CHAPTER 16: WORLD WAR II

ISOLATIONISM • International conflicts in mid 1930s

• Most Americans do not want to be involved

• 1928 – U.S. had signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact -> signed by 62 nations -> war will not be used -> no plan to enforce it

• Thomas Jefferson had warned of “entangling alliances” or being involved in the affairs of other countries

• Many Americans were fearful of all foreign elements

• Jews

• Catholics

• immigrants

AMERICANS WERE UPSET ABOUT WWI• Books are published stating the U.S. had been dragged into war by greedy bankers and

weapons manufacturers

• Congressional committee led by Senator Gerald Nye -> shows large profits made during WWI

QUESTION• What factors contributed to Americans’ growing isolationism?

ANSWER• Large profits had been made by banks and weapon industry during WWI

• Bitter about being in that war

• Hatred of the military

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FDR’S FOREIGN POLICY • 1933 – FDR is a friendly president

• Recognizes the Soviet Union in 1933 and exchanges ambassadors

• Good Neighbor Policy – no intervention in Latin America

• Withdrew armed forces in L. America

• 1934 – reduces tariffs

• 1935 – Congress passes the NEUTRALITY ACTS

• U.S. could not sell weapons or give loans to nations in war

JOURNAL • When do you think it is right for the U.S. to enter a war? Why?

JOURNAL

• Do you think the U.S. would have entered World War II if Pearl Harbor had not been attacked? Why or why not?

CHAPTER 17

• The United States in WWII

SECTION 1: MOBILIZING FOR DEFENSE

• Japan Times says America is “trembling in her shoes”

• 5 million volunteer for military service

• Selective Service Act provides 10 million soldiers

• Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) – women volunteers serve in non-combat positions

• Pilots, ambulance drivers, electricians

WHAT ABOUT DISCRIMINATION?

• “Here lies a black man killed fighting a yellow man for the protection of a white man”

DISCRIMINATION IN MILITARY

• 300,000 Mexican-Americans join the military

• 1 million African Americans in segregated units -> no combat until 1943

• 33,000 Japanese Americans

• 25,000 Native Americans

• Chinese cannot become naturalized citizens

A PRODUCTION MIRACLE

• Factories are converted for war production

• Car plants now make tanks, planes, boats

• Henry Kaiser’s shipyards made a ship each day by 1945

CONTRIBUTION OF THE WORKERS

• Men are fighting

• 6 million women enter the workforce

• No problem operating welding torches

or riveting guns

• Paid 60% of what men earn

• Minorities are also not hired at first

A. PHILIP RANDOLPH

• Most respected African American labor leader organizes a march on Washington D.C. 1941

• Demands: “The right to work and fight for our country.”

• March is cancelled after FDR issues executive order making discrimination in defense industries illegal

HOW DID WWII END THE GREAT DEPRESSION?

MOBILIZATION OF SCIENTISTS

• 1941 – FDR creates the Office of Scientific Research

and Development (OSRD) -> leads to better radar + sonar, pesticides, penicillin

• Secret development of the atomic bomb – German scientists (Albert Einstein) split uranium atoms -> release enormous amounts of energy

• FDR starts intensive program to build an atomic bomb in 1942 = Manhattan Project

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• Office of Price Administration (OPA) – freezes prices so that the price of goods does not increase drastically

• Higher taxes + war bonds keep inflation in check

• War Production Board (WPB) – decides companies that will convert to war production

• Rationing – families are only allowed to purchase small quantities of scarce goods (meat, sugar, coffee, gasoline)

THE FEDERAL GOVT. TAKES CONTROL

QUESTIONS SECTION 1 • How did each of the following contribute to the war effort?

• 1. Selective Service Act

• 2. Woman

• 3. Minorities

• 4. Manufacturers

• 5. A. Philip Randolph

• 6. Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD)

• 7. Office of Price Administration (OPA)

• 8. War Production Board (WPB)

• 9. Rationing