1. What factors have affected viewpoints on Truman's decision?
The Allied ships had to kill or capture every one of the 100,000 Japanese soldiers defending Okinawa-none of them would surrender. Allied ships have also been badly damaged by Japanese kamikaze suicide bombers. The Allies were a little stuck and needed to do something that would scare the Japanese off. Truman had a few decisions, to drop the bomb or not and if he should warn the Japanese. Some people agree with Truman's decision because many people had a vengeance against the Japanese. Also when Hirohito surrendered after the bombing of Nagasaki, it proved that it was the right decision. Others didn't agree with Truman's decision because they thought that the bomb served no military purpose and was because, as an anti-communists, Truman wanted to scare the Soviet Union.
2. Do you think he made the right decision? Give your reasons.
I think that Truman made the right decision on Japan. They just let Truman in on the plans as soon as he became president, and it seems as though he had to do something quick about Japan, so i guess dropping an atomic bomb on them is a pretty quick problem solver. The bomb was also a good way to scare Japan, and/or others, away from wanting to fight in war. For example, Japanese military were determined to fight till the finish, but after Truman bombed Nagasaki, Hirohito's will prevailed and Japan surrendered on August 14, 1945.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
War in the Pacific
Read Chapter 25-3 (pg 784)
1. What was the importance of the Battle of Midway?
The Battle of Midway was a turning point for the Pacific War. By the end of the Battle of Midway, the Japanese had lost 4 aircraft carriers, a cruiser, and 250 planes and soon the allies began "island hopping".
2. What strategy did the United States adopt in fighting Japan?
3. Why did the Japanese fight so hard on Iwo Jima?
It was critical to the U.S. as a base from which heavily loaded bombers might reach Japan.
4. Why did the Allies believe Okinawa was a foretaste of an invasion of Japan?
Because Churchill predicted that the cost would be a million American lives and half that number of British lives and by the end of the battle 7,600 Americans had died which was a taste of the real thing, when they actually invade Japan.
5. What was the Manhattan Project?
The Manhattan Project was the atomic bomb.
6. Ultimately, why did President Truman decide to drop atomic bombs on Japan?
It was his only way to avoid an invasion of Japan.
1. What was the importance of the Battle of Midway?
The Battle of Midway was a turning point for the Pacific War. By the end of the Battle of Midway, the Japanese had lost 4 aircraft carriers, a cruiser, and 250 planes and soon the allies began "island hopping".
2. What strategy did the United States adopt in fighting Japan?
3. Why did the Japanese fight so hard on Iwo Jima?
It was critical to the U.S. as a base from which heavily loaded bombers might reach Japan.
4. Why did the Allies believe Okinawa was a foretaste of an invasion of Japan?
Because Churchill predicted that the cost would be a million American lives and half that number of British lives and by the end of the battle 7,600 Americans had died which was a taste of the real thing, when they actually invade Japan.
5. What was the Manhattan Project?
The Manhattan Project was the atomic bomb.
6. Ultimately, why did President Truman decide to drop atomic bombs on Japan?
It was his only way to avoid an invasion of Japan.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
War for Europe and North Africa - Part II
Read the remainder of Chapter 25-2 (pages 779 onward)
6. What was D-Day?
D-Day was the first day of invasion, on June 6, 1944.
7. What happened at the Battle of the Bulge?
As the Germans swept westward, they captured 120 American GIs near Malmédy. The SS troopers herded the prisoners into a large field and mowed them down with machine guns and pistols.
8. What did Allied troops find in Germany?
They found a thousand starving prisoners barely alive, the world's largest crematorium, and a storehouse containing 800,000 shoes.
9. What happened to Hitler? What happened to F.D. Roosevelt? Who became U.S. President?
Hitler married Eva Braun and the same day he wrote out his last address to the German people. Hitler shot himself while his new wife swallowed poison.
On April 2nd, 1945, while posing for a portrait in Warm Springs, Georgia, FDR had a stroke and died. The next U.S. president was Harry S. Truman.
6. What was D-Day?
D-Day was the first day of invasion, on June 6, 1944.
7. What happened at the Battle of the Bulge?
As the Germans swept westward, they captured 120 American GIs near Malmédy. The SS troopers herded the prisoners into a large field and mowed them down with machine guns and pistols.
8. What did Allied troops find in Germany?
They found a thousand starving prisoners barely alive, the world's largest crematorium, and a storehouse containing 800,000 shoes.
9. What happened to Hitler? What happened to F.D. Roosevelt? Who became U.S. President?
Hitler married Eva Braun and the same day he wrote out his last address to the German people. Hitler shot himself while his new wife swallowed poison.
On April 2nd, 1945, while posing for a portrait in Warm Springs, Georgia, FDR had a stroke and died. The next U.S. president was Harry S. Truman.
War for Europe & North Africa
Read Chapter 25-2 (pages 775 - 779)
1. To what did Roosevelt and Churchill agree early in the war?
They believed that Germany and Italy were a greater threat than Japan and to strike first against Hitler. Once the allies gained an upper hand in Europe, they could pour more resources into the Pacific War.
2. Why was winning the Battle of the Atlantic so crucial to the fortunes of the Allies?
The German's aim in the battle was to prevent food and war materials from reaching Great Britain and the Soviet Union, and that was Great Britain's lifeline.
