The Holocaust

The Holocaust was a terrible period of time when there was racial injustice against Jews that lead to the deaths of almost 11 million Jews. Hitler had roused racism against Jews and blamed them for Germany’s economic problems. Soon, the Nurermberg Laws were established, taking away citizenships, jobs, properties, and other rights from Jews. Kristallnacht was the “night of broken glass,” on which Nazis attacked Jewish homes and buildings across all of Germany. This included the destruction of many synagogues. Many of Germany’s Jews tried to get out of Germany but could not find any other country that would accept them. France and America were two of the countries that rejected some of the Jewish immigration. For example, St.Louis was a ship with many of the German Jews who had fled form Germany. The coast guard did not let them come into America, even though most had American immigration papers. The racism had started to spread worldwide.

The belief spread that Aryans were the “master race,” and Jews were sent to ghettos. The Germans built factories next to many of the ghettos. Then the Germans forced the Jews to work in the factories. Many of the streets had dead bodies in them. Jews were suffering everywhere. Some were killed while others were sent to concentration camps.

The last step to Hitler's Final Solution was the mass killing of Jews. The Nazis created gas chambers in the concentration camps that could poison and kill up to 12,000 people daily. Nazis running the camps unsuccessfully attempted to hide any evidence of their horrific crimes towards the end of the war. About six million Jews were killed total in these concentration camps. The few who survived had a very difficult future to face.

By Kristin Montgomery and Vivek Sainanee

***Note to Ms. Sanderson: This project isn't late because were both sick the day that the class did this project. We got the assignment for the project five days late. Thanks!

Allied Heros in Combat- redo

Thursday, March 12, 2009
Allied Heroes in Combat

During World War II many men sacrificed their lives, and while all of them were heroes, certain men and their battalions rose above the rest by changing the course of World War II. Men like Audie Murphy, the soldiers of the 99th pursuit squadron, the 442nd Infantry Regiment, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and General MacArthur were heroes who led The Allies to victory.

One individual, Audie Leon Murphy, was the most decorated soldier in WWII. He single-handedly killed 50 Axis troops while lying wounded on top of a burning tank destroyer. Not only did he kill a small army’s worth of men, he rallied his troops, galvanizing them to take back previously lost territory. By accomplishing this amazing feat, The Allies came much closer to victory. He was given a medal of honor,

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&um=1&q=Operation+Overlord
and was awarded over 30 additional medals from Belgium and France. Ironically, Audie Murphy was underage (only sixteen) when he was enlisted in the United States Army.

The pilots of the all black 99th Pursuit Squadron,
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&um=1&q=99th+Pursuit+Squadron
the Tuskegee Airmen made strategic strikes against the German forces throughout Italy, and fought in the North Africa campaign. While the squadron was in Italy it fought to support the U.S. 5th Army. The 99th Pursuit Squadron was the first African American Army Air Force squadron and also received two Distinguished Unit Citations, which were the highest commendations at the time. The squadron’s strategic bombings and raw aerial skills were one of the many reasons why The Allies were able to win key battles throughout Italy.

On land, in the 100th infantry battalion was the 442nd Infantry Regiment which consisted of mostly Japanese-American soldiers from Hawaii. The 442nd Infantry Regiment. It became the most decorated U.S. military unit in history. On one occasion the battalion rescued a missing battalion. The fought bravely against Axis troops and suffered many casualties in the process. This was one of many accomplishments that the battalion made during the war. Many of these second generation Japanese soldiers were fighting while their families were kept in Internment camps in their own country.

General Dwight D “Ike” Eisenhower had a keen mind for military tactics and worked well with people. His success in the North Africa campaign made him a clear choice for the leader of the Allied invasion of France. He constructed Operation Overlord which involved the Allied forces tricking the Germans. Under his plan the Allies stormed beaches like Normandy

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&um=1&q=Operation+Overlord
while the German’s were preparing for a pseudo-attack across the English Channel. The successful invasion yielded miles of road into France and ultimately gave the Allies the upper-hand they needed. Because of his successes, Eisenhower went on to become President of the U.S.

General Douglas MacArthur led the war in the Pacific and commanded Allied forces throughout the islands. His great leadership had a profound impact on his soldiers. His ability to strategize was unsurpassed.
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&um=1&q=Douglas+MacArthur&btnG=Search+Images
On a personal note, my grandfather was stationed in the Pacific during WWII as a ground soldier. According to my father, my Grandfather always talked about how General MacArthur was a great leader and that the Allies would never have been able to succeed without his raw military skills.

All of these men were was heroes despite their different positions and roles in the war. Without these men The Allies would not have been able to succeed. Their contributions are still praised today in WWII memorials across the country.

Alternate Sources:

. 1996



Authors:
Deukkwon and Bryce

Allied Heroes In Combat

During World War II many war heroes made sacrifices that changed the course of the war. Audie Murphy, the soldiers of the 99th pursuit squadron, the 100th battalion, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and General Douglas MacArthur all were war heroes who led allies to victory.

