World War I
a. assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serbian nationalist named Gavrilo Princip, June 28, 1914 ignited the greater loss of life and property than any practice of powerful nations establishing
I.Causes of World War I
a. Major Causes of World War I
imperialism ~ practice of powerful nations establishing colonies in less powerful nations
militarism ~ build up of the military to prepare for war or to compete with another countr
nationalism ~ fanatical pride, loyalty, or patriotism toward one’s own country or ethnic group
•tendency of powerful countries to act in their own self interest
•desire of ethnic minorities in large countries to have independence
b. pre-war alliances contributed to the start of the war and the scope of the war
ba. Triple Entente
Britain, France, Russia
bb. Triple Alliance
Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy
II.The Conflict Expands
a. after assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand Austria- Hungary declared war on Serbia
b. the world began to choose sides
ba. Allies: Great Britain, France, Russia, later Italy and the United States (also others)
bb. Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire (Turkey)
c. Germany had developed pans for attacking hostile countries before the war
ca. 1905, Count Alfred von Schlieffen, Chief of the Great General Staff, proposed attacking France through Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg
cab. this became known as the Schlieffen Plan
cb. on August 2, 1914, the German army invaded Luxembourg and Belgium according to the Schlieffen Plan
cc. the German invasion was stopped by the combined French and British armies at the river Marne, 30 miles from Paris
cca. neither side could make progress, the fight became a stalemate
ccb. French General Ferdinand Foch ordered his soldiers to dig trenches for the first time
ccba. both sides dug in
ccbb. the area between opposing trenches became known as no man's land
ccc. trenches eventually stretched from Switzerland to the North Sea
d. an Austrian army captured the Serbian capital of Belgrade
e. combined German and Austro-Hungarian armies pushed the Russians back
f. at the end of 1914, the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) joined the Central Powers
g. spring of 1915, Italy joined the Allies
h. July, 1916, Germany attempted to outflank the French and British armies
ha. they were stopped at the river Somme
hb. almost 20,000 British troops died in one day
i. the Battle of Verdun is considered the greatest and lengthiest in world history
ia. lasted from 21 February 1916 until 19 December 1916 caused over an estimated 700,000 casualties
j. weapons technology had advanced and changed the nature of warfare
ja. World War I became the most deadly war in history
III.The American Response
a. many Americans had personal connections to the war
b. August 4, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed neutrality but ties with Allies were strong
ba. U.S. secretly shipped supplies to Great Britain
c. the Central Powers regarded the United States as a silent partner with the Allies
d. two competing movements emerged in the United States
da. the Preparedness Movement urged the government to prepare for war
daa. December 1914, organized the National Security League
dab. summer 1915, convinced the government to set up camps to train soldiers
dac. Wilson and Congress increased military funding
db. the Peace movement urged the government to stay neutral
dba. movement consisted of former Populist, Midwestern Progressives, and social reformers
dbb. many in Congress also opposed American involvement in the war
I.German Submarine Warfare
a. German U-boat (Unterseeboot) attacks angered many in the United States
aa. British propaganda further inflamed sentiments against Germany
ab. shortly after the war began, the British cut the transatlantic cable connecting Germany to the U.S. making news from Germany hard to get
b. May 7, 1915, German subs sank a British passenger ship the Lusitania
ba. 128 Americans died
bb. many Americans wanted war
bc. Wilson's responsed by warning that if Germany was responsible for the killing of any more Americans, then a state of war would exist between the United States and Germany
bd. Germany promised to stop sinking passenger ships without warning as long as the ship's crew offered no resistance
c. March 1916, Germany subs sank the unarmed French vessel, the Sussex
ca. Germany promised to end surprise submarine attacks on merchant ships in what became known as the Sussex Pledge
II.Moving Toward War
a. Election of 1916
aa. Woodrow Wilson defeated Republican Charles Evans Hughes
aaa. Wilson's campaign slogan was: "He kept us out of war."
