1. Introduction to WWII
Adapted from McIntyre at

2. Quick Facts
War Costs
US Debt $9 billion US Debt $98 billion
The war cost $330 billion times the cost of WWI & as much as all previous federal spending since 1776

3. Human Costs 50 million people died (compared to 15 million in WWI)
Quick Facts:
Human Costs
50 million people died (compared to 15 million in WWI)
21.3 million Russians (7.7 million civilians)
11 million died as a result of the HOLOCAUST (6 million Jews + 5 million others)

5. When?
US involvement
1939
1941
1945
Sept.1 - Germany invades Poland (official start to the war)
Sept. 3 -Britain & France declare war on Germany
Dec. 7 – Japan bombs Pearl Harbor; US enters the War
May - Germans Surrender
Aug - Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima & Nagasaki, Japanese Surrender

6. Axis Allies Who? (major powers) (major powers) Great Britain Germany
Russia
Italy
United States
Japan
France
(note: France surrendered to Germany in 1940 (after 6 weeks of fighting)

7. Key Concept: What were the four main causes of WWII
Key Concept: What were the four main causes of WWII? Give an example of each.
1. Failure of the Treaty of Versailles
Germany’s borders were changed, and its economy was bankrupted by reparations payments.
Treaty of
Versailles
4. Appeasement and Isolationism:
England and France were still recovering from WWI and unsuccessfully tried to use diplomacy to stop Hitler. Some countries, such as the United States, isolated themselves to try to avoid being drawn into other nations’ wars.
2. Great Depression:
All countries suffered the effects of the Great Depression, and people blamed their governments and sought change.
3. Nationalism:
Extreme nationalism gave rise to Fascism in Italy and Nazism in Germany and caused Japan to colonize Asia.

8. Rise of Totalitarian Regimes
In a Totalitarian country, individual rights are not viewed as important as the needs of the nation. The government controls every aspect of public and private life.
Communist Dictatorship (USSR)
Fascist Dictatorship (Germany, Italy)
Totalitarianism
Military Dictatorship (Japan)

9. Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Major Leaders
Joseph Stalin
Russian Leader
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
US President

10. Major Leaders Hideki Tojo Winston Churchill Japanese Prime Minister
British Prime Minister

11. Major Leaders
Adolf Hitler
Nazi Germany
Benito Mussolini
Italy

12. The American Home Front
The American military was not prepared for an all out war.
Remember it only had 300,000 men. About the same size as Denmark’s.
The U.S. calls on American men to enlist. The American people respond.
In fact the Government is overwhelmed by the number that decide to join.
Patriotism sweeps the country.

13. The American Home Front
American Industry had to go from peace time production to war time production(which takes a lot of time).
GM, Ford, and Chrysler went from creating cars to tanks.
Boeing from regular airplanes to bombers and fighter jets.
Gun makers like Colt, from hunting rifles to machine guns, flamethrowers, war rifles.

14. The American Home Front
With the country in full war mode, the U.S. was producing weapons faster than anybody around thought that it would or could.
In one month, the U.S. was able to produce up to 4,000 tanks and 4,500 planes.
Ship production also increased dramatically to help protect our coasts.

15. The American Home Front
The war had an unintended effect.
Women joined the workforce. Before the war, only about 3 million worked in the U.S. Most were housewives and raised families.
Since so many men went to war, the U.S. was desperate for workers to produce weapons. So they replaced the men with women.

16. Impact of WWII on Unemployment Rate

17. Impact of WWII on Race Relations

18. Impact of WWII on Race Relations
Executive Order 8802:
Prohibited discrimination in the defense industry.
Created the Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC) to monitor hiring practices.
Issued by President Roosevelt to prevent a march on Washington organized by A. Philip Randolph.

19. Impact of WWII on Race Relations
Congress of Racial Equality Established (CORE) in 1942
Established to use non-violent protest as a means of fighting segregation

20. Bracero Program