The Second World War

Question 1

What was the Cash and Carry Plan?

Answer 1

America sold Britain and France weapons which created valuable jobs at a time of unemployment

Question 2

What was Lend Lease?

Answer 2

From March 1941, America began to ‘lend’ weapons to Britain

Question 3

What were relations like between Japan and USA?

Answer 3

In protest at Japan’s aggression, FDR vowed to not sell oil or steel to Japan

Question 4

What happened at Pearl Harbor?

Answer 4

In December 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and over 2,000 men were killed. The next day, America and Britain declared war on Japan

Question 5

What was weapon making like during the war?

Answer 5

The WPB was created to convert industries to war work.
Factories received all the materials needed to produce war goods.
In 1944, America produces 96,000 planes- 28,000 more than Germany and Japan combined

Question 6

How did unemployment drop during the war?

Answer 6

By 1941, 4 million people found job in the armed forces or building equipment. Between 1939-1944, unemployment dropped from 9.5 million to just 670,000. Farmers prospered as they supplied food to the military and traditional industries were boosted by the demands of the war

Question 7

How did lives change for women during the war?

Answer 7

Before the war, women worked in traditional jobs, however women began to fill up men’s places in factories. Around 350,000 joined the armed forces and between 1940-1945 the number of women in work rose by 7 million

Question 8

How did lives change for African-Americans during the war?

Answer 8

The FEPC was set up to help prevent discrimination in defence and government jobs. Around a million African-Americans fought in the war but there was still widespread discrimination, however as the war went on the racial barriers began to break down