 The involvement of the United States in WWII, while opposed by most Americans prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, vaulted the United States into global political and military prominence and transformed both American society and the relationship between the United States and the rest of the world.

 Pearl Harbor (Dec. 7, 1941)  2,400 died in less than 2 hours  High government officials knew of the attack because they had broken the Japanese codes. However, they did not know the exact date or target and thought it would be in Southeast Asia.  Declaration of War the next day

 The mass mobilization of American society to supply troops for the war effort and a workforce on the home front ended the Great Depression  It also provided opportunities for women and minorities to improve their socioeconomic positions

 Industrial Production  War Production Board, Office of War Mobilization  Government contracts  Office of Price Administration (OPA)  Unions – Smith-Connelly Anti-Strike Act  Financing the War ▪ Income tax & bonds

 African-Americans  Race riots in Detroit and NYC  “Double V” campaign –  NAACP membership rises  Congress of Racial Equality  Mexican-Americans  Worked in defense industries  Served in the military  Braceros  Zoot suit riots  Navajos used as “code talkers”

 Women  5 million enter the workforce  Serve in wartime industries  200,000 in military noncombat roles  “Rosie the Riveter”

 Japanese-Americans  Suspected of being potential spies  FDR established internment camps  Nisei regiments in the U.S. Army  Korematsu vs. U.S.  1988 – Federal gov’t offered apology and compensation

 Fighting Japan ▪ After Pearl Harbor Japan takes over much of East and Southeast Asia ▪ The Pacific Front operations are based in Los Angeles ▪ The Battle of Midway is the turning point ▪ Island-hopping ▪ How do Kamikaze pilots, and the battles for Okinawa and Iwo Jima foreshadow the necessity of the A- bomb?

 Atomic Bombs  Manhattan Project  Alamogordo, New Mexico  Harry S. Truman calls on Japan to surrender unconditionally or face “utter destruction”  Hiroshima, Aug 6 th and Nagasaki, Aug 9 th 1945  Japan Surrenders

 North Africa and Italy FDR decided to help Britain defeat Germany and Italy on this front before opening the Western front Battle of El Alamein (led by Patton) protected the Suez Canal from capture

 Western Europe The liberation of France began with D-Day, June 6, 1944 Germany surrendered in May, 1945 (FDR had died in April, 1945)

 Development of Sonar  SOund Navigation And Ranging  Collaboration between American and British engineers led to creation of RADAR  DDT developed and used in the Pacific

 Manhattan Project: Long-Term Impacts  Government maintains strict secrecy  $2 Billion in taxpayer money spent to make the most deadly weapon in history  This initiates the start of “big science” – government contract for expensive research and development programs

 The dominant American role in the Allied victory and postwar peace settlements, combined with the war- ravaged condition of Asia and Europe, allowed the United States to emerge from the war as the most powerful nation on earth

 The extent of the holocaust & the international tribunal for war criminals led to an increased demand for a Jewish homeland  Israel created in 1948

 Conservative politics returned, New Deal programs were slashed. War mobilization enormously expanded government power, especially the power of the executive branch. As never before the federal government managed the economy, molded public opinion, funded scientific research, and influenced people’s daily lives.