US Enters WWII • March 1941 – Lend-Lease to Allies • Summer 1941 – US escorting British ships carrying arms • Hitler orders the sinking of all merchant vessels (including US ships) • US ordered to shoot U-Boats on sight • ATLANTIC CHARTER – meeting between FDR and Churchill to discuss what to do with post-Nazi Europe • Self-determination • Conduct trade American Moving Toward War… Churchill & FDR at the signing of the Atlantic Charter • Thought the USA was fat and weak, not motivated for war • Did not want war with US until the Nazis controlled all of Europe

Hitler and the US • Oct 1940 – US cracks Japanese codes • Watch Japan conquers China, then Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos in July of 1941 • US response • Cut oil exports to Japan • Summer 1941 – tries to negotiate lasting peace with US Japan on the Move • US in Philippines could attack at any time to flank of Japanese assault on Asia • Unacceptable risk…

The Dagger at the Throat of Japan • Admiral planned attack at Pearl Harbor to take US out of war on first day • Sleeping Giant • Attack plan: • Aircraft carriers • Other ships • Oil Tanks Japanese on the Offensive • 2,300 dead • 1,100 hurt • 19 ships sunk or badly damaged

7 December 1941 US Declares War! • Japanese also take Hong Kong, Guam, Wake, Thailand, Dutch East Indies, Burma • India is threatened • January 1942 – took the Philippines • Bataan Death March • 16,000 of 70,000 die • 9 – forced transfer of Filipino and Greater Assault American POWs Japanese Empire - 1942 • Nickname of any 12 radio women broadcasting propaganda from Japan to weaken American morale • Would name units and soldiers to freak out the GI’s “Tokyo Rose” • April 1942 • 16 B-25 bombers under Jimmie Doolittle • Morale boosting raid on Japan

The Doolittle Raid • May 1942 - Battle of the Coral Sea • First battle using solely aircraft carriers in history • Allies lose many ships but stop the Japanese advance • Prevented invasion of Australia Stopping the Unstoppable • June 1942 – Midway Island • Code breakers told US that Japan was heading toward the island • First Japanese naval defeat since 1863 • In hours, 332 planes are downed, 4 aircraft carriers sunk • Turning point in the Pacific theater • Crippled the Japanese fleet Turning the Tide • Gave US advantage in aircraft carriers • Superior US production ensured gradual rollback of Japanese from here Importance