unit #4: king america guided notes · in 1922, mussolini and his black-shirt followers overthrew...

Hartnell University ** ** Unit 4: King America

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Unit #4: “King America” Guided Notes

World War II:

Introduction

World War II was the largest and most devastating war…

…EVER.

It lasted from 1939-1945 and pitted the Axis against the Allies.

The U.S. joined in 1941 after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.

Total loss of life: 72 million (61 million Allies; 11 million Axis).

Total civilian deaths: 47 million

Total military deaths: 25 million

Remember World War I?

“Only” 30 million total losses (20 m. civilian; 10 m. military).

The “Isms”

World War II involved several different “isms”:

1. Capitalism.

2. Socialism.

3. Communism.

4. Fascism.

5. Nazism.


Capitalism

Based upon private ownership, individual initiative, profit, and

fair competition.

Factories, mines, stores, farms, railroads, airlines, and banks are

privately owned.

Competition is its “lifeblood”.

“Supply & Demand” flourishes.

Low demand = prices go down.

High demand = prices go up.

Example: USA.

How can I remember this?


Socialism

Dates back to Ancient Greece.

Calls for public ownership of land, factories, and other means

of production.

Looks good on paper… but in practice it’s tougher to get

people to buy in.

Socialists hate capitalism since wealth is in a “few hands”.

Wants to reduce inequality by having state redistribute wealth

in an equitable way.

Anti-socialists see this as the “Robin Hood Approach”.

Government owns major industries but smaller ones are

privately owned (regulated).

Individual is second to state.

Extreme form is communism.

Examples: Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark.



Communism

It is socialism on steroids.

In 1848, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels published

The Communist Manifesto.

It is about class struggle.

Stresses Haves vs. Have Nots.

Workers urged to seize political power and take over industries.

After this, world revolutions result in rule by working class.

In 1917, Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky

overthrew Russia’s Czar Nicholas II and formed the

Soviet Union (or U.S.S.R.).

U.S.S.R. stands for Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Government controls ALL economic activity, all factories, all

media, culture, and religion.

Headed by a dictator called the General Secretary of the

Party.

Freedom of speech and press is non-existent.

Strict censorship earned U.S.S.R. name “Iron Curtain”.

Government decides how many goods should be produced

and when.

In theory, everything’s centralized; erases inequality.

Like socialism, individual is second to state… meaning you’re

“expendable”.

U.S.S.R. fell December 25, 1991.

Examples: U.S.S.R., China, North Korea, Vietnam, and Cuba.



Fascism

Government is run by a dictator; controls all economic activity,

all politics, all media, culture, and religion.

Unlike communism, fascism lets industry remain in private

ownership (but does regulate).

Rooted in extreme nationalism, forced patriotism, and

anti-socialism/communism.

Considers all other people inferior to the host country’s

nationality.

Individual is second to the state or race.

In Rome, Benito Mussolini and thousands of black-shirts

overthrew Italy’s king and instituted a fascist regime in

1922.

The term “fascism” was first used by Mussolini.

The term comes from the Italian word fascio, which means

“union” or “league.”


It also refers to the ancient Roman symbol of power, the fasces,

a bundle of sticks bound to an ax, which represented

civic unity and the authority of Roman officials to punish

wrongdoers.

Very warlike mentality; advocates warlike policies.

Most extreme form of fascism is Nazism.

Example: Italy from 1922-1943.


Nazism

Nazism is also called National Socialism (ironic since Nazis are

anti-socialist).

It started in Germany in 1920 with the formation of the

National Socialist German Workers’ Party.

In Germany this party was called Nationalsozialistische

Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP).

We know it as the Nazi Party.


Adolf Hitler joined the Nazi Party and soon became a major

promoter and leader.

A failed overthrow of German Government landed him in jail,

where he dictated the book Mein Kampf (“My

Struggle”).

This mapped out Nazi beliefs and agenda.

It is fascism on steroids… but it is purely German.

It is rooted in severe nationalism and desire to unite

“common-speaking” people.

It considers all other people inferior to the German nationality.

It preaches hate toward those that are “different”.

It believes in “master” and “inferior” races.

“Master” race: Aryan (white, blonde hair, blue eyes).

“Inferior” race: Jews, Slavs, and non-whites.

Government run by a dictator; controls all economic activity,

all politics, all media, culture, and religion.

Hatred toward Jews resulted in the Holocaust during WWII.

Over 17 million died in the Holocaust; 6 million were Jews

(2/3 of all Jews in Europe).

Example: Germany from 1933-1945.


[Picture on next page]


The “Isms” Re-Cap


The Background

World War I…

The Great War…

The War to End All Wars…

The War to Make the World Safe for Democracy…

…ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in

1918.

The Treaty of Versailles (near Paris) was approved by Britain,

France, and Italy.

Russia and Germany were not invited to the peace talks.

The U.S. never approved TOV.

The U.S. signed the Treaty of Berlin with Germany in 1921.

In the end, Germany was blamed for everything and was

forced to:

1. Demilitarize themselves:

* no air force,

* a reduced navy,

* no submarines,

* no more than 100,000 soldiers in their army.

2. Return the disputed territory of Alsace-Lorraine to France.

3. Pay $33 billion to the Allies in war reparations (despite having

a National Debt of $100 billion).

4. Admit they “started” the Great War (even though Russia

escalated it).

Is there any wonder this treaty causes WWII?

The political order of Europe crumbled after WWI.

The German, Austro-Hungarian, Russian, and Ottoman Empires

were gone for good.

Adolf Hitler, a WWI vet, did not forget…


Communist U.S.S.R.

In 1917, Bolsheviks led by Lenin and Trotsky overthrew Czar

Nicholas II and formed the Soviet Union (or U.S.S.R.).

Vladimir Lenin, who led the revolution, served: 1917-1924.

Joseph Stalin (means “Man of Steel”) served: 1924-1953.

Stalin began transforming the U.S.S.R. into industrial power.

By 1933, made them 3rd largest in world (U.S. #1; Germany #2).

Stalin began the Great Purge during 1930s by killing those that

spoke out against him or the country.

8-13 million were killed during this purge.

10,000 Communist Party and Red Army leaders were killed.

Stalin was responsible for the death of 23 million people during

his rule.

By 1939, Stalin had established a centralized totalitarian

government that suppressed all opposition.

But remember… he was a “good guy” because he was on the

Allies’ side during WWII…

Fascist Italy

As Stalin was purging, Benito Mussolini took control of Italy.

In 1922, Mussolini and his black-shirt followers overthrew the

king and implemented their fascist regime.

Mussolini was called Il Duce (Italian for “the leader”).

In 1935, Italy attacked Ethiopia (but took year to control).

The League of Nations tried to stop Italy by enacting boycott.

Italy ignored boycott and took Ethiopia; L.O.N. proved weak.

In 1936, Rome-Berlin Pact was signed, creating Axis Powers.


Nazi Germany

At the end of WWI, Adolf Hitler was jobless and homeless.

Hitler joined National Socialist German Workers’ Party

(or Nazi Party).

In 1923, Hitler and 600 Nazis tried to overthrow government in

the Beer Hall Putsch (revolt).

It failed… and he was jailed.

While in jail, he dictated Mein Kampf (“My Struggle”), which

put forth Nazi beliefs.

After his release in 1924, Hitler reorganized the Nazi Party

(which had been outlawed when he was jailed).

He organized the Schutzstaffel (“defense corps”), or SS, to

protect him, control the Nazi Party, perform police tasks,

and run concentration camps.

The Great Depression of 1929 gave Hitler his big break.

He promised jobs and a return to national prosperity.

He said the right things… at the right time.

Ironically, Hitler took power by democratic means.

In January 1933, Germany’s President Paul von Hindenburg

appointed Hitler as Chancellor (like Prime Minister).

He did this because he had defeated Hitler in the 1932 election

and saw the widespread support Hitler and the Nazi

Party carried.

Two months later, Hitler took control of the Reichstag

(Parliament)… suspiciously only a month after a major fire

destroyed the Parliament building and resulted in a

declaration that all political parties except the Nazi Party

were illegal.

On March 25, 1933, the Reichstag voted Hitler dictatorial

powers.

After that, Hindenburg was only a figurehead in the Nazi

Government. He died in 1934.


Hitler established the Third Reich, or 3rd Empire (which he said

would last 1,000 years).

3rd Empire? When were the first 2 empires?

1st Empire was: 768-843.

This was the Holy Roman Empire under Charlemagne.

2nd Empire was: 1871-1919.

This was led by Otto von Bismarck.

Hitler’s goal: unite all German-speaking people into one great

big German Empire.

Hitler believed that for Germany to thrive, it needed…

…more living space.

That’s not good for Europe.

In 1933, Hitler pulled Germany out of the League of Nations.

The L.O.N. did nothing…

In 1935, Hitler violated the Treaty of Versailles and began

building up Germany’s Army.


In 1936, Hitler sent troops into the Rhineland, which was a

demilitarized zone in Western Germany that bordered

France/Belgium.


In 1936, Rome-Berlin Pact was signed, creating Axis Powers.

Shinto Japan

Shinto is a Japanese cult and religion. It means “the way of the

gods”.

Shinto started in prehistoric times and played an important

national position for long periods in the history of Japan,

particularly in recent times.


Shinto was created in the 500s as a “home grown” religion

separate from Buddhism and Confucianism, which had

been introduced from China.

By the 800s, Shinto was overshadowed by Buddhism, and its

priests were reduced to fortune-tellers and magicians.

From 1192-1867, Japan was ruled by military dictators called

shoguns. The shoguns were overthrown in 1867, and the

emperor was restored to the head of the government.

Shinto was revived by the emperors who used it to justify their

divine right to the throne.

