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Women work in factories
While the men were away at war, the women starting to work in factories. This was unheard of before WWII. They made mostly supplies for the war in the factories. Because both men and women were working for the first time, the government paid $50 million on daycare centers that were needed. -
Start of WWII
WWII began as a result of Japanese expansionism, economic depression, anti-communism, appeasement, militarism, nationalism, the rise of Hitler the Treaty of Versailles, and the rise of Fascism in Italy. Hitler blitzkrieged Poland. This resulted in many declarations of war. -
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor was the U.S Navy's Pacific base. Japan had two major attacks. Their main attack involved ships and air field; their second finished off everything that was left. Their objective was to prevent the U.S from influencing Japan's war effort in Southeast Asia. 2,402 were killed and 1,282 were wounded. As a result, on December 8, FDR asked congress to declare war on Japan. -
Doolittle Raid
U.S planned a night attack for Tokyo. Planes were detected early, so Colonial James Doolittle led the bombers and bombed Tokyo during the day. They killed 50 Japanese civilians and damaged 100 buildings. Pilots flew to China and crash landed. Minimal military gain, but boosted U.S morale. -
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Battle of Coral Sea
In May, 1942 Japan moved to take New Guinea. U.S sent two aircraft carriers to fight them off. The battle was a draw, but Japan decided to call off their attack on New Guinea. -
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Battle of Midway
The U.S had cracked Japan's code and knew that Japan was going to attack Midway island. U.S admiral, Nimitz ambushed the Japanese fleet. U.S attacked them and sunk four aircraft carriers. 362 U.S were killed, 3,057 Japanese were killed. This was the turning point of the war in the Pacific. -
D Day
General Dwight Eisenhower was the supreme commander of D Day. 11,000 planes hit the night before. Most of the fighting was done on Omaha beach. By taking Normandy, over one million troops were in Europe. It caused Germany to fight a 2-front war. -
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Battle of the Bulge
Hitler ordered a counter attack to D Day. German troops were supposed to dress up as American trops,cut telephone lines, and change road signs. They caught the Allies by surprise and captured several towns. It almost worked, but U.S troops held Bastonge. On V-E day Germany surrendered. -
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The end of WWII
Germany and Italy surrendered on May 7, 1945. The war with Germany ended on May 8, 1945. This day was called V-E Day. V-E meant "victory in Europe."The war with Japan ended on August 15, 1945.This day was called V-J Day. V-J meant "victory in Japan." -
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Manhattan Project
Albert Einstein urged FDR to let the work of an atomic bomb start in the beginning of the year. It was finally finished on July 16,1945. The main reason Truman decided to drop the bomb was to save American lives. The first was dropped on August 6, 1945 on Hiroshima. It killed between 80,000 and 120,000. The second was dropped on August 9, 1945 on Nagasaki. It killed between 35,000 and 75,000.
