1. Early Difficulties
Chapter 27, Section 1

2. U.S. Preparation for War
Increased production: agriculture and industry
Expanded the government: numbers and authority
Began to direct the economy
Equip and feed American Army and assist allies
Began to raise the Army

3. American Economic Contributions
America’s economic activity undisturbed by conflict
American refineries produced 90% of the aviation fuel
Most Soviet transport equipment made in America
Pittsburgh produced more steel than the Axis

4. Raising an Army Selective Training and Service Act
2/3 of all soldiers were draftees
21-35 years old
Later expanded to 18-45
Began in summer of 1940

5. Strengths and Weaknesses
Allies
Axis
Strengths:
U.S. had tremendous production capacity
Soviet Union had vast manpower
Britain and Soviet Union had not been defeated
Weaknesses:
Faced long, drawn-out fights on several fronts
Enemy had firm control of conquered area spread over an enormous area
Strengths:
Better prepared for war
Had firm control over invaded areas
Had been rearmed since 1930s
Already had airfields, barracks, and military training centers
Economies ready for war
Weaknesses:
Had to defend multiple fronts

6. American Strategy in World War II
Pacific is the Second Front
America devotes 85% of its war effort to Europe and 15% to the Pacific
Question: Why did America want to focus on the European warfront first?

7. American Strategy in World War II
Europe first:
Concentrate military resources on European Theatre
Keep Britain in the war
Win Battle of Atlantic
Caution in opening a second front in Europe
North African Campaign begins in November 1942
Stop Japanese offensive:
Protect Australia, New Guinea, and Pacific perimeter

8. War in the Pacific Japanese attacks after Pearl Harbor
Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines
Burma
Borneo
Netherlands East Indies
Wake Island
Hong Kong

10. The Bataan Death March
Army of 70,000 U.S. and Filipino soldiers surrendered – April 1942
Largest surrender in American military history
Forced to march through the jungle on their way to prison camps
Those who fell behind or stopped for water were shot
More than 10,000 died

11. Halting the Japanese Advance
Battle of Coral Sea (May 1942)
Stopped Japanese advance on Australia
Considered Allied victory
Allies lost a carrier
Battle of Midway (June 1942)
Japan launched two-pronged attack:
1. Seize Aleutian Islands – Alaska
2. Attack Midway
Allied victory
Weakened Japanese force in Pacific
Guadalcanal (August – October 1942)
First U.S. offensive in Pacific
U.S. strategy in Pacific = island hopping – hopping from island to island, pushing Japanese out/defending from Japanese
Coral Sea: U.S. did not want to lose Aus. – important naval base
Midway: U.S. knew of the “distraction”, set up ambush on Japanese attack
Guadalcanal: U.S. pushed Japan out of the Pacific islands

13. Creative Representations
America suffered some very costly encounters with the Japanese early in the war, but were able to turn the tide by the summer of 1942.
Draw an image or icon that represents this problem and how it worked in America
Surround your image with a word cloud including at least 5 nouns, 5 verbs, and 5 adjectives
Discuss and develop with your partner
You have 6 minutes

14. Early Fighting in Europe and the Mediterranean
Battle of El Alamein (July 1942)
British stop German drive to Suez Canal and Middle East oil fields
Allied victory
Battle of Stalingrad (January 1943)
Soviets stop German drive to Soviet oil fields
Operation Torch (November 1942)
America’s first offensive in Europe

16. Creative Representation
America began its effort against Hitler in Europe with caution
Draw an image or icon that represents this problem and how it worked in America
Surround your image with a word cloud including at least 5 nouns, 5 verbs, and 5 adjectives
Discuss and develop with your partner
You have 6 minutes