Followers of Shinto believed that the Japanese were superior to

others because of their descent from the gods… and

that their emperor was destined to rule the world.

This helped garner popular support for the expansion of the

Japanese Empire.

As an island nation, Japan had limited resources; to become

a world power, more materials were needed.

None at home = time to expand!

In 1931, Japan invaded China’s resource-rich region of

Manchuria.

The League of Nations condemned the invasion… but did

nothing.

Japan responded by withdrawing from the L.O.N.

In 1937, Japan invaded China for resources and land.


Hirohito was Japan’s Emperor from 1926-1989.

Hideki Tojo was Prime Minister from 1941-1944 (and acted like a

dictator during WWII).


In 1940, Japan joined the Axis.

Tojo then received permission from Hitler to move Japanese

troops into French Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia,

Laos).

Japan’s aggressive actions in the Pacific soon led it to attack

Hawaii in 1941.

Capitalist U.S.A.

Still suffering from the Great Depression (1929-1942), the U.S.

retreated back to its former policy of isolationism.

WWI confirmed America’s fear of foreign conflicts and drove its

refusal to join the League of Nations, which many felt

would only drag the country into more foreign wars.

In 1935, and against President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s wishes,

3 Neutrality Acts were passed by Congress.

Why was FDR upset?

War = money maker.

While the world wasn’t at war, FDR knew Hitler was bad news.

First 2 acts outlawed selling or loaning weapons to nations at

war (no matter who you were).

3rd Act said “no” weapons to nations undergoing civil wars.

FDR wanted the U.S. and other “neutral” countries to make a

stand right NOW.

U.S. public opinion did not want another foreign war.

As such, FDR had to wait for a reason to get America’s war

factories up and running again.

He would get a reason on December 7, 1941.


H-BOMB – Topic: Hitler was short, part-Jewish, and had 1 nut.

TRUE!

Up first... Hitler’s “Unterseeboot” region...

Hitler was a soldier in the German Army during World

War I. During the Battle of the Somme in 1916, he was

wounded. Johan Jambor, the medic that treated Hitler,

later stated that he and his co-rescuers dubbed Hitler

the “Screamer” because, as they were carrying him away,

they came under French fire and had to temporarily

abandon him. It was at that time that Hitler began to

scream very loudly to come back and threatened them

with a court martial if they left him behind. Jambor

said, “He was very noisy. He was injured in the groin

and lost his left testicle. His first question was:

‘Will I be able to have children?’” Thankfully, he

never did.

Hitler’s one nut became fodder for a popular British

song sung during the war. Toby O’Brien wrote “Hitler

Has Only Got One Ball” in August 1939.

“Hitler has only got one ball,

Göring has two, but very small,

Himmler is somewhat sim’lar,

But poor old Goebbels has no balls at all.

Hitler has only got one ball,

The other is on the kitchen wall,

His mother, the dirty bugger,

Chopped it off when he was small.

She threw it into a conker tree

It missed, and went into the sea

The fishes got out their dishes,

And had scallops and bollocks for tea.”

Now what about Hitler’s possible Jewish ancestry?

A journalist managed to get hold of a napkin used by

Alexander Stuart-Houston, a grand-nephew of Hitler

living in the U.S.

DNA tests were done, proving that Hitler was certainly

not a “pure” German. In fact, the tests showed that

Hitler had Jewish and African ancestry. To re-cap,

Hitler was part-Jewish, part-African, and did not have

blonde hair and blue eyes. There were even murmurings

that he was gay. In short, Hitler was the furthest

thing from being a pure-blooded, full-blown Aryan.

What a douche.


Now let’s address short people’s pent-up rage and

need to take over the world...

===================================================

Napoleon Bonaparte (Dictator of France: 1799-1815)

Height:

After Napoleon died, his body was autopsied in

France, and his height was noted as 5’2”. This

measurement was in French feet (pieds de roi) and

was never converted to the English measure. In

English feet, Napoleon stood 5’6 ½” tall. In fact,

he was actually taller than the average Frenchman.

===================================================

Nikita Khrushchev (Dictator of Russia: 1953-1964)

Height:

He was 5’3” tall.

===================================================

Joseph Stalin (Dictator of Russia: 1924-1953)

Height:

He was between 5’2” – 5’6”, but most historians

agree that Stalin was 5’4”.

===================================================

Vladimir Lenin (Leader of Russia: 1917-1924)

Height:


===================================================

Adolf Hitler (Dictator of Germany: 1933-1945)

Height:


===================================================

Abraham Lincoln (President of U.S.A.: 1861-1965)

Height:

He was 6’4” tall back when the average male height

was 5’7”. U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!


1938

EARLY MARCH:

Hitler sends forces into Austria to “preserve order”, forcing their

leader to resign.

Hitler declares Austria “reunited” with Germany.

Nothing beats getting the band back together…

LATE MARCH:

Hitler accuses Czechoslovakia of abusing Germans in the

Sudetenland.

3 million German-speaking people live in this area.

Remember Hitler’s “goal” of uniting all German-speaking

people?

The Sudetenland was taken from Germany after WWI and used

to create Czechoslovakia.

Hitler wants it back.

Nazi troops are moved to the border of Czech.

SEPTEMBER:

Britain and France are allies of Czechoslovakia.

Hitler invites France’s Premier Édouard Daladier and Britain’s

Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain to meet in Munich.


The Munich Pact is signed at this meeting. Germany gets the

Sudetenland if they promise not take any more land.

Chamberlain announces he has achieved “peace in our time”.

Future British P.M. Winston Churchill says: “Britain and France

had to choose between war and dishonor. They chose

dishonor. They will have war.”

Munich is an example of appeasement.

NOVEMBER:

Kristallnacht (“Night of Broken Glass”) occurs on November 9th.

Jewish synagogues, homes, and businesses are looted

and destroyed.

The Holocaust begins as 30,000 Jews are sent to concentration

camps.

The word “holocaust” comes from the Greek words holo

(whole) and caustos (burned).

It originally referred to a burnt offering or a religious sacrifice

that is totally consumed by fire.

The Holocaust was among the worst genocides in history. (The

worst was the genocide of the North American Indians.)

German promotion of Aryan race resulted in the extermination

of 17 million people (6 million Jews).

Persecution of Jews and anti-Semitism had existed long before

Hitler.

In Biblical times, Jews were blamed for the death of

Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity.

In the Middle Ages, most jobs were run by guilds (sort of like

unions). You had to be Christian to join.

The jobs that were NOT in guilds were the 2 most despised

professions: bankers and tax collectors.


During the Renaissance, Martin Luther (the German reformer

that started the Reformation of the Catholic Church)

called on all Christians to burn Jewish synagogues and

homes, put Jews in stables, and advised rulers to banish

all Jews.

By the 1800s, most European countries granted religious

freedom.

At that time, the Industrial Revolution was underway, and Jews

played a big role in developing and funding new

industries.

Those that opposed industrialization blamed Jews for society’s

ills.

By the 1850s, Social Darwinism took hold across Europe. Social

Darwinism advocated superior and inferior races.

During WWI, many leaders of the Russian Revolution were

Jewish; as such, anti-communist forces joined with anti-

Jewish forces.

Hitler felt Jewish bankers failed to properly fund Germany’s

WWI war effort.

Coupled with his personal hatred of Jews, Hitler promoted the

Aryan race.

Hitler’s “Final Solution” for the Jewish “problem” was

extermination.

Hitler turned operations over to Adolf Eichmann.

Concentration camps were hellish places.

Be it work camps or death camps, the end result was usually

cremation.

Auschwitz, Buchenwald, Dachau, and Treblinka were among

the most evil.

But Hitler’s extermination wasn’t only for Jews; anyone not of

the Aryan race was a target.

Hitler’s Holocaust made him a worldwide threat.

But who could stop him?


1939

MARCH:

Surprise! Surprise!

Hitler violates the Munich Pact signed just 6 months earlier.

Germany takes the rest of Czechoslovakia.

JULY:

FDR asks Congress to repeal the Neutrality Acts passed in 1935.

FDR wants to sell weapons to Britain and all non-Fascist

countries.

Congress hesitates, but it eventually agrees.

AUGUST:

Hitler and Stalin sign the Non-Aggression Pact.

Both know the pact will be broken, but it buys the Nazis and

Soviets time.

They also sign a secret pact to divide Poland (unbeknownst to

Poland).

SEPTEMBER 1:

Germany invades Poland from the west using 1.5 million soldiers

and its blitzkrieg (“lightning war”) while the U.S.S.R.

invades Poland from the east.

In 3 weeks, Poland falls and is split between the Nazis and

Soviets.

SEPTEMBER 3:

Britain and France declare war on Germany.

World War II begins 21 years after the “War to End All Wars”

ended.

Some argue WWII began with Japan’s invasion of Manchuria

in 1931.


OCTOBER:

Albert Einstein (a German-born, Jewish scientist who left the

country after Hitler took over) sends a letter to FDR

warning of the potential use for nuclear power in bombs.

Einstein warns that the Nazis are working on such a bomb.

As a result, FDR begins a secret military undertaking, called the

Manhattan Project, to develop an atomic bomb.

OCTOBER – NOVEMBER:

British and French troops move to the eastern border of France

and take up defensive positions along the Maginot Line

[“Mah-shen-all”].

The blitzkrieg becomes a sitzkrieg (“sitting war”); wait for orders

to invade.

NOVEMBER:

Another Neutrality Act is passed by Congress.

This “Neutrality” Act allows the U.S. to send weapons and aid…

to the Allies.

Sounds “neutral”…


1940

JANUARY – FEBRUARY:

“New-and-improved” Nazi Unterseeboots (U-boats) begin

carrying out massive torpedo attacks on Allied shipping,

sinking 4.5 million tons of ships.

