World War II The Americans, Chapters 16 and 17

Why did the U.S. become involved in WWII? After WWI, the U.S. wanted to retreat to our former isolationist policies. We watched the rise of dictatorships around the world.  Mussolini established a fascist government in Italy in 1922, crushing all opposition.  A military tribunal took over the government of Japan, ignoring the protests of elected officials.  Hitler was elected chancellor in Germany in 1933 and the Nazis gained full power.

 When Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931, the League of Nations protested but took no further action.  When Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935, the League organized an ineffective economic boycott.  When Germany invaded Czechoslovakia in 1938, England and France followed a policy of appeasement, hoping Hitler would stop there...  But when Germany invaded Poland in 1939, WWII officially began in Europe. What should the League of Nations have done?

Could the U.S. remain neutral? Before WWII broke out in Europe, the U.S. had passed Neutrality Acts. Despite these restrictions, the U.S. gave assistance to our former allies by sending aid under the Lend-Lease Act. The biggest threat to our neutrality would come from the events in Asia...

Japan Invades China To gain access to resources such as food crops, rubber and oil, Japan invaded China in 1937 and Southeast Asia in The U.S. responded by sending arms and supplies to China and by stopping shipments of oil and scrap metal to Japan. Japan then regarded the U.S. as an enemy.

The Attack on Pearl Harbor On Dec. 7 th, 1941, Japan bombed the U.S. bases at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Roosevelt asked congress to declare war on Japan. This surprise attack united Americans in the decision to join the Allies in their fight against the Axis Powers in World War II.

Fighting a War on Two Fronts ( ) American forces would face the challenge of fighting a war with Japan in the Pacific theater and assisting the Allies fighting against fascism in the European theater.

Major Turning Points in World War II Pacific Theater Battle of Midway-the Americans launched a surprise attack on the Japanese fleet, destroying 4 aircraft carriers and handing Japan their first major defeat (1942). European Theater Battle of Stalingrad-the Soviets turned the tide against Nazis (1943). Invasion of Normandy- (D-Day) the Allies captured the Northern coast of France from the Nazis (1944).

The Tragedy of the Holocaust The Nazis carried out a plan to exterminate all Jewish people (and others they considered undesirable) in the areas that they controlled. Between 9 and 12 million people—including about 6 million Jews—died in concentration camps from 1939 to The record of this slaughter is a vivid reminder of the results of racism and intolerance.

The American Home Front While Americans were fighting overseas, the U.S. transformed itself. Our top priority shifted to producing the tremendous amount of arms and supplies needed by our troops and our allies.

Conserving Scarce Resources Americans participated in voluntary programs to reduce consumption and help wartime production by recycling items and by growing their own food. Additionally, the U.S. government imposed a mandatory rationing system whereby citizens were limited in the amount of food and gas they could buy.

The Contribution of Women to the War Effort Women enlisted in non-combat positions in special branches of the service set up for women. On the home front, they worked in factories, many times in jobs traditionally performed by men.

The Impact of WWII on the U.S. Economy WWII brought the Great Depression to an end by providing jobs for all. During the war, the U.S. spent 330 billion dollars, producing arms, ships, airplanes, and supplies. American industries out- produced and outlasted our opponents and, ultimately, won the war.

The Japanese Internment In the first months after Pearl Harbor, Japanese-Americans on the west coast were ordered to leave their homes and jobs and were relocated to internment camps. This was justified at the time as being for the sake of national security. It is now known, however, that this group was never a threat. This action was a violation of their constitutional rights. Japanese-Americans suffered great inconvenience and financial loss as a result of this move.

Ending WWII After the Germans surrendered to the Allies in May of 1945, the U.S. still faced the task of defeating Japan in the Pacific theater. Throughout the war, the U.S. was working on a top-secret project to develop the atomic bomb. In August of 1945, in an effort to save lives by forcing the Japanese to surrender, President Truman made the decision to use the atomic bomb on two cities in Japan, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The results were devastating. Japan surrendered on August 14th, 1945 and WWII was finally over.