3. Why was the Battle of Stalingrad so important?
The Battle of Stalingrad was so important because this was the first great turning point for the allies.
4. What happened in the war in North Africa?
Churchill and Roosevelt didn't think that they had enough troops to attempt an invasion on European soil, so instead they launched Operation Torch, an invasion of Axis-controlled North Africa. In November 1942, some 107,ooo allied troops landed in Casablanca, Oran, and Algiers in North Africa. After months of heavy fighting, the last of the Afrika corps surrendered in May 1943.
5. What happened after the Allies invaded Italy?
The Italian government forced Mussolini to resign, King Victor Emmanuel III stripped him from his power and had him arrested.
1. To what did Roosevelt and Churchill agree early in the war?
They believed that Germany and Italy were a greater threat than Japan and to strike first against Hitler. Once the allies gained an upper hand in Europe, they could pour more resources into the Pacific War.
2. Why was winning the Battle of the Atlantic so crucial to the fortunes of the Allies?
The German's aim in the battle was to prevent food and war materials from reaching Great Britain and the Soviet Union, and that was Great Britain's lifeline.
3. Why was the Battle of Stalingrad so important?
The Battle of Stalingrad was so important because this was the first great turning point for the allies.
4. What happened in the war in North Africa?
Churchill and Roosevelt didn't think that they had enough troops to attempt an invasion on European soil, so instead they launched Operation Torch, an invasion of Axis-controlled North Africa. In November 1942, some 107,ooo allied troops landed in Casablanca, Oran, and Algiers in North Africa. After months of heavy fighting, the last of the Afrika corps surrendered in May 1943.
5. What happened after the Allies invaded Italy?
The Italian government forced Mussolini to resign, King Victor Emmanuel III stripped him from his power and had him arrested.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Mobilizing for WWII.
Read Chapter 25-1: Mobilizing for War and note how each of the following contributed to that effort.
1. Selective Service System: expanded the draft and eventually provided another 10 million soldiers to meet the armed forces' needs.
2. Women: women volunteers would serve in noncombat positions. They worked as nurses, ambulance drivers, radio operators, electricians, and pilots. Every duty not involving direct combat.
3. Minorities: the war created new dilemmas. They served in the military.
4. Manufacturers: February 1942, newspapers reported the end of automobile production. Within weeks of the shutdown, the nations automobile plants had been retooled to produce tanks, planes, boats, and command cars. Across the nation, factories were converted to war production.
5. Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD): spurred improvement in radar and sonar, new technologies for locating submarines underwater. Encouraged the use of pesticides to fight off insects, also pushed the development of "miracle drugs" that saved countless lives on and off the battlefield.
6 Entertainment industry:
7. Office of Price Administration (OPA)
8. War Production Board (WPB)
9. Rationing
1. Selective Service System: expanded the draft and eventually provided another 10 million soldiers to meet the armed forces' needs.
2. Women: women volunteers would serve in noncombat positions. They worked as nurses, ambulance drivers, radio operators, electricians, and pilots. Every duty not involving direct combat.
3. Minorities: the war created new dilemmas. They served in the military.
4. Manufacturers: February 1942, newspapers reported the end of automobile production. Within weeks of the shutdown, the nations automobile plants had been retooled to produce tanks, planes, boats, and command cars. Across the nation, factories were converted to war production.
5. Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD): spurred improvement in radar and sonar, new technologies for locating submarines underwater. Encouraged the use of pesticides to fight off insects, also pushed the development of "miracle drugs" that saved countless lives on and off the battlefield.
6 Entertainment industry:
7. Office of Price Administration (OPA)
8. War Production Board (WPB)
9. Rationing
Monday, March 1, 2010
America Moves Toward War
Read Chapter 24-4 in your history textbook and answer the following questions. (pg 756)
1. What did the 1939 Neutrality Act allow?
It allowed warring nations to buy U.S. arms as long as they paid cash and transported them in their own ships, which was the "cash and carry".
2. Who were the Axis powers?
The Axis powers were Germany, Italy, and Japan.
3. What did the Lend-Lease Act do?
The president would lend or lease arms and any other supplies to "any country whose defense was vital to the United States."
4. What pledges were contained in the Atlantic Charter?
Collective security,disarmament,self-determination,economic cooperation,and freedom of the seas.
5. Who were the Allies?
The allies were the nations who had fought the Axis powers.
6. What did the attack at Pearl Harbor do to the U.s. Pacific fleet?
It sunk or damaged nearly the whole U.S. Pacific fleet.
7. Why did Germany and Italy declare war on the U.S.?
The U.S. declared war on Japan.
1. What did the 1939 Neutrality Act allow?
It allowed warring nations to buy U.S. arms as long as they paid cash and transported them in their own ships, which was the "cash and carry".
2. Who were the Axis powers?
The Axis powers were Germany, Italy, and Japan.
3. What did the Lend-Lease Act do?
The president would lend or lease arms and any other supplies to "any country whose defense was vital to the United States."
4. What pledges were contained in the Atlantic Charter?
Collective security,disarmament,self-determination,economic cooperation,and freedom of the seas.
5. Who were the Allies?
The allies were the nations who had fought the Axis powers.
6. What did the attack at Pearl Harbor do to the U.s. Pacific fleet?
It sunk or damaged nearly the whole U.S. Pacific fleet.
7. Why did Germany and Italy declare war on the U.S.?
The U.S. declared war on Japan.
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