One individual, Audie Murphy, was the most decorated soldier in WWII. He single handedly killed 50 Axis troops on a burning tank destroyer. He then led his troops to regain previously lost territory even though he was injured.

The pilots of the all black 99th Pursuit Squadron, the Tuskegee Arimen made strategic strikes against the German forces throughout Italy. Their outstanding aerial skills made win two Distinguished Unit Citations, which were the highest commendations at the time. The most distinguished ground unit was the 100th battalion which became known as Purple Heart battalion. They became the most decorated unit in history and consisted of 1300 Hawaiian Nisei.

General Dwight D. "IKE" Eisenhower who had a keen mind for military tatics and worked well with people. He constructed operation overlord, and later became president of the United States because of his achievements. General Douglas MacArthur led the war in the Pacific and commanded Allied forces throughout the islands.

All of these men were war heroes despite their different positions in the war. Without them the allies would have not been able to succeed.

Deukkwon and Bryce

Economy and Population

Economic Gains

During the war, the economy was changed dramatically. Unemployment in 1944 was 1.26%. Women were able to enjoy the benefits of working harder jobs; jobs that men could do. Over 6 million women entered the work force, and it consisted of 35% women. However, women were not the only ones to enjoy the economic benefits. Farmers were also able to prosper. In 1940, the weather was great for farming and crop production increased by 50% and farm income tripled. Many farmers could even pay off the mortgage before the end of the war.

Population Shift
The war caused a mass migration with people in search of new jobs. Over a million people migrated to California between 1941 and 1944. Most people moved from the south to the west coast. Other moved from the Mid Atlantic to New England, and others from Mountain to Plain states. This migration from state to state caused a major population shift in the US during the war

Atomic Bomb Ends the War

After the successful invasion of Iwo Jima, Allied leaders were worried that a and invasion of Japan wold be difficult and costly. President Truman felt like the United States have taken enough casualties already. By using the atomic bomb, President Truman believed that it would limit the total casualties in general, especially on the American side. The Office of Scientific Research of Development (OSRD) was created to make scientists help the Allied war effort. The Advisory Committee on Uranium started research on the bomb and had a successful test on July 16th, 1945 near Alamogordo, New Mexico. The Manhattan project was very secretive and 600,000 people worked on it and did not know completely what they were doing. To end the war, the U.S. threatened Japan to surrender. When they refused, President Truman ordered the use of atomic bomb, code name Little Boy, on Hiroshima. Three days later, on August 9th, 1945, a second atomic bomb, codename Fat Man, was dropped on Nagasaki. Emperor Hirohito after seeing the devastation caused by the bombs, ordered the surrender. The use of the atomic bomb on civilian centers of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is still a controversial issue today.

Posted by David and Brent

The War in the Pacific

Six months after Pearl Harbor, Japan had acquired an enormous empire. In 1942, 80,000 American and Filipino troops under the lead of General Douglas MacArthur lost control of the Philippines and were forced to surrender it to the Japanese. The Japanese fleet continued to advance until they were stopped in May of 1942 at the Battle of Coral Sea. This was the first defeat of Japan since Pearl Harbor. The tide of the war in the pacific changed at the Battle of Midway when Admiral Chester Nimitz surprised the Japanese fleet on June 3, 1942. It was said to "avenge Pearl Harbor."

The American forces began to use the "Island Hopping" strategy, conquering one island at a time, while advancing towards Japan. The first such victory was on August 1942 in Guadacanal when 19,000 troops stormed the island, securing the first land victory for Americans in the war. This strategy continued until October 1944, when 178,000 troops and 738 ships arrived at Leyte Island, Philippines. At the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Japanese employed a new tactic, the kamikaze bomber. 424 kamikaze pilots attacked and sunk 15 ships and damaged 80. Despite this, the Japanese lost the battle and their naval fleet was severly damaged, causing it to be fairly inactive for the rest of the war. After liberating the Philippines the only islands between American forces and Japan were Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Iwo Jima was not going down without a fight. It was considered the most heavily defended spot on earth. During the assault, more than 6,000 marines died, but this pales in comparison to the lives lost by the Japanese: of 20,700 defenders, only 200 remained. The second island, Okinawa was the last defence of the Japanese, it fell on June 21, 1945. There were 1,900 kamikaze attacks by the Japanese. In the end 7,600 Americans died while over 110,000 Japanese lives were lost. After this, the United States was able to seige the island of Japan.

-Brett and Rainier

.:Ethnic Heroes of WWII:.

Though WWII saw the emergence of the Nazi war machine, many heroes were taken from their homes and forced to show their valor.

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One example is the all-black 99th Pursuit Squadron, known as the Tuskegee Airmen. They carved a series of victories against Nazi forces throughout Italy.
















