War in the Pacific

1. What was the importance of the Battle of Midway?
At the Battle of Midway the American's turned back the Japanese assault there, destroying over 200 Japanese planes, 4 aircraft carriers, and a cursor. Moreover, it marked a turning point in the war in the Pacific because afterwards the Allies, mostly Americans with some Australians, began a campaign of island hoping towards Japan.
2. What strategy did the United States adopt in fighting Japan?
The United States adopted the strategy or island hopping. They would advance island by island, slowly pushing the Japanese back towards mainland Japan.
3. Why did the Japanese fight so hard on Iwo Jima?
Th Japanese fought so hard on Iwo Jima because it was the only thing that prevented the U.S from attacking the island of Okanawa, the last obstacle before mainland Japan. Also, there were the most defenders on the island than almost anywhere else on Earth, making it very difficult fighting for the Americans.
4. Why did the Allies believe Okinawa was a foretaste of an invasion of Japan?
The Allies believed that Okinawa was a foretaste of an invasion of Japan because the if fighting for that island was so intense, and the enemy would rather die than surrender there, the fighting for their homeland would be even fiercer.

5. What was the Manhattan Project?
The Manhattan Project was the project to build the Atomic Bomb, and was done in order to avoid an invasion of Japan.

6. Ultimately, why did President Truman decide to drop atomic bombs on Japan?
President Truman decided to drop the atomic bombs on Japan so that millions of Americans would not need to die assaulting Japan.

War for Europe and North Africa - Part II

6. What was D-Day?
D-Day was an invasion by the Allies accross the English Channel. They specificaly attacked three beaches at Normandy with aroung 3 million troops.There were also paratroopers that attacked the night before as well as a large navel bombardment. This wa the largest land-sea-air operation in recorded history.
7. What happened at the Battle of the Bulge?
At the Battle of the Bulge Hitler tried one last offensive to try and defeat the Allies. His attack formed a bulge into the Allied lines, trying to split the Americans from the British. It lasted for a month and eventualy the Germans were defeted and pushed back. They would never have the resources or men to mount an attack again.
8. What did Allied troops find in Germany?
The Allied troops found the Death Camps in Germany, where thousands of people were kille din each.
9. What happened to Hitler? What happened to F.D. Roosevelt? Who became U.S. President?
Hitler commited suicide after giving one last speach in which he blamed every one else for the war and its failure. F.D.R died shortly into his fourth term as president from a stroke before V-E Day. Harry S. Truman became the next President.

War for Europe & North Africa

1. To what did Roosevelt and Churchill agree early in the war?
Roosevelt and Churchill agreed that the U.S would focus on Hitler before the Pacific because Churchill felt it was more important.


2. Why was winning the Battle of the Atlantic so crucial to the fortunes of the Allies?
Winning the Battle of the Atlantic was so crucial to the Allies because it allowed ships carrying troops and supplies to safely cross the Atlantic. Also they could focus their navel resources elsewhere.
3. Why was the Battle of Stalingrad so important?
The battle of Stalingrad was so important because it marked a turning point in the Eastern Front. During the battle Hitler lost an entire army and because of this any hopes of ever conquering the USSR. Furthermore it opened another front Germany had to defend on against many angry Soviets rather than an easy attack.
4. What happened in the war in North Africa?
In the war in North Africa the Allied armies, predominantly American, went to help the British already their defend against Rommel as well as continue the attack from another side (the west). This allowed the Allies to open another front in order to try to divert some pressure from the Soviet Union, as well as provide a staging ground from which they would be able to attack Sicily, then Italy, and finally Germany from the South if they were able. They weren't but it did also prevent Hitler from focusing all of his troops on the Western Front to defend against D-day once D-day occurred.
5. What happened after the Allies invaded Italy?
After the Allies invaded Italy the Italian people and their king overthrew Mussolini and thought that they had been removed from the war. Unfortunately, the Germans remained in Italy trying to fight off the Allies until close to the end of the war and some very tough and bloody battles were fought there.

