USH:
WWII-Post Pearl Harbor to End
WWII NOTES
1. Selective Training and Service Act 1940
- Allowed people who were 18 to join the Military
- Instituted drafts
- Fist peacetime draft in US history- because we were not in the war yet
- Used until 1973 to fill military needs- after Vietnam
- after 1973, US military depended on volunteers to fill needs
2. Women's role in WWII
- Women started working
- Each military had a woman division, they worked in the military as nurses
- Traditionally just stayed at home, and were thought not to be as strong as men - worked in factories, red cross, farm workers, waitress, teachers, bus drivers, messengers, laundresses, typists, conductors, jobs that men traditionally had -Rosie The riveter-represented working women- used in propaganda
- Waves- woman's navy- many worked in the military, not directly but in training, testing, etc
- Women’s army corp.-photographers etc.
- WASP-women’s army service pilots-test aircrafts
3. African-American's role in WWII
- many registered for the draft
- They were segregated
- were not able to fight they thought they could not handle it
- Many of them volunteered to fight in ww2, they fought pretty good, the were segregated because they thought that they could not fight as well.
- Tuskegee Airmen- were the most famous- great bombing campaigns, showed that African American were good fighters, they really proved themselves in ww2
4. Asian's role in WWII
- After the Pearl Harbor many were forced from their homes
- Many volunteered for the U.S., they had to wear tags so people know that they were Japanese American soldiers, that way they would be thought to be original Japanese soldiers.
- If they did not fight they would stay at home and work in factories, and stuff.
5. Hollywood's role in WWII
- Started making a lot of movies showing how bad the German's were- Propaganda--Looney Tunes
- Bob hope- he worked with the U.S.O to help the troops to entertain the troop- no profit, still around today, since 1941--died in 2003.
- From 1941 to 1947 the USO presented more than 400,000 performances featuring many entertainers-Lucille Ball, John Wayne, Bing Crosby, etc.
6. Office of Price Administration
- Administration set up by FDR
- Set up how much people were Legally supposed to buy in order to give our troops enough food
- USO-United Service Organization-entertaining the troops --propaganda
- Ration food-never buy rationed food without ration stamps
- WWII was the last time the US rationed
- silk and nylon were rationed
- gas was rationed-4 gallons per week per family
- Black Market--get a b sticker instead of a sticker
- some people were arrested for false stickers
7. War Production Board
- made sure they kept up with supplies in WWII
- Established in 1942 by FDR
- Kilroy-JJ Kilroy-inspector of boxes-he would write Kilroy was here
8. National War Labor Board
- Created in 1942 by FDR
- To help arguments between employees and industries
- Made sure that no one strikes
- Worker-owner relations were smooth
9. Why the Home front helped win the war
- The women helped the war efforts by working in factories, and war production was high
- Made a lot of food and supplies
- Hollywood had propagandas –kept war positive ex. War bands
- NPA—National Price Administration
10. How US/Allies fought back against U-boats
- kept adding new weapons and they did not have as much as we did
- SPEED we made a lot of ships at a quick rate
- changed our naval code
- we could tell where they were through ultra
- our destroyers took down U-boats in Atlantic
- Ultra—intelligence gathering-to figure out where German U-boats were—magic—code name
- Radio info to ships
- Convoy System-go across in large groups, wolf packs-groups of submarines
11. Intelligence gathering--Ultra/Magic
- deciphered their encryption system
- used radio waves to type information-0s and 1s
- in code not German
- High level code-Ultra-ultra secret
- magic was code name
- war was shortened 4 to 2 years
- Italian Maphia would also spy
- Intercepting German code
- Magic was by U.S.-code name –Japanese code
- Used radar
- HFDF-locate U-boats below the surface
- Churchill understood the importance
- Enigma-machine that Germany used to transfer codes
- Hunter Killers-ships designed to go after U-boats
- Depth Charge-says how deep its going to go and the U-boat explodes
- BY 1943 the numbers of U-boats went down
- Get goods from US to Great Britain
12. Operation Barbarossa (USSR vs. Germany)
MY TOPIC SEE ASSIGNED BLOG #6
- Despised slaves
- Wanted Ukraine for farmland
- Could use people as slave labor
- It would further isolate the allies
- Lebensraum
- Wanted oil fields in the Caucasus mountains
- Didn’t trust Stalin propaganda showed that Stalin was planning to attack Germany
- The western front fighting was over (except GB)
- Operation Barbarossa—Germany invaded Russia, and was the largest operation in World History
- ¾ of all German troops were involved in O.B.
