U.S. History

Japanese Internment(12)

-After the December, 1941, surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, West Coast Americans turned their anger against Japanese Americans. No German Americans or Italian Americans were put in internment camps. -On February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, allowing the War Department to declare any part of the United States a military zone and remove anybody from the zone. The West Coast was declared a military zone, and all people of Japanese ancestry were evacuated (by force if necessary) to 10 internment camps. -Most were required to live in barracks, many of which did not having running water or cooking facilities. They were only allowed to bring basic personal items. Thus, many suffered heavy financial losses when they were forced to quickly sell their homes, vehicles, and other belongings. -In the 1980s, President Reagan apologized for the U.S.'s actions in interning Japanese Americans. Any Japanese Americans still living were also given a small monetary award.

Production of war materiel(26)

-After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, almost all major American industries and 200,000 companies converted to war production. -The United States' industrial output during World War II was twice as productive as Germany and five times that of Japan. This turned the tide in favor of an Allied victory. Part of the success of the United States was the result of the government mobilizing the economy before the U.S. entered the war. -Roosevelt and his advisers believed the best way to rapidly mobilize the economy was to give industry an incentive to move quickly. The government signed cost-plus contracts agreeing to pay a company whatever the manufacturing cost, plus a guaranteed percentage of the costs as profit. -The Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC), the government agency which had been set up during the Depression, made loans to companies to help them with the cost of converting to war production. -Roosevelt created the War Production Board (WPB) to set priorities and production goals and to control the distribution of raw materials and supplies.

V-J Day (Victory in Japan)(32)

-After the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima, August 6 ,and Nagasaki , August 9, the Japanese quickly gave the Allies an unconditional surrender. -V-J Day, for "Victory in Japan"—August 15, 1945—is the date Japan surrendered and WWII ended.

American GI Forum(28)

-As millions of veterans returned home, many looked to the GI Bill of Rights, which guaranteed educational, medical, housing and other basic benefits. But these benefits were being denied to many Americans of Mexican descent & other Hispanics throughout the US. The American GI Forum was founded in 1948 and is dedicated to addressing problems of discrimination and inequities endured by Hispanic veterans. -AGIF currently operates chapters throughout the United States, with a focus on veteran's issues, education, and civil rights. Its two largest national programs are the Veterans Outreach Program, and the Service, Employment, Redevelopment-Jobs for Progress, Inc. (SER).

The Great Society problems(68)

-Johnson promised a Great Society during his campaign. It was the vision of a more perfect, more equitable society. -Between 1965 and 1968, over 60 programs were passed, including Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare was a health insurance program for the elderly funded through Social Security. Medicaid financed health care for those on welfare or living below the poverty line. -Johnson's interest in education led to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and to the preschool program, Project Head Start, which was administered to disadvantaged children. -Johnson urged Congress to act on legislation dealing with the deterioration of inner cities. Congress responded with the creation of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 1965. Its first secretary, Robert Weaver, was the first African American to serve in a cabinet.

Korematsu v. United States(13)

-Korematsu evaded the internment order and was later arrested and convicted of violating an exclusion order. -Korematsu challenged his conviction on the grounds that the relocation orders were beyond the powers of Congress, the military authorities & the President. He said that to apply these orders only to those of Japanese ancestry was discrimination based on race. -The government argued that the exclusion & internment of Japanese Americans was justified because it was necessary to the war effort. -The Supreme Court upheld Korematsu's conviction, sided with the government and held that the need to protect against espionage outweighed Korematsu's rights and that compulsory exclusion, though constitutionally suspect, is justified during circumstances of "emergency and peril." Essentially, the danger created by war allowed internment even if it might be unconstitutional. -Korematsu appealed his conviction in 1983. A federal court overturned the conviction, saying the government's case had been based on false, misleading, & racially biased information. In 1988 Congress passed legislation apologizing for the internments & awarded each survivor $20,000.

War on Poverty(69)

-Lyndon Johnson took office during what seemed like a prosperous time for the United States. In reality, however, away from the nation's affluent suburbs were some 50 million poor. Kennedy and Johnson made the elimination of poverty a major policy goal. -Johnson declared that his administration was waging an unconditional war on poverty in America. By the summer of 1964, Congress had created the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO), which focused on creating jobs and fighting poverty.

Medicare & Medicaid(70)

-Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare was a health insurance program for the elderly funded through Social Security. Medicaid financed health care for those on welfare or living below the poverty line.