b. February 1, 1917 Germany violated the Sussex Pledge by resuming unrestricted submarine warfare
ba. Feb. 3, the U.S. broke off diplomatic relations with Germany
c. March 1917, German foreign secretary Arthur Zimmermann sent a message to Mexico encouraging Mexico to attack the U.S. and promising German support
ca. became known as the Zimmermann Telegram or Zimmermann Note
d. between March 16 - 18, German subs sank three U.S. ships
e. March 1917, Russian Tsar Nicholas II is overthrown
ea. from March to November, Russia had a democratic government headed by Alexander Kerensky,
eaa. November 1917, Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, overthrew Kerensky
eab. promised to end Russia's participation in the War
eaba. March 3, 1918, signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk withdrawing Russia from the war
f. April 2, Wilson told Congress "the world must be made safe for democracy" and asked for a declaration of war
fa. April 6, Wilson signed declaration of war
fb. Wilson viewed America's entry into World War I as an opportunity for the United States to shape a new international order based on the ideals of democracy
I.Preparing for Action
a. May 1917, Congress passed the Selective Service Act
aa. all men between the ages of 21 and 30 to sign up for military service
ab. by November 1918, more than 24 million men registered for the draft
aba. 3 million draftees were selected
b. people saw World War I as the “war to end all wars”
c. the soldiers sent to Europe became known as the American Expeditionary Force
ca. Gen. John J. Pershing led the American Expeditionary Force (AEF)
cb. American soldiers were called doughboys
II.Turning the Tide of War
a. Russian Revolution March 1917
aa. Tsar Nicholas II replaced by democratic government led by Alexander Kerensky
aaa. Kerensky did little to solve Russian food shortages and did not stop fighting the war
b. Bolshevik Revolution November 1917
ba. led by Vladimir Lenin
bb. overthrew Kerensky
bc. negotiated the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
bca. ended fighting between Germany and Russia during World War I March 3, 1918
c. Great Britain issued Balfour Declaration
ca. in the Balfour Declaration, Great Britain promised support for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine
d. at the Battle of Belleau Wood, American Brigadier General James G. Harbord said "we will dig no trenches"
e. June 1918, at the Battle of Chateau-Thierry the Americans stopped a German offensive and saved Paris
f. August 8, 1918, at the Battle of Amiens, the Allies stopped the Germans again
fa. August 11, 1918 German general Erich von Ludendorff advised Kaiser Wilhem II to seek peace
fb. Allies demanded total surrender
g. September 1918, at the Battle of St. Mihiel Americans ousted Germans from long held position
ga. soon German army was in full retreat
III.Corporal Alvin York
a. Alvin York was an American World War I hero who received the Congressional Medal of Honor
b. he single-handedly attacked on a German machine gun nest during the Meuse-Argonne offensive on September 26, 1918
IV.Ending the War
a. opposing sides agreed on an armistice on November 11, 1918
aa. Veteran's Day
b. Kaiser Wilhem II fled to Holland
c. more than 50, 000 American soldiers died in battle
ca. many others died in battle
d. total of over 8 million soldiers died
da. average of 5,000 per day
db. many civilians killed
dc. starvation, disease, war injuries
e. Spanish flu epidemic of 1918 killed five times the number of Americans as died of combat deaths in France
I.Financing the War
a. the U.S. government sold Liberty Bonds to help pay for the war
aa. Liberty Bonds were the idea of Secretary of the Treasury William Gibbs McAdoo
ab. raised more than $20 billion
ac. government used posters, rallies, and "four-minute men" to help sell bonds
aca. "four minute men" gave rehearsed four minute speeches across the country
b. government raised income tax
II.Managing the Economy
a. President Wilson established the War Industries Board in order to coordinate industrial production for the war effort
aa. headed by Bernard Baruch
ab. government doled out raw materials
ac. governmentt fixed prices
ad. manufacturers told what to produce
b. women in WWI kept their nations’ economies going during the war
c. American involvement in World War I extensive black migration to the North
ca. called the “Great Migration”
d. the Food Administration supervised the production and allocation of foodstuffs to assure adequate supplies for the army and the Allies
da. headed by Herbert Hoover
e. the Fuel Administration established daylight saving time to conserve coal oil
f. Progressive gains before the war allowed government to control areas of American business and life
III.Enforcing Loyalty
a. the Committee on Public Information promoted public support for the war
aa. headed by George Creel
ab. made posters, movies, etc. to rally support for the war
aba. propaganda - info. to mold public opinion
b. after the sinking of the Lusitania there was a fear of foreigners
ba. anti-German sentiment was common in the U.S.
bb. Germans referred to as Huns
c. government curbed civil liberties (rights)
ca. Espionage Act of 1917 made it illegal to interfere with the draft
cb. Sedition Act of 1918 prohibited any speech against the government, the war, or the military
cc. Eugene Debs receied 10 year jail term for criticizing Am. Gov’t and business leaders
d. Supreme Court Justice, Oliver Wendall Holmes ruled rights could be curbed if a clear and present danger existed
e. IWW supported socialists sentiments
I.Wilson's Vision for Peace
a. January 8, 1918 Wilson outlined his plan for post war peace in a speech to Congress
b. Wilson's plan became known as the Fourteen Points
ba. designed to prevent international tensions from leading to war
bb. no secret treaties
bc. no trade barriers
bc. self-determination for ethnic groups in Austri-Hungary
II.The Paris Peace Conference
a. many of the Allies wanted to humiliate Germany
b. British and French leaders wanted to weaken Germany and make it pay for the war
ba. thought Wilson’s plan was too easy on Germany
c. Big Four
ca. Britain (David Lloyd George, France (Georges Clemenceau), Italy (Vittorio Orlando), US
(Woodrow Wilson)
III.The Peace Treaty
a. Treaty of Versailles
aa. presented to Germany May 7, 1919
aaa. Germany refused to sign
aab. June 28, faced with a French invasion, Germany signed
ab. ended World War I
ac. forced Germany to demilitarize the Rhineland
ad. required Germany to pay reparations to France
b. League of Nations to ensure security and peace for all
ba. Article 10
baa. an attack on one was an attack on all
bb. would bond nations of the world
c. the Weimar Republic was a democratic government established in Germany at the end of World War I
d. faced with severe fuel and food shortages after World War I
e. forced to pay war reparations to France and Great Britain
IV.Seeking Approval at Home
a. irreconcilables opposed the Treaty of Versailles because of the League of Nations
aa. could not be reconciled to the treaty
b. reservationsists wanted to impose reservations or restrictions on U.S. involvement in the League of Nations
c. many members of Congress believed if the U.S. joined the League of Nations it might result in a loss of U.S. sovereignty
ca. feared the Article 10 would drag us into war
cb. Henry Cabot Lodge led opposition to the Treaty of Versailles in the U.S. Senate
d. Woodrow Wilson hardened Senate opposition to the Treaty of Versailles by his refusal to compromise on the issue of the unconditional adherence of the United States to the charter of the League of Nations
e. Wilson went to the people
ea. September 1919 Wilson toured the country
eaa. gave three dozen speeches in 23 days
eb. suffered a stroke that paralyzed one side of his body
eba. he remained an invalid the rest of his term
f. treaty failed
V.Difficult Postwar Adjustments
a. war boosted U.S. economy
b. with the war over, war contracts were cancelled
c. returning soldiers need jobs
ca. industrial slow down and more people meant few jobs
d. disillusionment over the outcomes of the war contributed to isolationism in the U.S.