APRIL:

Germany takes Denmark and Norway in order to “protect

these countries’ freedom and independence”.

Because taking someone over always protects their

independence...

MAY:

The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg fall to the Nazis.

Neville Chamberlain (“Mr. Appeasement”) is replaced by

Winston Churchill as Britain’s Prime Minister.

MAY 26 – JUNE 4:

Battle of Dunkirk

Germany invades France, attacking from Belgium.

British and French troops are cut off from their reserves and

retreat to the beaches of Dunkirk in Northern France.

WWII might have ended if the British Navy and hundreds of

fishing boats hadn’t come to the rescue.

These boats evacuate over 338,226 Allies troops back to British

soil.

After the battle, Churchill says: “We shall fight on the beaches,

we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the

fields and the streets… we will never surrender!”

Still, this is a major setback for the Allies.

The Allies are forced to leave behind enough equipment and

weapons to outfit 8-10 divisions (11,000 guns, 700 tanks,

20,000 motorcycles, etc.).


EARLY JUNE:

Italy enters WWII on Germany’s side, formally declaring war on

Britain and France.

Benito Mussolini sends Italian troops to assist Hitler with the

invasion of France.

JUNE 5 – 15:

Battle of Paris

With Nazis invading France from the north and the Italians

attacking France from the south, Paris falls…

…in 10 days…

…IN TEN DAYS!!!

To add insult to injury, Hitler has the French surrender to him in

the same train car that France had Germany surrender

to end WWI. (The train was in a Paris museum.)


What happens to our croissant-eating ally?

1. Nazi troops occupy Northern France.

2. A Nazi-controlled puppet government is set up in Vichy

[“Vee-shee”] in Central France.

Hitler makes French WWI hero Henri Pétain the dictator of

“Vichy France”.

Under Nazi control, Pétain suspends the French Constitution

and deports all French Jews to concentration camps.

FYI: After the war, Pétain is given life in prison.

French General Charles de Gaulle flees to England where he

sets up a French government-in-exile.

He declares, “France has lost a battle, but France has not lost

the war.”

MID-JUNE:

FDR declares that the U.S. is no longer “neutral”.

He says the U.S. is now “non-belligerent”, meaning the U.S. can

pursue active role supporting the Allies without entering

war.


LATE-JUNE:

The Alien Registration Act is passed in the U.S.

All foreigners must register; it is illegal to advocate the

overthrow of the U.S. Government.

It is similar to the Espionage/Sedition Acts passed during WWI.

JULY 10 – OCTOBER 31:

Battle of Britain

Because the Nazi Navy is still not powerful enough to defeat

the British Navy, Hitler launches massive air strikes to

“shell the English into submission”.

The Nazi Air Force, called the Luftwaffe [“Looft-waf-fey”],

begins daily and nightly bombing runs.

As many as 1,000 planes fly on these air raids daily.

Initially, the Luftwaffe target airfields, naval bases, and military

factories.

Soon, they begin targeting cities with no military significance.

The British Royal Air Force (RAF) fights back by using a new

advancement called radar.

Now, the British can spot and shoot down Nazi planes at night.

After an outing in which 175 Nazi planes are shot down, Hitler

calls off the invasion indefinitely.

This is a HUGE setback for Hitler.

Historians consider this to be the most important battle of the

entire war.

Had Hitler won, he could have focused all his strength on the

U.S.S.R. …

… and then on the U.S.


Churchill praises the RAF pilots, saying: “Never in the field of

human conflict was so much owed by so many to so

few.”

During this battle, 2.5 million copies of the

“Keep Calm and Carry On” propaganda poster are

printed and distributed to the British people to raise

morale.

This poster is the third of 3 used. The other 2 are:

1. Freedom Is In Peril. Defend It With All Your Might.

2. Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution Will Bring

Us Victory.


1941

MARCH:

The U.S. signs the Lend-Lease Act.

The U.S. can now lend or lease weapons to “any country

whose defense is vital to the U.S.”

The U.S. will spend $50 billion on this.

JUNE 22 – DECEMBER 5:

Operation Barbarossa

Surprise! Surprise!

Hitler breaks his Non-Aggression Pact with Stalin and invades

Russia with 4 million troops.

It is the largest military operation in history.

Nazism and communism don’t “mesh”, so Germany and the

U.S.S.R. weren’t ever going to co-exist.

Hitler wants to capture the oil fields in Azerbaijan in Russia and

to eradicate communism.

The invasion is code-named Operation Barbarossa (named

after a Medieval Holy Roman Emperor).

Hitler predicts the U.S.S.R. will fall within 6 weeks.

The Soviets use a scorched-earth policy as they retreat east.

They destroy everything (crops, buildings, etc.) that might be of

use to the Nazis as they pull back.

Hitler’s 6 weeks comes… and goes.

The snow and cold paralyzes Hitler’s army.

Russia did the same thing to Napoleon Bonaparte when he

invaded in 1812.

Operation Barbarossa eventually stalls outside of Moscow, the

capital of the U.S.S.R.

This failure is a turning point in the war.


Hitler’s refusal to accept defeat, coupled with his unwillingness

to retreat, leaves his army stranded in Soviet territory

and slugging it out for another 2 years.

This decision results in many “spin-off” battles, including:

1. Battle of Moscow, which lasted from October 2, 1941 –

January 7, 1942.

2. Battle of Stalingrad, which lasted from August 23, 1942 –

February 2, 1943.

3. Battle of Kursk, which lasted from July 5 – August 23, 1943.


During all this, FDR sends supplies to Russians.

Some Americans oppose providing aid for Stalin since he is a

communist.

Some say Hitler is doing U.S. a favor by attacking.

Churchill agrees with FDR’s move, stating: “If Hitler invaded Hell,

the British people would be prepared to work with the

Devil himself.”

“An enemy of my enemy is my friend.”


LATE JULY:

Japan invades French Indochina (Vietnam).

In response, FDR halts trade with Japan. This includes shipments

of oil, which Japan needs badly.

This is cited as a reason why Japan attacks U.S.

AUGUST:

After meeting secretly near Newfoundland, FDR and Churchill

announce the Atlantic Charter.

It spells out the causes for fighting this war… before the U.S.

enters… and how to keep peace after it ends.

Its 8 points are:

1. No more territorial expansion.

2. No territorial changes without the consent of the inhabitants.

3. Let people choose their own form of government

(self-determination). This was aimed only at the countries

held by the Axis and NOT the colonies of the Allied

Powers.

4. Free trade for every nation; freedom of the seas.

5. Economic cooperation between all countries.

6. Build peace based upon freedom from fear/want.

7. Disarm aggressors.

8. Establish a permanent system of security that works… unlike

the defunct League of Nations. (This lays the foundation

for the United Nations.)

OCTOBER:

Several U.S. ships are sunk by Nazi U-boats.

U.S. public opinion begins to shift away from isolationism.

U.S. passenger ships are approved to be armed for defense

against U-boats.


NOVEMBER 3:

The U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Joseph Grew, warns of a

possible Japanese surprise attack.

But no one knows where.

FDR and his Cabinet receive Grew’s message 4 days later.

NOVEMBER 17:

Japanese diplomats “strongly urge” FDR to remove restrictions

on oil.

U.S. Secretary-of-State Cordell Hull rejects the proposal and

“strongly urges” Japan to withdraw from China and

Indochina.

DECEMBER 6:

FDR appeals to Japan’s Emperor Hirohito to use his influence to

avert war.

FDR’s appeal falls on deaf ears.

Look at the date…

DECEMBER 7:

Battle of Pearl Harbor

At 7:55am on Sunday, Japan hits Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

2,403 American soldiers and civilians are killed.

1,178 are wounded.

21 ships and 347 planes are damaged or destroyed.

The Japanese also strike U.S. bases in Guam, Midway, the

Philippines, and Wake Island.

The Japanese also attack British bases in Hong Kong and

Singapore.

Japan officially declares war on the U.S.

Ya think?!


Despite the victory, Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto says:

“I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant

and filled him with a terrible resolve.”

Dr. Hartnell’s Grandfather Jack Hartnell served in the U.S. Navy

during WWII.

He enlisted in June 1938, trained in Wisconsin, and was

stationed in Pearl Harbor in June 1941.

Jack was in a cohort with 6 other men that handled the

Underway Replenishment (UNREP), which is the

transferring of fuel and munitions from one ship to

another while docked or during combat.

After 6 months of training, he was given a week’s “shore leave”

to visit his wife, Louise, for their 1 year wedding

anniversary (they had been married December 14,

1940).

Louise was working in the factories in San Francisco.

Jack left Hawaii on December 6th.

During the attack, all 6 in Jack’s cohort were killed.

Jack was called back to Hawaii the next day, where he was

assigned to the ship U.S.S. Henry T. Allen.


He began training as a Frogman (precursor to the U.S. Navy

SEALs).

Jack would participate in 11 combat landings (2 in Atlantic, 9

in Pacific).

He fought in such battles as: Algiers (wounded – Purple Heart),

North Africa (MIA), Guadalcanal, Guam, Iwo Jima, and

Okinawa.

He was slated to invade Japan until the atomic bombs were

dropped.

Quote Grandpa Jack: “They asked me if I thought we should

drop the bomb. I said ‘Drop the f**ker. Drop it twice.’”

Jack was honorably discharged the day after Japan

surrendered.

Two months later, Jack’s second son – Dr. Hartnell’s father –

was born on November 5th, 1945.

DECEMBER 8:

Addressing a joint session of Congress, FDR asks for a

declaration of war.

The U.S. Senate approves 82-0, and the U.S. House of

Representatives approves 388-1.

Pacifist Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to the U.S.

