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WWII Americans at War 1941 - 1945 The G.I. War “Government Issue” term for all soldiers sailors and aviators. G.I. Joe? Created in 1942 by Army Cartoonist. Became common term for Soldier and a popular series of books, comics, movies and toys. Diversity in the Armed Forces 300,000 Mexican Americans 1 million African Americans 350,000 Women 25, 000 Native Americans. NativeAmericans in the Military US needed a code that the Japanese couldn’t break. Used unwritten Native American languages that Japanese knew nothing about. Wind Talkers / Code Talkers Mostly Navajo African Americans in the Military At first limited African Americans to supporting roles Cooks, drivers, garbage pick up After 1942 – gave opportunities to fight. Segregated units (like WWI) Tuskegee Airmen Double V Campaign V stands for Victory. The “Double V” Campaign - a goal for African Americans to defeat racism overseas (Hitler/Hirohito) and racism at home in the U.S. Women in the military Personnel shortage allowed women into all positions EXCEPT combat. Clerks, typists, air traffic control, mechanics, photographers, drivers. Towed practice targets for anti-aircraft gunners. WAAC / WAC (Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps) WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) Navy Enlisting Public Support “Office of War Information” - like Comm. Public Information in WWI Writers and artists created posters and ads that stirred Americans’ patriotic feelings. How do you gear up for a war? Boost defense spending from 2 to 10 billion Encouraged enlistment Selective Service and Training Act First Peacetime Draft Preparing an Economy for War Because of the New Deal – the government had huge power over the economy. War Production Board – • Convert peacetime industries to produce war materials. • Like W.I.B. in WWI. “Arsenal of Democracy” American economic power was AWESOME! By 1944 American production levels doubled those of all the Axis powers combined. 1945 300,000 planes 80,000 landing craft 100,000 armored cars and tanks 6 million rifles 41 BILLION rounds of ammunition! Wartime Work Force War production ended all “Depression” unemployment. Wages rose by 50% between 1940 – 1945. Many women workers Rosie the Riveter “There’s a war on, you know!” Financing the War 1939 – US govt. spending was $8.9 billion. 1945 – US govt. spending was $95.2 billion!!!! How did we pay for the war? 41% paid for by higher taxes War bonds. Loan your money to government. • Pay back date with interest for the loan. • Like WWI How did we pay for the war? Went further into debt! 1940 – deficit spending made the US debt $43 billion. 1945 - $259 billion in debt! Shortages Zippers Rubber Nylon stockings Anything that had metal, rubber or nylon was needed for the war. Food Shortages too Between troop needs and enemy stopping supply lines. Sugar Tropical fruits Coffee Chocolate OPA! : Office of Price Administration When demand is greater than supply prices go UP! INFLATION! OPA set price limits. Sugar Coffee Meat Canned food Shoes Gas Ration Books Coupons with certain values allotted goods for the month. Based on family size Did consider distance and needs of farmers Motto “Play YOUR Part” “Conserve and Collect” “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without” What civilians were encouraged to do: Older men: join the Civilian Defense effort Kids: Scrap metal drives Women: Grow Victory Gardens Knit scarves and socks for the war Roll bandages for the Red Cross The Major Players of the Atlantic War; European Theatre of Operations (ETO) Churchill – Prime Minister of England Roosevelt – US President Josef Stalin – Chairman of Soviet Union Players for the Fascists Hitler – Germany Mussolini - Italy The Atlantic Charter August 1941 – Roosevelt/Churchill – Goals of Alliance There would be no enlargement of territories. Freedom of people to choose their government Final destruction of the Nazis. But where do we start from??? Battle of the Atlantic How to get supplies to the British? Use our economic power Wolf Packs 20 U-boats that hunted enemy convoys in packs. Took out 360 ships in 1942 alone. Some in sight of the US coastline. How to combat the Wolf packs? Long range sub hunting aircraft SONAR Better depth charges Cut off U-Boats from their ports in Germany and France. Liberty Ships – easy to make and repair. The Allied Air War B-17 Flying Fortress B- 24 “Liberators” Bombing