FSU AMH 2020 - The Coming of WWII: The U.S. Goes to War

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11/8/12The Coming of WWII: The U.S. Goes to WarTotalitarian StateRussia-Joseph Stalin emerged as dictator in 1924Italy-Benito Mussolini, fascist, seized power in 1922Germany-Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933Japan-International gangsterism was on the moveEthiopia-1935 attacked by Italy/Mussolini-Ethiopians were armed with spears and ancient weapons and were immediately crushed-League of Nations refused to take actionUnited 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 conquestSpanish 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 WWIIWorld War II1937:Japan attacked China. U.S. did nothing.December 1937: Japan bombed U.S.S. Panay in Chinese watersHitler’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 HitlerSeptember 1, 1939: Hitler sent his army into Poland without declaration of warU.S. Neutrality Act, 1939-European democracies could buy war materials on cash and carry basisGermany on the Move-April 1940: Denmark, Norway-May 1940: Holland and Belgium-June 1940: France forced to surrenderU.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 warJune 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 worthAtlantic 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 Nations11/13/12Closer to War-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 toattack HawaiiPearl Harbor-2,335 soldiers and sailors killed-68 civilians killed-19 ships in the heart of the Pacific fleet were sunk or batteredCountry 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’tthere.WarU.S. Mobilization – the greatest mobilization of people and supplies in U.S. historyPrecedents 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 unitsBlacks in the War-Tuskegee Airmen-Aviation squadrons-Taught exclusively pursuit flying-99th Pursuit SquadronDr. Charles Drew-Black man-Discovered the process of storing blood plasma Dorie Miller-Considered first American hero of the war-Shot down four enemy planes during Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor-Awarded Navy CrossWomen 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 difficultPropaganda-Office of War Information-Voice of America broadcast in EuropeJapanese-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 eachScience’s Role-Science very helpful in bringing the war to an end -Office of Scientific Research and Development-Headed by Vannevar


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FSU AMH 2020 - The Coming of WWII: The U.S. Goes to War

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