House, was the only dissenter. (She also voted against

WWI.)

FDR’s words go down in history…

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941 – a date which will live in infamy

– the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately

attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the

solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its

government and its emperor, looking toward the maintenance

of peace in the Pacific.


… The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused

severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret

to tell you that very many American lives have been lost…

Yesterday, the Japanese Government also launched an attack

against Malaya.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night,

Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last

night, Japanese forces attacked Wake Island. And this

morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

… No matter how long it may take us to overcome this

premeditated invasion, the American people, in their righteous

might, will win through to absolute victory.”

DECEMBER 11:

Hitler declares war on the U.S.

Hitler was mad that his ally attacked the U.S.

While he felt the U.S. was “beatable”, he didn’t want the

Americans fully involved in the war yet.

DECEMBER 23:

Japan takes Wake Island, yet another U.S. possession in the

Pacific Ocean.

DECEMBER 31:

The year comes to a close with the Axis Powers dominating the

world.


1942

JANUARY:

Churchill and FDR meet in the U.S. and decide the U.S. will help

the Allies beat Hitler first...

…while fighting Japan.

Stalin needs help and Britain can’t help the U.S. until Hitler is

gone.

Hitler sends U-boats up and down the U.S. East Coast.

Unprotected American ships prove easy targets; 87 are sunk,

bringing Germany’s total to 681 Allied ships in the

Atlantic.

FEBRUARY:

In one of the only direct assaults on the Continental U.S., a

Japanese sub attacks an oil refinery in California.

Coastal “blackouts” go into effect along both U.S. seaboards

by April.

FDR orders all Japanese-Americans from their homes in CA,

WA, OR, and AZ and sends them to internment camps.

The fear of another Pearl Harbor leads to 110,000 Japanese

Americans being rounded up.

Most were Nisei [“Nee-see”], or Japanese born in the U.S. and

who were already U.S. citizens! Some even fought for the

U.S. in WWI.

A similar “witch hunt” occurred with Muslim-Americans after

9/11.

They are removed to camps in Colorado, Utah, and Arkansas.

They are held there until end of war.

The internment camps are NOT concentration camps, but they

still have a “jail” feel to them.


MARCH:

Battle of the Philippines

In the Philippines, 80,000 American and Filipino troops under

U.S. General Douglas MacArthur continue to battle

200,000 Japanese they had been fighting since

December.

MacArthur leaves for Australia, vowing, “I shall return.”

Jonathan Wainwright is left in command. He moves the troops

to the Bataan Peninsula.

APRRIL:

The U.S. surrenders to Japan in the Philippines.

The Japanese march the POWs over 100 miles in the

Bataan Death March; 10,000 Filipino and 1,000

Americans are executed or die of starvation.


APRIL 18:

Doolittle’s Raid

U.S. Lieutenant Colonel James (“Jimmy”) Doolittle leads 16

B25s (each loaded with four 500 pound bombs) off

carriers in the Pacific Ocean on a bombing raid of

Japan.

The damage is minimal, but the effect on U.S. morale is

electrifying.

The effect is sobering for Japan since the U.S. has bounced

back back only 4 months since its fleet was supposedly

“destroyed”.

JUNE 4 – 7:

Battle of Midway

The Japanese lose their naval advantage in the Pacific as the

U.S. sinks 4 aircraft carriers and shoots down 322 planes.

The U.S. victory also halts a pending Japanese invasion of

Hawaii.


AUGUST 7, 1942 – FEBRUARY 9, 1943:

Battle of Guadalcanal

In the first U.S. offensive of the war, Marines land on the

Solomon Islands in the Pacific.

The U.S. slugs it out to establish a base in order to launch

MacArthur’s “island hopping” strategy.

Because the Pacific Theater had been given a back seat to

defeating Hitler, these American troops go poorly

supplied and unsupported.

They go without ample ammunition and food.

Many survive by eating tree roots.

The soldiers engage in horrifying hand-to-hand combat in the

jungles.

Dr. Hartnell’s Grandfather Jack partook in this battle.

Navajo “code talkers” are used during this battle.

Because Native American languages are difficult to learn and

use, they are put to use by the U.S. military for

communications.


Cherokee code talkers were first used during WWI at the

Second Battle of the Somme in 1918.

Choctaw code talkers were later used during the Meuse

Argonne Offensive at the end of WWI.

Hitler knew this so he sent 30 anthropologists to learn Native

American languages before WWII.

It proved too difficult for them to learn, but the U.S. still opted

not to use such codes often in Europe.

By the end of the war, Navajo, Comanche, Meskwaki, and

more were successfully put to use.

Some Comanche “code”:

1. Tank = “turtle”

2. Bomber = “pregnant airplane”

3. Machine gun = “sewing machine”

The best one…

4. Hitler = “crazy white man”

The code talkers received no recognition until the

declassification of the operation in 1968.

In 1984, President Reagan made August 14th “Navajo Code

Talkers Day”.

In 2000, the original 29 WWII Navajo code talkers were

awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

The Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of

Freedom are the highest civilian awards in the U.S.

American citizenship is not a requirement.


OCTOBER 1942 – MAY 1943:

North Africa

Hitler grows suspicious that his Italian allies are riding his

coattails by letting the Nazis do the initial invasions

before swooping in to enjoy the spoils of war.

Italy had been less than impressive in their battles in

North Africa, starting with the fiasco of securing Ethiopia

from 1935-1936.

An Italian invasion of Egypt in 1940 had been sluggish and

inconsistent.

Looking to impress Hitler, Mussolini sends his forces into

Tunisia in North Africa in November 1942.

The Italians, while clumsy in achieving victory, do take control

of Tunisia.

To aid Italy, Hitler sends Erwin Rommel and the Afrika Korps into

Africa.

Rommel’s success in tank battles and his ability to slip away

earn him the nickname “Desert Fox”.


From October 23 –November 11, the Allies attack the Egyptian

coastal city of El Alamein.

The heavy use of tanks, armored cars, and aircraft

characterize this battle.

The Allies’ victory serves as a turning point in the Western Desert

Campaign to drive the Italians and Nazis out of Africa.

Winston Churchill states: “Before Alamein we never had a

victory. After Alamein we never had a defeat.”

In February 1943, 107,000 troops under U.S. General

Dwight D. Eisenhower attack the Nazis in North Africa.

This is code-named Operation Torch.

The Afrika Korps under Rommel defeats the U.S. at

Kasserine Pass.

As result, the U.S. regroups under General George S. Patton

and presses on its attack.

Rommel is soundly defeated, and 238,243 Axis soldiers

surrender.

Victory in El Alamein, Tunisia, and North Africa gives the Allies a

crucial launching point for an invasion of Sicily.


Rommel is called back home after his defeat.

Rommel is regarded as being a humane and professional

officer.

His Afrika Korps is never accused of war crimes.

Rommel ignored orders to kill Jewish soldiers, civilians, and

POWs.

He is later linked to Operation Valkyrie, a failed assassination

attempt on Hitler in 1944.

Because Rommel was a national hero (dating back to his WWI

service), Hitler desires to eliminate him quietly.

Hitler promises not to kill Rommel’s family if Rommel ingests a

cyanide pill. Rommel agrees, is given a state funeral, his

family is spared, and the public is told he died of injuries

from battle.

MID-NOVEMBER:

In U.S., draft age drops from 21 to 18; top age drops from

45 to 38.

Today, you are eligible for military service between the ages of

18 and 35.

Other names for the draft are “Conscription” and

“Selective Service”.


1943

JANUARY:

Churchill and FDR meet again at the Casablanca Conference

in Morocco, Africa.

They map out a strategy for an invasion of Europe.

APRIL:

Meats, fats, and cheese are rationed in the U.S.

Coffee, shoes, leather, and gas had already been rationed

earlier.

To prevent inflation, FDR freezes all wages, salaries, and prices.

APRIL 23 – MAY 16:

Warsaw Ghetto Uprising

When word gets out that the Nazis are deporting the remaining

70,000 Jews in the ghetto in Warsaw, Poland (which had

450,000 initially), 750 Jews revolt.

They hold out for almost a month, killing 17 Nazis and

wounding 93.

To make an example of the revolt, over 13,000 Jews are shot,

and the rest are deported to death camps. The ghetto is

then razed.

MAY:

One of the most iconic American symbols, “Rosie the Riveter”,

is first seen when she appears on the Memorial Day

cover of the Saturday Evening Post.

The cover is illustrated by Norman Rockwell.

During the war, women took on many paid jobs in munitions

factories.


These women, dubbed “Rosie the Riveters”, effectively saved

the war effort and dropped unemployment to an all

time low of 1.2% by 1944.

This is not too shabby since unemployment was 25% just 11

years earlier.

Dr. Hartnell’s Grandmother Louise worked in a munitions factory

in San Francisco as a real-life “Rosie the Riveter”.

JULY 9 – AUGUST 17:

Operation Husky

The Allies capture Sicily during “Operation Husky”.

The plan is to use Sicily as a springboard to launch an invasion

of Italy and begin a push toward Germany.

SEPTEMBER 3 – 16:

Operation Avalanche

A 3-wave attack of Italy is launched.

The U.S. had hoped to invade Europe at this time, but Winston

Churchill convinces the Allies to attack “the soft

underbelly of the Axis” instead.


British forces land in Calabria and Taranto (Operations

Baytown and Slapstick).

U.S. troops hit Salerno in Operation Avalanche.

With the Allies knocking on their door, Italy grows weary of war;

Mussolini has lost popular support.

Mussolini is arrested and Italy’s new Prime Minister begins

working toward peace with the Allies.

Italy surrenders on September 8th.

Nazis stationed in Italy are ordered to destroy all Italian

museums and books for its “betrayal”.

