Download The Home Front: World War II

The Home Front: World War II
E. America Enters World War II
(1945-Present)
a.Describe circumstances at
home and abroad prior to U.S.
involvement in World War II
b.Identify the significant military
and political aspects of World
War II
Pearl Harbor Backfires on Japan
-Japan believed that attacking Pearl Harbor
would intimidate the USA and stop them from
challenging their conquest of the Pacific.
-However, the opposite occurred. Many
Americans wanted to be neutral in foreign
conflicts, until Pearl Harbor. After the attack,
five million volunteered for military service.
-The Selective Service Act brought this number
up to ten million soldiers. America was ready to
fight back against the Axis Powers. Together
the USA, France, Britain, the USSR, and China
formed the Allies.
Japan thought that Pearl Harbor would weaken the USA.
However, it emboldened many to enlist to defend
the nation and avenge Pearl Harbor.
The Alliances of
World War II
The Allies
VS.
* The USA *
* Great Britain *
* France *
* The USSR (Russia) *
* China *
The Axis Powers
* Germany *
* Italy *
* Japan *
Minorities and World War II
-Women were able to serve as noncombatants
in the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC).
Women served as nurses, factory workers, and
other noncombatant roles.
-Many African American leaders, like A. Philip
Randolph, were concerned that African
American men would be dying for a nation that
treated them unjustly through segregation.
-Despite the unfair treatment, more than one
million African Americans served in World War
II. After WW II, many Civil Rights leaders
pointed to the brave sacrifice of African
Americans to demand Civil Rights for all.
A. Philip Randolph
was a strong
proponent of Civil
Rights for African
Americans during
and after World
War II.
The Nation Increases Production
-American factories were redesigned for war.
For instance, Car factories made tanks and
bottling companies added ammunition to
missiles.
-Many Americans found work in this new war
industry. Like in WW I, millions of women began
working in factories to make war supplies.
-A. Phillip Randolph threated to march over
100,000 people in Washington D.C. to protest, if
the war industry efforts discriminated. FDR
desegregated the war industry sector as a
result. This was a major victory for Civil Rights.
Many women
worked in the war
industry to make
military supplies
to help the
soldiers fighting
overseas.
The United States
government used
propaganda and
other methods to
get women to help
with the war effort.
This poster was
created by J.
Howard Miller as a
motivational poster.
The Economy and World War II
-The industrial activity needed to create
supplies for the war eventually brought the
USA out of the Great Depression.
-Despite the improved economy, the War
Production Board (WPB) heavily rationed
materials. This entity converted many
factories to make war supplies.
-Americans had to practice rationing. Food,
fuel, textiles, and other goods were in limited
supply, so that these items could be sent to
soldiers fighting in the war effort.
Americans had to
ration supplies
during WW II to
make sure that
supplies could be
sent to soldiers. In
order to ration gas,
people were asked
to car pool to not
waste fuel.
Japanese Internment Camps
-Many Japanese people lived in the USA when
Pearl Harbor was attacked. Massive prejudice
arose and Japanese Americans were accused of
helping Japan.
-Over 100,000 people of Japanese descent,
many of which were American citizens, were
taken from their homes in California and other
states and forced into internment camps.
-There was never evidence of wrong doing or
even charges given to these citizens. This was
a radically unjust, racist action taken by the
United States government.
The government issued notices that Americans of Japanese
descent would be forced into internment camps. They had to
abandon their homes and businesses.
Japanese internment camps were set up
in various areas of the USA.
Those of Japanese descent were taken from their
homes and forced to live in meager settings
behind barbed wire fences.
During the relocation process, people brought whatever
items they could carry. Yet, many lost most of their
property that they had to leave behind.
Even Japanese children, who were born as American
citizens, were forced to relocate to internment camps.
After World War II
-When the war ended, the USA was forever
changed. The massive economic endeavors
ended the Great Depression.
-Not only did the war efforts end the Great
Depression, but the economy became
radically reinvigorated and America entered
into a very prosperous era.
-Congress passed the GI Bill of Rights for
returning soldiers. This bill paid for college for
those who wished to attend. This led to a
surge in college attendance in the USA.
THE
END
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