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World War II
I. Fascism and Nazism
a. 1920s and 1930s totalitarian governments took power in some European countries
aa. Italy, Spain, and Germany had governments based on fascism
ab. USSR had communism
ac. totalitarian governments place importance of the nation above the individual
b. Italy was governed by Benito Mussolini
ba. Mussolini felt his country had been shortchanged in the Versailles Treaty
bb. 1919, he joined with other dissatisfied war veterans to organize the revolutionary Fascist party
bc. calling himself Il Duce (“the leader”), Mussolini organized Fascist groups throughout Italy
bd. he relied on gangs of Fascist thugs, called Blackshirts because of the way they dressed, to terrorize and bring under control those who opposed him
be. by 1922 Mussolini had become such a powerful figure that when he threatened to march on Rome, the king panicked and appointed him prime minister
bf. claiming that efficiency and order were necessary to restore the nation’s greatness, Mussolini and the Fascists suspended elections, outlawed all other political parties, and soon established a dictatorship
bg. 1935, Mussolini invaded Ethiopia
bga. by March 1936 the East African nation was in the Italian hands
c. Germany was governed by Adolf Hitler
ca. he was enraged by the outcome of the war and by the terms of Versailles Treaty
cb. 1919, Hitler joined a small political party which soon took the name National Socialist German Workers’ party, or Nazi party
cc. Nov. 1923, with 3,000 followers, Hitler led an unsuccessful revolt against the German government
cca. he was sentenced to 5 years in prison, but only served 9 months
cd. while in prison he wrote the first volume of an autobiography titled Mein Kampf (“My Struggle”).
cda. outlined the Nazi philosophy, his views of Germany’s problems, and his plans for the nation
cdb. he was critical of the nation’s Jewish population, which he blamed for many of Germany’s problems
cdc. proposed strengthening the nation’s military and expanding its borders to include Germans living in other nations - lebensraum
cdd. called for purifying the so-called Aryan “race”(blond, blue-eyed Germans) by eliminating those groups he considered undesirable
ce. Germany suffered high unemployment and massive inflation in the 1920s
cea. early 1930s, the effects of the Great Depression further hurt the German people
cf. Hitler and the Nazis promised to stabilize the country
cg. by Jan.1933 the Nazis were the largest group in the Reichstag (the German parliament)
ch. Nazis burned the Reichstag building and successfully blamed the communists
cha. Hitler convinced the Reichstag to give him dictatorial powers and took for himself the title of Der Fuhrer (the “leader”)
chb. suspended civil liberties
II. Europe Goes to War
a. Hitler saw expansion as a way to bolster national pride
aa. he wanted to return Germany to a dominant position in the world
b. March 9, 1936, German troops moved into the Rhineland
c. 1936, Hitler signed an alliance with the Italian dictator, Mussolini.
