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Lesson 23 WW II – America on the Sidelines Lesson Objectives • Describe U.S. participation in the Battle of the Atlantic prior to December 1941. • Describe and analyze the challenge of the Battle of the Atlantic to U.S. national interest. • Describe and analyze how the actions and decisions of the U.S. prior to its formal entry into World War II placed it in a stronger position after the attack on Pearl Harbor. • Describe and analyze President Franklin Roosevelt’s policy and strategy for involving the United States in the European war prior to December 7, 1941. Review Allied Strategy in Battle of the Atlantic • Protect existing shipping • Build to replace shipping losses, expand fleet • Go on the offensive against the U-boats Allied Strategy in Battle of the Atlantic • Protect existing shipping • Employ convoy system immediately • Increase escort capability Remember this one? History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes. Attributed to Samuel Clements (1835-1910) Unrestricted America Gets Submarine InvolvedWarfare … again! February 1, 1917 Germany resumes unrestricted sub warfare April 6, 1917 U.S. declares war on Germany August 17, 1940 Hitler Declares Unrestricted Blockade Around British Isles September 2, 1940 Destroyers For Bases Agreement Why did FDR not ask for declaration of war? Destroyers For Bases September 2, 1940 US provided 50 WW I destroyers in exchange for bases Destroyers For Bases September 2, 1940 US provided 50 WW I destroyers to UK in exchange for bases: Newfoundland, Bermuda, West Indies, Guiana Destroyers For Bases September 2, 1940 US provided 50 WW I destroyers in exchange for bases Bases in Newfoundland, Bermuda, West India, Guiana Destroyers became Royal Navy Town-class • Named for North American cities and towns with namesake in UK Example: … became HMS Lewes Events September 2, 1940 September 16, 1940 Destroyers For Bases Agreement Selective Training and Service Act • First US “peacetime” draft Jan-March 1941 American-British Staff Conference American-British Staff Conference Washington, DC - Jan-Mar 1941 Discussed issues of coalition warfare “Germany First” decision • In the event of war with Germany & Japan, defeat of Germany would have highest priority “Made before American entry into World War II, in the context of a world threatened by Axis aggression in Europe and Asia, the judgment that Germany must be defeated first stands as the most important single strategic concept of the war.” Louis Morton "Germany First: The Basic Concept of Allied Strategy in World War II" Command Decisions, Kent Roberts Greenfield (ed) Washington: US Army Center of Military History, 2000 Events September 2, 1940 September 16, 1940 Destroyers For Bases Agreement Selective Training and Service Act • First US “peacetime” draft Jan-March 1941 American-British Staff Conference March 11, 1941 Lend-Lease Act Lend-Lease Act ( 3:52 ) Lend-Lease Lend-Lease Act (March 11, 1941) President of the United States authorized to "sell, transfer title to, exchange, lease, lend, or otherwise dispose of, to any such government [whose defense the President deems vital to the defense of the United States] any defense article". • No repayment requirement - > $50 B transferred Significance • US officially became a logistics participant in the war • Added further emphasis to US mobilization Events September 2, 1940 September 16, 1940 Destroyers For Bases Agreement Selective Training and Service Act • First US “peacetime” draft Jan-March 1941 American-British Staff Conference March 11, 1941 Lend-Lease Act April 4, 1941 British ships allowed for repairs April 24, 1941 US warships report German navy moves July 1941 US assumed occupation of Iceland Occupation of Iceland Critical Location April 9, 1940 - Denmark occupied by Germany May 10, 1940 - British invade & occupy Iceland July 1941 - US Marines assume occupation responsibility Occupation of Iceland US Marines in Iceland Events August 9-12, 1941 Roosevelt & Churchill meet in Newfoundland Roosevelt departs Library of Congress www.loc.gov/exhibits/british/britobje.html The Atlantic Conference Argentia, Newfoundland August 9-12, 1941 The Atlantic Conference Atlantic Charter Joint declaration of August 14, 1941 Established Allied vision for a post-war world Major Principles: 1. No territorial gains sought by the United States or the United Kingdom. 2. Territorial adjustments in accord with wishes of the peoples concerned. 