Mobilizing for WWII

1. Selective Service System
The Selective Service System provided 10 million men for the war. This helped the U.S be able to fight the war on both fronts.
2. Women
Women did many noncombat positions such as nurses, ambulance drivers, radio operators, electricians, and pilots.
3. Minorities
Around a million and a half men who belonged to minorities joined the army during WWII, and around 75 thousand Japanese American's served as spies in the Pacific.
4. Manufacturers
The automobile plants in the country made vehicles and airplanes for the military. Other factories also made supplies for the military. Shipyards made war boats as well.
5. Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD)
The OSRD made many improvements in radar and sonar, and most importantly, the Atomic Bomb.
6 Entertainment industry
The entertainment industry made propaganda, and other war movies in order to gain support for the war movement.
7. Office of Price Administration (OPA)
The OPA froze the froze prices domestic goods, raised taxes, and encouraged the buying of war bonds and rationing.
8. War Production Board (WPB)
The WPB transformed the peacetime industries into wartime industries by giving them supplies and money as well as creating drives for materials.
9. Rationing
Rationing was a way to allot goods that were scarce fairly to civilian families, however many of theses goods were sold on the black market anyway.

Japan and U.S. Relations in 1941

Japan and U.S. Relations in 1941

Document A
-Japan should attack south
-going south would bring America, England, the Soviet Union, and Asia to their knees and Japan will have little resistance.

Document B
-America is being encircled by Japan

Document C
-Japan cannot negotiate with America
-Japan is being, and has been oppressed by America
-Japan has been sacrificing for the sake of peace for years

Document D
-Japan is at a crossroads for either destruction or glory
-Japan should support the Emperor and the Military because the owe it to them

Document E
-Japan instigated the war- attacked first
-Japan sought to deceive Americans with talks of peace
-America needs to go to war with Japan

1. What did the 1939 Neutrality Act allow? 2. Who were the Axis powers? 3. What did the Lend-Lease Act do? 4. What pledges were contained in the At

1. What did the 1939 Neutrality Act allow?
The 1939 Neutrality Act allowed belligerents to trade with the U.S as long as they payed for and collected the goods themselves.
2. Who were the Axis powers?
The Axis powers were Germany, Italy, and Japan.
3. What did the Lend-Lease Act do?
The Lend-Lease Act allowed the U.S to lend arms to any country whose defense was vital to the U.S.
4. What pledges were contained in the Atlantic Charter?
The pledges contained in the Atlantic Charter were collective security, disarmament, self-determination, economic cooperation and freedom of the seas.
5. Who were the Allies?
The Allies were a group of 26 nations lead by Great Britain, the U.S, France and the Soviet Union.
6. What did the attack at Pearl Harbor do to the U.S. Pacific fleet?
The attack at Pearl Harbor greatly decreased the size of the Pacific fleet. Namely by around 3500 men killed or wounded, and 21 ships including 8 battleships. however three aircraft carriers escaped.
7. Why did Germany and Italy declare war on the U.S.?
Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S because the U.S declared war on Japan. However, it is imposible to know exactly why when they did not actually need to do so.

"Isolationism" and FDR (1935 - 1941)

1. What were the goals of the isolationists? Why is "isolationism" a misleading term?
The isolationsist wanted to keep America out of future wars in Europe. Isolationism is a misleading word because it seems to suggest compleat isolation but in reality is just millitary isolation.
2. What did some isolationists feel that there was no need for Americans to feel threatened by developments in Europe and Asia?
Some isolationists felt that there was no need to feel threatened by developments in Europe and Asia because the Atlantic and Pacific oceans would prevent America from geting involved in anything across them.
3. What were the purposes of the Nye Committee hearings?
The Nye Committee hearings were hearings that investigated the reasons why America entered the first world war. Nye hoped that they would prevent entry into WWII
4. List two impressions that the Nye Committee hearings created.
The Nye Committee hearings created the impressions that the US entered the war so that componies could gain priffits from it as well as the feeling that big buissines and banks would get them into the second world war.
5. What were the purposes of the Neutrality Acts?
The Neutrality Acts were created to maintain U.S neutrality from the wars by preventing commerce for a little while. However their were many loopholes.
6. List two reasons that some Americans considered Roosevelt's leadership radical and dangerous.
Two reasons that American's felt that Roosevelt's leadership was radical and dangerous were hies attempt to pack the Supreem Court and that he tryed for a third term at president
7. What was "Cash and Carry"?
"Cash and Carry" allowed the U.S to trade with beligerants as long as they payed for and took the goods themselves.
8. Why did President Roosevelt freeze Japanese assets in the United States?
Roosevelt froze Japanese assets in the U.S in order to stop further Japanese agression by denying them resources.
9. What was the purpose of the America First Committee?
The America First Committee was created in order to keep the U.S out of war, while still protecting the U.S from foreighn threat.