- Leningrad, Stalingrad, Moscow,
- Moscow: Capital: Mockby-Moscow in Russian
- 280,000-400,000 Germans
- over 650,000 Russians
- Furious that his army was unable to take Moscow
- Hitler took control and made all military decisions afterwards
- Led to many experienced German officers to go against Hitler
- Hitler surrounded himself with officers
- Leningrad-Siege- surround and blockade-starve (SEE BLOG ASSIGNMENT #6)
- Leningrad never surrendered-400000 died of evacuation and 642000 during siege
13. Battle in Africa and Italy
Africa
- Operation Torch-Get control of Morocco
- Got control of Morocco
- Got control of Tunisia
- Wanted to get troops out of Tunisia
- Axis Powers surrendered in 1943.
- The Italian colonies in Africa were taken over
- Erwin Rommel- The Desert Fox—German General-turned on Hitler-later committed suicide because he was blamed for attempted murder
- George Patton-him and Montgomery did not like each other (very competitive and large egos) died in an automobile accident
- Operation Torch-like a minor D-Day invasion
- Tank warfare was common in Africa
- January 1942-had a conference saying that we would not make a deal with Germany that the Nazis could stay in control – Germany had to surrender unconditionally-longer war
- June July 1943-defeated Germany
Italy
- 2nd area we fought after Africa
- Soft underbelly of Europe-weakest part of Europe-Winston Churchill
- Stalin called for invasion of France
- Canada and British forces invaded Sicile-allies won but axis powers could draw their troops from Italy.
- Allies wanted to get to Rome next-got control later
- Allies got through the gothic line
- Axis powers had to surrender when allies got through the Apennine mountains – High ground-tough
- Tuskegee Institute
14. US Generals-Marshall, Eisenhower, Patton, MacArthur, Nimitz, Bradley
Marshall
- Churchill appointed him as organizer of victory but did not fight
- Noble peace prize for the Marshall Plan
- George C. Marshall-Chief staff of military
- Supreme allied commander
Dwight Eisenhower
- Became president for 8 years-Republican
14. US Generals-Marshall, Eisenhower, Patton, MacArthur, Nimitz, Bradley
- George C. Marshall- guy at DC making decisions.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower- IKE- Supreme Allied Comandar in Europe. D-Day and battle of the bulge
- George Patton- Africa against Rommel. Moved up to Europe
- Famous General in WWII-
- Best known for his leadership
- First commander in WWII
- Worked on aircrafts and other stuff
- He was in charge of their uniforms
- He traveled with his troops
- Tough – did not accept cussing
- Got in trouble for roughing up with the soldiers
- Did not like him but they respected him
- Died in an automobile accident at age 60
- Douglas MacArthur- Head of Army for Japan
- 1903-1951-chief of staff in the us army
- he received a medal of honor for his services
- he attempted a series of reforms
- he was the army general in charge of the army in Japan
- Chester Nimitz- Navy general. Head of Navy of Japan
- He thought that he was going to be an army afficer only had enough room in navy
- Got accepted into the navy academy
- Chief of staff for the pacific against Japan
- Omar Bradley- Africa and D Day
- Foamous WWII general fought in Africa, Germany, and later Europe
15. D-Day-Operation Overlord
- Startee with the fall of France
- Allied Forces invaded German-Occupied France
- Happened on June 6, 1944
- It was postponed because the weather was bad
- 12,000 planes
- airborn assualt
- 2-part process
- 1. an airborn assualt landing of 24,000 British, American, Canadian, and Free French airborne troops shortly after midnight
- 2. an amphibious landing of Allied infantry and armored divisions on the coast of France starting at 6:30 AM
