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The Attack on Pearl Harbor (continued)
Though the attack on Pearl Harbor was devastating, it did help to unify America and provide jobs for citizens. Pearl Harbor played a vital role in the outcome of the war because it forced the United States to get involved in the war in the Pacific. -
The Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor had both a positive and negative impact on our country. Some of the negative impacts included the casualties suffered from the attack and the loss of ships and planes that would be needed in a counter attack against Japan. The attack on Pearl Harbor also pushed the United States to a war in the Pacific which cost the U.S both American lives as well as millions of dollars. -
Nazi Germany and its Axis Partners Declare War on the United States
Adolf Hitler declaring war on the United States impacted American in many different ways. Entering the war boosted the economy and brought people together against a common enemy. However, as a result of World War II, more than 400,000 United States’s service members were killed. Hitler’s decisions to declare war on America wound up having a negative impact on his army and other Axis forces because of their eventual defeat. -
The Battle of Coral Sea
The Battle of Coral Sea had a positive impact on America as a country because it was the first of many times the Allies stopped the Japanese advance. The Battle of Coral Sea proved to have a positive impact on the war because it weakened Japanese forces and did not allow for Japan to set up bases in Australia. -
The U.S. and British Navies Stop the Japanese Advance in the Central Pacific at Midway Island
The U.S. and British forces stop the Japanese advance in the central Pacific at Midway Island. If the United States and Britain had not been able to stop the Japanese at Midway it’s likely that Japan would have gained control of the whole Pacific. As a result, the United States would not have been able to launch an offensive attack on Japan until the second half of 1943 which could have allowed Japanese forces to become stronger. -
U.S. and British Troops Land at Sicily
By mid-August 1943 the Allied forces controlled Sicily which proved to be beneficial for two reasons. First, with a foothold in Sicily, American and British forces could prepare to invade the mainland of Italy. Second, the Allied presence in Sicily was a deterrent to Soviet expansion in the Mediterranean. The Allied expansion into Sicily had a positive impact in the United States because of the enormous support it received from Sicilian immigrants. -
U.S. British, and Canadian troops successfully land at the Normandy beaches
Even though the United States lost 6,600 soldiers when the army stormed the beaches at Normandy, the invasion was a turning point of the war. Prior to the invasion German forces had control of France, but after France was liberated the Allied forces were able to push the German army out of the country. The successful invasion of Normandy is said to have been the beginning of the end of Hitler’s army. -
Allied Troops Reach Paris (continued)
The fall of Nazi control over Paris was a blow to Hitler who wanted the city completely destroyed. -
Allied Troops Reach Paris
The liberation of Paris, after four years of Nazi occupation, allowed Allied forces to push the German army further east across Europe. Liberating Paris significantly impacted the war by forcing Germany to fight the war from two fronts: on the east they were fighting the Soviets and on the west the Germans were waging war against the Allied forces. Having control of Paris also gave Allied forces access to a critical railroad system and highways. -
The Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was Hitler’s last offensive threat against the Western Allies. Hitler knew that in order to continue his push across Europe he had to defeat the Allies in the cold, harsh Ardennes Forest. But American grit, perseverance, and strategical tactics proved too much for Nazi Germany and the Allied forces handed Hitler a crushing blow. -
Germany Surrenders to the Western Allies (continued)
While, Germany’s surrender was crucial for the fighting to end in Europe but many military and political leaders knew World War 2 was far from over as the European war effort transitioned to the fighting in the Pacific. Military and political leaders also knew that an American military presence in Germany would be necessary for decades to come, and the United States Army and Air Force still operate in Germany. -
Germany Surrenders to the Western Allies
Many American communities celebrated and rejoiced when they heard the news from President Truman that German General Jodl surrendered on May 7, 1945. On the other hand, some communities halted the celebrations to pay respects to the men who made the ultimate sacrifice during the long years of war in Europe. Service members returned to American soil, married, and began having families. Suburbs grew and America’s “greatest generation” re entered the workforce. -
Japan Surrenders
The surrender of Japan aboard the USS Missouri ended the war in Pacific and effectively ended the service of the United States’s military around the world. Though the U.S. solidly defeated Japan, our country helped rebuild war torn Japan for almost a decade.
