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The U.S. in WWII

The U.S. in WWII. 1942-43. Ernest J. King George C. Marshall Chester W. Nimitz. Japanese Offensives of 1941 - 1942. The Philippines hold out…. …until May 1942. Journey into captivity since known as the “Bataan Death March”.

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The U.S. in WWII

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  1. The U.S. in WWII 1942-43

  2. Ernest J. KingGeorge C. Marshall Chester W. Nimitz

  3. Japanese Offensives of 1941 - 1942

  4. The Philippines hold out…

  5. …until May 1942 • Journey into captivity since known as the “Bataan Death March”

  6. U.S. Navy raids Japanese bases

  7. Battle of the Coral Sea, May 3-8, 1942

  8. First Carrier Battle • Shoho, Lexington sunk • Japanese invasion turned back

  9. Battle of Midway, June 4-5, 1942 • Japanese carrier force destroyed • Yorktown also sunk

  10. Allied Strategic Issues • “Germany First”: • What was the best way to knock Germany out of the war?

  11. The British or “Peripheral” Strategy • Strategic bombing. • Aid to the U.S.S.R. • Support subversive activities in occupied Europe. • Employ armored, mobile forces on edges of German-controlled territory. • Avoid direct, large-scale confrontation with Wehrmacht until risk minimal.

  12. Strategy of U.S. military planners. • Defeat of Germany required large-scale land operation in northwest Europe. • Sought to engage and destroy Wehrmacht as soon as feasible • Constrained by need to mobilize men and material. • Reflected appreciation of...?

  13. U.S.-proposed operations for Europe. • Operation BOLERO: • Build-up of U.S. ground and air forces in England starting in 1942. • Operation SLEDGEHAMMER: • Emergency invasion in Europe for 1942. • Operation ROUNDUP • Larger invasion envisioned for 1943.

  14. Churchill proposes another idea… • The invasion of northwest Africa. • Reflects British strategy. • Assists current Allied operations against Rommel’s Afrika Korps

  15. The decision for Operation TORCH • Roosevelt: committed to engaging U.S. ground troops against German forces in 1942. • British: absolutely opposed to SLEDGEHAMMER

  16. The Consequences of TORCH • Cross-Channel invasion delayed: • Partially due to ongoing material shortages. • Partially due to momentum generated by Allied forces committed to the Mediterranean.

  17. But as time goes on… • Approach of U.S. military planners comes to dominate Allied strategy. • With some help from Stalin. • Reflects changing nature of Anglo-American relationship. • U.S. planners at times will threaten to divert more resources to Pacific War.

  18. Mechanisms for Cooperation • U.S. creates the Joint Chiefs of Staff. (JCS) • U.S. JCS joins with British counterparts to create the Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS). • British and U.S. create joint and combined commands for particular geographic areas as well.

  19. Manpower & Selective Service • 1942: all males 18-64 required to register. • Upper limit ultimately dropped to 38. • During war, 36 million men registered • 10 million inducted into military • 6.4 million rejected (mostly for medical reasons)

  20. How many served? • 16 million, between Dec. 1941 and Dec. 1946. • At war’s end, 12 million people in uniform. • 1/6 of U.S. male population served. • Army creates only 90 divisions.

  21. Labor and the war • The induction of so many young adult men, combined with war demands, created labor needs filled by other groups: • Women • African Americans • Agricultural laborers • Retirees

  22. Labor demand spurred migration • Workers came from Southern & Prairie states. • Went to factories in North & East, parts of Midwest, and the Pacific coast.

  23. Industrial Mobilization • Goes smoother, more efficient than WWI. • Problems with competing needs, multiple demands for resources. • Agencies created to centralize mobilization policy: • War Production Board (1942) • Office of War Mobilization (1943)

  24. Harnessing Science • Government agencies contracted with university and industrial labs to pursue war-related research & development products.

  25. The Intelligence War • ULTRA: highest classification of intelligence gained from breaking Axis codes. • Much came from British breaking German Enigma codes. • MAGIC: intelligence gained from U.S. ability to break Japanese “Purple” codes.

  26. Important use of intelligence:The Battle of the Atlantic

  27. Defeat of the U-boats stemmed from: • Building merchant ships • Building escorts • Convoys • Better air cover • Intelligence • Technology

  28. Guadalcanal:August 1942 – February 1943 • Campaign encompasses ground, sea & air combat. • 7 major naval battles

  29. Meanwhile, in New Guinea… • Australian & U.S. troops stop a Japanese overland advance towards Port Moresby (July-Sept. 1942).

  30. MacArthur’s forces drive Japanese troops back • Take Buna on north coast by end of 1942.

  31. Pacific Commanders • William Halsey • Douglas MacArthur

  32. Operation CARTWHEEL:June 1943-March 1944

  33. Germany First? • Into 1943, U.S. sends about same number of ground troops & planes to Europe and Japan. • Most ships deployed to Pacific.

  34. Operation TORCH:November 8, 1942

  35. Allied forces stymied in Tunis • Will hook up with Montgomery’s British 8th Army in March.

  36. U.S. troops routed atKasserine Pass, February 1943

  37. Strategy Conference:Casablanca, January 1943 • Invasion of Sicily approved. • Operation HUSKY • Churchill proposes invasion of Italy • Cross-Channel invasion to be delayed to 1944.

  38. Sicily: July-August, 1943

  39. July 1943: Mussolini overthrown • Germans react quickly. • Italians don’t want to fight for the Allies.

  40. Allied forces land in September

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