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World War II
The Allies: (Left-leaning, Socialist, and Centrist countries)
Britain
France
Soviet Union
China (Rep.)
USA (Dec. 1941)
The Axis: (Far Right / Fascist countries)
Germany
Japan
Italy
World War II: in Europe
1942-43: US and British forces:
advance across North Africa
invade Sicily
begin long, slow invasion of Italy
Italy surrenders,
but German forces remain there, fighting.
Hitler orders invasion of Soviet Union in 1941.
Eastern front
US Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
is named Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe.
D-Day
June 6, 1944
Allied invasion of Europe.
Largest amphibious invasion in history.
Allies cross the English Channel from Britain into Normandy, France.
Create “Second Front.”
1944-45
US, British, and French forces push toward Berlin from the west.
Soviet forces push toward Berlin from the east.
US and Soviet forces link up in Germany.
May 1945
Germany surrenders unconditionally to the Allies.
Hitler: suicide
The war in Europe ends.
Division of Germany
Germany, and Berlin itself, are divided into four zones of occupation:
US
Soviet Union
France
Britain
World War II: in the Pacific
US Gen. Douglas MacArthur
Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in the Pacific
Battle of the Coral Sea
Early 1942:
US Navy stops Japanese advance toward Australia.
First setback for Japanese.
Carrier battle.
Fought with airplanes—
Ships never saw each other.
Battle of Midway
June 1942
Turning point of Pacific war.
Japanese coded signals
US carrier fleet surprises larger Japanese fleet at Midway Island.
destroys several Japanese carriers.
US now on the offensive.
1942-45 in the Pacific
“Island-hopping” toward Japan
US liberates Philippines
US captures Iwo Jima and Okinawa
Close to Japan.
Firebombing of Japan.
Nov. 1944:
FDR wins 4th term.
April 1945:
FDR dies.
Harry S Truman becomes US president.
US prepares for invasion of Japan.
“Manhattan Project”
US effort to develop atomic weapons.
Robert Oppenheimer
Truman authorizes use of atomic bombs against Japan,
to end the war sooner.
“Little Boy” is dropped on Hiroshima.
No response from Japan.
“Fat Man” dropped on Nagasaki.
Japan surrenders unconditionally to the United States.
The United Nations
In 1943, Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin had agreed to create the UN.
New York City.
Security Council = winners of the war.
1945: Nuremburg Trials
Surviving Nazi leaders:
Convicted of crimes against humanity
The Holocaust
6 million Jews killed
End of US Isolationism
US a major player in world affairs.
US Senate ratifies UN charter by 89-2 vote.
“Bipolar world”
Western Europe:
reduced in global stature.
End of Colonialism.
US and Soviet Union dominate the globe.
Coming of the Cold War

Origins of the Cold War

Postwar America

“The American Century”

Vastly increased involvement in world affairs.

1946:


The World Bank

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

US shapes the modern world economy
US leads “the free world”

vs. Soviet Union & communism

The Welfare State

In the US and Western Europe.

Fear of the consequences of “too many” poor people.

Greater government involvement in the economic well-being of the people.

Prosperity in the US

50% of the world’s GNP

The “Baby Boom”

Discontent among minorities and women

The Cold War Begins

Stalin:

refuses to withdraw Red Army from Eastern Europe

Or hold free elections

Confrontation with US and allies

Churchill: “Iron Curtain”

“Containment”

US approach to dealing with the Soviet Union.

Suggested in 1946.

Prevent the further spread of communism.

This meant “Cold War”-

= no direct military clash between US and Soviet Union.
Ultimately successful.

“Truman Doctrine”

US would do whatever necessary to prevent spread of communism.

The Marshall Plan

Extensive US economic aid to postwar Western Europe.

“McCarthyism”

US Senator Joseph McCarthy

Stirred up anti-communist hysteria in US

“Red Scare”

Eventually discredited.

1948: Berlin Airlift

Stalin attempts to take control of West Berlin


US: round-the-clock airlift for weeks.

Stalin gives up.
The Berlin Wall (1961-89)

Built by communists to prevent escape to West

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

Est. 1949

Anti-communist

“Collective Security”


Western Europe, US, Canada, Turkey
The Warsaw Pact

Soviet version

1949

Soviet Union develops atomic bombs.


Nuclear arms race.

“MAD” -- Mutually Assured Destruction

Led to war by proxy in the Third World
1949

Communist revolution in China.

“Who lost China?”

US fears worldwide communist takeover.

Fear of “domino effect.”
The Korean War
Pre-war situation:
North = communist
South = non-communist
38th parallel divided them
slowly becomes actual international border
The Korean War
How did it start?
Controversial.
Stalin ordered it?
Chinese urged it?
N. Korea alone?
North Korea attacks South, June 25, 1950.
Push S. Korean forces & US forces down to “Pusan Perimeter”
Korean refugees flee communist attacks
US demands action from UN
No Soviet or Chinese representative thereNo veto!
Gen. Douglas MacArthur
Leads “UN” force (mostly US) against North Korea
Landings at Inchon
behind NK lines.
Push North Koreans back up the peninsula.
Questions:
Should we stop or keep going?
What are the “war aims?”
What is the stated goal of the war?
How do you define “victory” here?
Liberate South? Conquer North?
One lesson of Korea:
Define goal in advance,
and stop when you achieve it.
US/UN forces cross 38th parallel and keep going.
China issues warning.
US ignores.
US at Yalu River (China border) by October 25.
300,000 Chinese troops cross Yalu River on Nov. 25.
US/UN forces are pushed back to 30 miles south of Seoul, S.Korea.
“An entirely new war.”
--MacArthur
April 1951: Truman fires MacArthur
for “insubordination”
1951-53: Fighting along 38th parallel.
Stalemate.
1953: Armistice.
38th parallel becomes international border.
Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)
4 km wide
US forces are still there.
54,200 US casualties.
Today:
North Korea
impoverished and hostile to world.
Few friends.
Nuclear weapons program.
South Korea
modern, prosperous nation.
US ally.