1. How did the American response to the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor differ from Japanese expectations?
The Japanese thought that the Americans were afraid of the Japanese and the power that they had. They thought that they made the United States a third-rate power. When in reality that it gave the Americans motivation to fight and to get revenge. The Americans were not afraid, but they were furious.
2. What difficulties did women and minorities face in the wartime work force?
African Americans, Native Americans, Mexican Americans, and Asian Americans were very discriminated during the war. There were racial segregated neighborhoods, and they were denied basic rights of a citizens. Some of the minorities were wondering why they should fight for a country that looked down upon them. The African Americans that were in the war had noncombat jobs for the most of the war, until they fought for their right to be in combat, which was only for the last year of the war. Even though all of the minorities were discriminated against, a lot of them still fought in the war. During the war woman worked in factories and did stereotypical man jobs. At first places were reluctant about hiring woman because they did not think they had as much stamina in them, but once they realized how woman can work as well as men they kept hiring them. Woman would also get paid sixty percent of what the men would get paid for the same job.
3. Why did President Roosevelt create the OSRD, and what did it do?
President Roosevelt created the OSRD to bring scientist into the war effort. The OSRD created many things that helped the war, such as the creation of penicillin, which save many lives, and sonar for boats and plants to spot other boats and planes that might be a threat to them. The biggest thing that the OSRD did was the Manhattan Project, which was the creation of the atomic bomb.
4. What basic problems were the OPA and WPB created to solve?
The OPA was created to solve the threat of inflation by freezing the prices of goods, and by raising the amount of income taxes so that people had less money to send so there was less of a demand of certain goods. The WPA was created to decide which factories changed from peacetime factories to wartime factories; this made it so there were enough supplies for the war effort.
5. What type of items were rationed and why were they limited?
Some of the typed of goods that were rationed were meat, gasoline, shoes, sugar, and coffee. These items were limited because they were deeded as goods that were essential for the military. It was hard for the people to deal with the rationing, but some people thought of it as their personal way of contributing to the war effort; while others were buy the goods off of a black market.
6. What is the message of the World War II poster on this assignment's blog posting? Why was this message important?
The message of the World War II poster was to carpool to save gas so that the soldiers could use the gas that the citizens weren't using. The point was to tell everyone to ration out the goods that they have and to make the most of it so that there is enough supplies for the war. The message was important because it was a very convincing poster to get people to carpool and the soldiers needed the gas and the supplies for the war effort more than the citizens.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
War in the Pacific
1. In what ways were the American victory at Midway and the Japanese triumph at Pearl Harbor alike?
They were a like because they both involved destroying the other sides ships and planes. Both of them were also triumphs where one sides completely destroyed the other side. One of the Japanese officials that was at Midway said that the United States got its revenge on Pearl Harbor, but it was worse for the Japanese because in the Battle of Midway the Americans destroyed some of the Japanese's aircraft carriers.
2. Why was the Battle of Leyte Gulf so crucial to the Allies?
It was crucial for the Allies because the Japanese lost so much during the Battle of Leyte. In the battle the Japanese threw their entire fleet into it and they tried a new tactic called kamikaze which were suicide planes that crashed into the Allied ships. The battle ended in just three days, and the Japanese lost 3 battleships, 4 aircraft carriers, 13 cruisers and almost 500 planes. After this battle the Japanese Navy just played a minor role in defense of Japan.
3. Why was Okinawa a significant island in the war in the Pacific?
Okainawa was a significant island in the war because the Allies were able to bomb the mainland of Japan from there. Also it was a place that would open their way in invading the mainland of Japan.
4. What was the Manhattan Project? And who was J. Robert Oppenheimer?
The Manhattan Project was a project led by General Leslie Grove, which was the creation of the atomic bomb. J. Robert Oppenheimer was the man that developed the atomic bomb. At the peak of created it more than 600,000 Americans were working on it, and it was the best kept secret of the war.
5. Why was Roosevelt anxious to make concessions to Stalin concerning the fate of postwar Germany?
Roosevelt had two reasons to make concessions to Stalin concerning the fate of postwar Germany. One reason was that he had hoped that Stalin would keep his commitment and help fight against Japan in the Pacific war once Germany was defeated. Second, Roosevelt wanted Stalin to support for a new world peace organization, called the United Nations.
6. What decisions did Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin make at the Yalta Conference?
The decisions that were made during the Yalta Conference were the Germany would temporarily be four zones; one for each country, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, France, and the United States. Another decision made was that Stalin agreed to attend an international conference in April in San Francisco, where the United Nations would be formed. Stalin also promised a 'free and fettered' election in Poland and other Soviet occupied Eastern Europe counties. Lastly, Stalin agreed to help in the war against the Japanese in the Pacific.
