Why did the US fight WWII and what were its effects?

What was US Foreign Policy Prior to WWII?

KNOW THIS ORDER.

Washington Isolationism ---> Monroe Doctrine ----> Roosevelt Corollary ---> Imperialism ---> Neutrality before WWI ----> WWI------>Neutrality----->WWII------> Containment

  THE 1920's  NEUTRALITY MIXED an attempt to limit war and weapons, here are two vocabulary words which emphasize this idea,  The Washington Naval Conference of 1921-22 and the Kellogg-Briand Pact .  The deals with Europe to avoid war and lower arms and create open free seas would eventually fail.  See these two deals as weak US attempts to be a world leader after rejecting the League of Nations.  With no real world organization to enforce the provisions of the Naval Conference and Kellogg Pact, these deals aren't worth the paper they are written on.

During the 1930’s, Hitler took power in Germany and began his campaign of expansion and aggression.  Europe dealt with him with a policy of appeasement.  The U.S. passed a series of laws called the Neutrality Acts.  Remembering the horrors of WWI and the lack of a lesson learned the US adopted this policy and intended on staying out of any European conflicts.

EUROPEAN Appeasement Cartoon.

Dr. Suess WWII CARTOONS

How does the cartoonist view appeasement as a policy?

2.  Neutrality Cartoon A.               3. Neutrality Cartoon B.  

By 1941, Hitler occupied almost all of Europe except England.  (Map) England, an American ally, represented the last beacon of hope against Hitler’s plan of continental domination.  The same year Congress passed the Lend n’ Lease Act.  This law aided England with massive amounts of military aid to fight off Germany.  America’s involvement began to look inevitable.  All that was needed was a cataclysmic event.

Why did the US enter WWII?

 

December 7, 1941. Pearl Harbor .  (Image bank) Japan, acting pre-emptively launched a surprise attack on the US base in Hawaii.  Destroying practically the entire fleet of US Navy ships and killing thousands of soldiers, the event marked US entry into the war.  The Japanese it is claimed were attacking to protect their own interests including resources in the Pacific such as oil. (Conspiracy link – Did FDR know about Pearl Harbor)

 

What are the essentials vocabulary of WWII?

1. The Allies: The 3 main ones: The US, England and the Soviet Union. (Yes the commies) 2. The Axis Powers: Germany, Italy and Japan 3. The Manhattan Project: The secret program in the US to build the A-bomb. 4. D-Day (Special Exhibit: Recordings and Video) The invasion of Europe by Allied forces in

Normandy, France – 1944. This serves as the beginning of the Allied (American) assault into Europe by way of France.  This will be the beginning of the end for the Axis Powers, with the Germans bogged down in the Soviet Union, the Americans could begin to box them in by pushing Eastward towards Berlin.

5. Yalta Conference :  At the end of the war, the Allies met in Yalta to discuss their war aims. FDR and Stalin made a deal, in exchange for the Soviets support against defeating Japan, FDR would allow Stalin to occupy Eastern Europe.  Stalin promised to allow these satellite nations to hold democratic election in the future. (Ha-ha) ON THE REGENTS YALTA IS SAID TO BE THE BEGINNING OF THE COLD WAR.  IF THE COLD WAR IS A CHESS GAME, THEN YALTA IS WHERE THE CHESS PIECES ARE PUT ON THE BOARD AND THE GAME BEGINS!!! Be Stalin at Yalta-     Streaming Video Discussion of Yalta  

6. The A-Bomb decision:  (Listen to the speech here) Most historians believe that the primary reason Truman dropped the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was to end the war early, force a Japanese surrender and spare the lives of hundred of thousands of US

soldiers lives. An invasion, Truman argued was too costly.  There may be other reasons. Feel free to judge the empirical data.  Perhaps Truman wanted to “scare the Soviets” and thrust the US into a position of world superpower, the only nation with the bomb. 

Truman A-Bomb Movie made for this class on Teacher tube .

7.  The Holocaust  .  While not on the "test", we should all be aware of the massive genocide that took place in Hitlers Germany and occupied territories. Stats

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

 

Describe the Home front during WWI

Many of the ideas of WWI Home front are in place Another Great Migration: African Americans continue to move north for job in the

service (and industrial) sectors due to job opening by GIs at war.

Rosie the Riveter – Womyn go Diesel (PART II) Government regulation of business – rationing – price controls Korematsu vs. United States (1944):

      During times of crisis, rights may be limited.  Japanese Americans are put into work camps because of fear they may aid Japan.

o GI Bill:                                                                                        Passed for soldiers returning home, it gave massive amount of college aid to send GI’s into college.

Baby Boom :                                                                                   Want to know why we face a Social Security crisis now.  Well the Baby Boomers are reaching retirement.  After WWII lots of babies were born.  This generation would be the largest of its kind, with families averaging 4 to 5 kids! Today its 1.5.

SUBURBANIZATION.  With the millions of returning soldiers and new families, the government will invest in a highway system, allowing for urban dwellers to move to what is sold as "the American Dream".    Historians refer to this as "white flight", perhaps due to the Great Migration, families are sold on the idea that these suburban communities will be insulated from the problems of the big cities. Listen to "Little Boxes"

WWII OUTCOMES/EFFECTS

I.

 US is now a world leader.  Forming the United Nations in NYC, the world will now have its league of nations. The UN is a world body of all nations which seeks resolution and avoidance of wars.  Tackling drugs, money, child abuse, poverty, the environment, the UN seeks to solve many of the Worlds Ills.  Two things, one is the US along with four other nations (China, England, Russia and China) have veto power to kill any action, this prevents action.  The UN can threaten nations national sovereignty, meaning no one wants to give its power to the UN including the US.  There is also little enforcement, no real military, meaning nations must

commit their own forces to the UN and allow the UN to control their forces.  The UN has taken two direct actions in its history, both with massive US support.

- Korea in the 1950's.  The US used its influence and the fact the Soviets were boycotting the UN over Communist China not being recognized to send forces to defend S. Korea from communist N. Korea. 

The US also pushed through a resolution to fight Sadaam Hussein when he invaded Kuwait in the early 1990s.

2.Nurem berg Trials.

  The US oversaw the conviction of Nazi leaders.  The big idea is that soldiers and military leaders are responsible for their actions and cannot blame their leaders.

3.  Geneva Convention (Treaty)

This treaty dictates how Prisoners of War will be treated.  They may not be tortured or humiliated and may be held until the conflict is over.  Think about the war on terrorism, what problems arise?

WWII ASSIGNMENT WORDS(3/25/10)

231.  Neutrality Acts of 1930's233.  Lend n’ Lease Act234. Allied Powers235. Axis Powers

236.  Pearl Harbor237.  D-Day238. Great Migration II239. GI Bill240. Korematsu v U.S.241. Manhattan Project242. Truman's Decision to Drop Bomb243.  Yalta244. Baby Boom245. United Nations246. Nuremberg Trials247. Geneva Convention248.  Cold War249.  22nd amendment250. suburbanization

 

Assessment Questions

1. Identify the Foreign Policy the US adopted in the 1920's and 1930's prior to WWII entry? 2. How did the US react to the aggression of Hitler in the 1930’s?   And Europe? 3. How did the U.S. try to have it both ways in reference to trying to help England? 4. How did Pearl Harbor make it easier for FDR to bring America into war? 5. Explain this statement:   War makes strange bedfellows. 6. Why did Truman drop the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? 7. How did WII affect blacks and womyn? 8. In what way did the US government support GI’s? 9. Explain the rational for the Korematsu decision. 10. What effect did the end of the war have on population growth? 11. How did the Cold War begin at YALTA?