ca. created and "axis" between Germany and Italy
cb. Japan joined later and the three nations became known as the Axis Powers
d. March, 1938 Hitler sent German troops into the neighboring nation of Austria and annexed it
e. later, he demanded the Sudetenland, a region of western Czechoslovakia with a heavily German population
f. Britain and France followed a policy of appeasement
fa. because of the memory of World War I they did not want another war
g. Sept., 1938 at the Munich Conference, Britain and France agreed to let Hitler have the Sudetenland and Hitler promised not to seek any more territory
h. March, 1939 Hitler annexed the rest of Czechoslovakia
ha. British and French leaders warned him that any further German expansion risked war
hb. March 31, 1939, they formally pledged their support to Poland, agreeing to come to its aid if invaded by Germany
i. Hitler invaded Poland on Sep. 1, 1939
ia. Britain and France declared war on Germany
j. in invading Poland, the German military unveiled a tactic called blitzkrieg, or “lightning war”
ja. Germany overran Poland in less than a month
k. after Poland was defeated, the war entered a quiet period the Germans labeled the Sitzkrieg, or “sit-down war”
l. France relied on the Maginot Line for defense
la. Maginot Line was a system of fortifications on the eastern frontier of France, along its border with Germany, begun in 1929, extending from Switzerland to Belgium
lb. it was named for André Maginot the French minister of war (1929-32) who directed its construction
m. April 9, 1940, Hitler launched an attack on Denmark and Norway
n. May 10, German troops attacked Belgium, the Netherlands, and France
o. British forces in France, and some French forces retreated to the coastal city of Dunkirk
oa. Churchill organized a makeshift fleet to rescue the troops
ob. one of the great rescues in history
oc. allowing the escape of the British and French at Dunkirk was one of the major mistakes which ultimately lost the war for Germany
p. June 14, German troops entered the city of Paris and a few days later France surrendered
pa. in less than 3 months Hitler had conquered most of Western Europe
q. Germany massed troops on the French coast
qa. Hitler's next target was Great Britain, 20 miles away across the English Channel
qb. Hitler was reluctant to invade Great Britain
qba. he turned to the Luftwaffe (German air force) to destroy Britain’s ability and will to resist
qbb. he launched one of the greatest air assaults in history
qbc. this became known as the Battle of Britain
qbd. as many as 1,000 planes day rained bombs on Britain
qbe. Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) was greatly outnumbered
pilots sometimes flew six and seven missions a day
qbf. Churchill said: Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.
qbg. June 1941, Hitler ended the bombing
III.Japan Builds an Empire
a. discontent spread in Japan after 1930, as the Great Depression added to Japan’s economic woes
aa. military leaders argued that policy of imperialist expansion would help bring recovery by providing Japan with raw materials and new markets
b. 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria to get natural resources
c. 1937, Japan invaded China
ca. the US sent aid to China
cb. by 1940, Japan controlled most of China
d. September 1940, Japan formed an alliance with Nazi Germany and Italy
da. called the Tripartite Alliance or Tripartite Pact
e. April 1941, the Japanese signed a neutrality pact with the Soviet Union
IV. The American Response
a. after the outbreak of war in Europe, isolationists wanted the United States to stay out of the war and let Europe take care of its own problems
aa. Americans disillusioned by WWI
ab. Roosevelt said that the U.S. would remain neutral
b. mid-1930s, Congress had responded to isolationist sentiment by passing a series of Neutrality Acts
ba. declared that the United States would withhold weapons and loans from all nations at war
c. 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt began a naval buildup in the Pacific
d. 1939, he moved the American Pacific Fleet from San Diego, California, to Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands
e. after the war began, Congress passed the Neutrality Act of 1939
ea. law permitted Britain and France to purchase weapons on a cash-and carry basis
f. September 1940, Roosevelt traded 50 destroyers to Britain in return for permission to build bases on British territory in the Western Hemisphere
fa. bases for destroyers
g. Selective Service Act of 1940 required all males ages 21 to 36 register for military service
h. Lend-Lease Act in March 1941 authorized the President to aid any nation whose defense he believed was vital to American security
VI.Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor
a. soon after France fell to the Germans, the Japanese demanded control of French colonies in Indochina
aa. in mid-1941 Japanese forces occupied the region
b. in response, Roosevelt froze Japanese financial assets in the United States and cut off all trade with Japan
c. October 1941, General Hideki Tojo became Prime Minister of Japan
d. the United States demanded that Japan withdraw from all conquered territory and from its Tripartite Alliances with Germany and Italy
e. shortly after 7:00 A.M. on December 7, and American army radar operator on the Hawaiian island of Oahu reported to his headquarters that planes were headed toward him