Another all-black unit, the 92nd Infantry unit known as the Buffaloes served in Italy. Collectively, the unit achieved 7 Legions of Merit, 65 Silver Stars, and 162 Bronze Stars.













Mexicans also served in segregated units. Company E of the 141st Regiment of the 36th Division won 17 Congressional Medals of Honor.










Groups of Nisei (Japanese whose parents emigrated from Japan) also serve in Italy and North Africa. Generl Elos Demmons created the 100th Battalion, formed entirely of Hawaiian Nisei. The 100th Battalion saw furious combat and became known as the Purple Heart Battalion. The Battalion would later be merged with the 442nd regiment of all Nisei troops, and would go on to become the most decorated unit in American Military History.

by A.J Chaudhry & Daniel Park

War Heroes

War is something that requires a lot of bravery. Heroes are the people who fight in the war for their country. Some heroes of WW2 was the African American unit nicknamed the Buffaloes. They were one of the most decorated units of the war. Won seven legion of merit awards, sixty-five silver stars, and one hundred an sixty two bronze stars for courage under fire. Mexican-Americans were also forced to serve in segregated units. Seventeen Mexican-American soldiers were awarded congressional medals of honor. One of the Mexican-American units became the most decorated in the war. Japanese-Americans also served in Europe and North Africa. One of the Japanese-American units became the most decorated in U.S history. All in all, every unit showed great courage and heroism that will forever be remembered in our hearts and history books. 

The Government takes control of the economy (1942 - 45)

As production of good for the war increased less goods remained for the people. This meant that demand increased and supply decreased. The government took several measures in order to control prices and combat inflation.
FDR created the office of price administration in order to fight inflation. The office of price administration, or OPA, froze prices, wages, and rents. In addition to this the OPA increased income tax rates and extended the tax to a wider range of people. This had the result of decreasing demand because people had less money to spend. The government also reduced demand by encouraging people to use their money to buy war bonds.
The OPA also set up a system of rationing which established fixed allotments of goods deemed essential for the military. Most people accepted rationing but inevitabley a black market was formed.
In order to ensure the armed forces and war industry had sufficient resources and supplies the war war production board was created. The war production board rationed fuel as well as other war materials and organized collections of goods that could be recycled for use in war efforts.
Rabea and Lisa

Heroes In Combat

There were many brave men who fought in the war overseas. The All-Black 99th Pursuit Squadron, also known as the Tuskegee Airmen, fought nobly in Italy against the Germans. These fighters won two Distinguished Unit Citations for their outstanding aerial combat.

The 100th Battalion, created by General Delos Emmons, consisted mostly of Hawaiian Nisei. They fought in many strenuous battles and became known as the Purple-Heart Battalion. When they were merged with another all-Nisei division, together they became the most decorated division in US history.

The 92nd Infantry Division, nicknamed the Buffaloes, was another notable all African-American unit. In six months of fighting, they earned many awards for courage under fire.

Mexican Americans also contributed to the war effort, mostly in segregated units. Seventeen Mexican American soldiers were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

It is evident that every American, no matter what his or her race, contributed enormously in World War II. 

The Atom Bomb Ends the War

As the United States and Britain closed in on the island of Japan, a land invasion of the island seemed inevitable. However, Churchill predicted that a full scale assault would cost 1 million American lives, and half a million British lives. Unwilling to pay such a price, President Truman decided to swiftly end the war by using a devastating new weapon- the atomic bomb.
The bomb was created through the Manhattan Project, led by General Leslie Groves and head scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer. It was a very tightly kept secret: even though over 600,000 people were involved, very few knew the true purpose. The first test of this secret atomic bomb occurred on the morning of July 16, 1945 in a desert near Alamogordo, New Mexico. The test was successful. Just 9 days following the test, on the 25th, Truman decided to utilize the weapon to end the war with Japan.
Only 3 weeks after the first test, on August 6th the B-29 bomber "Enola Gay" dropped the first bomb nicknamed "little boy" on the city of Hiroshima. 3 days later, another bomb, "Fat Man", was dropped on Nagasaki. By the end of the year, over 200,000 people had died as a result of injuries and radiation poisoning. These two devastating attacks crushed Emperor Hirohito's will to fight, because he refused to let more innocent civilians perish in the war. He formally surrendered on September 2nd, aboard the U.S. Battleship Missouri anchored in Tokyo Bay. This declaration ended World War II. The bomb destroyed thousands of lives, however, the fighting had ended.

Introduction to U.S. History Blog - E-period

Welcome to the blog for United States History (Period - E) class!

This spring we will be posting summaries of key topics in U. S. History for the time period: late 1930s to the 1980s.

Students are not only expected to contribute postings, but to make COMMENTS on FOUR (4) other postings from the two other U.S. History classes.

Enjoy!

Ms. Sanderson
Teacher