The US entered World War 2 after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Over 16 million Americans joined the military and women joined the workforce, taking on jobs previously held by men. Japanese Americans on the west coast were forced into internment camps during the war. In the European theater, the US prioritized defeating Hitler. Key operations included invading North Africa and Sicily, establishing a beachhead in Normandy on D-Day, and defeating the final German offensive at the Battle of the Bulge. Germany surrendered on V-E Day in May 1945.

1. The US Enters the War

2. • Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on
December 7, 1941.
• Roosevelt called it a “Day that will live in
infamy”

4. Preparing for War
• 16 million Americans joined the military
• Conscientious objectors – believed war was
wrong and served in the medical corps
• Women joined the military

7. • “Rosie the Riveter” was used to encourage to
join the work force

11. Internment Camps
• Forced relocation for Japanese Americans
• They were stripped of their rights as American
citizens
• There were 2 of them in Arkansas

18. • Japanese were allowed to enlist in military
service in 1943.
• Helped crack the secret Japanese telegraph
code

19. War Materials
• Retooled factories to produce war goods
– Built a ship every 3 ½ days
– Auto factories built jeeps and tanks

20. • Food that would help the war effort was
rationed (restricted in use).
– Gasoline, oil, meat, butter, sugar, coffee, shoes
and most canned or frozen goods

23. EUROPEAN THEATER

24. • First priority was to defeat Hitler
• Russia joined the Allies and Stalin promised to
help get rid of the Japanese once the Germans
had been defeated

25. 1. Operation Torch
• Dwight D Eisenhower led the Americans
• Invasion of North Africa
• The British invaded at the same time
• They crushed the Axis forces between them

28. 2. Operation Husky
• Led by General George Patton
• Invaded Sicily (island close to Italy)
• Italians were tired of fighting and overthrew
Mussolini
• Surrendered to the Allies and declared war on
Germany

31. 3. D-Day
• In Normandy, France on June 6, 1944
• Allied forces established a beachhead in
France
• After 3 months, liberated Paris

37. 4. Battle of the Bulge
• Final German attack in Belgium

38. Yalta Conference
• Between Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt.
• Russia agreed to enter the Pacific war and
hold elections after the war

39. V-E Day (Victory in Europe)
• Hitler is losing and commits suicide
• May 7, 1945 the Germans surrendered