I.
Causes of World War II.
A. Rise of aggressive dictators throughout the world
1. Mussolini (Italy)-Gained power in 1922 and established the first Fascist government.
He would show Italian military power by invading Ethiopia.
2. Germany-Hitler
a) Used economic problems, the Treaty of Versailles, nationalism,
anti-communism, and anti-Semitism to motivate his people and seize power in
1933.
b) Hitler acquired the Sudetenland (at the Munich Conference), Austria, and the
Rhineland due to European appeasement led by Chamberlain.
3. Tojo (Japan)-In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria for its vast natural resources. T
he military would eventually put General Tojo in charge of Japan.
B. American Neutrality
1. Most Americans were disillusioned with the outcome of World War I.
a) Neutrality Acts of 1935-1937-Made it illegal to sell arms to nations at war.
2. Neutrality Act of 1937 made warring nations buy non-military supplies on a cash and
carry basis. This meant warring nations sent their own ships to the U.S. and could use
only cash.
II. War Begins
A. In 1939, Hitler invaded Poland and had secured his Eastern flank with the Nazi-Soviet
Non-Aggression Pact. Hitler then went to war with the French and the British.
1. Hitler defeated Poland in a month and turned around and defeated the French. The
British were left alone to resist the Germans and succeeded, but were in desperate need of
American help.
B. FDR inches the U.S. to war-Felt the U.S. should intervene on the side of the Allies, but had to deal
with neutrality. His first step was to make the U.S. into an “arsenal of democracy.”
1. Neutrality Act of 1939-Kept U.S. neutral and allowed U.S. to sell arms on a Cash and
Carry basis.
2. Destroyers-for-Bases Deal-In 1940, Roosevelt sent 50 old American destroyers to Britain
in exchange for American basis in Newfoundland, Bermuda, and in the Caribbean.
3. Lend Lease Act (1941)-Gave the U.S. the ability to allow Britain to rent arms for the
duration of the war.
4. The Atlantic Charter-In August 1941, Churchill and FDR met off the waters of
Newfoundland. They agreed to a postwar world of democracy.
5. To hinder Japanese aggression, Roosevelt began to apply economic sanctions, specifically
an oil embargo and lend-lease aid to the Chinese.
a) The Japanese attacked the Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and damaged/sank eight
battleships, three cruisers, four destroyers, and killed 2,403 Americans. Congress
declared war on Japan and Germany declared war on the U.S.
III. WWII
A. Allies
1. Great Britain
2. United States
3. Soviet Union
4. France
5. China
B. Factories-Switched from producing consumer goods to war goods. For instance, the automobile
industry would produce 1/3 of all military goods mass produced for the war.
1. The American economy finally would get back on track from the Great Depression
during WWII.
2. Rosie the Riveter-Many women worked in the factories while the men went off to war.
When men returned women would be replaced.
C. Consumer Rations-Citizens were asked to ration goods to preserve for the war effort
Examples: Meat, sugar, gasoline, rubber
D. Paying for the war-Many Americans bought war bonds. Taxes were also imposed on the middle
class.
E. Conscription-The United States would hold its first peacetime draft in history in 1940. African
Americans would serve in segregated units.
F. Japanese American Relocation-Many Americans (especially in the West) were angered at the
Japanese due to Pearl Harbor.
1. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, which gave the military the power to exclude
people of Japanese descent. Thus, Japanese were sent to internment camps.
2. Korematsu v. United States (1944)-Fred Korematsu took his case to the Supreme Court.
a) Ruling: In times of war the government has the authority to suspend citizens’ civil rights.
G. Turning Points in Europe
1. Stalingrad (Eastern Front)-Battle fought between Germans and Soviets. The Soviets won
and captured an entire German army.
2. D-day (Western Front)-Opened up the Western front for the Allies.
H. Turning points against Japan
1. The Americans implemented a campaign of island hopping against the Japanese.
Examples of American victories include: Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
I. Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam Conferences-Churchill, Stalin, and FDR (Truman would attend
Potsdam) made major post-war and wartime decisions.
1. Decisions:
a) How Germany and Japan would be divided
b) When the Soviets would declare war on Japan
J. Manhattan Project-Program in which the Allies built the atomic bomb. One of the lead scientists
were Robert Oppenheimer.
K. Hiroshima and Nagasaki-Harry Truman had to decide whether or not to drop the atomic bomb on
Japan. Ultimately, it was decided that dropping the atomic bomb would save American lives.
L. War atrocities-The Japanese and Germans committed crimes against humanity.
1. The Japanese would commit crimes against mostly American P.O.W.s and conquered
nations (i.e., the Chinese)
2. The Germans committed one of the worst human rights violation in history (i.e., the
Holocaust). This was committed against Jews, Gypsies, Russian P.O.W.s, mentally ill, etc.
Part of Hitler’s “Final Solution.”
a) Resolution-Both the Japanese and Germans stood trial and were convicted for the crimes
they committed
1) Japanese war trials-Tokyo
2) German war trials-Nuremberg
M. MacArthur Constitution for Japan-Rewrote Japanese Constitution to include democracy and to
require they no longer have a military.
N. GI Bill-Provides medical, pension and educational benefits for veterans. Helped vets go to
college.