1940s
World War II
U.S. Presidents and World Leaders
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Harry S. Truman
Joseph Stalin
Winston Churchill
Adolf Hitler
Benito Mussolini
Important Laws and Decisions
Jim Crow Laws: These laws dealt with segregation, and were primarily used in the south. It was during the late 1940s that these laws started to be dismantled. Two of the reasons for the Jim Crow laws for being dismantled was supreme court decision and a book published in 1944, "An American Dilemma."
Hirabayashi vs. United States: A presidential executive and congressional statutes gave the military authority to exclude citizens of Japanese ancestry from areas deemed critical to national defense and who are vulnerable to spying.
Korematsu v.s United States: This allowed the United States to hold Japanese Americans in concentration camps during World War II. the WAr Relocation Authority ended this.
World War II
Timeline of World War II
Sept. 3, 1939- Britain and France declare war on Germany
Sept. 29, 1939- Nazi’s and Soviets divide Poland
Apr. 9, 1940- Nazi’s invade Denmark and Norway
May 15, 1940- Holland surrenders to Germany
May 28, 1940- Belgium surrenders to Germany
June 22, 1940- France signs armistice with Germany
Aug. 17, 1940- Hitler declares blockade of British Isles
Nov. 20, 1940- Hungary joins Axis Powers
Mar. 11, 1941- Roosevelt signs Lend-Lease Act
Sept. 1, 1941- Nazi’s order Jews to wear Star of David
Dec. 7, 1941- Attack on Pearl Harbor
Dec. 8, 1941- US and Britain declare war on Japan
Dec. 11, 1941- Hitler declares war on US
Jan. 27, 1943- First American bombing raid
June 6, 1944- D-Day, Battle of Atlantic ends, Battle of Normandy begins
Aug. 25, 1944- Liberation of Paris
Apr. 30, 1945- Hitler commits suicide
May 8, 1945- Germany surrenders
Aug. 14 1945- Japan surrenders. WWII ends
Battles of World War II
Battle of France- France remained under attack while they were defended by their allies. Germany was remained to rule over the north and west part of France. While Italy was ruling the southeast of France.
Battle of Pearl Harbor- December 7, 1940 the Japanese launched a surprise bomb on the navy.The Pearl Harbor was so outrageous that the Americans were jumping out of the ship. Which brought us in to world war 1.
Battle of Midway- On July 7, 1942 One of the most decisive war with Japan came to an end. In the four day battle and air battle and U.S. destroying the Japanese air craft.
Battle of Berlin- On April of 1945 one of the most important battle of world war 2.
D-Day- On June 6, 1944 the greatest military invasion in history. The British and the U.S. had breached Hitler's atlantic wall on the coast of Normandy.Holocaust
Technological Changes
Standard of Living
In the beginning of the 1940s, the Great Depression was still going on and unemployment was high; living standards were low. After the attacks on Pearl Harbor and the U.S. became involved in WWII, the economy was boosted. The unemployment rate reached as low as 1.2% in 1944.Being that the economy was boosted, the standard of living was beginning to get better. Baby boom and more luxuries. Since the war took so many resources, people back home had to ration food, which led to the inability to make nutritious meals often.
Lifestyle
Entertainment
Movies
The Great Dictator
Casablanca
To Be Or Not To Be
Music
- This is Your Land- Woody Guthrie
- Round Midnight- Thelonious Monk
- Blue Moon of Kentucky- Bill Moore
- God Bless the Child- Billie Holiday