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The United States at War

The United States at War. Focus Question:. What would the United States have to do to prepare for this?. Focus Question:. What would the United States have to do to prepare for this?. Splendid Isolation. U.S. retreated to isolationism after WWI U.S. disgust with the war

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The United States at War

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  1. The United States at War

  2. Focus Question: • What would the United States have to do to prepare for this?

  3. Focus Question: • What would the United States have to do to prepare for this?

  4. Splendid Isolation • U.S. retreated to isolationism after WWI • U.S. disgust with the war • Strong sense of anti-military fervor • Perception that U.S. interest weren’t at risk • U.S. refused to take role in League of Nations

  5. Rise of Belligerent Powers • As war threatened, many became concerned • Fear of U.S. involvement • Senate hearings on World War I • War blamed on arms manufacturers • Took steps to prevent the U.S. involvement

  6. Neutrality Acts • Designed to keep U.S. from war • 1935: No arms sales to belligerent nations • 1936: No loans or credit to belligerent nations • 1937: U.S. could not ship goods to belligerents • Tied the hands of the U.S.

  7. FDR’s efforts • FDR and his cabinet recognized the threat • Prepare the U.S. for involvement • Quarantine Speech 1937 • Cash-and-Carry 1939 • Lend-Lease 1940 • Atlantic Charter August 1941

  8. Pearl Harbor • Japanese attack brings U.S. into the war • U.S. sets strategy in motion • Initial outrage against Japan • Determined to defeat Germany first

  9. The Home Front • World War II was a Total War • Entire American society was directed toward the war effort • No one did not take part in the war effort

  10. Economy • Economic activity took on a wartime footing • Massive military contracts sent production soaring • Lifted U.S. from the Depression • Directed by the War Production Board • Production of nonessential items were halted • Large-scale rationing of commodities • Some companies fought to have their products listed as ’essential’ • The U.S. produced much of the war materiel used by the Allies

  11. Inflation Curbs • Office of Price Administration created to prevent runaway inflation • Less consumer goods could equal higher prices • To keep morale up, prices capped • With full employment concern rose over higher wages • War Labor Board set caps on wages • Smith-Connally Anti-Strike Act limited ability of workers to strike

  12. Finance • World War II cost the U.S. an estimate • $341 billion • ($4.137 trillion in today’s figures) • How do you finance this? • Taxation • War Bonds (135 billion sold in total)

  13. Morale • Need to keep up morale at home • Sponsored numerous activities • Victory Gardens • Meatless and Wheat-less days • Scrap Drives • Civil Defense Drills

  14. Societal Shifts Full Employment and Military Demands opened new opportunities • African-Americans brought into numerous industrial jobs • Braceroprogram opened opportunities for Mexican-Americans • Five million women entered the industrial workplace

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