America At War U.S. In World War II

Essential Question: What role did the U.S. play in winning the wars in Europe & the Pacific?

When the U.S. entered WW2 in late 1941, victory seemed remote Japan dominated the western half of the Pacific Ocean Germany controlled almost all of Europe Germany pressed into Russia Axis armies controlled Northern Africa & threatened the Suez Canal But…over the next 2 years, the U.S. & the Allies began to win the wars in Europe & the Pacific

England wanted to attack Italy from Northern Africa in 1942 Europe 1941-1943 England wanted to attack Italy from Northern Africa in 1942 The USSR “freed” Poland, Hungary, Romania The U.S. wanted to attack across Nazi-controlled France by 1943 In 1942, U.S.-Anglo troops began the Italian campaign & Stalin was ANGRY To win the European campaign, 2 different plans were proposed In 1943, the Soviet army won at Stalingrad; Germany was never again on the offensive

The Allies began to win the Battle of the Atlantic in 1941 with Lend-Lease aid, but took control in 1943 with America’s entry into the war

The long-awaited 2nd front came on June 6, 1944 with D-Day Europe 1944-1945 U.S. & British troops landed at 5 strategic points, pushed through France drove towards Germany The long-awaited 2nd front came on June 6, 1944 with D-Day

Allied ingenuity helped win the war: U. S Allied ingenuity helped win the war: U.S. soldiers were trained to problem-solve rather than wait for orders Hedgerows in Normandy

Yalta Conference in February 1945 The “Big 3” met at Yalta to discuss post-war Europe given the eminent defeat of Germany: Stalin refused to give up Eastern Europe but he did agree to “self-determination” Stalin agreed to send Soviet troops to the Pacific after the German surrender if the USSR could keep Manchuria To recognize the independence & sovereignty of nations in Eastern Europe

Soon after the Yalta Conference in Feb 1945, FDR died…and Harry Truman became president

In late April 1945, the Allies broke through the Eastern & Western Fronts forcing both Italy & Germany to surrender

The Doolittle Raid on Tokyo on April 18, 1942 was a morale boost “Island-hopping” allowed the Allies to win strategic islands without investing precious time, resources, & American lives The Doolittle Raid on Tokyo on April 18, 1942 was a morale boost U.S. victory at Midway in 1942 gave the Allies naval supremacy

The Japanese refused to play by according to the Geneva Convention “rules” of war

World War II in the Pacific The German surrender in May 1945, allowed the U.S. to turn its full attention towards Japan Victories at Saipan in 1944 & Iwo Jima & Okinawa in 1945 allowed for bombings on Japan

The Decision to Drop the A-Bomb With no definitive end it sight, how would the Allies defeat Japan? The U.S. military favored a full-scale invasion of Tokyo by 1946 The Japanese refused to surrender & were arming civilians for an Allied invasion At the Potsdam Conference in July 1945, Truman gave the order to use the atomic bomb

Enrico Fermi at the University of Chicago

Triumph & Tragedy in the Pacific In August 1945, the USA forced Japan to surrender by dropping 2 atomic bombs Effect of the atomic bomb: Saved hundreds of thousands of American (& Japanese) lives Revenge for Pearl Harbor Showed the USSR that the USA had the ultimate weapon (began the Cold War nuclear arms race)

Nagasaki Hiroshima

Its Finally Over!

WW2 Timeline (Allies, Axis, USSR)

Results of War 60 million killed European empires ended Independence movements begin America becomes world economic, military and political superpower GI Bill of Rights Provided education costs for veterans Nuremberg Trial to punish Nazis for Holocaust and crimes against Humanity Establish precedent that leaders and military people are responsible for wartime actions