1. Pearl Harbor and the Home Front War Effort
The U.S. Enters the War
Pearl Harbor and the Home Front War Effort

2. Competing Interests in the Pacific
Prior to U.S. entry - Germany seen as main threat
Policy was to deter Japan while building 2-ocean navy
Neither U.S. nor Japan wanted war
but neither willing to compromise
Japan wanted Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
U.S. wanted Open Door & status quo

3. Heading For A Fight
“Yellow Peril” propaganda & Japanese aggression in Asia hardened U.S. attitude
Less isolationist opposition to clash with Japan
U.S. banned sale of aviation fuel and scrap metal to Japan
Additional items banned after signing of Tripartite Pact (9/40) & more aggression

4. Communication Breakdown
7/41 - Japanese assets in U.S. frozen
Total embargo on trade
Followed takeover of Indochina
New Japanese war minister Hideki Tojo
Opposed compromise w/ U.S.
Needed supplies for war machine
By Nov U.S. intelligence knew war was imminent
All U.S. commands on alert

5. “A Date Which Will Live In Infamy”
12/7/41 surprise strike at Pearl Harbor
Bold Japanese gamble paid off
Preemptive strike at U.S. Navy
188 aircraft destroyed, 8 Battleships + other ships sunk or crippled, 2400 dead
Many vital U.S. ships out to sea
29 of 353 Japanese planes shot down
Enables Japanese to expand unhindered

6. Aerial view of the harbor

7. Most of the damage was done within an hour.
Top left - USS West Virginia
Bottom Left - USS Arizona
Top Right. - USS Shaw

8. Crewmen greet returning Japanese pilots after raid on Pearl Harbor

10. The Response War declared on 12/8
Germany & Italy declare war on U.S. on 12/11
German U-Boats began attacking U.S. shipping immediately
within sight of our shores

11. U-Boats of the German Kriegsmarine stalked U. S
U-Boats of the German Kriegsmarine stalked U.S. ships along our Atlantic coastline. As many as 5 ships per day were lost in the early months of the war - nearly negating production of new ships.

12. “It is all bad.” Nazis rolling across Europe, N. Africa
Japanese capturing the Pacific islands and vast sections of continental Asia
U.S. forces vanquished in Philippines
MacArthur - “I shall return!”
11K U.S. prisoners of war
Bataan Death March
Japan at peak of its territorial control

13. Captured American troops - Corregidor, Philippines

15. Mobilizing the War Effort
War Powers Act 1941 gives FDR greater authority to direct war effort
Draft & enlistment raise millions of troops - 15 million men by end of war
350K women (WACs & WAVES)
Joint Chiefs of Staff formed
also Office of Strategic Services
Pentagon opens 1942
world’s largest building

16. War Powers Acts 1941 - emergency authority to FDR
Control of trade, defense contracts, censorship
additional powers
Requisition property, rationing, regulation of transportation

17. Economy & Production Office of Price Administration 1942
price ceilings, rent control
War Production Board 1942
Control raw mats., regulate production, cut non-essential civilian production
National War Labor Board 1942
mediate labor disputes
War Manpower Commission 1942
ensure adequate labor supply

18. Propaganda Office of War Information controlled info of war
used press, movies, radio to build public morale

19. American propaganda covered numerous concerns - from financing the war effort, encouraging conservation of resources, warning of espionage, or simply building morale.

20. Contrasting views of the American woman in wartime.

21. The Production Miracle
Civilian production converted to war production
33% of economy devoted to war
U.S. made more weapons than all Axis powers combined
Production times reduced from months to weeks (even days!)

22. Costs of the War U.S. spent $320 billion
10x amount of all previous wars
Ended the Great Depression
Govt. spending made 17 million jobs
293K killed in battle + 116K from other causes
670K wounded in battle