1. America & Georgia in World War II
“A Day That Will Live in Infamy”

2. Rise of Dictators Germany - led by Adolf Hitler
Italy - led by Benito Mussolini
Japan - led by Emperor Hirohito
Soviet Union - led by Joseph Stalin
Supreme rulers who wanted to rule through military power
4 nations trying to expand their power & territory

3. The War Begins 1935 - Hitler seized the Rhineland & captured Austria
Hitler seizes Czechoslovakia
Great Britain & France warn Hitler to STOP!
1939- Hitler invades Poland
Great Britain & France declare war on Germany
By 1940, France surrendered to Germany

4. Adolf Hitler
Fascist leader - believed gov’t should control everything in society
Nazi Party - National Socialist German Workers’ Party
His goal was to expand Germany’s power & territory
Part of his plan was to “purify” the German race by removing all Jews from Europe

5. A Neutral United States…but for how long?
Isolationism - not taking part in the affairs of other nations
1941- Lend-Lease Act: lend or rent airplanes, tanks, bullets, & other military equipment to the Allied Powers
This program supplied the Allies with over 50 billion $ in goods

6. “A Day That Will Live in Infamy”
U.S. protested Japan’s expansion - stopped exporting planes, steel & aviation gas to Japan; froze assets of Japanese companies in the U.S.
Japanese wanted U.S. out of the Pacific - Pearl Harbor stood in their way
12/7/1941- Japanese attack Pearl Harbor
12/8/1941-Congress declared war on Japan
12/11/1941-Germany & Italy declare war on the U.S.

7. The U.S. Prepares for War Americans ready to fight
300,000 GA men & women served during WWII - nearly 7000 died
Women worked as nurses, clerks, & pilots; WASPs (Women’s Air Force Service Pilots)
400,000 Mexican Americans served in WWII
700,000 African Americans served in WWII
425 Navajo Indians - “Wind Talkers” - Code

8. The War in Europe 1942-Allies invade North Africa & win control
1943-Allies invade Italy; Italians overthrow Mussolini & join the Allies
6/6/1944- “D-Day”; Allied forces storm Normandy in France & push German army back into Germany
Europe freed from Hitler’s control & he commits suicide on 4/30/1945
5/8/1945-Germany surrenders; called “V-E Day” for Victory in Europe

9. The Holocaust
Allied forces discovered a horrible secret as they moved further into Germany & German-occupied territory
“The Final Solution” - was to imprison Jews in concentration camps & kill them
The killing of approx. 6 million Jews & 5-6 million “undesirables” has become known as the Holocaust
Many killed in gas chambers or died from starvation, disease, or mistreatment

10. The War in the Pacific
Allied forces began to retake the Pacific islands
July 26,1945, Pres. Harry Truman demanded Japan’s surrender & they refused
8/6/1945-bomber Enola Gay dropped an ATOMIC BOMB on Hiroshima; 3 days later a 2nd bomb was dropped on Nagasaki
8/14/1945-”V-J Day” - Victory in Japan - Japanese gov’t stopped fighting & THE WAR ENDS!

11. GA’s Wartime Industries
Liberty Ships were built in Savannah & Brunswick - employed over 16,000 - many were women
B-29 bombers were built in Marietta - employed over 28,000 workers (Bell Aircraft)
Military vehicles, weapons, equipment,& uniforms- 1000’s of Georgians employed in these industries

12. Training Allied Troops in GA
Camp Stewart - trained 600,000 troops to serve in antiaircraft squads
Camp Gordon & Ft. Benning - Infantry & tank training; camp for German & Italian POWs
Warner Robins AFB - trained soldiers in airplane maintenance
Glynco Naval Air Station - flew blimps looking for German subs

13. Georgians Support the War Effort
Farmers planted peanuts for their oil, grew vegetables, & raised livestock to help feed soldiers
Gas, shoes, meat, & sugar were “rationed” (limited) to save resources for the troops
GA helped the nation in donating 13 million pints of blood
Kids collected toothbrushes, washcloths, & soap for soldiers
People planted “Victory Gardens” to feed their families so farmers’ produce could be sent to the troops

14. WWII’s Effects on Society
G.I.Bill - gave soldiers the chance for a college education
Federal income tax withheld from workers’ pay
Segregation no longer acceptable to African American soldiers
Roles of women changed
War production pulled the U.S. out of the Great Depression