World War II, Part 2, 1941 - 1942
Investigate how the Imperial Empire of Japan, joining with Nazi Germany, caused
war in Asia and the Pacific and the major events of 1941 – 1942.
While Germany and Italy
were busy trying to take
over all of Europe and
North Africa, the Imperial
Empire of Japan was
doing the same thing in
Asia.
On September 27th, 1940,
these three Axis Powers
signed a pact, or treaty
with each other. Their
goal was to create a new
world under to be ruled
under Germany, Italy,
and Japan.
To check this Japanese
expansion in the Pacific,
the United States,
although not yet at war,
transferred most of its
Navy to the Pacific.
Y7
How the US helped the Allies before joining the fighting in World War II
The fall of France left Great Britain fighting alone in both Europe and the Pacific. In early 1941,
the United States began lending Great Britain tanks, guns, planes, ships, and other armaments
in what was called, the Lend – Lease Program.
Operation Barbarossa: Germany Invades the Soviet
Union, June 1941!
At the break of dawn on June 22nd, 1941, the vast German army invaded the Soviet
Union, thus locking into battle the two largest armies in the world. The front would
extend over 2000 miles from the White Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the
south. Once again, German goals were to defeated the Soviet Union, subjugate its
people and take over Russia’s vast resources and oil reserves.
Y12
By the end of November, 1941, the German assault on the Soviet Union had reached
its peak and come to a stop. The fighting and losses in human life were beyond
description in Russia.
For the next two and a half years, World War II’s hardest fighting would take place
between the Germans and Russian on the Eastern Front.
Japan Moves Towards War
The German Offensive in the Soviet
Union led the Japanese to believe
that a German victory in Europe
was certain.
As a result, Japanese armies
throughout Asia began making
aggressive movements, all the
while telling the United States that
they wanted peace.
By the end of 1941, it was apparent
that the Japanese had a more
sinister plan. They hoped to attack
the United States with such force
that it would knock them out of a
possible war before it ever began.
They almost succeeded.
Prior to becoming involved in the
fighting in Europe and Asia, the
United States, under the leadership
of President Roosevelt, practiced a
policy of Isolationism. Isolationism
refers to avoiding or not taking a part
in any world affairs.
Isolationists hope that the Pacific and
Atlantic Oceans would keep the
United States out of another World
War.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 19331945
Avoid War
December 7th, 1941
“A Date That Will Live in Infamy”
Early on Sunday morning and without warning, wave after wave of Japanese fighters
appeared from out of the
horizon and all but
destroyed most of the US
Pacific fleet. The
American sailors were
completely surprised by
the attack.
More than 2,800
Americans were killed in
the attack with hundreds
more seriously wounded.
Eight battleships were
sunk a many more ships
were damaged or
crippled. Six air bases and
scores of airplanes were
also destroyed.
Two hours after the attack, Japan declared war on the United States and England!
Three major mistakes committed by the Japanese when bombing Pearl Harbor
1.
The Japanese attacked on a Sunday morning. Most of the sailors, soldiers, and
Marines were off-duty in Hawaii.
2.
The Japanese bombed the ships more than the dry docks. If the dry docks were
bombed, there would have been no place for the ships to have been repaired.
3.
The ground storage tanks that held the fuel were not hit. One plane could have
crippled the Pacific fleet.
Pearl
Y10
Y9
Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler
Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, Joseph
Stalin
Key American generals, including George Patton,
Ike Eisenhower, and Omar Bradley.
The War During 1942
For the first half of 1942, the
Allies were on the defensive in
both Europe and Asia.
In the Pacific, the Japanese had
taken over Guam and Wake
Islands, the Philippine Islands,
Burma, New Guinea and other
places.
This was to be one of the darkest
times for the Allies. However, on
the “Home Front,” those men and
women not in uniform made a
transformation from a peace-time
to a war-time manufacturing base
that is still one of the marvels of
the 20th century.
Y15
The Fall of the Philippines and the Bataan Death March
As the Japanese were busy invading and conquering all the territory they could in
Asia and the Pacific, the all important Philippine Island fell to them as well. In April
of 1942, after weeks of fighting, over 70,000 American, British, and Pilipino soldiers
were captured by the Japanese. The Japanese then began marching the survivors to
a prisoner of war camp more than 60 miles away that became known as the “Bataan
Death March.” On the way, the Japanese killed over 10,000 from shootings,
beatings, bayonets, starvation, and beheadings.
“The sun beat down…I thought only of bringing my feet up, putting them down,
bringing them up…A great many of the prisoners reached the end of their
endurance. The drop-outs…fell by the hundreds in the road…There was a crack of a
pistol…There was another shot, and more shots, and I knew that, straggling along
behind us, was a clean-up squad of Japanese, killing their helpless victims…I gritted
my teeth. ‘Oh God, I’ve got to keep going. I can’t stop. I can’t die like that.’”
Sidney Stewart, Give Us This Day
Death
The Battle for Midway Island
In June, 1942, a strong invasion force of Japanese moved directly against the
Hawaiian Islands of the United States. American ships, and Navy/Army planes from
Midway Island fought a relentless four-day battle against the Japanese invaders. In
the end, the Japanese lost, Hawaii was secure and further expansion on their part
during the war ended.
Y2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dARSvPDoJag&feature=channel
1.
What do you thing the goal was of the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan)
signing an alliance or treaty with each other?
2.
What was the purpose of the Lend-Lease Program? Since the United States was
supposed to be neutral at this time, was this an appropriate action to take?
Why or why not?
3. In 1940, Germany attacked the Soviet Union. What was the German objective of
this offensive? What eventually stopped the German advance?
4. Define the term Isolationism. Considering the circumstances, was this a wise course of
action to take when World War II first began? Why or why not?
5. In 5-8 well-written sentences, describe the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and how it was
“A date that will live in infamy.”
6. Describe the reasons why the war was not going well for the United States and its Allies
during the first part of 1942. Also, tell why the defeat in the Philippines was such a crucial
blow to the Americans.