In response, Italy declares war on Germany.

Nazi troops quickly overthrow the new Italian Government, put

Mussolini back in power, and beef up their defensive

positions.

Fighting Nazis had proven tougher than fighting Italians, so, with

Germany now running the show in Italy, the invasion of

Italy grows more and more difficult for the Allies.

The U.S. Army, in order to secure surprise, elects to pass on its

usual preliminary naval and aerial bombardment of

Salerno (on Italy’s western coast) before the troops hit

the beaches.

This proves very costly.

As the first wave approaches the shore, a loudspeaker

proclaims in English, “Come on in and give up. We have

you covered.”

The U.S. ignores it and keeps attacking.

The Nazi resistance proves difficult to crack, but, Hitler soon

realizes defending anything south of Rome is pointless;

the Nazis retreat.


NOVEMBER – DECEMBER:

The Tehran Conference (in Iran) brings together FDR, Churchill,

and Stalin from November 28th until December 1st… the

first time all 3 meet in person. They agree upon an

invasion of Italy and France.

1944

JANUARY 22 – JUNE 5:

Operation Shingle

The Allies continue their push toward Rome, where the Nazis

have retreated to and dug in.

The initial landing at Anzio achieves surprise and faces no Nazi

opposition.

But, as the Allies attempt to leave the beachhead, they are

stymied by a German counter-attack.

Soon, combat turns into trench warfare as both sides hunker

down.

Some of the war’s nastiest fighting occurs in Anzio.

The Allies break free, and, thanks to 50,000 members of the

Italian Underground Resistance Movement, attack and

capture Rome on June 4th.


More importantly, this invasion, code-named Operation

Shingle, keeps Nazi troops from being

re-deployed to Northwest Europe in time for D-Day.

What happens to Mussolini?

He goes into hiding but is found disguised as a Nazi soldier.

Wait. What?!

Mussolini is executed on August 29, 1945. His body is promptly

put on display.

MARCH:

730 U.S. bombers (504 B-17s and 226 B-24s) and 644 fighters

make the first American air raid on Berlin.

JUNE 6:

Operation Overlord

Under the direction of Supreme Allied General Dwight D.

Eisenhower, the Allies invade Nazi-occupied Western

Europe, landing on the beaches of Normandy, France

on June 6th.


The attack of the Nazi beachfront in Normandy is code- named

Operation Neptune.

The code-name for the entire invasion to liberate France is

Operation Overlord.

Operation Neptune (also called D-Day) was supposed to

launch the day before but was postponed due to storms.

After midnight, 3 Allied divisions parachute behind Nazi lines.

This begins the largest land-sea-air invasion in history.

D-Day involves: 4,126 landing ships, 1,213 combat ships, 11,590

aircraft, and 156,115 troops.

Specifically, 57,500 Americans hit the beaches of Normandy in

addition to the 15,500 Americans that had already

parachuted behind enemy lines.

The terms “D-Day” and “H-Hour” are used as code for the day

and hour when an attack is to start.

The terms are used in combination with plus and minus signs to

indicate time preceding and following the attack.

H–3 is 3 hours before H-hour.

D+3 is 3 days after D-Day.

Despite hits from planes and ships, the Nazis hold, making the

beach fighting borderline suicidal.

The U.S., British, and Canadians battle at 5 key points along the

60-mile stretch of beach.

British troops are assigned Gold and Sword Beaches.

Canadian troops are assigned Juno Beach.

U.S. troops are assigned Utah and Omaha Beaches.

Omaha is the most heavily fortified beach, with high bluffs

defended by mortars, machine guns, and artillery.

Of the 16 tanks that land, only 2 survive.


Records of the battle stated that “within 10 minutes of the

ramps being lowered, the leading company had

become inert, leaderless, and almost incapable of

action. …

… Every officer and sergeant had been killed or wounded. It

had become a struggle for survival and rescue.”

2,374 Americans are KIA at Omaha Beach.

Over 80% of the KIA are killed in the water or never get out of

their landing crafts.

Heinrich Severloh, nicknamed “The Beast of Omaha” was a

Nazi who inflicted 1,000 U.S. casualties himself from his

foxhole at Omaha.

He died in 2006.

U.S. soldiers landing at Utah Beach saw much less resistance.

Teddy Roosevelt’s oldest son, Teddy Roosevelt, Jr., landed at

Utah with the first wave.

Jr. was 56, had bad arthritis (from old WWI injuries), heart

problems, and walked with a cane.

Despite this, he was the first to land on Utah beach… pistol in

one hand and cane in the other.

He was the oldest man in the invasion and the only man to

serve with his son on D-Day.

His son, Quentin, was among the first to land at Omaha. He

survived.

Jr. died of a heart attack a little over a month later.

Jr. is buried at the Normandy Cemetery… next to his younger

brother who died in WWI.

Quentin died in 1948 in a plane crash.


Despite projections of 10,000 KIA, the Allies lose 4,413 KIA on

June 6th.

Of the KIA, 2,499 are American (2,374 died on Omaha Beach).

D-Day’s success triggers Operation Overlord, beginning the

drive to take Paris.

While it takes another year to defeat the Nazis, D-Day marks

the beginning of the end for Hitler.


MID-JUNE:

Growing more desperate, Germany launches the world’s first

guided missiles, the jet-powered V-1 “buzz bombs”,

across the English Channel at London.

Only 1 reaches its target.

“Buzz bombs” were invented by Dr. Werher von Braun, who

becomes a U.S. citizen in 1955… and launches the U.S.

space program.

V-2 rockets, the world’s first ballistic missiles, are used in

September.

A ballistic missile is one that follows a flight path with the

objective of delivering one or more warheads to a

predetermined target.

The V-2s kill over 9,000 Allied civilians.

The V-2s are the progenitor of all modern-day rockets.

Later that month, FDR signs the GI Bill, which gives $$$ to

soldiers for homes and education.

JULY 20:

Operation Valkyrie

After losing a hand and an eye in Tunisia, Nazi Colonel

Claus von Stauffenberg decides it is time to kill Hitler.

His goal: kill Hitler, disarm the SS, and arrest Nazi leadership.

Hitler’s death (as opposed to his arrest) is required to free

Nazi soldiers from their oath of loyalty to him.

The plot hinges on using a briefcase bomb inside the

Wolf’s Lair, Hitler’s HQ in the Eastern Front.

During a meeting on July 20th, Stauffenberg places the

briefcase bomb as close to Hitler as possible.

However, an officer (who is not in on the plan) moves the

briefcase behind a table leg.


After Stauffenberg slips out to make a call, the bomb

explodes…

…killing 4…

…and badly injuring Hitler’s right arm… but Hitler lives.

Stauffenberg and 3 other officers are executed by firing squad

the next day.

7,000 people are arrested by the Gestapo (“Secret Police”)

and 4,980 are executed (including Erwin Rommel).

Hitler has certain high-ranking officers hanged with piano wire

from meat-hooks.

Their deaths are filmed and shown to other leaders of the Nazi

Party and the armed forces.

Operation Valkyrie was named after the Norse goddess who

decides who lives and dies in battle.

It is the last of 15 assassination attempts on Hitler.

JULY 21 – AUGUST 8:

Battle of Guam

After 3 weeks of jungle fighting, the U.S. takes Guam from the

Japanese.

Napalm, invented in the U.S. in 1942, is used for the first time as

a deforestation weapon.

The victory gives the U.S. an airbase to launch attacks on

Japan.

The hellacious casualty numbers show that the closer the U.S.

gets to the home island, the more intense the fighting.

On January 24, 1972, and after 27 years of hiding in Guam,

farmers discover Shoichi Yokoi, a Japanese sergeant

unaware that WWII had ended. He lived alone in a cave

for 27 years.


AUGUST – OCTOBER:

With the Nazis on the run, the French troops exiled in Britain

retake Paris on August 25th.

U.S. troops retake Philippines by October.

General McArthur fulfills his promise of returning.

OCTOBER 23 – 26:

Battle of Leyte Gulf

The Allies soundly defeat Japan in the Leyte Gulf in the

Philippines in the largest naval battle of the war.

The Japanese begin using kamikaze suicide attacks.

The word kamikaze means “divine wind”.

By the end of WWII, over 4,000 kamikaze pilots are sacrificed.

47 Allied ships are sunk by kamikaze attacks.


1945

DECEMBER 16, 1944 – JANUARY 16, 1945:

Battle of the Bulge

The last major battle of the European war begins in December

1944 but continues into 1945.

The surprise attack catches the Allies completely off guard.

It becomes the deadliest battle in terms of KIA for the U.S.

during WWII.

By the end of the battle, 19,246 Americans are KIA and

62,489 are WIA.

The 19,246 is the 2nd highest KIA in a battle in U.S. history.

The Meuse-Argonne Offensive during WWI had the most KIA in

U.S. history (26,277 KIA).

The Nazis launch an offensive through the heavily forested

Ardennes region in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg.

It is named for the way the Allied lines bulged inward on

wartime news maps.

The Nazis hope to split the British and U.S. lines in half, encircle

and destroy 4 Allied armies, and force the Allies to

negotiate a peace treaty in the Axis Powers’ favor.


And, for awhile, it looks like they might be successful.

A failed nighttime paratrooper drop by the Nazis leaves their

lines weakened, and the Allies take advantage and

attack.

By Christmas Eve, the Nazis advance is halted.

It was during this battle, however, that strides were taken

toward the racial integration of U.S. military forces.

The U.S. military was still racially segregated during WWII, and

African-Americans were still subjected to Jim Crow Laws

in the South.

During WWII, most black soldiers still only served as truck drivers

or pilots.

Eisenhower permits over 2,000 black soldiers to fight with the

white soldiers during this battle.

