I made this Web Page from the Georgia Performance Standard below.
SS5.6 The student will explain the reasons for America’s involvement in World War II
.a. describe Hitler’s aggression in Europe and his racist policies, and Japanese aggression
in Asia
b. describe major events in the war in both Europe and the Pacific including Pearl Harbor,
Okinawa, Iwo Jima, D-Day, the Yalta and Potsdam conferences, VE and VJ Days,
and the Holocaust
c. discuss President Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki.
d. identify Roosevelt, Stalin, Churchill, Hirohito, Truman, Mussolini and Hitler
e. describe the effects of rationing and the changing role of women and African-
Americans including "Rosie the Riveter" and the Tuskegee Airmen.
f. explain the U.S. role in the formation of the United Nations
This war began in 1939 when Poland was invaded by the Wehrmacht, a German army. France and Great Britain promised to help Poland. The war began for the U.S. when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.
Adolph Hitler
Adolph Hitler was a German dictator that wanted to take over Europe. He thought that people with blonde hair and blue eyes were true Germans. He put other people such as gypsies and Jews in prison like camps called concentration camps. His army then tattooed a number into the prisoners arms. They did that because if the prisoners escaped they could check peoples' arms for the numbers. Once the prisoners had the number on their arm, they would usually kill them after some time.
Aggression in Asia
The Japanese had tried to take over Asia during WWII. When they were done invading Manchuria, they began to expand across Asia. By 1938, they had most of northern and central China. During 1940 it had taken over French Indochina. They thought that war with the U.S. was impossible not to have, so they attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The day after that America declared war on Japan. To learn more about Pearl Harbor, look below.
Pearl Harbor
Dec. 7, 1941- One Sunday morning in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, all was calm. Suddenly Japanese fighters came out of the clouds. They began to destroy the harbor by bombing and running into the ships. Many were killed when the U.S. S. Arizona went down. This began the war for America. My friend made this Web Page.
The
Holocaust
The Holocaust was a period in history when many Jews were killed by the Nazi army. They were not the only ones killed. Many gypsies were killed, too. This was done in concentration camps.
Click to have info about the Holocaust.
Or click HERE for another set of information on the Holocaust.
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima was a Japanese island that a battle was fought on in 1945. The Japanese had a strategy to fight. Here it is:
They created underground tunnels with 1,500 rooms because the Japanese did not fight the war above ground. They planned not to survive. Japanese strategy was for each soldier to kill 10 Americans before they died.
Click HERE to get more information about Iwo Jima.
Easy Company at Mt. Suribachi preparing and raising the flag.
D-Day
This sentence may be small, but it covers everything.
Okinawa
Click here to get info for the Battle of Okinawa.
Decision of the Bomb
President Truman had to make a decision to drop atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. If the Japanese did not surrender then they would drop the bombs on the two cities. The Japanese did not surrender and the bombs were dropped. The first bomb was dropped on August 6 and the other on August 9. The Japanese surrendered on September 2 on the deck of the U. S. battleship Missouri. Japanese officials signed the surrender terms. The Enola Gay was the plane that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima. To learn about the Enola Gay, click HERE .
Japanese island of Nagasaki Japanese island of Hiroshima
Timeline of Famous Battles
| Battle of Britain | August, 1940 |
| Pearl Harbor | Dec. 7, 1941 |
| Battle of Kursk | July 13, 1943 |
| D-Day | June 6, 1944 |
| Battle of the Bulge | Dec. 16, 1944 |
| Battle of Berlin | April 16, 1945 |
African American Heroes
African Americans played a big part in the war. The Tuskegee Airmen were pilots that had graduated from Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, the first ever all black military aviation program. In May 1943 the first group of Tuskegee-trained pilots was sent to North Africa to join The Allied forces. They were lead by Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Davis would later become the first African American Air Force general.
For information on Rosie the Riveter, click here
V-E and V-J Days
V-E day stands for Victory in Europe. It took place on May 8, 1945 . To learn about V-E Day, click HERE. V-J day stands for Victory in Japan. It took place on August 15, 1945. To learn about V-J Day, click HERE.
Yalta and Potsdam Conferences
To learn about the Potsdam Conference click HERE
To learn about the Yalta Conference click HERE
Generals and Dictators
| Person | Job | Facts |
| Benito Mussolini | Italian dictator | Leader of the Fascist movement |
| Adolph Hitler | German dictator | Founder and leader of Nazism |
| Emperor of Japan | Surrendered to Allies in 1945 | Under Allied occupation he remained on the throne |
| Harry S. Truman | 33rd president of USA | Had to make a decision to drop an A-bomb |
| Joseph Stalin | Soviet Communist leader | Head of USSR until his death |
| Franklin Roosevelt | 32nd president of U.S.A. | Had the idea for the Atomic Bomb |
| Winston Churchill | Prime minister of England | Was a soldier, artist, writer, and statesman |
United Nations
To learn about the United Nations click HERE
How Much do you Know About WWII?
Take this quiz about WWII. You might want to write down your answers. Go down to the 5th bullet and click on the title. If you want to learn more go to a different title.
http://www.multied.com/ww2/index.html
