History Notes
United States
Pearl Harbor
Japan had three attacks plan
Followed through with 2 they thought they did enough so they stopped the third wave
Destroy weapons and ships and gas
Their goal was to knock us out before we got in which was not what happened
Many Americans didn't want to get in the war that it wasn't out problem but Pearl Harbor made people want to enlist and lie about their age or buy war bonds
December 8,1941 FDR declared war
Why did Japan attack us?
US stopped trading with Japan after they attacked the French in 1940
Japan signed the Soviet- Japanese Neutrality Pact in April, 1941 guaranteeing that Japan and USSR would not go to war
Japan realized they needed to trade with US to be successful in war
Only way to force US hand was to hit them hard in a surprise attack forcing them out of war
Japan knew that this plan was a huge risk but they thought it was the only way
Backdoor to War Conspiracy
We gave Japan no other chance so we stopped trading with them and took away trade with them
We wanted to get to Germany
Philippines
United states soldiers were forced to travel with lack of needs
Several people died
Bataan Death March
Were forced by Japanese
10,000 Filipinos died
650 Americans died
Doolittle Raids April 1942
Dropped bombs on Tokyo
Dripped the bombers before they took off aircraft carriers
Turning point for the United States and Japan
Stalemate
Corral Sea 1942
Battle of Midway June 1942
7 months after Pearl Harbor
Islands were landing strips to refuel
We broke their codes
Island Hopping
Not to hit every island
Hit one island skip some hit the next until they reach Japan
Battle of Guadalcanal
First time the Untied States
We went on the offensive
Kamikazes
Load planes with bombs and drive them right into ships
Loosing strategies
Destroying their own planes and they couldn't rebuild fast enough
Summer 1945 Preparing for the Invasion of Japan
Operation Downfall
Planned for October, 1945
Estimated to have over 1 million casualties
Estimated to have 267,000 deaths
Why did this never take place
Manhattan Project
Einstein wrote a letter to FDR
Manhattan Projects
1939-1945
People building the bombs had know idea what was happening
6 years in the making
Trinity Test July 16, 1945
First atomic bomb testing
The Cold War, 1945-1990, US v. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
The Cold War Definition
A political (US democracy v. USSR communism), strategic, and ideological struggle between the US and the Soviet Union from 1945-1990
Spread throughout the world- Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America
Communism v. Democracy
Democracy: form of government in which people have the ultimate say
Theory of Communism: the poor will rise up and overthrow the rich and create a classist society where everyone is equal
Practice of Communism: dictatorship, no freedoms, not a lot of opportunities
Laos, North Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, China
Socialism v. Capitalism
Capitalism: people own businesses, income inequality
Socialism: everyone is paid equally, everything is provided
History of the Soviet Union
Bolshevik Revolution
Lenin goes to Russia and starts the communist revolution
Russia drops out of WWI to fight in the Bolshevik revolution
Communists win
Lenin takes over
Stalin takes power
Starts purging people he can't trust
Starts collectivization (government taking farms)
Starts nationalization (government takes businesses)
Soviet-German Non-Aggression Pact
War with Germany in WWII after Germany invaded them
Battle of Berlin (April-May, 1945)- USSR wins
Causes of the Cold War
Different political systems
US is based on democracy, capitalism, and freedom
USSR is based on dictatorship, communism, and control
The Red Scare- 1919
US was fearful that communism was going to come to the US
We stopped immigration
We had the Palmer Raids where we deported communists and radicals
Took away people's rights
Both thought their system was better and distrusted the others intentions
Stalin despised capitalism
Distrust during WWII, lack of communication
Worked together reluctantly
Stalin was ticked off (he thought US was playing games in North Africa and Italy, he thought US should be invading France)
Promised to declare war on Japan but didn't until after US dropped atomic bombs
Wouldn't allow US planes to land in USSR
Had a spy at Los Alamos (atomic bomb)
Stalin breaking his promise to allow free election at the Yalta Conference
American fear of a communist attack (Red Scare) and USSR's fear of a US attack
USSR's fear of the atomic bomb
USSR's actions in their German zone
USSR's goal to spread communism around the world
The Cold War (continued)
Yalta Conference
February 1945
Before the end of WWII, Stalin, Churchill, and Roosevelt met at Yalta to plan what should happen after the war ended. They agreed on many points:
1. The establishment of the United Nations
2. Germany to be divided into four zones
3. Free elections allowed in the states of eastern Europe
4. Russia promised to join the war against Japan
Cold War Terms
The "West"
America, Canada, Britain, France, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal, Denmark, Norway, and Italy
The "East"
Soviet Union, East Germany, Eastern Europe
If the Cold War Would've Been WWIII...
NATO v. Warsaw Pact
Warsaw- "the East"
NATO (North Atlanitc Treaty Organization)- "the West
Post WWII/Cold War Goals for US
Wanted to promote open markets for US goods to prevent another depression
Promote democracy throughout the world, especially in Asia and Africa
Stop the spread of communism
Policy of Containment
Post WWII/Cold War Goals for the USSR
Wanted to create greater security for itself
lost tens of millions of people in WWII and Stalin's purges
feared a strong Germany
Establish defensible borders
Encourage friendly governments on its borders
Spread communism around the world
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