f. Japanese planes bombed and strafed (attacked with machine gun fire) the American Pacific Fleet at anchor in Pearl Harbor
fa. in less than two hours some 2,400 Americans had been killed and 1,200 wounded
fb. showed the impact a single event can have on public opinion a time of crisis
g. calling December 7, 1941 “ A day which will live in infamy,” the next day Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan
ga. Congress complied
h. three days later, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States
a. August 1941, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin Roosevelt met aboard a warship in the North Atlantic off the coast of Newfoundland and agreed on war goals
aa. Churchill and Roosevelt believed the United States would soon be allied with Britain in the war
ab. reached an agreement known as the Atlantic Charter
aba. declared that the U.S. and Britain sought no territorial gains from the war
abb. proclaimed the right of all peoples to choose their own form of government and not to have boundary changes imposed on them
I.Americans Mobilize for War
a. 15 million Americans served as soldiers, sailors, and aviators during World War II
b. American soldiers called themselves GIs, after the ‘Government Issue” stamp that appeared on all clothes, shoes, weapons, and other equipment provided by the military
c. Americans from all ethnic and racial backgrounds fought during World War II
ca. among these were more than 300,000 Mexican Americans and 25,000 Native Americans
cb. Marines recruited about 300 Navajos to serve as radio operators
cba. they developed a code based on their language that the Japanese could not break when they eavesdropped on marine radio transmissions
cbb. they became known as “code talkers”
cc. Japanese Americans were not accepted in the armed forces until early 1943
cca. 17,000 Japanese Americans eventually fought in the American armed services
ccb. most were Nesei, or citizens born in the United States of Japanese immigrant parents
ccc.the all Nesei 442nd Regiment became the most decorated military unit in American history
cd. nearly a million African Americans volunteered or were drafted to serve in the military
cda. African Americans fought in segregated units
cdb. Army Air Corps 99th Fighter Squadron, known as the Black Eagles, shot down more than 110 enemy planes
cdc. many black pilots were trained at Tuskegee, AL - became known as Tuskegee Airmen
d. nearly 275,000 American women had volunteered for military service
da. WASPs: Women Air Force Service Pilots
db. WAVES: Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service
dc. WACs: Women’s Army Corps
II.Fighting in North Africa and Italy
a. to deliver the food and supplies that the British needed, merchant ships formed convoys
aa. American warships often served as escorts
b. Germans countered with groups of as many as 30 submarines, called wolf packs, that carried out coordinated attacks on the convoys
ba. German submarines began attacking merchant ships off the American coast
bb. wolf packs were very effective, they sank nearly 175 ships in June 1942 alone
c. since August 1940, a British army had been battling Italian and German troops in North Africa
d. in North Africa the German army "Afrika Korps" was led by General Erwin Rommel, who was known as the "Desert Fox"
e. November 1942 the British, under General Bernard Montgomery, won a decisive victory at El Alamein in Egypt
ea. a few days later, British and American troops commanded by American general Dwight D. Eisenhower landed in Morocco and Algeria and quickly pushed eastward
eb. May 1943 the two Allied armies came together in Tunisia, trapping Rommel's forces
f. Chruchill and Roosevelt met in January 1943 at Casablanca, Morocco
fa. became known as the Casablanca Conference
fb. decided to continue concentrating Allied resources on Europe before trying to win the war in the Pacific
fc. the Allies agreed to an invasion of Italy in the spring, invasion of France in 1944,
fd. agreed to accept only the unconditional surrender of Italy, Germany, and Japan
g.July 1943, American troops under General George S. Patton invaded Sicily
ga. the island fell in just 38 days
gb. Mussolini was overthrown
gc. Italy's new government surrendered
gd. German troops in Italy continued to resist
h. January 1944, an allied force landed behind the German lines at Anzio
III.War in the Soviet Union
a. June 1941, nearly 3.6 million German and other Axis troops invaded the Soviet Union, from the Baltic Sea. in the north to the Black Sea in the south
b. Soviets adopted a scorched earth policy, destroying everything useful to the enemy as they retreated
c. Stalin asked Roosevelt for help through the Lend-Lease program
ca. American aid did not begin until June 1942
d. Stalin urged his allies to launch an attack on Western Europe
e. the Red Army (Soviet Army) decided to make its stand at Stalingrad
ea. mid-September 1942 the Germans began a campaign of bombing and shelling that lasted more than two months
eb. mid-November Soviet forces counterattacked and surrounded the German army
ec. January 31 1943, more than 90,000 surviving Germans surrendered
IV.George Marshall
a. Marshall was Roosevelt’s Army Chief on Staff
b. he became Deputy Chief Staff in 1938
c. Marshall pushed the President to prepare for war by strengthening the army
d. As Secretary of State for Harry Truman after the war, Marshall launched a massive effort to rebuild postwar Europe
da. known as the Marshall Plan.
