The Beginnings of World War II

US Begins the Pacific Theatre, The Battle for Normandy,

and V-E Day

Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

I. Early War Difficulties

A. Strengths and Weaknesses1. Axis: Secured power in areas they had invaded / Better Prepared for War2. Allies: Soviet Army (size) / U.S. Military production ability

B. Mobilizing for War1. Production Boom of the 1940’s

a. Employment: ‘40= 22K Factory Workers / ’44 = 486K Factory Workersb. Wartime Economy: No Cars Made No Strikes, Food Production is Raised

C. War in the Pacific (The Pacific Theatre)1. Military Strength

a. Japan outnumbers the USb. US Caught off guard / Japs take Manila, Philippines, Taiwanc. Forces US to retreat to Australia [ Mac: “I shall return”]

2. Battle of the Coral Sea [Defense] a. Major Allie victory / Stops Japs advance to Australia

3. Battle of Midway [Defense]a. “Object A” in Japs code language / Broke their codeb. Navy of Jap significantly reducedc. Biggest turning point in the war / Morale had been low

4. Guadalcanal [1st US Pacific Offensive]

After Midway, the US begins to dominate the Pacific

D. War in Europe (European Theatre) 1. 1941: Axis control much of Europe / France falls in Dec. ’41

a. Soviet Union—Stalingradi. German troops have pushed to the edge of Moscowii. FDR Promises Stalin to begin a 2nd front in W. Europe

I. America and the Home frontA. Promoting the War (Domestic Propaganda)

1. Movies, Plays, Radio, Media

B. Life in Wartime America1. Every thought, idea and action was focused on wining the war2. Massive nationalism efforts3. Conservation

a. Rubber, iron, metal, aluminum was recycledb. Daylight Savings Time began as a way to increase productivity time

in summer and conserve oil in the winter.

C. Japanese Relocation Camps1. Internment Camps

a Camps set up for Japanese-Americans to live for “their safety”b. Primarily for West Coast Japanese citizens

*More on this Thursday…2. Hawaii: Placed under Marshall Law for duration of war

II. Allies Begin to Push Into EuropeA. Europe-Early 1943

1. North Africaa. Take control of Axis strongholds in Morocco and Algeriab. Prevent Axis control of Suez Canal

2. Italy – Operation Torcha. Need a launch pad for Italian mainland / Take Sicily

i. Allows for B-24 air raids in to N. Italy and S. Germanyb. Months of fighting and bombing…eventually take Rome

i. Rome is the 1st Axis Capital to fall to the Allied Powers

Stalin and Churchill want FDR to start a Western Front in France

III. FDR Starts the European Theatre The Allies knew they had to attack in secret…but how do you invade a

continent w/o the enemy knowing about it?

A. Mock invasion 1. Massive “fake” buildup about 100 miles north of actual invasion

i. Causes the Germans to send almost all of their forces there

B. Actual Invasion Point: Normandy, France*Operation Overlord

1. 5 Beaches: Utah, Omaha, Juno, Sword, Gold

2. 150-200 K Troops (Casualty rate = 30%)

3. Success / Hitler’s Mistake

Germany now has a two front war (Stalin in East, Allies in West)

The view of the channel from Point du hoc

Utah Beach at low tide

Point du hoc

Omaha Beach

“Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory

foothold and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this

time and place was based on the best information

available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that

bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame

or fault attaches to the attempt, it is mine, and mine

alone.”

In his haste to write his resignation letter, he mistakenly dated it July 5th

instead of June 5th.

“To these we owe the high resolve, that the cause for which they died shall live”

C. Hitler viewed the Holocaust as the “Final solution to the Jewish question”1. Genocide

a. Death Campsi. Auschwitzii. Treblinka All Located in Poland .. Why?iii. Majdanek

2.Big Three @ Yaltaa. FDR, Churchill, Stalin

i. Discussion as to what to do with Germany after the warb. Stalin promises to help America with Japan in Pacific

D. Final Assault on Berlin1. Fire Bombing of Dresden, Germany

a. B-24’s bombed city for 13 days using “fire bombs”b. US is trying to break the “will” of the Germansc. Estimated that 35-75K civilians were killed

2. Berlin surrounded in early May 1945a. Knowing he had lost, Hitler kills himself

3. V-E Day: May 8, 1945

Remember, even though the war in Europe is over, the war in the Pacific continues…FDR is counting on Stalin to begin a Western Front against Japan…Remember, we

helped you, now it is your turn to help us!