Continue the War in the Pacific

Office of Price Administration

• Office of Price Administration (OPA), U.S. federal agency in World War II, established to prevent wartime inflation.

• The OPA issued (Apr., 1942) a general maximum-price regulation that made prices charged in Mar., 1942, the ceiling prices for most commodities.

• Besides controlling prices, the OPA was also empowered to ration scarce consumer goods in wartime. Tires, automobiles, sugar, gasoline, fuel oil, coffee, meats, and processed foods were ultimately rationed.

War Fought Using Technology

• Technology during World War II played a crucial role in determining the outcome of the war.

• Office of Scientific Research and Development was an agency of the United States federal government created to coordinate scientific research for World War II.

1. Improvement of radar

2. Synthetic rubber

3. Aviation improvements

4. Antibiotics

5. DDT

6. Napalm

Race for the “A” Bomb1939 Einstein Warns FDR of German Plans to Build a Bomb. Einstein Letters

In 1942 Enrico Fermi successfully controlled a nuclear reaction at the University of Chicago.

The Manhattan Project: J. Robert Oppenheimer, The project succeeded in developing and detonating three nuclear weapons in 1945

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Propaganda in the U.S. During WWII

“We must remember that in time of war what is said on the enemy's side of the front is always propaganda, and what is said on our side of the front is truth and righteousness, the cause of humanity and a crusade for peace.” (Walter Lippman)

• Goal of WWII propaganda was manipulation of public opinion.

• Sometimes subtle, as in Norman Rockwell’s The Four Freedoms.

• Often explicit as in Walt Disney’s The Fuhrer’s Face.

Norman Rockwell’s The Four Freedoms

Norman Rockwell’s The Four Freedoms

Four FreedomsWe look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression--everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way-- everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want . . . everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fear . . . anywhere in the world.--President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Message to Congress, January 6, 1941

Walt Disney’s The Fuhrer’s Face

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Office of War Information (OWI)Created in 1942 and served as an important U.S. government propaganda agency.

Voice of America (VOA)

• First broadcast, in German, took place on Feb. 24, 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda among the German people.

• By the time World War II ended, the VOA was broadcasting 3,200 programs in 40 languages every week.

Propaganda's Effects @ HomeItalian and German Americans treated well,

not true for Japanese Americans.

• Japanese American internment, forced removal and of approximately 120,000.

• Japanese and Japanese Americans (62% of whom were United States citizens) from the West Coast of the United States during World War II.

Financing the War

1. Sale of war bonds

2. Increase in tax rates and tax both rich and poor

3. Income tax withholding keeps $ coming in

4. Excess Profits tax for companies making war time products

5. Govt. still needs to barrow $.

Allied Strategies & Advantages• Excellent cooperation, and coordination of forces on a global scale. Political decisions preempt military decisions-must cooperate to survive.

• Amer. industrial capacity was limitless- US leads the world in industry and safe from bombs.

• Superior moral position- fighting to survive, fighting an aggressor, fighting for the free world.

• Conquer Germany first because both GB and USSR under immediate threat of destruction. Meanwhile Japan must be held back to prevent fall of Australia and Hawaii.

The Pacific• Fall of the Philippines - Result was a Japanese victory, perseverance of the defenders delayed Japanese attacks on other areas and assisted Allied counterattacks.

• The Doolittle Raid - B-25 bombers would take off from carriers, attack Japan, and land in China

• Battle of Coral Sea: Pyrrhic victory for Japan.

Click below Coral Sea

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In Germany

In the meantime we need to develop a plan to attack Germany because they control much of Europe.