Download File

WORLD WAR II
Unit Overview
ORGANIZING PRINCIPLE

The 1930s began with a Great Depression that kept all
American eyes fixed on domestic affairs. However, the
isolationism of the 1920s waned as a new international
menace threatened the future of democracy. At the close of
the decade, the United States was on the brink of war.
Japan’s decision to bomb Pearl Harbor pushed us over the
brink and dragged the U.S. into the conflict. During World
War II, America experienced changes that reached into
virtually every corner of the country. The conflict
revamped the economy and pulled us out of the Depression.
While the war effort started off as cumbersome, America
shaped up and prevailed on both fronts and redefined
America’s position in the world.
STORM CELLAR ISOLATIONISM & NEUTRALITY

Neutrality Acts of 1935, 36, and 37:
When the president proclaimed the existence of a foreign war
Americans could not :
 Sail on belligerent ships
 Transport goods on belligerent ships
 Sell or transport munitions to a belligerent
 Make loans to belligerents
 Abandons freedom of the seas

THE DEATH OF SPANISH DEMOCRACY

Spanish Civil War 1936-1939

General Francisco Franco (fascist
dictator)


The Loyalist Regime (republican
government)


Backed by Italy and Germany
Backed by the Soviet Union
Neutrality Acts leave Loyalists ill
equipped

FDR signs an arms embargo—for both sides
APPEASEMENT IN ASIA AND EUROPE

Japanese attack at Peking (China) 1937
FDR won’t call it a war—both sides can buy munitions
 FDR’s “Quarantine Speech”
 Panay incident


Nazi Germany





Compulsory service in military—Rhineland reoccupied
Luftwaffe—guns for butter
Anchluss 1938—Union with Austria
Krystallnacht 1938
Sudetenland (Czechoslovakia) 1938


Munich Pact 1938
 Gave Germans Sudetenland
Appeasement
 “Peace in our time”
HITLER’S AGGRESSION &
AMERICA’S UNNEUTRAL NEUTRALITY

Nonaggression Pact (1939)


Hitler invades Poland



Germany and Russia
01 September 1939—WWII begins
Blitzkrieg—lightning war
U.S. reaction

Neutrality Act of 1939


“Cash and Carry”
 Helps allies
Economic recovery
WAR IN EUROPE & THE FALL OF FRANCE
The “Phony War”
 Sitzkrieg: major powers do not attack each other
 Stalin annexes:
 Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—defeats Finland
 Germany takes:
 Denmark, Norway, and Low Countries
 German invasion:
 Through Ardennes—around the Maginot Line
 “Miracle at Dunkirk”
 Evacuation of British
 Italians invade from the South—converge of Paris
 France falls:
 Germans occupy northern France
 Nazi puppet government set up in southern France
 General Charles de Gaulle—gov’t. in exile

DESTROYERS FOR BASES

Fall of France pitted Britain v. Germany

Battle of Britain


Americans split


Isolation v. intervention
Tripartite Pact


Air battle to soften Great Britain for German invasion
Creates Axis Powers
Nazi U-boats barricade of British Isles

FDR acts:
 Grants Britain 50 old WWI Destroyers in exchange for eight
bases from New Foundland to S. America
LEND-LEASE BILL

“Arsenal for Democracy” of “Blank Check Bill”

1940—Britain is running out of money
Allies can borrow our equipment and return it after the war
 Approved by congress in March 1941
 Economic declaration of war
 By 1945—50 billion dollars of arms given to allies


Nazi U-boats start sinking American ships

5/21/41—Robin Moor
THE FOUR FREEDOMS &
THE ATLANTIC CHARTER

The Four Freedoms
1.
2.
3.
4.

Freedom of Speech and Expression
Freedom of Worship
Freedom from Want
Freedom from Fear
The Atlantic Charter

August 1941: FDR and Churchill

Eight Points—extremely “Wilsonian”
 Self determination
 Disarmament
 Total defeat of the Axis
HITLER INVADES THE SOVIET UNION

22 June 1941

Germany invades the
Soviet Union

Natural resources and
territory
U.S. extends $1 billion
in Lend-Lease money
for USSR
 Winter in Russia

WOLF-PACKS IN THE ATLANTIC

“Convoyed into War”



German response

USS Greer incident (September)



FDR issues shoot on sight policy
USS Kearny (October)

11 dead
USS Reuben James (October)


Lend-Lease munitions needed to be delivered safely
July 1941—FDR orders U.S. convoy to Iceland
Over 200 men dead
U.S. response

Congress approves armed
Merchant ships

Ships can enter war zones
PEARL HARBOR

Japan’s situation



1941


Bogged down by Chinese incident
(war)
War machine dependent upon U.S.
resources
U.S. lays embargo on Japan and
freezes assets is U.S.
Japanese response

“A date that will live in infamy”



07 December 1941
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor
 3,000 casualties
 8 battleships destroyed and crippled
 Aircraft destroyed
Congress declares war