Post on 22-Dec-2015
US Enters WWII
American Moving Toward War…
• March 1941 – Lend-Lease to Allies • Summer 1941 – US escorting British ships carrying arms
• Hitler orders the sinking of all merchant vessels (including US ships)
• US ordered to shoot U-Boats on sight
• ATLANTIC CHARTER – meeting between FDR and Churchill to discuss what to do with post-Nazi Europe• Self-determination• Conduct trade
Churchill & FDR at the signing of the Atlantic Charter
Hitler and the US
• Thought the USA was fat and weak, not motivated for war
• Did not want war with US until the Nazis controlled all of Europe
Japan on the Move
• Oct 1940 – US cracks Japanese codes• Watch as Japan conquers China,
then Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos in July of 1941
• US response• Cut oil exports to Japan
• Summer 1941 – tries to negotiate lasting peace with US
The Dagger at the Throat
• US in Philippines could attack at any time to flank of Japanese assault on Asia• Unacceptable risk…
Japanese on the Offensive
• Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto planned attack at Pearl Harbor to take US out of war on first day• Sleeping Giant
• Attack plan:• Aircraft carriers• Other ships• Oil Tanks
7 December 1941
• 2,300 dead
• 1,100 hurt
• 19 ships sunk or badly damaged
US Declares War!
Greater Assault
• Japanese also take Hong Kong, Guam, Wake, Thailand, Dutch East Indies, Burma• India is threatened
• January 1942 – took the Philippines• Bataan Death March
• 16,000 of 70,000 die
• 9 April 1942 – forced transfer of Filipino and American POWs
Japanese Empire - 1942
“Tokyo Rose”
• Nickname of any 12 radio women broadcasting propaganda from Japan to weaken American morale• Would name units and soldiers to freak
out the GI’s
The Doolittle Raid
• April 1942• 16 B-25
bombers under Jimmie Doolittle
• Morale boosting raid on Japan
Stopping the Unstoppable
• May 1942 - Battle of the Coral Sea• First battle using
solely aircraft carriers in history
• Allies lose many ships but stop the Japanese advance
• Prevented the invasion of Australia
Midway – Why so Important?
• Gave US advantage in aircraft carriers
• Superior US production ensured gradual rollback of Japanese from here
Turning the Tide
• June 1942 – Midway Island• Code breakers told US that
Japan was heading toward the island
• First Japanese naval defeat since 1863
• In hours, 332 planes are downed, 4 aircraft carriers sunk
• Turning point in the Pacific theater