Chapter 35: Identifications and Guided Reading Questions
A. Philip Randolph
A Philip Randolph was a leader in the African American civil rights movements during WWII.
George S. Patton
United States General that commanded the 7th and 3rd United States Army in the Eastern European Theatre.
Albert Einstein
German-Jewish physicist credited with the creation of the atomic bomb and the theory of relativity.
Office of Price Administration
Brought ascending prices under control with extensive regulation, such as rationing.
Fair Employment Practice Commission
Said that employers could not discriminate on the basis of race or religion.
D-Day
The US, under General Dwight D Eisenhower, invaded Normandy. This was a major turning point in the war and a great victory for the Allies.
V-E Day
‘Victory in Europe Day’ was a public holiday celebrated 8 May 1945 to mark the defeat of the Axis Powers in Europe and the triumph of the Allies.
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a top-secret project that developed the atomic bomb based on the writings of Albert Einstein. Prominent physicists such as Richard P. Feynman worked on it.
Braceros
Mexican agricultural workers that harvested fruit and grain crops.
The Allies Trade Space for Time
Know: Germany First
1. "America's task was far more complex and back-breaking [in World War II] than in World War I." Explain.
America had to support Britain and the Soviet Union and keep them from falling under Hitler’s regime. America had to fight against allied countries which were quickly on their way to taking over the world.
The Shock of War
Know: Axis Powers, Internment Camps, Korematsu v. U.S.
2. How did the war affect liberal ideals and goals at home?
Many American Communists started to denounce Hitler instead of the Anglo-French ‘imperialistic war’, and many pro-Hitlerites disappeared. The Japanese Americans were herded into concentration camps, even if they were native-born Americans, for the duration of the war after Pearl Harbor.
Building the War Machine
Know: War Production Board, War Labor Board
3. What effects did the war have on manufacturing, agriculture and labor?
Manufacturing experienced a big boom as the government clamored for more ships, munitions, and planes. Farmers also had a steady income because their food was sent to troops overseas. Labor Unions grew from 10 million to more than 13 million workers.
Makers of America: The Japanese
Know: Matthew Perry, Meiji Government, Picture Brides, Gentleman's Agreement, Issei, Nissei
4. In what way can it be said that the reason's for Japanese immigrants' success also caused them trouble?
Many anti-Japanese resented the successes of the Japanese, which led to TR’s Gentleman’s Agreement. The Gentlemen’s Agreement made the Japanese government stop sending Japanese to work in California.
Manpower and Womanpower
Know: WAACS, WAVES, SPARS, GI, Braceros, Rosie the Riveter
5. What opportunities were opened to women as a result of the war?
Since many men were gone abroad to fight in the war, women took their places in the jobs they left behind. The WAACs, WAVES, and SPARs were women who were employed for noncombat duties.
Wartime Migrations
Know: A. Philip Randolph, Fair Employment Practices Commission, Double V, CORE, Code Talkers, Zoot Suit Riots
6. What effect did the war have on the nation's minorities?
African Americans moved from the South and the East towards the North and the West, seeking the newly opened jobs left behind by those fighting in the war.
Holding the Homefront
7. What economic effects resulted from American participation in the war?
The war invigorated the economy and lifted America out of the Great Depression. The gross national product value skyrocketed from less than $100 billion to over $200 billion in the expanse of a few years.
The Rising Sun in the Pacific
Know: Douglas MacArthur, Bataan Death March
8. Describe Japanese victories in the Pacific in the months following Pearl Harbor.
After Pearl Harbor, the Japanese invaded Guam, Wake, and the Philippines, and seized Hong Kong, British Malaya, Burma, and the Dutch East Indies.
Japan's High Tide at Midway
Know: Battle of the Coral Sea, Midway, Chester Nimitz
9. Why was Midway an important battle?
Midway was an important victory for the Allies and helped stop the Japanese juggernaut, along with the Battle of Coral Sea.
American Leapfrogging Toward Tokyo
Know: Guadalcanal, Island Hopping, Guam
10. What strategy did the United States use to defeat the Japanese?
The Americans ‘island hopped’, which meant that instead of defeating all the Pacific islands one by one in order, they would go from one island and skip a few towards the next island. This gave America more outposts and helped to defeat the Japanese more quickly.
The Allied Halting of Hitler
Know: Wolf Packs, Enigma, Erwin Rommel, Bernard Montgomery, El Alamein, Battle of Stalingrad
11. "The war against Hitler looked much better at the end of 1942 than it had in the beginning." Explain.
The Enigma code, which was the code between the Axis powers, had been cracked. The Russians stalled the Nazis at Stalingrad during a harsh, fierce winter, which also severely damaged the German army.
A Second Front from North Africa to Rome
Know: Soft Underbelly of Europe, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Casablanca, Sicily
12. Describe the purpose and outcome of the Invasion of North Africa.
The U.S. planned to attack Europe in it’s weak flank through Italy, so it traveled underneath Europe to North Africa and planned to make it’s attack on the Axis Powers.