- 36,976 killed
- Largest amphibious
- Wanted hitler to get this information so he thought the attack was coming to the north, but the allied forces went to Omaha beach
- 10,000 casualties (6,600 U.S)
- THE ATLANTIC WALL
- 1942-1944
- Hitler built the Atlantic Wall
- To stop the English and the US from invading France
16. Battle of the Bulge
- · Largest and most costly battle for the United States
- · Germany’s last offensive in the western front
- · Took the allied troops by surprise-took place in Belguim
- · Gain control of ____river
- · Hitler's last attempt to defeat Allies front line
- Coldest and snowiest winter on record
- Germans created a bulge in the Front Line
- Panzers
- Worst battle for the US in WWII
- Massive German Offenceive
- Worse than D Day
- Malmedy Massacre—worst of germany soldiers in WWII
- German lost a lot of oil
17. FDR Dies-Truman takes over
- Paralyzed from waste down from Polio
- FDR died right before Hitler commited suicide
- Died of ceribral brain stroke. Blood flow stoped to some rooms
- Truman was in the military was a member of the National Guard
- Truman was responible of the atomic bombs at Japan
- Working with ending racisum
- 2nd term upset
- Very unpopular in 2nd term
- Fired MacArther
18. VE Day
- Victory in Europe day
- Day that the axis powers surrender May 8, 1945
19. Battle in the Pacific-Island Hopping, Philippines, Coral Sea, Midway, Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, Okinawa,(2 of the six)
Japan by 1942 had a lot of area
- Island hopping –go from island to island taking over until they hit Japan
- Naval bases-land air craft
- Good strategy—didn’t have to take the time—saved time—less important islands will surrender since they will run out of food
- Atomic bomb instead
Battles
- Philippines--June 19-20-1944-took them over instead of help them-December 7, 1941 Japan also attacked the Philippines-Gerald Douglas MacArthur-war against Japan-May 1942 we surrendered to the Philippines-BATAAN DEATH MARCH—thousands of American Filipinos/ Filipinos were forced to march about 6*20 thousand people died-worst atrocity-something terrible that happened to them-60 miles-characterized as physical abuse or murder. -Macarthur’s triumphal return-“I will return.”-US won
- Coral Sea—May 4-8-1942-major naval battle between Japanese and Allied naval forces US and Australia- first battle to fleet-Victory for US-first time Japan didn’t win-first action in which aircraft carriers engaged each other-able to stop Japanese advance-might have gone into Australia
- Midway—June 4-7, 1942-6 months after pearl harbor-Japan planned to control the island-Jap. Aimed to eliminate the us as a strategic power –our first true victory-Japan Navy suffered heavy losses never recovered from this battle-Magic played a vital role in the Allied Victory
- Guadalcanal—first battle where the US took the offensive-August 7,1942 and February, 9,1943-Midway was fought only by boats ships and airplanes and Guadalcanal was fought by invasion-resulted in Japan eventual surrender and the end of WWII.—Kamikaze-divine wind
- Iwo Jima—Offensive by US against Japan- Mount Suribachi-hard battle we couldn’t see them but they could see us-6800 US soldiers died-
- Okinawa—an invasion-186000 troops landed-US and Japan-by this time we were bombing Japan with conventional bombs-
- Atomic bombs that prevented them from doing that
20. Navajo Code Talkers
21. Doolittle's Raid
22. Manhattan Project
23. Hiroshima bombing
24. Nagasaki bombing
25. VJ Day
26. Yalta Conference
27. Nuremburg Trials
28. Japanese Internment Camps in US
29. Why did the Allies win WWII?
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