A Democracy at War: World War II and the United States

1. A Democracy at War: World War II and the United States

2. Peace Movement 1928-1937 • Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928) • All nations that signed pledged not to use military force for aggressive ends • “the most telling action in human history to abolish war”

3. Good Neighbor Policy • Roosevelt 1933: a policy of the good neighbor toward other nations • Focus on Latin and Central America • Non-interventionist approach

4. Good Neighbor? • “Dollar Diplomacy” no longer made economic sense due to the Great Depression • Growing threats abroad prompted cooperation • Repeal of the Roosevelt Corollary • Abrogated the Platt Amendment 1938- Mexico seized American oil interests, Roosevelt refused to buckle under US company pressure

5. London Economic Conference (1933) • During Hoover’s last months, he supported an international economic conference. Roosevelt initially agreed. • Proposals were made to stabilize currencies with an international gold standard, Roosevelt thought this hurt his “recovery” efforts

6. Fascism • Glorifying a nation and a race through a very aggressive show of force. • Italy- Benito Mussolini • Germany- Adolf Hitler • Japan- Hirohito

7. Adolf Hitler • Born in Austria in 1889 • Dispatch runner during WWI • Won Iron Cross after being blinded by Mustard Gas • In when the Armistice is signed

8. Nazi Party and “De Fuhrer” • 1920- Nationalist-Socialist Workers Party is formed out of the German Workers Party • Arises out of the economic despair after WWI, and the national resentments of the Treaty of Versailles. • 1933- Nazis control the Reichstag, and Hitler is named chancellor under Hindenburg • 1934- Hitler consolidates the office of President and Chancellor after Hindenburg dies

10. Italy and “Il Duce” • Mussolini seized power in 1922. • This fascist party consisted of war veterans, nationalists and anti-communists

11. Japan and the “Sun God” • Nationalistic militants convinced the Emperor Hirohito that economic success was controlling raw materials • “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere”

12. America: Isolationism • During the Great Depression, Americans were apathetic in foreign affairs • Many Americans viewed the US entry into WWI as a mistake.

13. Gerald Nye • Senator form North Dakota • Concluded that America only entered WWI because of the greed of bankers and arms manufacturers. $

14. Neutrality Acts • Designed to ensure that the US would stay out of foreign wars. • 1935- banned arms shipments and travel by US citizens on belligerent nations • 1936- prohibited loans and credits • 1937- made acts permanent and required all other trade be conducted on a “cash and carry” basis

15. Appeasement • 1935- Mussolini and Ethiopia • The League of Nations and the US objected, but did nothing • 1936- Hitler occupies the Rhineland • 1937- Japan and China in full-scale war • Panay- US gunboat sunk, apology accepted • 1938- Austria annexed into the Reich

16. Appeasement • 1938- The Sudetenland • Strip of land in Czechoslovakia where most were German-speaking • The British and French allowed Hitler the land unopposed after meeting with the Germans and Italians in Munich • By March of 1939, Hitler had occupied all of Czechoslovakia

17. Franklin’s Response • Realized the dangers of the Fascist aggressors • “quarantine the aggressor” • Public reacted negatively

18. American Response • FDR argued for increased military budgets and neutrality. • Isolationists agreed thinking that the money would be used only in the Western Hemisphere. FDR Isolationists

19. WWII begins • Britain and France pledged to fight if Poland was invaded • Non-Aggression Pact btw Soviets and Nazis • September 1, 1939: Germany invades Poland • France and Britain declare war on Germany, Italy and Japan retaliate

20. Blitzkrieg: Lightning War • Utilization of close tanks and dive bombers in swift coordination • April 1940- Hitler seized Norway and Denmark in a few days • May 1940- British troops forced off main continent • June 1940- France capitulates in one week

21. Americans Alarmed • Stunned by the triumphant Nazis • Neutrality Act 1939: war materials could be sold on cash and carry basis--- favored Britain • Selective Service Act 1940- all men 21-35, trained 1.2 million in one year--- draft during peacetime? • Destroyers for bases- 50 destroyers for bases in the Caribbean

22. Election of 1940 • “Your boys are not going to be sent into foreign war”- campaign slogan • Republican Candidate: Wendell Willkie– criticized FDR for breaking tradition • Roosevelt won for a third time

24. Lend-Lease Act • Sell, transfer title to, exchange, lease, lend, or dispose of war supplies to any country that the President deems vital to the defense of the United States

25. Atlantic Charter 1941 • Laid out objectives toward peace: self-determination, no territorial expansion and free trade

26. Undeclared Naval War • American destroyer Greer incident • Shoot-on-sight policy: focus on Germany

27. “A Day that will live in infamy” • December 7, 1941: Japanese launch their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, killing 2,400 and wounding 1,200 Americans

28. U.S. enters World War II • Dec. 8, 1941: Congress declares war on Japan • Dec. 11, 1941: Germany and Italy declare war on the United States

29. Mobilizing the Home Front • War Production Board (WPB)- manage the war industries • Office of War Mobilization (OWM)- controlled production priorities and raw materials • War Labor Board (WLB)- ceilings on wage increases • Office of Price Administration (OPA)- price and wage freezing, and rationing

30. Women • 6 million entered workforce, half had never earned a wage before • Many left after the war, but some stayed on as wage earners

31. African Americans • 1.6 million blacks migrated North and West • Fair Employment Practices Commission • Tuskegee Airmen

32. Mexicans • 1942- agreement for braceros to enter easily during harvest season • Los Angeles- 1943 “Zoot-Suit Riots”

33. Japanese Americans • Fear following Pearl Harbor prompted Americans to be suspicious of a West Coast invasion. • 100,000+ were ordered into internment camps • Korematsu v. U.S. (1944)- upheld policy

35. Effects of Mobilization • American economy brought out of the depression by immense government spending • Start of “big government interventionism”

36. Costs of War • 2/5 of the war costs were paid with current revenues • Borrowed the remainder • 1941- national debt $49 billion • 1945- national debt $259 billion

37. Casablanca Conference 1943 • Meeting of Roosevelt and Churchill • “Unconditional surrender”

38. Election of 1944 • FDR vs. Thomas Dewey • FDR wins for a fourth term • Dies April 1945, putting Truman in control

39. Decisive Battles in Europe • June 6, 1944- D-Day • December 1944- Battle of the Bulge • Victory in Europe (VE)- May 7, 1945

40. Island Hopping in the Pacific • Battle at Midway- June 1942 • Okinawa- April to June 1945 • Hiroshima- August 6, 1945 • Nagasaki- August 9, 1945 • Surrender August 14, 1945- formally on Sept. 2 (VJ)

41. Truman’s decision for using the A-Bomb • Win with saving American lives • Seen as a conventional weapon • The U.S. had spent 2.5 billion on the project • Keep Soviets out of Post-War Japan