2. Pearl Harbor & US Involvement in World War II

3. US During the Inter War Years After World War I, most Americans felt that they didn’t want or need to be involved in Europe’s affairs.

4. US During the Inner War Years America went through a period of isolationism, which is the policy of avoiding political or military involvement with other countries.

5. Hostilities Begin in Europe From 1935 – 1937, Congress passed a series of neutrality acts which made it illegal to sell weapons or lend money to countries that were at war.

6. Hostilities Begin in Europe In 1939, they began to allow Allies to buy weapons from us if they paid cash and came over on their own ships to get the weapons.

7. Edging Towards War By the summer of 1941, the US navy was escorting British ships carrying US arms. Hitler ordered his submarines to sink any cargo ships.

8. Edging Towards War On September 4, 1941 a German U-boat fired on a US destroyer in the Atlantic. FDR ordered navy commanders to respond, and shoot German submarines on sight. Technically we were involved in an undeclared naval battle with Hitler.

9. Japan’s Ambitions Japan’s ultimate goal was to build a large Japanese empire. They had already taken over Manchuria, and began moving into China. However, they still found themselves short of resources.

10. Japan’s Ambitions Japan began looking at islands in the Pacific, specifically some of the European colonies. In 1941, Japan overran French Indochina. As a result of this FDR cut off oil supplies to them.

11. Leading up to the Attack By August 1940, the US had cracked the Japanese code, and they knew Japan planned to attack Pacific islands. We still didn’t want to get involved so we sent more aid money to China’s resistance to fight the Japanese.

12. Leading up to the Attack Japan’s naval strategist Isoroku Yamamoto planned massive attacks in Southeast Asia and the Pacific at the same time. He viewed Pearl Harbor as “a dagger pointed at our throats” and felt it was necessary to take it out. US was aware that a large attack was planned, but not the exact locations or when.

13. Japan Attacks at Pearl Harbor Early in the morning on December 7, 1941, sailors stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii awoke to the Japanese attacking them.

14. Japan Attacks at Pearl Harbor Within two hours, the Japanese had sunk or severely damaged 18 ships, eight of which were battleships. This was nearly the whole Pacific fleet. 2400 Americans were killed, and nearly 1000 wounded.

15. Pacific Before December 7, 1941

16. Locations Attacked by Japan

17. Aftermath of Attacks News of the attack stunned the American people.

18. Aftermath of Attacks The following day President Roosevelt made a speech asking Congress to declare war on Japan. Congress approved and the US was in the war.

19. Do Now Take out your Pearl Harbor Notes & Transcript of FDR Speech

20. FDR’s Address to the Nation

21. World War II Alliances AlliesAxis Britain (and colonies) France (although they are occupied by Germany) Soviet Union United States Canada Australia Germany Austria Italy Japan