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World War II

The Basics - The following has appeared on New York examinations

• Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) wanted to keep the United States out of what many Americans considered to be a European War that began in 1939 with Hitler's Blitzkrieg invasion of Poland. Although the U.S. was officially neutral, Americans were sending far more aid to the Allies (Britain, France and the U.S.S.R.) than to the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy and Japan).

• Pearl Harbor - Japan attacked the U.S. Naval base of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in an attempt to destroy much of the American's Pacific Fleet on December 7, 1941. This was a sneak attack - the Americans were still not in the war. As a result of this attack, FDR successfully asked Congress the very next day to declare war on the Axis powers, declaring that December 7, 1941 was a "day that will live in infamy." "Remember Pearl Harbor" would serve as an American rallying cry throughout the war.

• The Homefront - In the United States, U.S. citizens participated in several programs in order to assist the war effort. Spurred on by "Rosie the Riveter," women flocked to industrial jobs making planes, uniforms, weapons, etc. This jobs were available because so many men had been sent to the front. Paper drives were held so that recycling would cut down on the amount of resources needed here in the U.S. Rationing of foods and gasoline allowed for these goods to be sent to the front to help the soldiers. "Victory gardens" were grown by many families so that more foods could be sent to the front, rather than be sold in stores in America.

• Japanese Internment - Americans on the west coast were fearful of the large numbers of Japanese-Americans living among them and the possibilities that they may be serving as spies. The United States government, in a move that is the very definition of racism, rounded up many Japanese-American families and sent them to Internment camps were they were held for the duration of the war. No Japanese-American was ever convicted of spying for Japan.

• D-Day - The turning point of World War II was the attack of the beaches of Normandy, France on D-Day, June 6, 1944. This created a two front war for the Germans in Europe with the British and Americans in the west and the Soviets in the east. The allies achieved victory on V-E (Victory in Europe) Day - May 8, 1945.

• The only four term President, FDR, died before the end of WWII. This left his Vice President, Harry S. Truman, to make one of the most powerful decisions in history - whether or not to use the atomic bomb on Japan. Truman first warned Japan of the power of the weapon and to surrender. When Japan refused, Truman authorized the use of "Little Boy," an atomic bomb, on Hiroshima killing about 70,000 immediately and thousands more later from radiation. Three days later, after Japan still refused to surrender, the U.S. dropped "Fat Man" on Nagasaki. It is only then that Japn surrendered, bringing World War II to a close. A total of 62,000,000 civilians and military personnel had been killed during the war.

• Nuremburg Trials - After Word War II, Germans accused of war crimes were sent to Nuremburg, Germany for trial. The head prosecutor for the United States was Jamestown's Robert H. Jackson.