Why did the United States “unite” so well behind a common goal in WWII?

“What does this economic data tell us? Unemployment Rates Gross Domestic Product $$ amount everything a nation produces in a year 1928 – 4.2% 1930 – 8.7% 1932 – 23.6% 1934 – 21.7% 1936 – 17% 1938 – 19% 1940 – 14.6% 1942 – 4.7% 1944 – 1.2% 1946 – 3.9% 1928 – $97.4 1929 – $103.6 1930 – $91.2 1932 – $58.7 1934 – $66 1936 – $83.8 1938 – $86.1 1940 – $101.4 1942 – $161.9 1944 – $219.8 1946 – $222.3 “What does this economic data tell us?

Why was this economic growth possible? (1) Massive government spending Federal government budget 1939 - $9 billion 1945 - $100 billion $323 billion during war years (1941-1945) (2) 19 million new jobs – full employment U.S. Army grew from 227,000 in 1939 to 16 million soldiers by 1945 (not all at the same time) These soldiers taken out of the workforce (3) Limited direct taxation to pay for war (4) Renewed confidence by Americans

Pacific Theater of War - Island Hopping Campaign …

Fall of the Philippines & the Bataan Death March - 9 April, 1942 ** Forced march of 78,000 POW’s, mostly Filipino and American soldiers.

Farthest Japanese Advance

Battle of Coral Sea * The supply lines to Australia is sustained. - 4-8 May, 1942

Battle of Midway * The Americans sank four Japanese fleet carriers – Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu. - 4 June, 1942

All Quiet on the “Eastern Front” * Most epic and intense fighting front in the history of mankind

Operation Barbarossa 22 June – 5 December 1941 Largest military operation, land invasion, and number of casualties in the history of warfare. Consequence: Opens up the Eastern Front 4 million German soldiers invade 95% of these soldiers perished Almost 9 million Soviet soldiers & 20 million civilian deaths

First Battle of Kiev (1941) Aug. 7 to Sept. 26, 1941 Nearly the entire “Southwestern Front” Soviet Army encircled, 665,000 troops, largest number of prisoners of war in history.

Siege of Leningrad Sept. 8, 1941 to Jan. 27, 1944 Now called “St. Petersburg,” the cultural center of Russia 872-day siege Death of 1,500,000 soldiers and civilians 1,400,000 civilians evacuated, mainly women and children

Diary of Tanya Savicheva During Siege of Leningrad Shown at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials She describes the starvation faced by her family …

Two German soldiers outside Moscow, 1941 … I imagine them saying, “Hey Claus, did you pack any winter gear?” “No Dieter. They told us we’d beat the Soviets in four months.”

Battle of Moscow (1941) Oct., 1941 to Jan., 1942 Nazis stall 19 miles outside Moscow Hitler is furious, fires head of Wehrmacht, and takes over control Let’s Defend Moscow

Battle of Stalingrad German advance halted and Soviets go on the offensive Bloodiest battle in the history of warfare Most strategically decisive battle in WWII - Sept. 1942 to Feb. 1943

Battle of Stalingrad - Sept. 1942 to Feb. 1943 2 million soldiers killed, wounded, or captured!! 144,000 Axis prisoners; 6th Army destroyed; Wehrmacht never recovers; Japan never declares war on Soviet Union.

U.S. Aid and Geography 5 million tons of food, enough for a ½ pound ration for every Soviet soldier for every day of the war 13 million boots 2/3rds of vehicles Soviet Army used