America in World War II Life on the Home Front

Why did America enter WWII? WWII began in 1939. America entered the war after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941.

President Roosevelt’s Speech Listen to FDR’s speech from December 8, 1941. How does it make you feel? How do you think the listeners felt that day?

Why did Japan attack America? Japan wanted oil in the Pacific Ocean. Wanted islands in the Pacific. Japan had to get rid of America’s ships in the Pacific to get oil & islands.

America after Pearl Harbor Japan=US enemy Japanese people in America were feared to be spies. Americans sent many Japanese Americans to relocation camps .

The sides of World War II Axis Powers = Japan, Germany, Italy Allied Powers = America, England, France WWII was fought in Europe and the Pacific.

Hitler and Nazi Germany Hitler hated Jews. Sent people to concentration camps to die. Hitler wanted Germany to take over the world.

Life on the Homefront At home, civilians did all they could to help the war effort: saved oil, rationed food, collected goods, and made planes and tanks. Patriotic songs were popular. Propaganda helped to promote patriotism, but also hatred of the Germans, Japanese.

The End of World War II

Back on the Home front First Germany and Italy surrendered. Japan surrendered after atomic bombs were dropped. Americans celebrated V-E and V-J Day.

Some questions to think about… Why did the United States wait until after Pearl Harbor to enter World War II? Do you think the U.S. should have gone to war against Hitler first? Should the United States have dropped the atomic bomb? Could the Japanese have been stopped any other way?

SC Social Studies Standards 5.5.1 Investigate the ways people can work together to promote the principles and ideals of American democracy 5.5.3 Identify historical figures who shaped values and principles of American democracy 5.2.10 Analyze the causes of World War II and explain why the United States intervened 5.2.11 Explain the impact at home and abroad of the United States involvement in World War II 5.12.4 Explain why and how people compete for control of Earth’s surface

Works Cited “Atomic Bombs in World War II Japan.” http://cidc.library.cornell.edu/DOF/japan/captioned/notgod.htm#top Boehm, Richard G. (2000). United States in Modern Times. Orlando, Florida: Harcourt Brace & Company. “V-J Day.” http://www.strandlab.com/vjday/ Black, Wallace. (1991). Pearl Harbor! New York: Crestwood House Inc.