e. received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953
V.The Invasion of Western Europe
a. F. Roosevelt, W. Churchill, and J. Stalin (the "Big Three") met in Tehran, Iran November 28-December 1, 1943
aa. called the Tehran Conference
ab. Stalin agreed to launch a military offensive from the east to coincide with a planned invasion of Western Europe
ac. the invasion of Western Europe was code named “Operation Overlord”
ad. Dwight D. Eisenhower was chosen to command
b. the RAF had begun bombing Germany in 1940
ba. the Luftwaffe quickly forced the British to give up daylight missions for safer but less accurate nighttime raids
baa. developed a technique called carpet bombing (A method of aerial bombing in which large numbers of bombs are dropped over a wide area)
bab. German cities suffered heavy damage as a result
c. by 1944 British and American commanders were conducting coordinated air raids
ca. U.S. bombed by day - RAF bombed at night
d. a massive buildup of troops began in southern England as American , British, and Canadian forces were joined by Polish, Dutch, Belgian, and French troops
e. June 6, 1944, the largest landing by sea in history began as some 4,600 invasion craft and warships slipped out of their harbors in southern England
ea. approximately 150,000 troops invaded the French coast
eb. the Allies landed on June 6, 1944 at five beaches in the Normandy area with the codenames of: Omaha Beach (American), Utah Beach (American), Sword Beach (British), Gold Beach (British), Juno Beach (Canadian)
ec. Allied planes pounded the Nazi defenders and dropped thousands of paratroopers behind German lines the night before the landings
eca. French Resistance forces, alerted to the imminent invasion, engaged in behind-the-lines sabotage and combat against the occupying Germans
ed. Erwin Rommel, commanding general for German defenses at Normandy, was away in Germany for his wife's birthday at the time of the invasion
ee. Hitler hesitated
eea. he thought the Normandy landing was a deception and feared a larger invasion at the narrowest part of the English Channel near Calais along the Strait of Dover
ef. the Allied liberation forces doomed Hitler's dream of a Nazi controlled "Fortress Europe"
f. despite Allied successes, Allied troops were held in check by the Germans and confined to the Normandy region for several weeks after D-Day
fa. Allied commanders devised a plan to break out of Normandy known as Operation Cobra
fb. Operation Cobra began July 25, 1944
fba. opened with heavy carpet bombing along a three mile front (some of which fell on friendly troops)
fbb. three US infantry divisions punched a hole in the German lines
g. August 1944, Allied troops liberated Paris
ga. the Free French 2nd Armored Division were the first in on August 24
gb. British and Canadian forces freed Brussels and Antwerp in Belgium a few days later
h. September a combined Allied force attacked the Germans occupying Holland
ha. at the same time Americas crossed the Western boarder of Germany
i. December, 1944 Germany launched a counterattack in Belgium and Luxembourg that became known as the Battle of the Bulge
ia. lasted from December 16, 1944 to January 28, 1945
ib. largest land battle of World War II in which the United States participated
ic. the American 101st Airborne was surrounded at Bastogne, Belgium
ica. December 22 Germans demanded the American surrender
icb. American Brigadier General McAuliffe, commanding at Bastogne, responded with the reply, "Nuts!"
icc. George Patton moved his entire army of 250,000 soldiers from western in just a few days to help rescue Bastogne
id. January 1, Hitler launched a plan he called "The Great Blow" to eliminate Allied air power
ida. instead it was the Luftwaffe that suffered the most losing 300 planes and 253 trained pilots
ie. the Germans were able to slow the Allied advance toward Germany, but the Battle of the Bulge was an Allied victory
iea. after the battle most of the Nazi leaders realized the war was lost
if. at the conclusion of the battle the casualties were: 81,000 U.S. with 19,000 killed, 1400 British with 200 killed, and 100,000 Germans killed, wounded or captured
VI.War Ends in Europe
a. March 1945, American ground forces crossed the Rhine River and advanced toward Berlin from the West
aa. Allied bombers pounded Germany
ab. the Soviets pushed into Germany from the East
b. 13.6 million Soviets and 3 million German military killed accounted for more than 2/3 the total dead for all World War II
ba. Soviet civilian and military deaths together estimated at 27 million
c. April 1945, the Soviets fought their way into Berlin, which was more than 80% destroyed by the Allied bombing
d. Hitler committed suicide on April 30
e. May 8,1945 Germany surrendered
f. Allies celebrated V-E Day (victory in Europe Day)
g. The Yalta Conference
ga. February 1945, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin met at Yalta, a city in the Soviet Union near the Black Sea
gb. the purpose was to plan for the post war world
gc. agreed to split Germany into four occupation zones, each under the control of one of the major Allies
gca. Berlin, which would lie in the Soviet zone, would also be divided
a. the three major theaters of World War II were the European, North African, and Pacific
I. The Japanese Advance, 1941-1942
a. hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese warplanes based in China attacked Clark Field, the main American air base in the Philippine Islands
aa. Gen. Douglas MacArthur, was the commanding general of the Philippines
b. about half of the American planes destroyed as they sat on the ground
c. within days, a large Japanese force landed in the Philippines
ca. MacArthur withdrew his troops to the Bataan Peninsula on Manila Bay
d. for four months, American and Filipino troops held out on the Bataan Peninsula
e. March 1942, President Roosevelt ordered MacArthur to escape to Australia
ea. MacArthur promised: “I shall return.”
f. American and Filipino troops surrendered to Japanese forces in early April
fa. about 2,000 soldiers and nurses escaped to the fortified island of Corregidor in Manila Bay
fb. fought on for another month
g. May 6, 1942, over 11,000 Americans and Filipinos surrendered
h. as a result of fighting in the Philippines, about 76,000 Filipinos and Americans became prisoners of war
ha. Japanese soldiers split the prisoners into groups of 500 to 1,000 and marched them some 60 miles to a railroad
hb. at least 10,000 prisoners died during the 6 to 12 day march in what became known as the Bataan Death March
hba. guards executed many when they could not keep up
i. May 1942, a largely American naval group halted a Japanese advance by engaging a superior enemy fleet in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia
ia. the Battle of the Coral Sea was the first naval combat carried out entirely by aircraft
iaa. the enemy ships never came within sigh of one another
ib. each side lost more than half their aircraft
ic. the American aircraft carried Lexington was destroyed, and the Yorktown was badly damaged
id. blocked an invasion of that Australia
II.Allied Victories Turn the Tide
a. Japanese admiral Isoroku Yamamoto believed that American naval power still held the key to victory or defeat in Asia
aa. hoped to destroy what remained of the Pacific Fleet by luring in into battle at Midway Island
ab. correctly believed that American admiral Chester Nimitz would use all his resources to protect Midway
b. the Battle of Midway began on June 4, 1942
ba. it was fought entirely by air
bb. American planes found the Japanese carriers at a vulnerable time
bba. the Japanese were still loading bombs onto their planes
bc. the Americans swiftly demolished three of four Japanese carriers
bca. the fourth was destroyed trying to escape
bd. the lost carriers and planes dealt a devastating blow to Japan
bda. after the battle, Japan was unable to launch any more offensive operations
c. the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway were significant in stemming the tide of Japanese advances in the Pacific
ca. as a result of the Battle of Midway in the Pacific, El Alamein in North Africa, and the invasion of Italy in Europe, the Allies began turning the tide of the war
d. the Allies took the offensive in the Pacific
da. their first goal was to capture Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands
e. the Battle of Guadalcanal was fought between August 7, 1942 and February 8, 1943
ea. centered around a small, mountainous, jungle covered, island in the Southern Solomon Islands
eb. provided the marines with their first taste of jungle warfare
III.Struggle for the Islands
a. from Guadalcanal, American forces began island-hoping to within striking distance of Japan
aa. island-hoping is a strategy of selectively attacking of bypassing a specific enemy-held islands
b. in 1943 and 1944, the Allies pushed north from Australia and west across the central Pacific
ba. forces under General MacArthur and Admiral William Halsey leapfrogged through Solomon Islands
bb. other Americans led by Admiral Nimitz began a similar campaign in the Gilbert Islands
bc. after seizing the island of Tarawa, Nimitz used it to launch bombing raids on Japan’s bases in the Marshall Islands
bd. from the Marshalls, Nimitz captured parts of the Mariana Islands in June
bda. American long-range bombers were able to reach Japan from this location
be. by the end of 1944, American planes were dropping tons of explosives on Japanese cities
c. October 20, some 16,000 American troops invaded the Philippine island of Leyte
ca. Gen. MacArthur waded ashore and proclaimed, “People of the Philippines, I have returned.”
d. October 23, the Battle of Leyte Gulf [Oct. 23-25] began offshore
da. greatest naval battle in world history
db. more than 280 warships were engaged during the three-day battle
dc. American fleet commanded by Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr.
dd. the battle saw the first use of kamikazes by the Japanese
de. the Japanese Navy was virtually destroyed
e. not until June 1945 were the Philippines securely in Allied hands
IV.Iwo Jima and Okinawa
a. the Battle of Iwo Jima began February 19, 1945
aa. U.S. Marines landed on the beaches from ships offshore
ab. bombing of the island had begun in June 1944
aba. prior to the invasion, Iwo Jima suffered the longest, most intensive shelling of any Pacific island during the war
ac. the 8-square-mile island’s steep rocky slopes were honeycombed with caves and tunnels
aca. Japanese built 800 pillboxes and over 3 miles of tunnels
ad. after 3 days of combat, the marines had advanced only about 700 yards inland
ae. eventually nearly 110,000 American troops were involved in the campaign
aea. fewer that 25,000 Japanese defended the island
aeb. it took about a month for the marines to secure the island
aec. the last pocket of Japanese resistance was secured at Kitano Point on March 25
af. was one of the bloodiest battles of the war
afa. American marines had 23,573 casualties
afb. Japanese: 1,083 POW and an estimated 20,000 killed
ag. 27 Medals of Honor were awarded for actions on Iwo Jima
aga. more than any other in any single operation of the war
b. the Battle of Okinawa fought, from April to June 1945, proved to be the bloodiest battle of the Pacific War
ba. more than 100,000 defenders occupied the island, which was little more than 350 miles from Japan
bb. Okinawa was the largest amphibious invasion of the Pacific campaign and the last major campaign of the Pacific War
bba. more ships were used, more troops put ashore, more supplies transported, more bombs dropped, more naval guns fired against shore targets than any other operation in the Pacific
bc. Japanese pilots flew nearly 2,000 kamikaze attacks against the American fleet
bca. thirty-four allied ships and craft of all types had been sunk, mostly by kamikazes, and 368 ships and craft damaged
bcb. the fleet lost 763 aircraft
bd. defenders on the island made equally desperate banzai charges (attacks designed to kill as many of the enemy as possible while dying in battle)
be. casualties: more than 38,000 Americans wounded and 12,000 killed or missing, more than 107,000 Japanese and Okinawan conscripts killed, and as many as 100,000 Okinawan civilians killed
bea. only 7,200 defenders remained to surrender
beb. more people died during the Battle of Okinawa than all those killed during the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
bec. American losses at Okinawa were so heavy that Congress called for an investigation into the conduct of the military commanders
V.The Manhattan Project
a. 1939, Albert Einstein suggested to President Roosevelt that an incredibly powerful new type of bomb could be built
aa. he hinted that the German were already working on such a weapon
ab. Roosevelt organized the top secret Manhattan Project to develop the bomb
b. 1942, Enrico Fermi, a scientist who had left Facist Italy, accomplished a chain reaction ,such as one that would be necesarry for a successful atomic bomb, in a laboratory at the University of Chicago
c. Manhattan Project scientists and engineers worked to develop the bomb at Los Alamos, NM
d. July 16, 1945, Manhattan Project successfully tested the world’s first atomic bomb in the desert of New Mexico
e. once the bomb was ready, the question became whether to use it
ea. an advisory group of scientists, military leaders, and government officials called the Interim Committee, formed in the spring of 1945 to discuss whether or not the bomb should be used
eaa. the end, they found themselves unwilling to recommend any other alternative
eab. the heavy American casualties at Iwo Jima and Okinawa were a factor in the committee’s support for using the bomb
f. August 6, 1945, an American plane dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima
fa. an estimated 140,000 died in the explosion or within a few months from burns or radiation
fb. 90 % of the city’s buildings were damaged or totally destroyed
g. August 9, 1945 a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki
h. August 14 Japan agreed to surrender
ha. the next day Americans celebrated V-J Day (Victory in Japan Day)
i. September 2, 1945 Japan formerly surrendered in a ceremony aboard the U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay
j. from 1945 to 1952, Japan occupied by U.S. military under command of General Douglas MacArthur
ja. military leaders in Japan removed from power
jb. armed forces disbanded - Japan forbidden to rebuild military
jc. democratic government installed
1. emperor stripped of political power
2. democratic constitution written
3. women given legal equality
k. 1956 Japan admitted to the U.N.
a. Adolf Hitler had outlined his ideology in Mein Kampf
aa. among his goals was the removal of "non-Aryans"
b. the killing of Jews by the Nazis is referred to as the Holocaust
ba. about 6 million killed
I.The Start of Persecution
a. (Semites began as name for mid-Eastern peoples, by 1880's anti-Semitism meant anti-Jew)
b. Nazi's take action
ba. businesses own by Jews were not patronized
bb. 1935 Nuremberg Laws
bba. Jews were no longer German citizens
bbb. intercultural marriage was forbidden
bc. 1937 and 1938, Nazis began a program to "Aryanize" Jewish businesses
bd. property of Jews was required to be registered
be. jobs were taken away from Jews
bf. Jewish doctors could only treat Jewish patients
bg. identity cards
bga. all Germans were issued ID cards
bgb. Jews had different IDs (had a red letter J, all men were given middle name "Israel", and all women given middle name "Sarah")
bh. political enemies were thrown into camps
bha. Nazis organized the SA to silence opposition to the Nazis
bhb. Hitler later formed the SS that became the private army of the Nazis
bhc. a Secret State Police or Gestapo was also formed
bi. concentration camps soon held:
bia. POWs (prisoners of war), political enemies, homeless, homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, physically and mentally disabled, Gypsies, Slavs
c. Kristallnacht "night of the broken glass"
ca. looting and destruction of Jewish property by Nazi thugs November 9-10, 1938
cb. many Jews arrested
d. from 1933 through 1937, about 130,000 Jews fled Germany
da. encouraged by Nazi's to leave
db. fled throughout the world
dba. Europe
dbb. Palestine
dbc. Latin America
dbd. United States
e. July, 1938 Evian Conference met in France to discuss Jewish refugees
ea. out of 29 nations only the Dominican Republic relaxed its immigration laws
II. From Murder to Genocide
a. 1939 invasion of Poland brought about 2 million Jews under German control
aa. about 350,000 Jews lived in the capital city of Warsaw
aaa. 30% of the city's population
ab. Nazis confined Jews to ghetto on about 3% of the city's land
aba. death and disease ran rampant
b. Eisatzgruppen (mobile killing unit) entered a country with the invading army
ba. targeted: Polish upper class, Soviet communist leaders and intellectuals, priests, influential Jews
c. January 1942, Nazi leaders met at the Wannsee Conference outside of Berlin
ca. came up with the "final solution to the Jewish question"
cb. designed "special" concentration camps for genocide
d. death camps used a poison gas called Zyklon B in death chambers disguised as showers
da. at Buchenwald in Germany, 43,000 died
db. at Auschwitz in Poland, 1.5 million died
e. Jews resisted the Nazis
ea. April 1943, a revolt broke out in the Warsaw ghetto
eb. the Treblinka camp had to be closed after an uprising in August 1943
ec. some managed successful escapes
f. January 1944, F. Roosevelt created the War Refugee Board (WRB) to help people threatened with murder by Nazis
fa. saved 200,000 or more
g. Raoul Wallenburg of Sweden helped rescue Hungarian Jews
ga. disappeared in Eastern Europe after the war
h. Schindler saved 1,300
i. thousands liberated by Allies as troops discovered camps
j. November 1945, Allies place 24 leading Nazis on trial for crimes against humanity
ja. became known as Nuremberg Trials
jb. 12 sentenced to death
jc. set precedent that following orders wasn't an excuse