7. At the trials, many Nazis defended themselves by saying they were only following orders. What does this rationale tell you about the German military? Why was it important to negate this justification?
The German military was very loyal to Hitler and would do whatever he asked of them, even the cruel things like working at the death camps. They tried to get out of getting charged for their crimes by saying that they were just taking orders, even though some of the people on trial were very close to Hitler, but once he is gone they turn on him. It is important to negate this justification because the individuals were responsible for their actions, even in the time of war.
They were a like because they both involved destroying the other sides ships and planes. Both of them were also triumphs where one sides completely destroyed the other side. One of the Japanese officials that was at Midway said that the United States got its revenge on Pearl Harbor, but it was worse for the Japanese because in the Battle of Midway the Americans destroyed some of the Japanese's aircraft carriers.
2. Why was the Battle of Leyte Gulf so crucial to the Allies?
It was crucial for the Allies because the Japanese lost so much during the Battle of Leyte. In the battle the Japanese threw their entire fleet into it and they tried a new tactic called kamikaze which were suicide planes that crashed into the Allied ships. The battle ended in just three days, and the Japanese lost 3 battleships, 4 aircraft carriers, 13 cruisers and almost 500 planes. After this battle the Japanese Navy just played a minor role in defense of Japan.
3. Why was Okinawa a significant island in the war in the Pacific?
Okainawa was a significant island in the war because the Allies were able to bomb the mainland of Japan from there. Also it was a place that would open their way in invading the mainland of Japan.
4. What was the Manhattan Project? And who was J. Robert Oppenheimer?
The Manhattan Project was a project led by General Leslie Grove, which was the creation of the atomic bomb. J. Robert Oppenheimer was the man that developed the atomic bomb. At the peak of created it more than 600,000 Americans were working on it, and it was the best kept secret of the war.
5. Why was Roosevelt anxious to make concessions to Stalin concerning the fate of postwar Germany?
Roosevelt had two reasons to make concessions to Stalin concerning the fate of postwar Germany. One reason was that he had hoped that Stalin would keep his commitment and help fight against Japan in the Pacific war once Germany was defeated. Second, Roosevelt wanted Stalin to support for a new world peace organization, called the United Nations.
6. What decisions did Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin make at the Yalta Conference?
The decisions that were made during the Yalta Conference were the Germany would temporarily be four zones; one for each country, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, France, and the United States. Another decision made was that Stalin agreed to attend an international conference in April in San Francisco, where the United Nations would be formed. Stalin also promised a 'free and fettered' election in Poland and other Soviet occupied Eastern Europe counties. Lastly, Stalin agreed to help in the war against the Japanese in the Pacific.
7. At the trials, many Nazis defended themselves by saying they were only following orders. What does this rationale tell you about the German military? Why was it important to negate this justification?
The German military was very loyal to Hitler and would do whatever he asked of them, even the cruel things like working at the death camps. They tried to get out of getting charged for their crimes by saying that they were just taking orders, even though some of the people on trial were very close to Hitler, but once he is gone they turn on him. It is important to negate this justification because the individuals were responsible for their actions, even in the time of war.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
War for Europe and North Africa
1. Why had the tide turned in the Battle of the Atlantic by mid-1943?
By the mid-1943 the United States started to have the cargo ships going into convoys because they were safer in numbers. Also they had destroyers go with the cargo ships, which had radar that could see submarines; and they had planes following which had radar that could see U-boats coming. By the mid-1943, the United States was sinking the German U-boars faster than the Germans could build them. Another thing that benefited the U.S was that they stated a crash shipbuilding program that build 140 Liberty ships each month, which outnumbered the amount that were sinking.
2. What two key decisions determined the final outcome at Stalingrad?
Two key decisions that determined the final outcome at Stalingrad, were that Stalin would not let his troops back down, so they had to stay and fight, and the other decision was that they decided to have a counter attack again the Germans during the Winter. By having it in the Winter, the Germans started starving and they couldn't fight back because of the coldness of the Winter. In the end, the Soviet Union won, and it was the turning point for them to go toward Germany.
3. What was the outcome of the North African campaign?
The outcome of the North American campaign was that the United States along with the British troops were able to defeat the Germans, and to win back the land in Africa which the Nazi's took over.
4. What were the results of the Italian campaign?
When the Allies took Sicily, the Italians were so made that they kicked Mussolini out of power because he was not able to fight off the Allies and he was replaced by King Victor Emmanuel. Hitler did not want the Allies to get onto European soil so he sent German troops to fight the Allies, which caused one of the hardest battles for the United States, which was just 40 miles outside of Rome. The Allies had 25,000 casualties and the Axis had 30,000 casualties. The Allies could not take all of Italy until Germany itself was able to collapse.