The Nazis exhaust everything in this offensive that ultimately

ends in Allied victory.

Churchill states: “This is undoubtedly the greatest American

battle of the war.”


FEBRUARY:

The historic German city of Dresden is firebombed by the U.S.

and British.

135,000 civilians are killed.

80% of the city is leveled.

Dresden is “pay-back” for the Luftwaffe attacks on London.

Meeting in the Crimea (in the Ukraine) Churchill, Stalin, and an

ailing FDR discuss plans for the final assault on Berlin

during the Yalta Conference from February 4-11.

FEBRUARY 19 – MARCH 26:

Battle of Iwo Jima

U.S. Marines battle for an 8 sq.-mile Pacific island.

The photo of the 6 Marines raising the U.S. flag atop

Mount Suribachi on February 23rd becomes the most

iconic images in American History.

The iconic photo actually showed the raising of a second (and

larger) U.S. flag; the first flag had been planted 2 hours

earlier.

3 of the 6 soldiers involved later die in battle.

Upon seeing the flag, Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal

comments: “The raising of that flag on Suribachi means a

Marine Corps for the next 500 years.”

The battle was the only one in which the U.S. casualties

outnumbered Japan’s, although Japan’s KIA was 3 times

the KIA for American troops.

The strategic value of the island has been debated.

The island is the first Japanese homeland soil to be captured by

the U.S.

The island’s landing field is also necessary so the B-29s carrying

the atomic bombs in August have an emergency

landing area.


JANUARY 9 – AUGUST 15:

Battle of Luzon

The largest of the islands in the Philippines, Luzon was the last

holdout in securing control of the area and to prepare

for an invasion of Japan.

The Allies eventually win, but the battle proves difficult due to

heavy use of kamikaze attacks.

This foreshadows the issues the Allies could have in occupying

Japan.

This battle continues for 6 days after the dropping of the

atomic bomb on Nagasaki.

Pockets of resistance hold out until the Japanese surrender on

September 2nd.


JANUARY 14 – FEBRUARY 22:

Battle of Ramree Island

The campaign to recapture territory in Southeast Asia ends in

Allied victory in Burma thanks to this battle.

Burma is near Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.

The Burma Campaign is the longest land campaign of the war

in the Pacific.

It is fought by British, Canadian, and Chinese soldiers who have

been there since 1942.

It is during this battle that 980 Japanese soldiers are eaten by

saltwater crocodiles hiding in the swamps.

The Guinness Book lists it as “the worst crocodile disaster in the

world”.


MARCH:

U.S. bombers make more air raids on Berlin.

These bombers receive escorts into German airspace from the

332d Fighter Group of the USAAF.

The 332d is better known as the Tuskegee Airmen.

Despite black soldiers being granted permission to join the

“white” lines during the Battle of the Bulge, the U.S.

military remains segregated.

The Tuskegee Airmen are the first black pilots in the U.S. military.

The are nicknamed “Red Tails” because of the red stripe they

paint on their planes’ tails.

In all, 992 pilots were trained; 355 were deployed overseas; 84

lost their lives and 32 became POWs.

These “Red Tails” fly in over 1,500 missions and shoot down 260

enemy aircrafts.

In 2007, they were collectively awarded a Congressional Gold

Medal. It is the highest award for U.S. civilians.


Using its newly acquired bases in the Pacific, the U.S. firebombs

Tokyo, dropping 2,000 lbs. of Napalm on March 9th;

130,000 civilians die.

By the end of the month, the Nazis have lost all of their

conquered land.

APRIL 1 – JUNE 22:

Battle of Okinawa

The battle begins on Easter Sunday (and April Fools’ Day).

The 3-month battle is the bloodiest of the Pacific Campaigns.

Okinawa is needed to launch final invasion of Japan

(code-named Operation Downfall).

More than 1/3 of the local population is killed or commits

suicide (149,193).

APRIL:

FDR dies April 12th after a cerebral hemorrhage.

Vice President Harry S. Truman takes over.

Truman is told of the Manhattan Project under J. Robert

Oppenheimer, which has developed an atomic bomb.


With Russian shells falling on Berlin, Hitler marries his mistress

Eva Braun.

He poisons her and then kills himself on April 30th.

His remains are never recovered.

MAY:

On May 5th, a pregnant woman and 5 children are killed in

Southern Oregon.

They had stumbled upon a Japanese balloon bomb laying on

the ground in a forest while they were picnicking. The

bomb exploded and killed them.

Their deaths remain the only known casualties in the

Continental U.S. as a result of enemy action during WWII.

These balloon bombs, also called “fire balloons” or Fu-Go, are

created by the Japanese.

They use hydrogen balloons that can carry 30 lb. bombs and

four 11 lb. incendiary devices.

The balloons would use the jet stream over the Pacific to attack

Canadian and American cities, forests, and farmland.

The Japanese launch over 9,300 fire balloons between

November 1944 and April 1945.

Only 300 are ever found or observed in North America.

The fire balloon project is considered a failure.

The Nazis surrender on May 7th to General Eisenhower in

France and to the Soviets in Berlin.

Truman pronounces the next day, May 8th, as “Victory in

Europe Day”, or V-E Day.


JULY – AUGUST:

The Potsdam Conference is held from July 17th until August 2nd

in Germany.

The city of Potsdam is occupied by the Allies and borders the

city of Berlin.

The U.S., U.S.S.R., and Britain participate.

Truman, Stalin, and Clement Attlee (Britain's new P.M. who

replaced Churchill) meet to discuss how to punish Nazi

Germany and how to establish post-war order in Europe.

They decide:

1. To divide French Indochina (Vietnam) along the 17th parallel

for operational convenience. Britain will accept Japan’s

surrender in the southern part; China will accept in the

northern part.

Eventually, this division results in a Communist North Vietnam

and a Democratic South Vietnam…

…and paves the way for the Vietnam War.


2. To return Germany to its 1937 pre-expansion size, fix borders,

and divide the capital of Berlin and all of Germany into 4

occupied zones.

Eventually, this division results in a Communist East Berlin/East

Germany and a Democratic West Berlin/West

Germany…

…and paves the way for the Cold War.

3. To create a Provisional Government for Poland, who had

been conquered by the Nazis AND Soviets. Stalin

promises to see that “free and fair” elections are held in

Poland.

This most certainly does not happen. A sham election is held in

which a new communist government is “elected”.

Poland remains a communist country until the Cold War ends in

1991.

On July 26th, the Potsdam Declaration is issued, giving Japan

an ultimatum…

…surrender NOW…

…or face “prompt and utter destruction”.

The Japanese Government receives the declaration but does

not relay it to its people.

American bombers drop leaflets over many Japanese cities

telling them to surrender.

Japan does not comply.

With the Nazis defeated, and the Potsdam Conference

concluded, Truman now faces a big question.

a. Invade Japan?

b. Nuke Japan?


Should the U.S. Invade or Nuke Japan?

The best generals say invading Japan will cost the U.S. 50,000

lives. Other estimates reach as high as 1 million American

lives.

In the Pacific, the ratio of Japanese soldiers killed per

American soldier killed has been 22:1.

Assuming best-case scenario, if 50,000 U.S. soldiers are killed,

then approximately 1.1 million Japanese will die.

General MacArthur says the Japanese will continue guerrilla

style resistance for 10 years.

Based on the horrific battle experience from Guadalcanal to

Okinawa, it is known that the Japanese will fight to the

death.

Japan has 6 million troops who have shown their willingness

to sacrifice themselves.

Pearl Harbor and the Bataan Death March still sit in the back

of the American public’s mind…

The U.S. has a bomb with the destructive power of 20,000

tons of TNT. It worked in a test, but it may not work when

dropped out of a plane.

Why not bomb a remote island near Japan to show the

Japanese its power? This might scare them into

surrendering…

…but, if the demonstration is a dud, Japanese resistance will

harden.

How will history treat Truman if he sends 1 million U.S. soldiers

to their deaths when he could have dropped a single

bomb?

How will history treat him if millions of innocent civilians die

because he dropped the bomb?


AUGUST:

Dropping of the Bombs

At 8:16 am JST on August 6th, the B-29 bomber Enola Gay

drops the first A-bomb, code-named “Little Boy”, on the

city of Hiroshima.

Population: 344,000.

The bomb is 10’ long, 2’4” wide, weighs 9,700 lbs., and is filled

with 140 lbs. of Uranium.

It has the explosive power of 14,500 tons of TNT (or 29,000,000

lbs. of TNT).

When the bomb explodes, the temperature at its epicenter

soars to 1,800,032°F.

Solid materials on the ground below the atomic burst hit temps

of 7,200°F.

Temps hit 3,270°F only 0.61 miles from the blast.

Keep in mind that iron melts at 2,797°F!

The bomb levels 69% of all buildings.

80,000 are killed instantly… some so fast that shadows of where

people were standing can be found; 70,000 injured.

At 11:02 am JST on August 9th, a second A-bomb, code

named “Fat Man”, is dropped from the B-29 bomber

Bockscar on the city of Nagasaki.

Population: 240,000.

Nagasaki was actually the secondary target.

The target city of Kokura had been covered by clouds, so it

was passed over by the B-29.


The Nagasaki bomb is 10’8” long, 5’ wide, weighs 10,300 lbs.,

and is filled with 14 lbs. of Plutonium.

It has the explosive power of 23,000 tons of TNT (or 46,000,000

lbs. of TNT).

The explosion is 700 times greater than “Little Boy”.

Nagasaki’s mushroom cloud travels up 11 miles (58,080 feet).

40,000 civilians are vaporized in 1 second.

Due to radiation poisoning and other injuries, thousands more

die by December.

Between 90,000-166,000 died in Hiroshima; 60,000-80,000 died in

Nagasaki.

