america & world war II Flashcards
How did the United States mobilize the economy to fight in World War II?
- faster production
- producing goods quickly
- National Defense Advisory Committee for business leaders to help with this
- cost-plus system made companies produce more at a quicker rate
- war materials were distributed rapidly
When was the Selective Service and what was it?
1940; draft
How many Americans served in WWII in 4 years?
16 million
How did the military adapt to the thousands who joined the military?
new military bases were built
How were African Americans put in the army?
- recruited for combat
- served in segregated units
What was “Double V”?
- victory vs Axis abroad and victory over racism at home
- “a Jim Crow Army cannot fight for a free world”
What were the Tuskegee Airmen?
first African American Air Force unit
What played an important role in helping the United States win the war?
industry
How did business leaders helped Roosevelt build a strong nation for war?
- Ford: converted from making vehicles to bombers
- Kaiser: Liberty ships
What was “The Dollar-a-Year Men”?
CEO of General Motors left job to earn $1 salary advising FDR
What brought the United States out of the Great Depression?
- increase in jobs on the home front
- brought nation into a time of rapid growth
How did the rapid growth also require great sacrifices for families and workers in the United States?
many women entered workforce building supplies and doing factory work that was once meant for men
Who was “Rosie the Riveter”?
iconic female factory worker who supported women joining the workforce and the war effort
What was Executive Order 8802?
- it outlawed discrimination in employee hiring
- only applied to defense jobs
What resulted in rapid increase in economic activity to avoid inflation?
wages and prices had to stabilize
What was put in place to prevent labor strikes?
government offices
What was done to make sure there was enough food for the military?
- supplies and foods were rationed
- victory gardens increased food supplies
- war bonds raised money
What was purpose of the office of War Information?
it helped inform the public about the war through media outlets such as movies
When and what was Executive Order 9066?
- 1942
- War Relocation Authority removed all people of Japanese ancestry, both citizen and non citizen, from the West Coasts
- over look interned (confined) in camps in remote areas far from the coast
- lost homes, possessions, and businesses
What was the result of Korematsu vs the United States?
Supreme Court upheld their constitutionality
Did Japanese Americans get an apology about the internment camps?
- 1988
- Congress awarded $20,000 to each surviving Japanese American internee, and issued an official apology
How did women join the military?
women were able to join military forces for the first time, in limited support roles
How did Native Americans serve in the war?
they served as “code talkers”
What happened during the first 6 months after Pearl Harbor?
- Japan conquers empire
- push aside US, Great Britain, and the Dutch navy and take colonies
- invaded the Philippines the day after Pearl Harbor
Who led troops in the Philippines to Bataan Peninsula before surrendering?
Douglas MacArthur
What was the Bataan Death March?
- 76,000 Filipinos and Americans held as POWs (prisoners of war)
- forced to march 60+ miles in tropical heat (already weakened)
- 10,000 died
- survivors of march sent to camps
- 15,000 more died in camps
- violation of Geneva Convention / treatment of POWs
Did the Japanese reach their goal with the attack on Pearl Harbor?
No, did not eliminate Pacific Fleet like they hoped
How come the Japanese did not eliminate the Pacific Fleet like they had hoped?
2 carriers were at sea and 1 was getting repaired in California
What was Doolittle’s Raid?
- Lt. Col James Doolittle leads raid on Tokyo from carriers
- little damage but boosted morale
When was Doolittle’s Raid?
April 1942
How were the allies able to win the Battle of Midway?
allies break Japanese code and stop Japan again
What did Japan lose from the Battle of Midway?
- lost 250 planes and most of their skilled pilots
- unable to launch any more offensive operations in the Pacific
What was “island hopping”?
- select important islands to attack
- break Japanese supply line
- advance island by island to Japan
Why did the United States look to capture Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands?
Japan was building airfield there
When was the Battle of Guadalcanal?
August 1942
How many marines landed on the islands of Guadalcanal?
11,000 marines
What happened when the U.S. marines landed on Guadalcanal?
Japanese fled into the jungle
What did the Battle of Guadalcanal provide for the marines?
their first taste of jungle warfare
How long did the fighting at Guadalcanal last and who was defeated?
Japanese defeated after 5 months of brutal fighting
When did US troops invade the Philippine island of Leyte?
October, 1944
Who led the troops who invaded Leyte?
Douglas MacArthur
- “I have returned”
How many warships were in the Battle of Leyte Gulf?
280+ warships in three-day Battle of Leyte Gulf
When was the first time the Japanese used Kamikazes?
during the Battle of Leyte Gulf
What were Kamikazes?
loaded aircraft with bombs and then deliberately crashed them into enemy ships
What was the Battle of Leyte Gulf?
- took 2 months to liberate Leyte
- continued to fight for control of the rest of the Philippines until the end of the war
What was the significance of the Battle of the Coral Sea?
prevented the supply lines to Australia open and it was the first time that Japan had failed an operational mission
Why was the Battle of Midway a turning point in the war in the Pacific?
- Japanese had lost four large carriers, which were the center of its fleet
- Americans had stopped the Japanese advance only six months after Pearl Harbor
