1. Objective #1
1. Analyze the United States military involvement in World War II and the decision to use nuclear weapons in ending the war.

2. What finally brings us into war after all?

3. “December 7, 1941…a date which will live in infamy…”

4. United States, Great Britain, France, USSR/Soviet Union
World war II
Allied Powers
Axis Powers
United States, Great Britain, France, USSR/Soviet Union
Germany, Italy, Japan

5. Two-front war US had to fight in two places: Europe and the Pacific Ocean
Big Enemies: 1. Hitler and the Nazis 2. Mussolini and the Italians
Big Enemy: Prime Minister Tojo and the Japanese

6. Allies’ goal in europe: Defeat Hitler and the Nazis, free France from the Germans
How will we do this???

7. D-day: Operation overlord
The US and the Allies decide to invade France in the largest amphibious (sea) invasion in the history of the world

8. D-day-June 5, 1944 operation overlord
Between combined Allied forces nearly 156,000 troops on or supported by nearly 4,000 ships crossed the English Channel landing the troops on five beaches in Normandy.

9. General Dwight D. Eisenhower
Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe.

10. Allied victory in Europe
The Allies pinched the Nazi army in the middle of Europe, the American and British forces coming from the West and USSR
(Soviet Union) coming from the East.

11. Hitler killed himself in an underground bunker
Nazis are defeated
Hitler killed himself in an underground bunker

12. Mussolini was executed by a firing squad
Italians are defeated
Mussolini was executed by a firing squad

13. Two down… one to go
Japan

14. Potsdam conference July 1945
The Big Three
Harry Truman (United States)
Clement Atlee (Great Britain)
Joseph Stalin (USSR/Soviet Union)
They decided…
Nazi leaders had to stand trial for war crimes.
Japan must surrender unconditionally. This was called the Potsdam Declaration.

15. President Harry Truman
Potsdam Declaration
President Harry Truman
The US demanded the unconditional surrender of Japan, or it would face “prompt and utter destruction.” This was an ultimatum: if you don’t obey, it’s over with…

16. US atomic bomb plans The Manhattan Project
Robert Oppenheimer
The US had been secretly building atomic weapons in a program known as the Manhattan Project.
It was led by a scientist named Robert Oppenheimer

17. Japanese bushido code
According to Japanese tradition under the Bushido Code, it was dishonorable to surrender. They would kill themselves instead of surrendering. They could not bear the shame of defeat.

18. Japanese bushido code
Do you think Japan surrendered and gave in to the Potsdam Declaration’s ultimatum?...

19. Japan Will Fight Until the End
Japan is willing to fight to the bitter end as an underdog.
Surrender is not an option for Japan.
On June 8th, 1945 the Japanese held an Imperial Conference in Tokyo. In this meeting, top Japanese officials decided that their soldiers would “fight to the death.” The "Fundamental Policy" of Suzuki's government was to fight on, and to choose "honorable death of the hundred million" over surrender. For 2,000 years Japan had never been defeated. There was no word for "surrender" in the Japanese dictionary. Therefore, losing was not an option.
Japan did not believe it could defeat the United States, it did intend to negotiate an end to the war on favorable terms. Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on 12/7/1941 hoping it could delay American intervention, gaining time to solidify its Asian empire. Japan planned to fight a decisive battle that would bloody American forces, forcing the U.S. to negotiate a peace and leave Japan as it was; the emperor and the military government, in power.

20. Japanese casualties after Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Body of a Japanese child
Between 90,000 and 166,000 Japanese were killed in Hiroshima Between 60,000 and 80,000 Japanese were killed in Nagasaki

21. Hiroshima and Nagasaki

22. Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Scarring from burns
Burn victim

23. Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Burn victims

24. President Harry Truman
Why use the bomb?
President Harry Truman
Why would President Truman use the bomb on these two Japanese cities, which resulted in the deaths of so many non- combatant Japanese citizens?

25. Saving Lives by Using the Bomb
Non-combatants were dying throughout Asia at the rate of 200,000 per month.
A naval blockade of Japan would have resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths due to malnutrition, dehydration, and famine.
The atomic bomb saved thousands of American soldier’s lives (because they didn’t have to invade the Japanese island)
Hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians alike were dying every month throughout the Japanese Empire. Most Japanese soldiers only knew the Samurai style of fighting which consisted of fighting to the last man. This mentality would have yielded ten times the amount of casualties than the dropping of the atom bombs. Operation Starvation was the complete blockade of Japan, which completely cut off its imports.

26. If America did invade Japan, many Americans would have died.
Invading Japan?
If America did invade Japan, many Americans would have died.
Secretary of State James
Byrnes claimed 500,000 US
soldiers would have died.
It was believed that if the U.S. invaded Japan, many American lives would have been lost. Secretary of State James Byrnes claimed that the atomic bomb saved about 500,000 deaths. The U.S. military planners predicted that 20,000 – 110,000 combat deaths since November 1945 thus far. However the estimates for how many Americans would have died, will never be known. We do knot know how strong the Japanese resistance would be. Some military advisors believed that the American death toll would reach 1 million.
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27. The Japanese Surrender
surrendered on
September 2, 1945.
Japan agreed to a
ceasefire and the
release of POW’s.
Japan agreed to end all hostilities and acknowledge the authority of the U.S. Supreme Commander. The Japanese Prime Minister, Prince Higashi Kuni, broadcasted an appeal to his people to obey the terms of the surrender. Japan was forced to accept its defeat “squarely”.
Picture -

28. Objective #2
Analyze United States’ post-war foreign policy and domestic policy decisions.

29. Post-War Foreign Policy
Marshall Plan
United Nations
US sends aid to Europe to help them recover economically.
US wants to help out European countries before the USSR gets to. US doesn’t want those countries to accept communism as their political system.
International organization designed to prevent global conflict.
This was the replacement for the League of Nations after WWI.
This time around, the US would join the United Nations instead of staying out like they did with the League of Nations.

30. Post-War Domestic Policy
GI Bill
Gave loans to returning WWII veterans so they could…
Go to college (higher- education)
Get other job training
Buy homes
Start businesses or farms

31. Objective #3
Analyze the tactics used to advance the causes of the Civil Rights Movement.
Using this objective, read the speech from A. Phillip Randolph, noting the main ideas along the way.
Use the questions to guide your reading and annotate the document.
If you do not understand something you have read, be sure to reread that section.
Once you have finished reading then answer the questions.