World War II
1939-1941:
1. September 1, 1939: Germans invade
Poland. Poland defeated by 9/30.
i. US response: alter
neutrality acts: cash
and carry.
2. Europe now at war:
i. Axis:
ii. Allies:
3. By 1940: France, Denmark,
Netherlands, etc…is under Nazi control.
i. US response: reaffirms
Monroe Doctrine
ii. Destroyers Deal
iii. Lend-Lease Act: Bill
1776.
4. 1941: Nazi’s turn on the Soviet Union
i. US Response: Atlantic
Charter.
ii. US warships begin
convoys to Europe.
Clash with German
uboats.
War begins in the Pacific:
A. Japan was region’s industrial and
economic leader. Invaded China in 1937.
B. Dependent on US goods for their war
machine. FDR put embargo of important
naval and air supplies to Japan.
C. 1940 freeze assets in US.
D. General Tojo becomes prime minister.
Tried to negotiate with Cordell Hull (sec.
of state). Leave china…get some of the
trade back. Talks broke down by end of
November 1941.
E. FDR knew Japan intended war. Expected
attack elsewhere. Dec. 7, 1941. Japanese
attack Pearl Harbor, Hawaii at dawn. Sent
massive fleet to eliminate US power in
the Pacific.
F. Results:
a. 2500 people killed
b. Battlefleet out of commission for 6
months.
c. We declare war on Japan. Germany,
Japan, and Italy declare war on us.
Mobilizing for War:
a. Americans will begin to volunteer:
b. Americans of all backgrounds will
join.
c. Women will serve in the Women’s
Army Corps, Army Nurse Corps, Navy
and Coast Guard Aux.
d. Industry will increase. War
Production Board will help convert
peacetime industries to war
industries.
Japan on the Move:
a. Immediately after Pearl Harbor,
Japan invades many territories
around the Pacific
b. December 1941: Japan takes
Hong Kong, Wake Island, and
Guam with almost no resistance.
Destroyed half of US fighter
planes. Invaded Philippines on
12/22.
c. US troops trapped at Corregidor
Island. MacArthus evacuated to
Australia but some remained.
d. US troops surrendered in early
May. Force marched up to a
prison camp 100 miles away. Over
7000 troops died on march.
e.Japanese quickly took rest of
Pacific Rim.
f. US struck back with Doolittle Raid
and Battle of Coral Sea. Mostly an
air battle using aircraft carriers.
Ended a draw but increased
morale.
Battle Strategies:
Axis: no coordinated strategy. Common
enemies but different goals.
Germany: dominate Europe and eliminate
“inferior peoples”
Italy: a second Roman empire surrounding
the Mediterranean Sea
Japan: total control of Western Pacific and
Asia.
Allies: The “Big Three” felt that Germany was
most dangerous.
Agreed to a Europe First strategy.
US enters the war…turns the tide.
a. Uboats in the Atlantic
b. Stalingrad
c. North Africa
d. Italy
e. Air battle over Germany
f. Midway and Guadalcanal
Europe First:
1. Soviets have done most of the fighting
in Europe.
November 1943: Tehran Conference
Planning for Operation Overlord begins
2. D-day (Operation Overlord)
Eisenhower is Supreme Commander
Montgomery is Commander of Ground
forces
Bradley led US First Army
Overlord involved massive army
Plan included 5 beaches and a fictional
army
Patton’s wooden army:
June 6, 1944: H-Hour, D-Day
Bombers, paratroopers, landing craft
Omaha Beach was deadliest
3. Germany now fighting a two front war.
 Soviets advancing from east.
 US and Brits from west.
 June 1944: V1 rocket attacks
begin.
 Hitler completely mad…insists
that can still win.
 July 20, 1944:
 August 1944: Paris liberated
 September 1944: V2 rocket
attacks begin
 December 1944: Battle of the
Bulge begins. Last German
counter-offensive
4. 1945: Beginning of the end
 April: Soviets and US troops
meet at the Elbe River.
 Begin to assault Berlin
 April 12:
 April 30:
 May 7: VE Day.
Fighting the Pacific War
1.
2.
3.
Island Hopping strategy:
Get into striking distance of home
islands. Capturing some islands
while ignoring others
Slowly the US approached Japan’s
home islands.
Each island was a life and death fight
 Iwo Jima: Marines fought 36 days.
 Okinawa: important air base only
340 miles from Japan. Horribly
bloody. 50,000 casualties. Untold
civilian casualties from either
massacres or suicide.
 From Okinawa and other nearby
islands, US began bombing Japan.
Devastated Tokyo and other major
cities.
4.
Manhattan Project develops a new
weapon

Science allowed the splitting
of atoms causing a devastating
chain reaction

1942: FDR green lighted
Manhattan Project. Einstein
urged president.

Leaders:
General Groves
J. Robert Oppenheimer

Tested July 16, 1945 in New
Mexico.

Truman had to decide-ethics
or American lives?

Aug. 6, 1945

Aug. 9, 1945
The Aftermath of World War II:
1. The Holocaust-are we responsible?
a.Before the war, Jewish refugees
were restricted from coming to
the US. We could have saved
thousands but did not.
b. By Dec. 1942, US officials knew
that the camps were operating
and that some Jews were being
killed.
c. Camps were not military targets
so no bombing effort was wasted
on their rail lines.
d. Soldiers began liberating the
camps in the spring of 1945.
Only then was the enormity of
the plot understood. Help
poured out of the US and Jewish
refugees were welcomed in to
the US.
e.1948-Jewish community in
Palestine declared the State of
Israel to be independent.
Truman was first world leader to
recognize.
2. Postwar Goals
a.Yalta Conference: plans for the
post war world
 Red Army had most of
Eastern Europe already.
Stalin promised that
countries there could
have free elections.
 Soviets would enter war
against Japan
b. Potsdam conference: July 1945
 Stalin, Truman, Atlee
 Divide Germany into 4
zones of occupation, new
borders, free elections.
3. What actually happened:
a.World map changes.
Abandon Ship! Abandon Ship!
After reading this document, make a list
of some powerful images that this story
brings to life for you. How is this
different from reading about it in the
textbook?