of Axis Industry. Destroy their economy Carpet Bombing Ex.40,000 died in one day in Hamburg, Germany Fire Bombing – Dresden – Firestorms - 40,000 dead The Generals: Allies Dwight “Ike” Eisenhower (1890 – 1969) Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces Excelled at Staffing issues Diplomacy The Generals: United States George Patton : 1885 – 1945. As a boy knew he wanted to be a hero. LOVED war. Early on realized the potential for tanks. Did NOT have good diplomacy skills. The Generals: Allies England’s Field Marshal Montgomery – Not a particularly great general – but he made sure people thought he was great. Nazi Generals Rommel “The Desert Fox” Erwin Rommel (1891 – 1944) Great tank commander Used surprise and bold moves. Was NOT a member of the Nazi party The War in the Soviet Union “Great Patriotic War” Germans advance in Russia 1941 – 1942. Operation Barbarossa. Blitzkrieg tactics The War in the Soviet Union Nazis greeted as liberators by Russians who hated Stalin. But THEN Nazis turned on the local people. Executions Forced labor Russians engaged in guerrilla war against Nazis. Russia’s BEST weapons The Russian winter Many men “Scorched earth” Tactics Important Soviet Battles Siege of Leningrad (St. Petersburg today) 3 years long! one of the longest and most destructive sieges of major cities in modern history the second most lethal in WWII Important Soviet Battles Battle of Stalingrad “Turning Point” September 1942 – January 1943 Most lethal siege of a city in history. Battle of Stalingrad Nazi 750,000 killed, missing or wounded 91,000 captured Total: 841,000 casualties Russian 478,741 killed or missing 650,878 wounded and sick 40,000 civilians dead Total: 1,129,619 casualties Nazis begin to lose their holdings in Russia. Russia Asks for Help! Stalin wanted Roosevelt and Churchill to invade Western Europe Take pressure off Red Army. Repeat WWI “Two Front” war The North Africa Campaign Feb. 1942: US had their butts kicked by the Nazis - Kasserine Pass. May 1942: US came back, defeated Nazis in Tunisia 240,000 German and Italian prisoners. Nazis lose in North Africa El Alamein 23 Oct – 4 Nov 1942 Egyptian coastal city Allies win - a major turning point in North Africa Invasion of Italy: Start Retaking Europe. “Soft Underbelly” U.S. General Patton took Sicily and the English started to invade the mainland of Italy. Political Change in Italy Mussolini’s Fascists turned against him in 1943. Nazis rescue Mussolini but he’s caught by Italian Communists as he tried to escape to Germany. Killed in 1945 It sure wasn’t over yet! Battle of Anzio and Cassino trapped Allies from January – May 1944. Allies v. German Nazis April 1945 Italy was in Allied control. Invasion of Western Europe: DDay June 6, 1944 some 7,000 invasion craft left England for France. • 100,000 soldiers Largest Armada in History 1,000 aircraft dropped 23,000 paratroopers in France D-Day: Why June 6th? Weather – Tides prevented earlier attack. Flat open beaches in Normandy – land a lot of people at once. Coincidence - Rommel’s wife’s birthday! D-Day: Largest landing by sea in history Gold Juno Sword Omaha Utah D-Day: Utah Beach Landing was difficult – currents – but little resistance. Trouble happened later. Hedgerow fighting D-Day: Omaha Beach Killing Zone 12 major resistance points could fire down over every inch of the beach. Steep cliffs to climb D-Day Casualties Over 2,000 American (Omaha) 9,000 total Allied 2,000 German BUT By the next week 500,000 Allies were in France. Liberating France Patton used Blitzkrieg to blow a hole in Germans and advance out of Normandy. Liberated Paris August 25, 1944. The Battle of the Bulge: Germany fights back Dec 1944 Germans cut off part of the American army. Patton’s amazing movement in winter saved the American forces. 600,000 GI soldiers involved 80,000 killed, wounded 100,000 Germans killed http://lcweb2.loc.gov/amme m/collections/maps/wwii/es say1.html The War in Europe Ends Stalin’s Red Army approaching Germany from the East. British, American and French approaching from the West. The War in Europe Ends Russia was out for revenge for Nazi atrocities committed against them. 24 MILLION dead Russians. Crossing the Elbe River April 25, 1945 US and Russian troops joined up and pushed on into Berlin Russians given the honor of capturing Berlin. Germany Surrenders: V-E Day! April 30, 1945: Hitler commits suicide. May 8, 1945: Germany surrenders V-E: Victory in Europe.