D-Day: June 6, 1944
Know: Teheran, D-Day, Normandy, George Patton
13. Why could June 6, 1944 be considered THE turning point of the war?
The battle at Normandy, also known as D-Day, allowed the American and British armies to penetrate France and attack Germany along with the forces from the South and the Soviet forces from the East.
FDR: The Fourth-Termite of 1944
Know: Thomas Dewey, Henry Wallace, Harry S Truman
14. Why was the choice of a vice-presidential candidate important and difficult for the Democrats in 1944?
FDR was aging and suffering from strain. It was highly possible that he would die in presidency, much like Woodrow Wilson did during the aftermath of WWI, and leave the US in chaos. Therefore the Democrats needed a strong vice president just in case FDR died and the vice president would take over.
Roosevelt Defeats Dewey
Know: Fala
15. What factors led to Roosevelt's victory over Dewey?
FDR won because WWII was going well. Again, people did not want to change presidents in the middle of the war, and because FDR seemed to be winning the war, people wanted to stick with him.
The Last Days of Hitler
Know: Battle of the Bulge, "Nuts," Elbe River, Holocaust, V-E Day
16. Describe the last six months of war in Europe.
The last six months of war in Europe was desperate on the part of the Nazis, who started the Blitz on Britain, trying to blow up as much as possible. The last few months was more of a rounding up of the war.
Japan Dies Hard
Know: Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Kamikazes
17. Explain the meaning of the title of this section.
Japan, desperate, sent kamikaze pilots, who were basically suicide bombers sent to attack the invading United States fleet. Finally, Iwo Jima was taken by the U.S. and used as a safe haven for bombers returning from Japan.
The Atomic Bombs
Know: Potsdam, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Hirohito
18. What was the military impact of the atomic bomb?
The atomic bomb caused the remaining Axis powers to surrender after the total destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. About 80,000 people were killed or reported as missing, so Hirohito surrendered.
The Allies Triumphant
Know: George Marshall
19. "This complex conflict was the best fought war in America's history." Explain
America was unprepared for WWII and taken by surprise by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor, yet they still managed to pull through and make a huge victory in the name of democracy.
Varying Viewpoints: The Atomic Bombs: Were They Justified?
20. What questions concerning WWII have historians attempted to answer?
Many historians have tried unsuccessfully to answer whether the atomic bombs were justified, or whether it would have made an impact if they were used sooner.
A Philip Randolph was a leader in the African American civil rights movements during WWII.
George S. Patton
United States General that commanded the 7th and 3rd United States Army in the Eastern European Theatre.
Albert Einstein
German-Jewish physicist credited with the creation of the atomic bomb and the theory of relativity.
Office of Price Administration
Brought ascending prices under control with extensive regulation, such as rationing.
Fair Employment Practice Commission
Said that employers could not discriminate on the basis of race or religion.
D-Day
The US, under General Dwight D Eisenhower, invaded Normandy. This was a major turning point in the war and a great victory for the Allies.
V-E Day
‘Victory in Europe Day’ was a public holiday celebrated 8 May 1945 to mark the defeat of the Axis Powers in Europe and the triumph of the Allies.
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a top-secret project that developed the atomic bomb based on the writings of Albert Einstein. Prominent physicists such as Richard P. Feynman worked on it.
Braceros
Mexican agricultural workers that harvested fruit and grain crops.
The Allies Trade Space for Time
Know: Germany First
1. "America's task was far more complex and back-breaking [in World War II] than in World War I." Explain.
America had to support Britain and the Soviet Union and keep them from falling under Hitler’s regime. America had to fight against allied countries which were quickly on their way to taking over the world.
The Shock of War
Know: Axis Powers, Internment Camps, Korematsu v. U.S.
2. How did the war affect liberal ideals and goals at home?
Many American Communists started to denounce Hitler instead of the Anglo-French ‘imperialistic war’, and many pro-Hitlerites disappeared. The Japanese Americans were herded into concentration camps, even if they were native-born Americans, for the duration of the war after Pearl Harbor.
Building the War Machine
Know: War Production Board, War Labor Board
3. What effects did the war have on manufacturing, agriculture and labor?
Manufacturing experienced a big boom as the government clamored for more ships, munitions, and planes. Farmers also had a steady income because their food was sent to troops overseas. Labor Unions grew from 10 million to more than 13 million workers.
Makers of America: The Japanese
Know: Matthew Perry, Meiji Government, Picture Brides, Gentleman's Agreement, Issei, Nissei
4. In what way can it be said that the reason's for Japanese immigrants' success also caused them trouble?
Many anti-Japanese resented the successes of the Japanese, which led to TR’s Gentleman’s Agreement. The Gentlemen’s Agreement made the Japanese government stop sending Japanese to work in California.