In all, anywhere between 150,000 – 246,000 people died from

the 2 bombings.

The higher estimate (246,000) is over 100 times the number of

Americans lost at Pearl Harbor.

How is an atomic bomb this destructive?

A-bombs involve the forces that hold together the nucleus of

an atom… until the desired time when it breaks apart

and unleashes its energy.

There are 2 ways nuclear energy can be released from an

atom…

1. Nuclear fission.

2. Nuclear fusion.

Nuclear fission: You split the nucleus of an atom into 2 smaller

fragments with a neutron. This method usually involves

isotopes of uranium or plutonium.

Nuclear fusion – You bring together 2 atoms, usually hydrogen

or hydrogen isotopes (like deuterium or tritium), to form a

larger one (helium or helium isotopes); it is how the sun

makes energy.


Detonation over cities cause immense damage.

The degree of damage depends on the distance from the

center of the bomb blast (hypocenter or ground zero).

Damage is caused by…

1. A wave of intense heat.

2. A shock wave created by the blast.

3. Radiation.

4. Radioactive fallout.

Radioactive fallout is impacted drastically by wind direction.

When radioactive particles enter the water supply and are

inhaled or ingested by people, the bomb’s effects are

long-lasting.

If dust and debris ends up in the atmosphere, the end result

could be a nuclear winter, which blocks out the sun and

shuts down photosynthesis.

That killed the dinosaurs.


H-BOMB – Topic: There were people present at BOTH atomic

bombings… and they survived BOTH attacks.

TRUE!

As inconceivable as it seems, there were 165 people

present in BOTH cities during the two atomic

attacks... and all 165 survived BOTH bombs!

Tsutomu Yamaguchi was the only person officially

recognized by Japan as having survived both.

Yamaguchi was in Hiroshima on business and was 1.9

miles from ground zero.

His eardrums ruptured, he was temporarily blinded,

and he was burned all over his left side.

He returned to his home in Nagasaki the next day

and actually went to work (bandaged and all).

He was at work (again under 2 miles from ground

zero) when Nagasaki was hit. He was unharmed.

Are you kidding me?!!!

All things considered, he lived a fairly healthy

life and had a daughter.

He died on January 4, 2010 at the age of 93.

Cause of death:

Stomach cancer.

Things don’t go smoothly in delivering the first atomic bomb.

The U.S.S. Indianapolis delivers the parts for the first atomic

bomb to the U.S. air base at Tinian in the Mariana Islands.

Just after midnight on July 30th, it is torpedoed by a

Japanese submarine.

It sinks in 12 minutes.

The mission is so secretive that no distress signal is sent.


1,196 crewmen are aboard and 300 go down with the ship.

The remaining 896 are left floating in the Pacific Ocean for 4

days.

The Navy learns of the sinking when survivors are spotted by a

bomber out on a routine patrol.

896 go into the ocean...

…317 come out.

Tiger sharks take the rest.

Still, the first 2 A-bombs are “successful”.

The U.S. has another A-bomb ready to drop on August 19th…

with plans to have 3 more ready in September and

another 3 by October.

On the same day as Nagasaki, the Soviets declare war on

Japan.

Many believe it is this, and not the bombs, that makes Japan

surrender.

Would you rather surrender to the U.S. … or to the Soviets?

MID-AUGUST:

The Allies take Korea back from Japan and divide it along the

38th parallel.

The Soviets occupy North Korea and the U.S. takes South Korea.

This division leads to the Korean War (1950-1953).

SEPTEMBER:

On September 2nd, Japan surrenders to General MacArthur

aboard the U.S.S. Missouri.

This is deemed “Victory in Japan Day”, or V-J Day.

World War II officially ends in Allied victory.


The Legacy of World War II

There is a reason WWII was the largest and most destructive

war ever waged on Earth.

1.7 billion people served in some capacity during WWII.

In 1940, the world’s population was 2.3 billion people.

This means 73.9% of the world partook in WWII.

25 million soldiers were KIA.

60 million soldiers were WIA.

47 million civilians died.

Combined, there were 72 million military and civilian deaths.

That means 3.1% of the world’s population died during WWII.

The 61 countries involved in WWII spent over $1.5 trillion.

$1.5 trillion back then is the same as $14.1 trillion today.

The $1.5 trillion made WWII more expensive than all other wars

fought up to 1939… combined.

Military Deaths (Allies):

13,850,000 – Soviet Union

3,000,000 – China

405,399 – United States (291,557 of these were KIA)

383,800 – United Kingdom

320,000 – Poland

205,750 – France

45,400 – Canada


Military Deaths (Axis):

4,400,000 – Germany

2,120,000 – Japan

380,000 – Austria

300,000 – Romania

291,400 – Italy

147,500 – Hungary

Civilian Deaths:

18,000,000 – Soviet Union

16,000,000 – China

6,028,000 – Poland

3,500,000 – Germany

1,355,000 – Yugoslavia

1,000,000 – Japan

350,000 – France

67,100 – United Kingdom

1,700 – United States

% casualties for all armies:

China… 95.2%

Russia… 94.2%

Poland… 85.0%

Germany… 79.1%

Japan… 26.4%

Italy… 17.8%

United Kingdom… 14.1%

France… 11.9%

Canada… 11.6%

United States… 6.69%


Total $$$ for war:

U.S.A.… $341 billion *

Germany… $272 billion

China… $270 billion

Russia… $192 billion

United Kingdom… $120 billion

Italy… $94 billion

Japan… $56 billion

Canada… $15.6 billion

France… $15 billion

Poland… $1.5 billion

* The $341 billion the U.S. spent would be $4.7 trillion today.

To put this into perspective, the most expensive WWII plane

was the Northrop P-61. In 1940, this plane cost $649,584

each.

Today, that price tag would be $10,086,994 each.

The most significant casualty of WWII was the world balance of

power.

Britain, France, Germany, and Japan ceased to be great

military powers.

The U.S. and the Soviet Union emerged as the world’s most

powerful countries.

This rivalry soon divided the world into two “spheres of

influence” and saw capitalism compete with

communism for world domination.

This rivalry became the Cold War, which was an undeclared

war between the two superpowers from 1945-1991.

Practically all decisions made by the U.S. were calculated to

make sure Americans were superior to Russians (and vice

versa).

From foreign policy to sports to space to James Bond movies,

the Cold War shaped the U.S. in every way for the next 4

decades.


The “Fabulous” Fifties

Introduction

The U.S. rocked it in WWII.

Such a victory catapulted the U.S. to “Super Power” status.

As a result, the U.S. experienced a national high in the 1950s

that was similar to the one it enjoyed in the 1920s

following WWI.

However, the internal conflicts that began in earlier decades

(Women’s Rights and Civil Rights) were suppressed or

neglected.

The effect of suppressing social problems in the 1950s backfired

in the 1960s, producing the most turbulent decade in U.S.

history.

Developing the Cold War

The U.S. wasn’t the only emerging “Super Power”.

Its rival was the U.S.S.R. (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics).

Their struggle became the “Cold War” (1945-1991) because it

did not lead to a direct war.

WWII began on September 1, 1939 with the dual Nazi and

Soviet invasion of Poland.

It ended on September 2, 1945 with the surrender of Japan.

72 million died (25 million in the military; 30 million civilians).

U.S.S.R. lost 13.8 million KIA

U.S. lost 291,557 KIA.

Germany was divided into 4 military occupation zones.


East/West Germany formed; East was communist.

West was democratic; Berlin was also split into E/W.

In 1948, the U.S.S.R. imposed a ban on overland traffic

between Berlin and West Germany.

The U.S. began an airlift to supply West Berlin with food and fuel

for almost 11 months.

U.S.S.R. lifted the ban in May 1949 and divided Berlin with the

Berlin Wall in 1961. (Wall torn down in 1989.)

Because of the Nazi invasion of the U.S.S.R. during WWII, the

Soviets wanted to create a “buffer” zone between it and

Europe.

It did this through “satellite nations”, forming what became

known as the “Iron Curtain”.

President Harry S. Truman saw Soviet expansion under

Joseph Stalin as a threat to Europe.

His Truman Doctrine promised aid to countries

facing threats from communism.

Containment soon dominated the U.S. foreign policy.

In 1949, the U.S. joined 11 other countries to form the

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a mutual

defense pact.

Members of NATO pledged that “An attack on one would be

an attack on all.”

The Korean War would test this.


The Korean War

Japan occupied Korea during WWII. After Japan’s defeat,

Korea was divided along the 38th parallel into

North/South Korea.

The North was communist; the South was democratic.

In 1950, North Korea invaded South, beginning the

Korean “Conflict” / War (1950-1953).

Key leaders in the “Conflict”…

North Korea: Kim Il Sung

South Korea: Syngman Rhee

Soviet Union: Joseph Stalin

United States: Harry Truman

China: Mao Zedong

After the Soviet-backed North invaded the South,

President Truman decided it was time for the U.S. to

enter, despite objections from many U.S. military

commanders who felt Korea was the wrong place to

“make a stand against communism”.

Why was the U.S. concerned?

The U.S. had meddled in China prior to the Korean War.

Since 1927, China had been fighting a civil war between the

Communists (led by Mao Zedong) and the Nationalists

(led by Chiang Kai-shek).

During the war, the U.S. sent the Nationalists $3 billion in aid.

The aid wasn’t enough, and the Nationalists lost in 1949.


The U.S. was stunned that China had become communist. In

their eyes, containment had failed.

This time, Truman knew the U.S. HAD to succeed… and Korea

would be his chosen battleground.

To make his decision to get involved in Korea appear

sanctioned by the world, he went to the United Nations.

Truman used semantics to defend his decision not to ask for a

formal declaration of war from Congress.