Assignation of Kennedy(67)

-On November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy was shot twice while riding in a presidential motorcade in Dallas, Texas. He was pronounced dead a short time later. Lee Harvey Oswald, a Marxist, was accused of killing Kennedy and was shot and killed himself two days later by Jack Ruby. It was suspected that Ruby killed Oswald to protect others involved in the murder. -Chief Justice Warren concluded that Oswald was the lone gunman. The report of the Warren Commission left a few questions unanswered, and a conspiracy theory has persisted, although none has gained wide acceptance. Kennedy's successor, Lyndon Johnson, continued to promote many of Kennedy's programs. Some say LBJ was more successful than Kennedy at getting legislation passed due to his experience as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Normandy - D-Day(25)

-Operation Overlord was the code name for the planned invasion of France at Normandy by the Allies. General Eisenhower was selected to command the invasion. The date for the invasion was called D-Day. -The Allies had the advantage of surprise—the Germans did not know when or where they would strike. The Germans were fooled into thinking the attack would occur in Pas-de-Calais, when in fact the invasion was planned to take place in Normandy. -The date for the invasion became known as D-Day because Eisenhower's planning staff referred to the day of any invasion with the letter D. -The invasion of Normandy began shortly after midnight on June 6, 1944. The Allied forces had little trouble capturing the Utah Beach and moving inland. The American forces at Omaha Beach met intense German fire but the American troops moved forward against the Germans. The invasion succeeded.

V-E Day (Victory in Europe) May 7, 1945(31)

-The Allies liberated Paris in August, 1944. Three weeks later, they were just 20 miles from the German border. Hitler attempted one last offensive to cut off Allied supplies coming through the port of Antwerp, Belgium. The Battle of the Bulge began in December, 1944, catching American troops off guard. As Germans raced west, their lines "bulged" outward, resulting in the battle's name. The U.S. won the battle and in January , 1945, Germans withdrew with little left to stop the Allies entering Germany. -Adolf Hitler, realizing the end was near, killed himself. His successor, tried to surrender to the Americans and the British while still fighting the Soviets, but he was forced to unconditionally surrender on May 7, 1945. The next day was proclaimed V-E Day, for "Victory in Europe."

United Nations Charter(36)

-The Charter of the United Nations is the treaty of the organization called the United Nations. It was signed in San Francisco in 1945 by the 51 original member countries. Today, 193 countries are the members of the United Nations, which is every internationally recognized sovereign nation in the world. -The UN was founded in 1945 after World War II to replace the failed League of Nations. The U.N.'s mission is an effort to stop wars between countries, & to provide a platform for dialogue. It strives to attain international peace and security, promotes fundamental Human Rights and equal rights for men and women, and encourages social progress. Every member nation is a part of the General Assembly. Member nations come to the aid of other nations if the General Assembly so votes. Decisions by the general Assembly can be veto-ed by the Security Council. The Security Council is charged with maintaining peace and security among countries. While other organs of the United Nations can only make 'recommendations' to member governments, the Security Council has the power to make binding decisions that member governments have agreed to carry out. The Security Council is made up of 15 member states, consisting of 5 permanent members-China (originally Taiwan, now mainland China), France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States-and 10 non-permanent members

Blackout in Palm Beach County during World War II(30)

-The U.S. Government issued blackout restrictions along the East Coast, enforced by Civil Defense wardens, in April, 1942. -Lights from homes and businesses on land would create silhouettes of the Allies' supply ships, making them easy targets for German U-boats. To discourage attacks, streetlights were covered to allow only a small light cast straight downward. Automobile headlights were dimmed and covered with tape, which was also used in homes to hold curtains closed.

Attack on Pearl Harbor(11)

-The surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, sank or damaged 21 ships of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, killing 2,403 Americans, and injuring hundreds more. The next day, FDR asked Congress to declare war on Japan. -On December 11, 1941, Japan's allies—Germany & Italy—declared war on the U.S. -Series of events led to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor: a) July, 1940, the Export Control Act restricted the sale of strategic materials to other nations. FDR blocked the sale of airplane fuel and scrap iron to Japan. This angered Japan, which then signed an alliance with Germany and Italy. b) July, 1941, Japanese invasion of southern Indochina caused Roosevelt to freeze all Japanese assets in the U.S. and reduce the amount of oil shipped to Japan. c) FDR sent General MacArthur to the Philippines to build up American defenses there. The Japanese military, lacking oil and other resources, decided to attack the resource-rich British and Dutch colonies in Southeast Asia, seize the Philippines, and attack Pearl Harbor.

Women in work force and at war(27)

-The wartime labor shortage forced factories to hire married women in positions that were traditionally considered men's work. "Rosie the Riveter," a character from a popular song, became a symbol for the campaign to hire women. The campaign resulted in 2.5 million women entering the manufacturing workforce. -Congress established the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) in May 1942. This was the first time women were allowed in the military. By 1943 women became a part of regular war operations. The army, Coast Guard, the navy, and the marines all set up their own women's organizations.

Truman's decision to use the atomic bomb on Hiroshima & Nagasaki(33b)

-Truman later stated that his decision to drop the bomb was purely military. A Normandy-type amphibious landing would have cost an estimated million casualties. Truman believed that the bombs saved Japanese lives as well. Prolonging the war was not an option for the President. Over 3,500 Japanese kamikaze raids had already wrought great destruction and loss of American lives. -Historians still argue about whether using atomic bombs was justified. Some say that the first one may have been justified, but the second one three days later may not have been necessary. Merkel thinks it's because the U.S. military wanted to test both technologies ("Fat Man" & "Little Boy" were different kinds of atomic bombs). Other critics have charged that Truman's decision was a barbaric act that brought negative long-term consequences to the U.S. A new age of nuclear terror led to a dangerous arms race.