Manpower and Womanpower
Know: WAACS, WAVES, SPARS, GI, Braceros, Rosie the Riveter
5. What opportunities were opened to women as a result of the war?
Since many men were gone abroad to fight in the war, women took their places in the jobs they left behind. The WAACs, WAVES, and SPARs were women who were employed for noncombat duties.
Wartime Migrations
Know: A. Philip Randolph, Fair Employment Practices Commission, Double V, CORE, Code Talkers, Zoot Suit Riots
6. What effect did the war have on the nation's minorities?
African Americans moved from the South and the East towards the North and the West, seeking the newly opened jobs left behind by those fighting in the war.
Holding the Homefront
7. What economic effects resulted from American participation in the war?
The war invigorated the economy and lifted America out of the Great Depression. The gross national product value skyrocketed from less than $100 billion to over $200 billion in the expanse of a few years.
The Rising Sun in the Pacific
Know: Douglas MacArthur, Bataan Death March
8. Describe Japanese victories in the Pacific in the months following Pearl Harbor.
After Pearl Harbor, the Japanese invaded Guam, Wake, and the Philippines, and seized Hong Kong, British Malaya, Burma, and the Dutch East Indies.
Japan's High Tide at Midway
Know: Battle of the Coral Sea, Midway, Chester Nimitz
9. Why was Midway an important battle?
Midway was an important victory for the Allies and helped stop the Japanese juggernaut, along with the Battle of Coral Sea.
American Leapfrogging Toward Tokyo
Know: Guadalcanal, Island Hopping, Guam
10. What strategy did the United States use to defeat the Japanese?
The Americans ‘island hopped’, which meant that instead of defeating all the Pacific islands one by one in order, they would go from one island and skip a few towards the next island. This gave America more outposts and helped to defeat the Japanese more quickly.
The Allied Halting of Hitler
Know: Wolf Packs, Enigma, Erwin Rommel, Bernard Montgomery, El Alamein, Battle of Stalingrad
11. "The war against Hitler looked much better at the end of 1942 than it had in the beginning." Explain.
The Enigma code, which was the code between the Axis powers, had been cracked. The Russians stalled the Nazis at Stalingrad during a harsh, fierce winter, which also severely damaged the German army.
A Second Front from North Africa to Rome
Know: Soft Underbelly of Europe, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Casablanca, Sicily
12. Describe the purpose and outcome of the Invasion of North Africa.
The U.S. planned to attack Europe in it’s weak flank through Italy, so it traveled underneath Europe to North Africa and planned to make it’s attack on the Axis Powers.
D-Day: June 6, 1944
Know: Teheran, D-Day, Normandy, George Patton
13. Why could June 6, 1944 be considered THE turning point of the war?
The battle at Normandy, also known as D-Day, allowed the American and British armies to penetrate France and attack Germany along with the forces from the South and the Soviet forces from the East.
FDR: The Fourth-Termite of 1944
Know: Thomas Dewey, Henry Wallace, Harry S Truman
14. Why was the choice of a vice-presidential candidate important and difficult for the Democrats in 1944?
FDR was aging and suffering from strain. It was highly possible that he would die in presidency, much like Woodrow Wilson did during the aftermath of WWI, and leave the US in chaos. Therefore the Democrats needed a strong vice president just in case FDR died and the vice president would take over.
Roosevelt Defeats Dewey
Know: Fala
15. What factors led to Roosevelt's victory over Dewey?
FDR won because WWII was going well. Again, people did not want to change presidents in the middle of the war, and because FDR seemed to be winning the war, people wanted to stick with him.
The Last Days of Hitler
Know: Battle of the Bulge, "Nuts," Elbe River, Holocaust, V-E Day
16. Describe the last six months of war in Europe.
The last six months of war in Europe was desperate on the part of the Nazis, who started the Blitz on Britain, trying to blow up as much as possible. The last few months was more of a rounding up of the war.
Japan Dies Hard
Know: Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Kamikazes
17. Explain the meaning of the title of this section.
Japan, desperate, sent kamikaze pilots, who were basically suicide bombers sent to attack the invading United States fleet. Finally, Iwo Jima was taken by the U.S. and used as a safe haven for bombers returning from Japan.
The Atomic Bombs
Know: Potsdam, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Hirohito
18. What was the military impact of the atomic bomb?
The atomic bomb caused the remaining Axis powers to surrender after the total destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. About 80,000 people were killed or reported as missing, so Hirohito surrendered.
The Allies Triumphant
Know: George Marshall
19. "This complex conflict was the best fought war in America's history." Explain
America was unprepared for WWII and taken by surprise by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor, yet they still managed to pull through and make a huge victory in the name of democracy.
Varying Viewpoints: The Atomic Bombs: Were They Justified?
20. What questions concerning WWII have historians attempted to answer?
Many historians have tried unsuccessfully to answer whether the atomic bombs were justified, or whether it would have made an impact if they were used sooner.