11 8 12 The Coming of WWII The U S Goes to War Totalitarian State Russia Joseph Stalin emerged as dictator in 1924 Benito Mussolini fascist seized power in 1922 Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933 International gangsterism was on the move Italy Germany Japan Ethiopia 1935 attacked by Italy Mussolini Ethiopians were armed with spears and ancient weapons and were immediately crushed League of Nations refused to take action United States Isolationism Still suffering from disillusionment from WWI Many Americans considered America s participation in WWI a terrible blunder many articles and books had been printed condemning U S participation Those responsible for making materials for war or money from war banks especially were being called merchants of death Gerald Nye headed Senate Committee in 1934 to investigate charges which twisted evidence regarding U S involvement in WWI to shift the blame from German aggression to American bankers and arms manufacturers Americans resented the profitmaking in the arms business as a result of war Neutrality Acts 1935 1936 1937 Collectively stipulated that when the President proclaimed existence of a foreign war certain restrictions would automatically go into effect No American could legally sail on a belligerent ship No American could sell or transport munitions to a belligerent No American could make loans to a belligerent This type of neutrality turned out to be a blunder Americans realized they should have used their power to control international events in their own interest but instead helped spur their aggressors in their conquest Spanish Civil War Displayed just how ridiculous U S Neutrality Policy was General Francisco Franco Aided by Hitler and Mussolini Overthrowing Loyalist government in Spain U S created an arms embargo neither side could get materials from U S Franco gets what he needs from Hitler and Mussolini Dress rehearsal for WWII World War II 1937 Japan attacked China U S did nothing December 1937 Japan bombed U S S Panay in Chinese waters Hitler s Actions 1936 marched into demilitarized German Rhineland against Treaty of Versailles The rest of the world did nothing Built up military machine against Treaty of Versailles Seized German speaking Austria Demanded German inhabited Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia who appealed to England and France September 1938 Munich Conference arranged in Munich Germany Western democracies betrayed Czechoslovakia who was not represented by consenting to Hitler s taking of Sudetenland which was of strategic important to Czechoslovakia Prime Minister of Great Britain Neville Chamberlain Appeasement policy maybe if we give Hitler what he wants we ll satisfy him and everything will stay the same Turned out to be surrender on the installment plan 1939 Hitler took over the rest of Czechoslovakia August 23 1939 Soviet Union signed ten year non aggression pact with Hitler September 1 1939 Hitler sent his army into Poland without declaration of war U S Neutrality Act 1939 European democracies could buy war materials on cash and carry basis Germany on the Move April 1940 Denmark Norway May 1940 Holland and Belgium June 1940 France forced to surrender U S Wakes Up Congress appropriated 37 billion for Navy and Air Force September 1940 Congress passed Conscription Law first peacetime draft in U S history September 1940 Destroyer Base Deal FDR would transfer 50 old destroyers to Great Britain in return for defense sites around the world Obviously a flagrant violation of neutrality March 1941 Congress approved Lend Lease Bill U S pledged to help nations fighting Germany with all possible aid Materials were to be loaned and leased not sold Eventually U S sent almost 50 billion to those nations This measure divided the country Basically an economic declaration of war June 22 1941 Hitler attacks Russia after they had signed non aggression pact U S immediately made Lend Lease available to Russia who eventually received some 11 billion worth Atlantic Conference Not a formal alliance but a general agreement between FDR and Churchill Opposed imperialistic aggression Called for self determination Called for a permanent system of general security a new League of Nations U S began to impose its first embargoes on supplies bound for Japan Japanese assets in U S were frozen People in Washington didn t believe Japan was strong or powerful enough to attack Hawaii 11 13 12 Closer to War Pearl Harbor 2 335 soldiers and sailors killed 68 civilians killed 19 ships in the heart of the Pacific fleet were sunk or battered Country was divided into interventionists isolationists Theory that the Roosevelt administration knew this attack would happen and allowed it for the purpose of uniting Americans and that s why the Air Force wasn t there War U S Mobilization the greatest mobilization of people and supplies in U S history Precedents broken 16 million people served in Air Forces Women admitted into military Blacks admitted into Army Air Corps and Marines Black naval officers previously only allowed to cook and clean First Black Brigadier General Benjamin O Davis 1 million Blacks served in Armed Forces in segregated units Blacks in the War Tuskegee Airmen Aviation squadrons Taught exclusively pursuit flying 99th Pursuit Squadron Dr Charles Drew Dorie Miller Black man Discovered the process of storing blood plasma Considered first American hero of the war Shot down four enemy planes during Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor Awarded Navy Cross Women in the War 6 million women entered the work force Wages for women rose Public attitudes changed as women were able to finish almost any job previously held by men no matter how difficult Propaganda Office of War Information Voice of America broadcast in Europe Japanese Americans 112 000 of which 2 3 were native born American citizens were placed in relocation centers or internment camps Camps reputedly almost as bad as Indian reservations Korematsu v U S 1944 Supreme Court upheld evacuation of Japanese Americans 1982 Special Commissions Declared that the actions were based on race prejudice war hysteria and failure of political leadership Japanese American reparations Congress voted to repay Japanese Americans in the amount of 20 000 each Science s Role Science very helpful in bringing the war to an end Office of Scientific Research and Development Headed by Vannevar Bush Scientific Breakthroughs Radar Synthetic rubber Aviation Antibiotics DDT Atomic bomb most important scientific development
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