Truman's decision to use the atomic bomb on Hiroshima & Nagasaki(33a)

-When President Truman took office in April, 1945, he knew nothing about the Manhattan Project &, from then until August(about four months), he knew he was faced with a decision of unprecedented gravity. The capacity to end the war with Japan was in his hands, but it would involve unleashing the most terrible weapon ever known. Once those atomic weapons were used we were in the "Atomic age". -Truman decided to drop the atomic bomb on Japan because Japan refused to surrender unconditionally. Truman knew how fierce the fighting had been against the Japanese, especially at Iwo Jima and Okinawa; he felt it was his duty to use every weapon available to save American lives.

Nagasaki:(35)

Casualty estimates for immediate deaths range from 40,000 to 75,000. Total deaths by the end of 1945 may have reached 80,000. The radius of total destruction was about 1 mile, followed by fires across the northern portion of the city to 2 miles south of the bomb.

Similarities of New Deal, Fair Deal & Great Society(71a)

FDR's The Legacy of the New Deal "The New Deal" refers to a series of domestic programs (lasting roughly 1933-39) implemented during the administration of FDR to combat the effects of the Great Depression on the U.S. economy. The nation needed immediate relief, recovery from economic collapse, and reform to avoid future depressions. In addition to certain key economic programs, several of the most prominent New Deal initiatives focused on providing work relief to unemployed workers from all segments of U.S. society--from unskilled laborers to highly skilled artists and technicians. The Social Security Act that provided pensions to the aged, benefit payments to dependent mothers, crippled children and blind people, and unemployment insurance. The New Deal had limited success, but gave Americans a stronger sense of security and stability. Many criticized it for making the Federal government too large and taking over areas that should be provided by state governments. The New Deal operated to balance competing economic interests and established the broker state, which helped work out conflicts among different interests. The New Deal brought a new public attitude regarding the government. The program gave Americans a safety net that provided safeguards and relief programs to protect them from economic disaster.

Hiroshima:(34)

Hiroshima: At the time of the attack, the population of Hiroshima was approximately 340,000-350,000. The immediate effects of the blast killed approximately 70,000 people in Hiroshima. Estimates of total deaths by the end of 1945 from burns, radiation and related disease, the effects of which were aggravated by lack of medical resources, range from 90,000 to 166,000. Some estimates state up to 200,000 had died by 1950, due to cancer and other long-term effects. It is estimated that 4.7 square miles of the city were destroyed.

Similarities of New Deal, Fair Deal & Great Society(71c)

Johnson's Great Society LBJ promised a Great Society during his campaign. It was the vision of a more perfect, more equitable society. Between 1965 and 1968, over 60 programs were passed, including Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare was a health insurance program for the elderly funded through Social Security. Medicaid financed health care for those on welfare or living below the poverty line. Johnson's interest in education led to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and to the preschool program, Project Head Start, which was administered to disadvantaged children. Upward Bound provided college preparation for low-income teenagers. The impact of the Great Society was felt by all aspects of American life and improved many lives. Some Americans opposed the massive growth of federal funds and criticized the Great Society for intruding too much in their lives, just as they did with FDR's New Deal.

Tehran (Nov./Dec., 1943)(17)

Meeting between Stalin, FDR & Churchill. Promises made: -Stalin promised to begin an offensive against the Germans when the Allies invaded France in 1944; -Germany would be broken up after the war so that it could never threaten world peace again; -Stalin promised that once Germany was defeated, the Soviet Union would help the United States defeat Japan; -Stalin accepted Roosevelt's proposal to create an international organization to help keep the peace after the war.

GI Bill of Rights(29)

Provided funds for education and training for veterans Provided home, farm, and business loans for veterans Provided unemployment compensation for veterans -The GI Bill, officially known as the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, was designed to provide greater opportunities to returning war veterans of World War II. The bill provided federal aid to help veterans adjust to civilian life in hospitalization, purchase of homes and businesses, and education. This act provided tuition, subsistence, books and supplies, equipment, and counseling services for veterans to continue their education in school or college. -The GI Bill is often credited for growing the middle class in the US after WWII as many who previously been unable to go to college now could.

Similarities of New Deal, Fair Deal & Great Society(71b)

Truman's domestic agenda was coined the Fair Deal. He said Americans had the right to expect a fair deal from their government. Congress did not support all of Truman's ideas. While the minimum wage was increased and the Social Security system expanded, Congress refused to pass national health insurance or to enact civil rights legislation. Truman's Fair Deal was a series of domestic measures that sought to further the work done as part of Roosevelt's New Deal. The Fair Deal measures included the following proposals: the expansion of Social Security benefits, the raising of the legal minimum wage, a program to ensure full employment through aggressive use of federal spending and investment, public housing and slum clearance, long-range environmental and public works planning, a system of national health insurance, and a civil rights bill.