1. US Enters WWII
IB History
March 10, 2017

2. Essential Questions
How did WWII impact American life?
Do different ethics apply in a time of war?

3. Announced Germany would build a new Air Force and begin Military Draft
Causes of WWII
Rise of dictators
Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Emperor Hirohito
Hitler Violates the Treaty of Versailles
Appeasement Fails
Appease – to relieve or satisfy by giving into someone’s demands
Rise of Dictators
Fascist Dictator in Italy – Mussolini
Fascism a nationalistic movement that considered the nation more important than the individual
Stalin the new Communist Dictator in the Soviet Union
Intolerant of opposition and used concentration camps
8-10 million people died as a result of his rule
Adolf Hitler and the Nazis in Germany
Nationalistic, anticommunist, called to expand territory & not abide by the Treaty of Versailles, anti-Semitic
Militarists Control Japan
Supported nationalist policy of expanding the empire and appointed military officer as prime minister
All were able to gain control because of the economic crisis!
Adolf violates Treaty
Announced Germany would build a new Air Force and begin Military Draft
Anschluss – unification of Austria and Germany
Hitler sent in troops, wanted to unify all German speaking people
Claimed the German speaking parts of Czechoslovakia
Appeasement Fails
Munich Conference – 1938
Britain and France Agree to Hitler’s demands in order to preserve peace
Told Czechoslovakia to surrender their land
March 1939 – Germany invaded Czechoslovakia
Hitler Demanded Danzig – a city in Poland
March 1939 Britain and France announced that if Poland went to war to defend their territory, they would come to Poland’s aid
September 1, 1939 – Germany invades

4. U.S. Involvement American Isolationism Neutrality Act of 1935
FDR was an Internationalist
American Isolationism
Americans did not want to get involved in another European War
Discouraged that their work had failed because of the rise of dictatorships
Europe could not pay their debts
Belief that arms manufacturers tricked the U.S. into WWI
Neutrality Act of 1935 – illegal for Americans to sell arms to a country at war
FDR was an Internationalist
Believed the U.S. should try to preserve peace in the world
Sent aid to China when Japan invaded b/c neither had declared war on the other

5. America Enters the War (sort of)
FDR supported England
Revised Neutrality Act
1941 German U Boat Attack
1940 Japan attacks areas of China
FDR supported England
Revised Neutrality Act so we could send weapons on a Cash-and-Carry basis
Sent old U.S. destroyers to Britain
1940 Lend-Lease Act – we could lend or lease weapons to any country “vital to the defense of the United States.”
1941 – a German U-Boat fired on an American Destroyer – Roosevelt ordered American ships to Shoot-on-sight

6. US response to Japan
U.S. stopped the sale of “strategic materials”
1941 -cut off all oil sales
1941 – U.S. sends aid to China

7. Attack on Pearl Harbor November 1941 - US had cracked Japanese code
General Douglas MacArthur to Philippines
December 7, 1941 – “a date which will live in Infamy”
December 8 – U.S. declares war on Japan
December 11 – Germany and Italy Declare War on the U.S.
The U.S. stopped the sale of “strategic materials” to Japan to stop Japan from attacking British interests in Asia
Japan signed a pact with Germany and Italy – becoming a member of the Axis
1941 – U.S. sends lend-lease materials to China
Sent General Douglas MacArthur to Philippines to build up American Defense
December 7, 1941 – “a date which will live in Infamy”
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor in Hawaii
December 8 – U.S. declares war on Japan
December 11 – Germany and Italy Declare War on the U.S.

8. Attack on Pearl Harbor Attack lasted less than two hours 2400 killed
1200 wounded
200 planes damaged/destroyed
18 warships damaged/destroyed
8 out of 9 battleships damaged/destroyed
Japan lost 29 planes

13. December 8, 1941 FDR makes speech to Congress calling for war
“A date which will live in infamy”
Congress passed war resolution on Japan

15. A date which will live in infamy

16. Axis War Declaration December 11, 1941
Germany and Italy declared war on the US

18. Summary and analysis
To what extent was the US involved in WWII prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor?
How did alliances throw the US into the World War?

19. Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbor?
One Question Remains:
Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbor?