2. The Japanese victory at Pearl Harbor
was America’s most humiliating military
defeat. But Japan’s fanatics forgot that
whoever stabs a king must stab to kill.
A wounded but still potent America
picked itself up, grimly determined to
avenge the bloody treachery. Americans
regarded Japan as the primary
enemy, with the European front a kind of
holding operation.
But FDR, in the so-called ABC-1
Agreement with Britain, had earlier and
wisely adopted a strategy of “getting
Hitler first,” with the Pacific front a
kind of holding operation.
Despite public pressure, FDR initially
concentrated American forces against
Hitler.

3. THE ALLIES TRADE SPACE for TIME
Entering the war, what was the most needed “munition” for the U.S.?
How was the American task more daunting in WWII than in WWI?

4. THE SHOCK of WAR
National unity was no worry, thanks to the electrifying blow by the Japanese at Pearl
Harbor. How and why was the U.S. govt. response different toward minority groups
in WWII? Japanese-Americans were the painful exception.

6. The Washington top command, fearing
that the Japanese concentrated on the
Pacific coast might act as saboteurs
for Japan in case of invasion, forcibly
herded them together in concentration
camps, though about 2/3 of them were
American-born U.S. citizens.

7. This brutal precaution was both unnecessary and unfair, as the loyalty & combat record
of Japanese-Americans proved to be admirable. But post-Pearl Harbor hysteria and long
historical Japanese prejudices temporarily robbed Americans of their good sense.
Explain the war-time Supreme Court case, Korematsu v. U.S. When was this ruling
reversed? And what did the “victims” receive?
How did WWII effectively end the New Deal?

8. BUILDING the WAR MACHINE
The war crisis caused the drooping American
economy to snap to attention. Massive military
orders almost instantly soaked up the idle industrial
capacity of the still-lingering Great Depression.
Explain the function/role of each of the following
during the war:
* War Production Board
* Farmers
* Labor Unions
* Smith-Connally Anti- Strike Act

9. MANPOWER and WOMANPOWER
The armed services enlisted nearly 15 million men in WWII and some 216,000
women, who were employed for non-combat duties. Best known of these “women in arms”
were the WAACS (army), WAVES (navy), and SPARS (Coast Guard).

10. As the arsenal of democracy, the U.S. exempted certain key categories of industrial and
agricultural workers from the draft. But even with these exemptions, the economy was
facing a critical shortage of workers. How did the govt. relieve this labor shortage?
In the end, was the war’s immediate impact on women exaggerated?

13. WARTIME MIGRATION
The war also proved to be a demographic cauldron, churning and shifting the American
population. War industries sucked people into urban areas. Some 1.6 million blacks
migrated North & West.

14. Explosive tensions developed over employment and FDR reacted by issuing an executive
order forbidding discrimination in defense industries. Additionally, the president
established the Fair Employment Practices Commission (FEPC).
The northward migration of African-
Americans accelerated after the war,
thanks to the advent of the mechanical
cotton picker. Explain the impact of
this machine.
Thus, some 5 million black tenant
farmers and sharecroppers headed
north in the 3 decades after the war,
resulting in one of the great
migrations in American history.
Describe the significance of this
great internal migration on U.S.
demographics.

15. Blacks were also drafted into the armed forces, though they were still generally assigned
to service branches rather than combat units and subjected to petty degradations such
as segregated blood banks for the wounded.

16. Despite the discrimination, black Americans distinguished themselves during their
wartime service, paving the way for integration following the war.

17. The war also prompted an exodus of Native Americans from the reservations to urban
wartime factories. And still thousands more answered Uncle Sam’s call to arms. Explain
how the native Americans were especially valuable to the military during WWII. Did
ugly episodes of racism erupt during this time of national patriotism?

18. HOLDING the HOME FRONT
Did U.S. wartime production hurt Americans at home? Were Americans better-off
than their European counterparts? How did the war affect the role of the govt. in
American society?

19. THE RISING SUN in the PACIFIC
Early successes of the efficient Japanese were
breathtaking: they had to win quickly or lose slowly.
In concert with their victory at Pearl Harbor, the
Japanese launched attacks throughout the Far East.
By May 1942, the Japanese had conquered most of
the region.

20. JAPAN’S HIGH TIDE at MIDWAY
Japan was pushing relentlessly southward, threatening Australia. Their onrush was finally
checked at the Battle of the Coral Sea – significance. Japan next targeted Midway
Island – what was their strategy?

21. How was the American victory at the Battle of Midway a pivotal victory? Explain
Japan’s victory disease.

23. AMERICAN LEAPFROGGING TOWARD TOKYO
Following the Battle of Midway, American strategists adopted a strategy of
“leapfrogging.” Describe this strategy?

24. “Leapfrogging” introduced American troops to difficult jungle and cave-to-cave
warfare, facing an enemy who would fight to the last man.

25. THE ALLIED HALTING of HITLER
Early setbacks for America in the Pacific were paralleled in the Atlantic. Hitler had
entered the war with a formidable fleet of ultra-modern submarines, which operating in
“wolf packs,” wreaked havoc on Allied shipping. Identify the strategies/technologies that
turned the tide of sub-sea battle.

26. On the Soviet front, the unexpected successes of the red army gave a new lift to the
Allied cause. In September 1942 the Russians stalled the German advance at
Stalingrad, graveyard of Hitler’s hopes. In Nov. 1942 the resilient Russians unleashed a
crushing counteroffensive, which was never reversed. A year later, Stalin had regained
about 2/3 of the USSR seized earlier by the Nazis.

27. A SECOND FRONT FROM NORTH AFRICA to ROME
Soviet losses were staggering in 1942 and
Kremlin leaders clamored for a second front
to divert the German strength westward.
Many Americans, including FDR, were eager to
begin a diversionary invasion of France in
1942 – why? What was the British
response?
An assault on French-held North Africa was a
compromise second front, launched in Nov.
1942. What was the outcome?
Future strategy was now planned by the Allies
at Casablanca, in newly occupied French
Morocco. The “Big Two,” FDR and
Churchill, discussed strategy. Identify the
key areas of agreement.
With victory in Africa, the Allies turned
against the not-so-soft underbelly of
Europe, Sicily. What problems were
created by the Italian second front?

29. D-DAY: JUNE 6, 1944
The Soviets had never ceased their clamor for an all-out second front, and the time
finally arrived for the “Big Three” to meet in person to coordinate the promised effort.
Tehran, the capital of Iran (Persia), was the chosen site – why? Why was FDR so eager to
meet Stalin in person? Explain the major achievement(s) of the conference.

30. Preparations for the cross-channel
invasion of France were gigantic.
Gen. Dwight “Ike” Eisenhower was
named commander of Operation
Overlord.
Why was French Normandy selected
as the invasion site?
On June 6, 1944, the D-Day invasion
commenced.

31. Stiff resistance was encountered by the well-dug-in Germans. Allied losses were high.

35. After desperate fighting, the Allies finally broke through German defenses. Most
spectacular were the lunges across France by American armored divisions, commanded by
Gen. George Patton. The retreat and capture of German defenders were hastened by a
second front driving northward from southern France and from the assistance of the
French “underground.”

36. Paris was liberated in August 1944, amid exuberant joy and gratitude. American troops
were greeted as heroes. The Allied advance to Germany was now irresistible. The days of
Hitler’s “thousand-year Reich” were numbered.

38. FDR: THE FOURTH-TERMITE OF 1944
The presidential campaign of 1944 came most awkwardly as the awful conflict roared to
its climax. But the normal electoral process continued to function. The Republicans
nominated Thomas Dewey – provide a profile and the Republican platform. Democrats
nominated FDR – describe the Democrat’s vice president controversy. Was a 4th term
for FDR a big issue?
FDR won a sweeping victory – what was the primary reason for his unprecedented
victory?

39. THE LAST DAYS of HITLER
By mid-Dec. 1944, the end was nearing
for Hitler, with Soviet forces advancing
from the East and American and British
forces advancing from the West.
Hitler staked everything on one last
throw of his reserves on Dec. 16, 1944
against the thinly held American lines in
the Ardennes forest.

40. At the Battle of the Bulge, the initial advances of the Germans were checked and thrown
back after vicious fighting.

41. The Battle of the Bulge was Hitler’s last offensive gasp.

42. In March 1945, forward-driving American troops reached Germany’s Rhine
River, where, by incredibly good luck, found one strategic bridge unscathed. Eisenhower’s
troops, pressing forward, reached the river Elbe in April 1945. Just south, in
Berlin, American and Soviet advance guards dramatically clasped hands.

44. The joy of conquering Americans was tempered by the sobering and horrific blood-
spattered concentration camps, where the German Nazis had engaged in scientific mass
murder of “undesirables,” including an estimated 6 million Jews.

45. The Washington govt. had long been informed about Hitler’s campaign of genocide against
the Jews and had been reprehensibly slow to take steps against it. But until war’s
end, the full dimensions of the “Holocaust” had not been known. When the details were
revealed, the whole world was aghast.

48. The vengeful Soviets reached Berlin in
April 1945, where they captured the
bomb-shattered city.
Hitler, after a hasty marriage to his
mistress, committed suicide in an
underground bunker on April 30, 1945.

49. Tragedy struck in the U.S. when FDR died suddenly from a massive brain hemorrhage on
April 12, 1945. A bewildered and un-briefed Vice President Truman took the oath of
office.

50. FDR inexplicably did not regularly brief Truman on war policy and strategic programs.

51. On May 7, 1945, what was left of
the German govt. surrendered
unconditionally.

52. May 8, 1945 was officially proclaimed
V-E Day and frenzied rejoicing
commenced in the Allied countries.

53. JAPAN DIES HARD
Japan’s rickety empire meanwhile was tottering, under the onslaught of American
submarines, bombers, and steady progress of the “leapfrogging” campaign. America’s
steel vise tightened mercilessly with hard-fought victories at Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

55. With the end inevitable, but not imminent, strategists in Washington began planning for
an all-out invasion of the main islands of Japan – what concerned American planners
about an invasion? What was Japan’s attempt to end the war? Describe the
significance of the Potsdam Conference. What was America’s “ace” at the
conference?

56. With Japan refusing to surrender, a lone
American bomber …

57. … dropped one atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan on Aug. 6, 1945.

58. About 180,000 people were left killed, wounded, or missing. Some 70,000 died
instantaneously. 60,000 more died soon after from burns & radiation disease. Two days
later, Stalin entered the war, seizing Japanese holdings in Manchuria and Korea.
Fanatically resisting Japanese, though facing atomization, still did not surrender. On
Aug. 9th a second atomic bomb was dropped on the naval-base city of Nagasaki. Approx.
80,000 people were killed or missing.

59. At last the Japanese could endure no more. On Aug. 10, 1945, Tokyo sued for peace –
what was its one condition? The formal end came on Sept. 2, 1945 – official surrender
ceremonies were conducted by Gen. Douglas MacArthur on the battleship Missouri in
Tokyo Bay.

60. Americans at home hysterically
celebrated V-J Day after the most
horrible war in history had ended in
mushrooming atomic clouds.

62. AFTERMATH POST-SCRIPT
WWII proved to be terribly costly, in terms
of money and life. Compare American &
Soviet casualties. What medical advances
saved many American lives?
America was fortunate in emerging with its
mainland virtually unscathed. Much of the
rest of the world was in ruins.
The conflict was the best-fought in American
history – the U.S. military leadership proved
to be of the highest order.
FDR’s and Churchill’s close collaboration was a
key to success.
Industrial leaders were no less skilled, for
marvels of production were performed
routinely, overwhelming the Axis powers.