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Uniteed States Timeline: 1940's
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U.S. congress reintroduces the draft
The U.S. congress approves the first peacetime conscription draft in anticipation of possible American involvement in WWII. -
Franklin D. Roosevelt is elected to his third term as President of the United states
Roosevelt is the first and last president to ever serve four terms. Roosevelt does not have credit for leading the nation out of the depression but he did serve a large part in it. He did an amazing job organizing our country and helping us end WWII. -
Mount Rushmore completed
The completion of Mount Rushmore is very important to our society. Mount Rushmore shows us fathers of our country that were strong and courageous enough to push through times that seemed impossible. Americans can always look to Mount Rushmore as a reason to keep on like the fathers of our country. -
Lend-Lease Act is approved
America tried again and again to stay isolated but didn't seem to work in the end. The Lend Lease Act was another move towards isolationism. The Americans would let Britain borrow our weapons for war but did not have to pay America. -
RKO Pictures releases Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane brought many new things to the technical world of movies such as lighting and camera movements to the make-up to make Orson Welles look 60 years old! The movie revolve around a man, Charles Foster Kane, and his rise to fame. -
Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor
"A date which will live in infamy" Roosevelt states when America was attacked at Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. America was not prepared for the surprise attack which lead to the deaths of more than 2,300 Americans. 12 ships were sank and 9 damaged and 160 planes were destroyed with 150 damaged. This attack brought America into the WWII the following day, joining the allies Great Britain, France, and Russia. -
Executive order 9066 is signed ordering Japanese-Americans to be held in relocation camps
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor the Japanese were put in relocation camps for the next two and a half years. Americans did not want to risk Japanese getting information. The Japanese had poor living conditions and were treated poorly by the U.S. military guards. -
Manhattan Project begins
President Roosevelt signed the order for the Manhattan Project to begin. Roosevelt was notified by Albert Einstein of the new study in physics in which nuclear fission would take place releasing a large amount of energy. The bombs that was created throughout the process are what ended the WWII with the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. -
Battle of Midway
Thi sbattle happened when japan attacked a tiny U.S naval base in the Pacific Ocean to destroy the aircraft carriers. They did this becuase of the Battle of Coral Sea. Thanks to U.S intelligence they knew the Japanese were coming and were able to ambush them and level the playing field. -
Detroit, Michigan Race Riots
this riot was started when a black man supposedly harrassed a white sailors girlfriend. All races suddenly began a mini-war. People were attacking eachother on the streets and setting cars on fire. The riots killed 34 people and wounded 433 while damaging $2 million of property. To this day, there are stil 13 unsolved murders and 1800 people were arrested during this time. -
D-Day (Operation Overlord)
D-Day, which is also known as the Battle of Normanday, was the first battle the U.S fought after entering the war. This attack was the begining of the end for the axis powers. The U.S overwhelmed the axis powers with all of the machines and guns as well as many other things. The Allies had taken a big jumo in the right direction thanks to Operation Overlord which would bring Germany tumbling down. -
G.I Bill of Rights Signed into Law
This bill would provide a wide range of benefits for the veterans of WW11. Offered low-cost mortgages, low-intrest loans to start buissnesses and farms, cash payments of tuition and living expenses to attend college and high school or vacational education. This was such a big deal because it gave our boys something to come home to. It helped the boys fighting fight for a little more. -
Americans Land at Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima was an essential step in the U.S's plan to take down Japan. After the U.S fought for and captured the island it would be used to deliever the atomic bomb. 21844 Japanses died fighting or through suicide and 19000 U.S soldiers died. The U.S could now take down Japan. -
Harry S. Truman Becomes President
Truman didn't get the presidency the regular way. When Franklin delenore Roosevelt died Truman toook over. He would successfully end WW11 and make the decision to drop the nuclear bombs on Japan.This decision is still debated today on whether it was a good thing or a bad thing. -
Germany Surrenders
On this day Hitler's second in command surrendered to U.S General Spaatz after Hitler died on April 30th. The rest of the Axis powers would soon fall and the war would come to an end. Germany was essential because it was the backbone of the Axis powers. With Germany gone the Allies would soon end the dreaded war thaat had killed so many. -
Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the first atomic bombs ever used in the history of military. First dropped was "Little Boy" in Hiroshima with nearly 140,000 deaths. Then on August 9th the second bomb was dropped in Nagasaki with nearly 80,000 deaths. Afterwards the Japanese surrendered and war ended on September 2, 1945. -
First of meeting of the United Nations General Assembly
The first meeting of the United Nations Gerneral Assembly consisted of 51 countries. The meeting took place at Westminster Central Hall in London, England. Following meetings discussed matters such as getting rid of atomic bombs that are used for mass distruction. -
National Basketball Association of America is founded
The NBA started off as the BAA, or Basketball Association of America. It was later merged with the NBL, or National Basketball League, to form the NBA. The NBA is one of the four major American basketball leagues. -
Jackie Robinson debuts at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers
Jackie was the first black major league player. He brought an end to racial segregation in proffessional baseball. He broke the segreation line and made it a little easier for blacks to be accepted into sports. -
Marshall Plan
After World War II America came up with the Marshall plan, which stated that the U.S. gave money to countries that were hurt after the war for the countries to rebuild. But in order to get the money the country needed to build a Government closer to that of the United States. This would help rid the world of communism. -
President Truman is re-elected
One of the most unexpected elections in America. Truman was thaught to be beaten byThomas E. Dewey but the predictions were wrong. Truman ended up winning and was the fifth Democrat elected in a row. -
NATO is formed
North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a united group of countries from the United States and Europe that make sure peace and freedom is kept with political or military means. The group has been active and celebrated it's 60th reunioun in 2009.
