. a large detention center created for political opponents, enemy aliens, people with mental illness, members of specific ethnic or religious groups, civilian inhabitants of a critical war-zone, or other groups of people, usually during a war. More than 100,000 Japanese-Americans were forcibly removed from their homes and had to stay in internment camps for the duration of the war; many lost everything as a result. Smaller numbers of German- Americans and Italian-Americans were placed in internment camps.

War Mobilization After Pearl Harbor, five million men volunteered for military The Selective Service System expanded the draft; ten million more men drafted into the American Armed Forces. Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps was formed to fill noncombat positions otherwise filled by men, freeing up the men for frontline duty.

Rationing Government rationed some goods so that they would be available for the military (coffee, sugar, oil, gas, etc.) People were encouraged to grow “victory gardens”

Wartime Conversion The economy switched to a war-time economy; industries manufactured goods to support the war effort Automobile factories started making jeeps, planes, etc Factories started producing ammunition and weapons Shipyards started producing naval vessels The economy boomed; decreased unemployment and pulled the U.S. out of the Depression Populations increased in states where war-time manufacturing was highest (CA, AZ, NV, TX, WA)

Women in War Industries Women became an important part of the work force at home; they took on jobs traditionally held by men Rosie the Riveter became the symbol of women who entered the work force and filled the gaps left by men serving in the war.

Women in the Military Women served in the military as nurses, domestic pilots, radio operators, etc.; they did not serve in combat positions WAVES, WACs

African Americans Over 1 million served in Armed Forces Included draftees and volunteers Segregated units Mostly served in combat support By 1944, ~ 145,000 served in Army Air Force Ex. 99th Fighter Squadron (Tuskegee Airmen) 6,200 African American women served under WAAC “Double V” Campaign African Americans pushed for victory in the war, as well as victory at home Protest to discrimination A. Philip Randolph War Industry Jobs NAACP Fight against Jim Crow in the military

Prior to the Battle of Midway, the Japanese Empire had conquered many Allied territories

Battle of Midway Turning point in the war in the Pacific June 4-7, 1942 U.S. victory 3,057 Japanese casualties; four aircraft carriers sunk

D-Day June 6, 1944 Was the turning point in the war in the European theater The US led a massive invasion/assault on German forces at Normandy (the NW coast of France); the intention was to push German troops back to Germany. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower led the invasion Resulted in a huge loss of life, but allowed the U.S. to get to Paris and liberate it from German occupation.

Battle of Berlin April 23-May 2, 1945 Allied forces had pushed Germans back to the city of Berlin Soviet forces under Stalin surrounded the city 1.5 million Soviet soldiers April 30 Hitler committed suicide With the capture of Berlin by the Soviets, the European theater of WWII ends

Atomic Bomb The US began a top secret project to develop an atomic bomb shortly after entering the war The Manhattan Project Headed up by J. Robert Oppenheimer Most of the development occurred at labs in Los Alamos, NM First tested on July 16, 1945

Hiroshima and Nagasaki 2 Atomic bombs dropped on these industrial cities in Japan Why? To bring about a quick end to the war Pres. Truman made the decision to avoid a greater loss of American lives. This would have been inevitable if the U.S. had invaded Japan. Japan finally surrendered on Sept. 2, 1945.