If the word “war” was not used, then a President could send

troops anywhere in the world for any purpose… like war.

Korea would be a “police action”, the first of many such

“undeclared” wars.

American ground troops were led by the WWII hero General

Douglas MacArthur.

But things would go very badly… very quickly.

By the summer of 1950, the North Koreans pushed southward,

inflicting one humiliating defeat after another on U.S.

forces.

This was the same U.S. Army that had just defeated

Germany and Japan 4 years earlier… and it now

found itself beaten by what many saw as a

peasant army.

By the end of July 1950, North Korean forces occupied roughly

90% of South Korea.


The U.S. and South Koreans held only the Pusan Perimeter.

In September 1950, the U.S. amphibiously landed at Incheon

and fought to recapture Seoul.

The U.S.-led forces could have reestablished the 38th

parallel, ended the war, and declared that containing

communism had been achieved.

Instead, the UN recommended that MacArthur cross the

parallel and reunite the Koreas.

MacArthur obliged and sent troops into North Korea.

Truman now had an opportunity. He could not just contain

communism… but defeat it.

MacArthur was told to use only Koreans near China’s border so

as not to alarm China.

Soon, UN troops captured North Korea’s capital of

P’yŏngyang.

The “revised” strategy to now eradicate communism in Korea

prompted China to enter the conflict.

China waited until the UN was well inside North Korea in order

to stretch the UN’s supply lines.

China and North Korean troops (over 200,000) crushed U.S. and

South Korean troops (had fewer than 20,000) in

November 1950.


The U.S. 1st Marine Division found itself pinned down at the

Chosin Reservoir… and needed to get out NOW.

A battle in freezing weather (temps at 100 degrees below zero)

made it more difficult.

In their withdrawal, however, the Marines were able to destroy

or effectively disable all 7 attacking Chinese divisions

that tried to block their escape.

Despite the heroism of the Marines, it was decided to withdraw

from North Korea.

The Chinese lost 67,500 (30,000 suffered from frostbite).

UN forces lost 15,000 (over 7,500 cold-related injuries).

The Marines consider the Chosin to be one their proudest

moments. (Those who fought were dubbed

“Chosin Few”.)

But, on New Year’s Eve, China and North Korea again

captured Seoul. It was called the worst American defeat

since Bull Run.

Soon, the use of nuclear weapons was considered.

Two sides emerged in the U.S.:

Truman vs. MacArthur.

MacArthur wanted to expand the war to China, and he even

suggested nuking them.

Retreat from Chosin


Truman did not want this. He told MacArthur that he was to

fight a “limited war”.

MacArthur tried to go over Truman’s head by writing to

newspapers and to Republicans.

Truman fired him in 1951.

Many Americans were outraged (69% backed MacArthur).

MacArthur addressed Congress, and his “Old soldiers never die;

they just fade away” remains one of the great exit lines in

history.

But the conflict still wasn’t won.

For the next 2 years, there would be bloody fighting along the

38th parallel, most of it in trench warfare reminiscent of

WWI.

Some of the battles took place on the hills nicknamed

Old Baldy, Capital, Pork Chop, T-Bone, and

Heartbreak Ridge.

On July 27, 1953, the UN, North Korea, and China signed an

armistice to end the fighting. (South Korea refused to

sign.)

The agreement, which occurred under President Eisenhower,

set up a demilitarized zone 2.5 miles wide across the

middle of Korea.

With no peace treaty signed, Korea remains divided along the

38th parallel… and (technically) still at war.

In fact, the U.S. still has 37,000 troops stationed in South Korea.

Armistice


With the nuclear capabilities of North Korea, there exists a

possibility of future hostilities.

The Korean “Conflict” was one of the most destructive wars.

As many as 4 million Koreans died (two-thirds were civilians).

China lost 1 million soldiers.

U.S. lost 157,530: 54,246 dead (33,686 KIA); 103,284 wounded.

The Korean War saw the start of racial integration in the U.S.

military, where black soldiers fought in integrated units.

MASH units were also utilized during the war.

It stands for Mobile Army Surgical Hospital.

They were established in August 1945 and were deployed

during the Korean War.

A seriously wounded soldier that made it to a MASH unit alive

had a 97% chance of survival.

The last MASH unit was decommisioned in 2006.

The most famous depiction of the Korean War is M*A*S*H,

originally a novel, and later a movie (1970) and TV series

(1972-1983).

It follows the misadventures of a MASH unit as it struggles to

keep its sanity through the war.

The Korean War is often called the “Forgotten War” because it

occurred between WWII and Vietnam… even though

more soldiers became casualties per month than in

Vietnam.

In 1995, the Korean War Veterans Memorial was built.


The Cold War at Home

As the Cold War intensified, it affected life at home.

Many Americans worried about disloyalty at home.

Suspicion about communist infiltration of the

U.S. Government forced President Truman to act.

Programs were formed to investigate government workers and

fire those who were disloyal.

In August 1948, Time magazine editor Whittaker Chambers, a

former communist, accused former State Department

official Alger Hiss of being a communist… and a spy.

Hiss sued Chambers for slander, but Hiss was convicted of

perjury in 1950 and jailed.

In 1951, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of

espionage for stealing atomic secrets. They were

executed 2 years later.

Congress formed the House Un-American Activities Committee

to root out communism’s influence in American life.

The entertainment industry was targeted. Film directors, writers,

and actors suspected of being communists were

blacklisted.

A Republican Senator from Wisconsin (Joseph McCarthy)

began the Red Scare of the ’50s.

McCarthy said he had a list of communists who worked in the

State Department. Although his accusations were

labeled “a hoax”, he won a following.


Branding the Democrats as a “party of treason”, he called

President Truman’s loyal Secretary of State, Dean

Acheson, the “Red Dean”.

The term “McCarthyism” soon came to mean false charges of

disloyalty.

The Cold War and Eisenhower

Dwight D. Eisenhower used his popularity from WWII (he

commanded D-Day) to win the Election of 1952.

Eisenhower (a Republican) helped end the Korean War

in 1953. He then cut the Federal budget and defense

spending.

When Stalin died in March 1953, the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. had

a chance to ease tensions.

Instead, the U.S.S.R. exploded a Hydrogen bomb

(H-bomb) just 5 months later.

Eisenhower turned to forceful efforts to defeat communism.

He turned to John Foster Dulles, his Secretary of State.

Dulles’ diplomacy rested on threats of massive retaliation and

brinkmanship.

Brinkmanship is never backing down even at the risk of war.

Dulles negotiated pacts around the world committing the U.S.

to the defense of 43 nations.

The U.S.’ focus shifted to the Third World, where the

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) carried out covert

operations against communist regimes.

Pants on fire…


In their furthering efforts to stop the spread of communism, the

U.S. became involved in Vietnam and the Middle East.

In Vietnam, Communist Ho Chi Minh pushed for independence

from France. Despite aid from the U.S., France lost in

1954.

Vietnam was divided into 2 along the 17th parallel

(North: communist; South: democratic).

The U.S. sent economic and military aid to South Vietnam.

Although Eisenhower feared further involvement in Vietnam,

he supported the Domino Theory.

In the Middle East, the U.S. promised a loan to Egypt’s ruler

Gamal Abdel Nasser to build the Aswan Dam on the

Nile River.

Then Nasser bought arms from Communist Czechoslovakia…

and the U.S. canceled the loan.

Nasser retaliated in July 1956 by seizing the British/French-

owned Suez Canal, an artificial waterway in Egypt.

Britain, France, and Israel responded by invading Egypt.

The U.S.S.R. threatened to attack Britain and France.

The U.S. warned that it would not tolerate such action.

Direct confrontation with the U.S.S.R. was avoided when the UN

imposed a cease-fire.

In reaction to the “Suez Crisis”, the U.S. announced a new

policy, the Eisenhower Doctrine.


The Eisenhower Doctrine stated that the U.S. would intervene if

necessary to protect the Middle East from communism.

In the U.S.S.R., new leader Nikita Khrushchev did his part to

keep the Cold War alive.

He created the Warsaw Pact, a military alliance of 7 European

communist nations.

He also used force in Hungary (that resulted in the death of

30,000 Hungarian protestors) and pressure in Poland to

ensure continued Soviet control.

He increased Soviet power by developing an H-bomb in 1953.

The Soviets launched the first satellite (Sputnik I) in 1957.

He formed an alliance with Cuba after Fidel Castro led a

revolution there in 1959.

Tensions between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. continued to worsen

as the decade went on.

The fear of communism and nuclear war seized society, and

people were taught ways to survive atomic attacks.

The Cold War ended in 1991.


A World of “Plenty”

The 1950s are noted in U.S. history as a time of compliance,

conformity… and rebellion.

The domestic scene saw two-parent families (with father at

work and mother at home) promoted in popular TV

shows like Leave it to Beaver.

Social undercurrents subverting this view were seen in beat

poetry, rock ‘n’ roll music, and in movies like

Rebel Without a Cause starring icon James Dean.

James Dean, Elvis Presley, and Marilyn Monroe are universally

depicted as “Fifties” icons.

Pop culture and mass media were again “kings” as 60% of

Americans were middle class. New highways and

inexpensive cars ($2,000) and cheap gas ($0.20/gallon)

made commuting to work possible. This, in turn, allowed

people to live in the suburbs.

Fast-food (like McDonald’s) fueled this “go-go-go” mentality.

New fashions, slang words, music, and cars prompted many to

dub it the “Fabulous” Fifties.

But, as was the case with the “Roaring” Twenties, prosperity

failed to reach everyone.

THE END OF “KING AMERICA” UNIT!

unit #4: king america guided notes · in 1922, mussolini and his black-shirt followers overthrew...

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