Download World War II - Winter Sports School in Park City

World War II
Overview
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1939-1945 Worldwide military
conflict
2 Conflicts: Japan in Asia,
Germany in Europe
An estimated 40-60 million people
died
Civilian populations as targets
56 Nations involved
Two “Super Powers” emerged: U.S.
and Soviet Union
The Players
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Japan aims to be richest nation in the
world-invades Manchuria 1931-2 and
China 1937
Germany- Nazi rise to power fueled by
resentments over Treaty of Versailles
Italy- Fascist dictator Mussolini seized
power in 1922, invaded Ethiopia 1935
Spain- Francisco Franco is supported by
Hitler in Spanish Civil War
Soviet Union- Led by Joseph Stalin, first
an ally of Germany, then invaded by
Germany in 1941
Pearl Harbor
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US focus on support of European allies
9/27/1940, Japan officially joins “Axis Alliance”
Japan aims to conquer all of SE Asia
Roosevelt freezes Japanese assets and cuts off oil
after Japan invades Indochina (Vietnam, Laos,
Cambodia)
Dec. 7, 1941 Japan responds by attacking Pearl
Harbor
200 American planes badly damaged
2,400 Americans dead, 1,200 wounded
Same day Japan struck U.S. bases in Philippines,
Guam, and Wake Island
Dec. 8 1941, US joined WWII
At Home
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Primary focus became PRODUCTION
Numerous agencies emerge under the War
Powers Act to sell the war and prevent
subversion of the war effort
War cost- $250 million/day
New Deal agencies vanished
War effort created largest economic boom
in the history of any nation
Federal government begins spending vast
amounts of money on defense related
production
Economy and Industry
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17 million new jobs created, gains distributed
unevenly
American workers were 2x as productive as the
Germans, 5x the Japanese
Government investments in the military benefited
and transformed many regions…..these regions
became reliant on defense production
Large numbers of women and minorities joined
the workforce in newly opened positions
Strikers and labor unions gained power before
the war by having the upper hand in
negotiations…labor demand
Food and Families
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American farmers couldn’t keep up with
international demand or domestic market
Food, gas and clothing rationed by
government = everyone was affected by
the war
Diet changes, packaged meals (Kraft mac
and cheese)
Marriages and divorces skyrocketed
Childcare became a problem with both
parents working
Internment Camps
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Fear of Japanese invasion and suspected loyalty
of Japanese Americans led to the worst violation
of civil liberties during the war.
Financial assets of 1st generation Japanese
American’s frozen 12/8/1941
112,000 people were forced to relocate to
internment camps, some for up to 4 years
Many families received no more than 1week
notice to close businesses and homes
Internment camps located in Western military
areas, small rooms, army cots, no lights, stoves
or washrooms, “American concentration camps”
Formal apology and reparations given in 1988
Topaz, Utah
Weapons and Technology
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Airplanes and tanks gave mobility
and firepower = mobile war
Two-way radios transmission and
other improvements in
communication
Sub-sinking destroyers, landing craft
and amphibious vehicles, trucks and
jeeps
Chemical and nuclear weapons
Allied Offensive
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Allies invade Europe, Africa and Pacific
Allies win major victories in France, Italy ,
Tunisia, Egypt, Belgium, and Soviet Union
It takes 6 months after Pearl Harbor to
regain military superiority in Pacific
Map pg 695
General Douglas MacArthur in Pacific,
Dwight Eisenhower and George Patton in
Europe
Holocaust
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U.S. government released little info
during the war
Major news sources treated killings
as minor news items
Government resisted intervention,
thought it a diversion of valuable
resources
Killed 6 million Jews, and millions of
other “inferior races”
The End
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Unconditional surrender
Europe:
• Italy surrendered Sept. 8 1943
• Bombing of German cities -> several hundred
thousand civilian deaths
• Hitler commits suicide & Germany surrenders
• VE Day May 8, 1945
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Asia:
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MAJOR bombing campaign, Tokyo & others
Controversy over Russia and atomic bombs
Aug. 6 1945 Hiroshima, Aug. 9 Nagasaki
VJ Day Aug. 14 1945