Download WW2 Overview

1/28/2015
WWII Review
1939-1945
The United State Involvement
 At the beginning of the war, the U.S. remained neutral and
took a stance of isolationism.
 Dec 7, 1941, Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii,
brought the U.S. into the war.
 The U.S. played a crucial role in defeating the Axis Powers
(Japan, Germany, and Italy)
 Because of the role the U.S. played in WWII, they emerged
as a superpower and the most powerful nation in the world
after the war.
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The U.S. At Home
 The United States converted its industry into full war production.
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They had a head start because of the Lend-Lease Program they had
with Great Britain and other European countries.
Groups like the Merchant Marines contributed with the use of
their “Liberty” cargo ships.
Flying Tigers - former U.S. pilots who joined the Chinese Air
Force to help fight Japan before the U.S. entered World War II.
Tuskegee Airmen- the first African American pilots who flew in
World War II.
Navajo Code Talkers- Navajo Indians who were enlisted to encode,
transmit, and decode messages for the U.S. Army. The code was
never broken by Germany or Japan.
Key Events
 Dec. 7, 1941 - Bombing of Pearl Harbor draws U.S. into war.
 1942 -Battle of Midway - Japanese lost four aircraft carriers. Turns the advantage to
the U.S. in the Pacific Theatre.
 1943 - MacArthur returns to the Philippines
 June 6, 1944 – D-Day invasion (also called Operation Overlord) begins. Allied troops
invade German occupied Normandy, France from across the English Channel.
 Battle of the Bulge - The German counter-offensive to try and stop Allied advancement
towards Germany. Ultimately unsuccessful.
 The Big 3(Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin) meet at Yalta to talk about how Germany
will be divided after the war.
 Victory on the island of Iwo Jima.
 Vice-President Harry S. Truman becomes President after Franklin D. Roosevelt's death.
 Potsdam Conference – Truman, Churchill, Stalin determined the four occupation zones
of Germany, Poland’s boundaries, and a proclamation from the U.S. to Japan
demanding Japan’s unconditional surrender or face more severe attacks. Also, US
discloses the new Atomic Bomb to Stalin.
 Dropping of Atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
 Japanese formally surrender aboard the battleship, U.S. Missouri.
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Damage
 Countries close to the Axis Powers, such as Poland, suffered
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the greatest loss in life due to proximity to the battle.
Countries that were not directly attacked but involved, such
as India and Czechoslovakia did not have as many causalities.
Potsdam Conference leads to Germany being split into four
zones and monitored by the French, U.S., Great Britain, and
U.S.S.R.
Holocaust killed millions of people of Jewish origin because
the Nazi’s believed the Nazis were a more superior race.
Germany’s fighting a two front war hastened their defeat.
Leaders of WWII
 Dwight D. Eisenhower (“Ike”)- Allied Commander in Europe.
Later became President of the U.S.
 George Marshall- Army Chief of Staff who coordinated the
war effort from Washington D.C.
 George S. Patton (“Old Blood and Guts”)- Brilliant U.S. tank
commander who led the 3rd army, who had sweeping success
in North Africa and Italy and led in the final assault in
Germany.
 Omar Bradley (“GI General”) – Commanded the 12th Army
Groups – the largest command in US history
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