5. Was the Allied invasion of Europe successful? Explain your answer.
At first the Allied invasion of Europe was not successful because they started off by trying to invade Italy, which did not go over very well for them. The Allies took forever to finally take Italy, and when they did it was when Germany was about to collapse. The Allies started to become successful when they went in through France. When they started Operation Overload, they started to be successful because they took France back, and were able to get into Germany from there.
6. Why was the Battle of the Bulge important?
The Battle of the Bulge was important because it was Germany's last attempt to push through the Allie forces. In the end of all the fighting the Germans were not able to get Antwerp, a port in Belgium, back. The reason why this battle was so important was that the Germans lost 120,000 troops, 600 tanks and assault guns, and 1,600 planes, which could not be replaced. This meant that all the Nazis could do is retreat.
7. What the significance of V-E day?
V-E day stands for the Victory in Europe day. The significance of it is that it was the war in Europe was finally over.
8. Who was Dwight D. Eisenhower?
Dwight D. Eisenhower was an American General during World War II.
9. Do you agree with the decision made by Roosevelt and Churchill to require unconditional surrender by the Axis powers? Why or why not?
I agree with the decision made by Roosevelt and Churchill because the Axis powers were out of control and if they had any form of power than it could have gone badly since most of their leaders were close to totalitarianism, which is not good. All of the countries needed to completely surrender in order for the rest of the countries to be safe, especially since some of the countries did not follow through with agreements while under Axis Power. For example Germany went against the treaty they made with the U.S.S.R to not attack each other. The Axis powers proved many times that they could not be trusted in any way.
By the mid-1943 the United States started to have the cargo ships going into convoys because they were safer in numbers. Also they had destroyers go with the cargo ships, which had radar that could see submarines; and they had planes following which had radar that could see U-boats coming. By the mid-1943, the United States was sinking the German U-boars faster than the Germans could build them. Another thing that benefited the U.S was that they stated a crash shipbuilding program that build 140 Liberty ships each month, which outnumbered the amount that were sinking.
2. What two key decisions determined the final outcome at Stalingrad?
Two key decisions that determined the final outcome at Stalingrad, were that Stalin would not let his troops back down, so they had to stay and fight, and the other decision was that they decided to have a counter attack again the Germans during the Winter. By having it in the Winter, the Germans started starving and they couldn't fight back because of the coldness of the Winter. In the end, the Soviet Union won, and it was the turning point for them to go toward Germany.
3. What was the outcome of the North African campaign?
The outcome of the North American campaign was that the United States along with the British troops were able to defeat the Germans, and to win back the land in Africa which the Nazi's took over.
4. What were the results of the Italian campaign?
When the Allies took Sicily, the Italians were so made that they kicked Mussolini out of power because he was not able to fight off the Allies and he was replaced by King Victor Emmanuel. Hitler did not want the Allies to get onto European soil so he sent German troops to fight the Allies, which caused one of the hardest battles for the United States, which was just 40 miles outside of Rome. The Allies had 25,000 casualties and the Axis had 30,000 casualties. The Allies could not take all of Italy until Germany itself was able to collapse.
5. Was the Allied invasion of Europe successful? Explain your answer.
At first the Allied invasion of Europe was not successful because they started off by trying to invade Italy, which did not go over very well for them. The Allies took forever to finally take Italy, and when they did it was when Germany was about to collapse. The Allies started to become successful when they went in through France. When they started Operation Overload, they started to be successful because they took France back, and were able to get into Germany from there.
6. Why was the Battle of the Bulge important?
The Battle of the Bulge was important because it was Germany's last attempt to push through the Allie forces. In the end of all the fighting the Germans were not able to get Antwerp, a port in Belgium, back. The reason why this battle was so important was that the Germans lost 120,000 troops, 600 tanks and assault guns, and 1,600 planes, which could not be replaced. This meant that all the Nazis could do is retreat.
7. What the significance of V-E day?
V-E day stands for the Victory in Europe day. The significance of it is that it was the war in Europe was finally over.
8. Who was Dwight D. Eisenhower?
Dwight D. Eisenhower was an American General during World War II.
9. Do you agree with the decision made by Roosevelt and Churchill to require unconditional surrender by the Axis powers? Why or why not?
I agree with the decision made by Roosevelt and Churchill because the Axis powers were out of control and if they had any form of power than it could have gone badly since most of their leaders were close to totalitarianism, which is not good. All of the countries needed to completely surrender in order for the rest of the countries to be safe, especially since some of the countries did not follow through with agreements while under Axis Power. For example Germany went against the treaty they made with the U.S.S.R to not attack each other. The Axis powers proved many times that they could not be trusted in any way.
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