3. People have a right to self-determination. 4. Trade barriers to be lowered. 5. Global economic cooperation and advancement of social welfare. 6. Freedom from want and fear to be enforced. 7. Freedom of the seas 8. Disarmament of aggressor nations and postwar common disarmament Events September 1, 1941 US warships escort convoys containing US vessels September 11, 1941 US warships ordered to “shoot on sight” Events October 31, 1941 USS Reuben James sunk by U-boat • 100 killed USS Reuben James DD-245 Link Escort Vessels Royal Navy hard pressed in all theaters of operation Not enough destroyers (standard escort) Still needed “numbers” to protect convoys everywhere U.S. Shipbuilding Steps In Available shipbuilding capacity New ocean escort design: Destroyer Escort HMS Cosby, one of 78 DE’s provided to RN Provided to Britain under Lend-Lease Act Destroyer Escorts (DE) Fleet destroyer Fletcher class Destroyer Escort Cannon class Destroyer escorts did not need speed of fleet destroyers • 21 knots vs. 35 knots for destroyers DEs could be smaller, cheaper, easier to produce Destroyer Escorts (DE) USS Slater (DE-766) Displacement: 1,240 tons (std) 1,620 tons (full) Dimensions: 306' (oa), 300' (wl) x 36' 10" x 11' 8" (max) Armament: 3 x 3"/50 Mk22 (1x3), 1 twin 40mm Mk1 AA, 8 x 20mm Mk 4 AA, 3 x 21" Mk15 TT (3x1), 1 Hedgehog Projector Mk10 (144 rounds), 8 Mk6 depth charge projectors, 2 Mk9 depth charge tracks Machinery: 4 GM Mod. 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, 6000 shp, 2 screws Speed: 21 knots Range: 10,800 nm @ 12 knots Crew: 15 / 201 Source Building DEs Prefabricated DE parts arrive at Mare Island CA from Denver Building DEs DE construction techniques Building DEs Rolling out a completed DE hull Bay City, MI ! Building DEs DEs Fitting Out Hingham, MA Allied Strategy in Battle of the Atlantic • Protect existing shipping • Build to replace shipping losses, expand fleet • Expand US shipbuilding industry • Apply mass production techniques to shipbuilding Ships Lost vs. Built 1939 - 1941 Source All was ruled by that harsh and despotic factor, shipping. Winston S. Churchill, The Second World War, Volume III, The Grand Alliance 1950 Liberty Ships Based on a British design • Simple, welded hull • Proven 1890-era steam engine Originally tagged “ugly duckling” by FDR “Liberty” campaign by Maritime Commissioner Emory Land changed image • First ship: Patrick Henry • Liberty Fleet Day: 15 ships launched across country (Sept. 27, 1941) US Shipbuilding US Maritime Commission Source Henry J. Kaiser Industrialist (1882-1967) Began in construction: Hoover Dam, Grand Coolee Dam, SF Bay Bridge Joined with Todd Shipbuilding (1939) Built two new shipyards: Richmond CA & Portland OR Introduced mass production techniques to build standardized ships • Liberty ships, Victory ships; C-1, C-2, C-3 cargo; T-1, T-2, T-3 tankers Record for one Liberty ship: 4 days, 15 hours, 30 minutes Source Shipyards Kaiser Shipyard - Richmond, CA 1943 Workforce Rosie the Riveter Norman Rockwell - 1943 Source "Your must tell your children, putting all modesty aside, that without us, without women, there would have been no spring in 1945." Source Rosie the Riveter Update The Riveter The Rifleman Steve Breen, San Diego Union-Tribune January 25, 2013 Workforce Rosie the Riveter Wanda the Welder Mass Production Techniques Mass Production Techniques Mass Production Techniques Mass Production Techniques Mass Production Techniques The Finished Product Record for one Liberty ship: 4 days, 15 hours, 30 minutes Liberty Ships SS Jeremiah O’Brien National Liberty Ship Memorial Speed: 11 knots Royal Navy Photo One of 2,718 built at 17 US shipyards Source Source Victory Ships Larger, faster than Liberty ship 550 built SS United Victory Source T-2 Tankers 533 built Source SS Huntington Hills (completed in 33 days) • 523 feet long overall • 68 foot beam Source • 30 foot draft • 10,448 Gross tons • 21,880 Loaded displacement tons • 6,000 shaft horsepower Turbo-Electric propulsion • Speed 14.5-16 knots Aircraft on “skeleton deck” • Liquid capacity 141,200 barrels (nearly 6 million gal) Source Concrete Ships SS Arthur Talbot Shortage of steel caused search for alternatives. Concrete ships had been tried in WW I with limited success. WW II: 24 built in Tampa beginning in 1942 but with limited use • Two crossed Atlantic and were used as breakwaters • Others used for training in US ConcreteShips.org Next: Lesson 22 WW II -- Second Battle of the Atlantic, Pt 2 End