The History of~World War 2 (Part 3: America's Destiny)

As we left off from our last page (click here) we Axis was on the aggressive as Nazi Germany stormed across Continental Europe, but their aggression was overmatched by a steadfast RAF (Royal Air Force) who handed the Nazis their first major defeat in the war.

The Japanese continued to conquer areas in China and then shifted their focus on southeast Asia. But when the USA embargoed Japan and cut off their aid, the Japanese decided to declare war on the USA by bombing Pearl Harbor. As they did, they didn't make the USA run in fear, the USA got angry.

So, how did the USA come to embrace it's destiny to become the most powerful nation in the world today? Well, this is what this page will cover.

## Before Pearl Harbor

Before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, public opinion in the USA regarding to World War 2 was to stay out of the war entirely, because as news media depicted, it was violent and looked bad. In fact, around 75% of Americans at the time wanted their country to be neutral.

Though, as the British were fighting the Nazis, and knowing that the Nazis wanted to starve Britain into submission, the Prime Minister *Winston Chruchill* was begging the US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt for support as he knows that Britain doesn't have the ability to take on the Nazis alone.
Though the USA was neutral, Roosevelt cuts a deal with Churchill. The USA give 50 American destroyers to give Britain a bit more of a fighting chance in exchange for 8 of Britain's overseas bases as well as cutting off Britain from it's empire. Somewhat of a costly trade off for Britain, but it was necessary.

## Japan Attacks

But as the Nazi "Blitzkrieg" was plowing through Europe and France is conquered by the Nazis in the summer of 1940, Japan then is gifted French Indochina. The USA responded by cutting off all aid to Japan, and even imposing an Oil Embargo. The Japanese didn't like this one bit, and decide to go to war with the USA.

But Japan knows all too well that it doesn't have the military power to take on a serious industrial power like the USA, so for several months, Japan try to make a plan to attack the US Pacific Fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor in hopes to level the playing field.

On December 7, 1941 at around 7:45 in the morning, The Japanese Pacific fleet with around 500 Aircraft descended upon the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, the attack lasted for several hours, but it was horrific nevertheless. Despite Japan's victory however. They failed to destroy afew things that were more crucial. One of them is the nearby oil tanks, and the US Aircraft Carriers that were absent during the attack.

What it did instead is immediately change public opinion about the war.

## Day of Infamy

In fact, Americans were so infuriated about this attack, that they wanted revenge on the Japanese. So, this unified the people of America and wanted to take action.

## Prepairing for War

The USA would introduce the Military draft and use subliminal propaganda to recruit men into virtually every branch of the US Military, the draft age was 18 by 1942.

But, even with increased manpower, the USA also needed money to not just fight in the war, but to also help it's allies in Great Britain and eventually the USSR. So, what they did is launch another propaganda message to get Americans to buy something called War Bonds*.* So, much like the recruiting messages themselves, this War Bond campaign had one goal in mind: have the people rally behind their home nation.

This is a picture of a War Bond printed in 1944, and the nation would be quite aggressive to get it's people to buy them as military strategists suggest that around $300 Billion (around $4.5 Trillion in current US money) was needed to fight in the war, War Bonds helped the USA reach this goal as well as increasing Taxes and even other means as well.

The US Government also recruited several Movie Stars (famous in the 1940's such as *James Stewart*, *John Wayne*, *Lauren Bacall* and *Judy Garland*) to perform what is known as the *Stars Over America* Campaign as they'll go all over the nation beginning rallies to get people to buy War Bonds. There were 2 big celebrity rallies in Chicago which sold around $16 Million in War Bonds, baseball games were also used to sell bonds much like in New York (with the Yankees, Dodgers and Giants) which sold almost $60 Million. By 1945, the US military brass would reach beyond their goal of $300 Billion through purchasing of War Bonds and increased Taxes.

## Another Axis Enemy

But it wouldn't be just Japan the Americans would have to deal with, several days after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Nazi Germany declares war on the USA, now America has 2 mortal enemies on a global scale.

The USA was now ready to embrace its destiny of becoming the world's biggest superpower, and boast an industrial might that neither the Nazis nor the Japanese can match.

Though America was ready for war, their Pacific Fleet is in shambles and their closest ally: Great Britain is dangerously close to Nazi Germany.

Dabbed-smacked right in the middle of the what would be the deadliest war ever fought in the history of Mankind, Roosevelt is faced with the most difficult decision of any American President: Who to go after first?

It wasn't long when Roosevelt made his decision, he decides to focus on Nazi Germany first, so revenge on Pearl Harbor was put on hold, for now.

Roosevelt feels that because Nazi Germany is the bigger threat as they can defeat Britain (as the British is fighting a difficult battle against the Nazis as they are suffering losing merchant ships as the Nazi U-boat Fleet was sinking them at an alarming rate), and Roosevelt also feels that Britain had to survive \*if\* the Allies were to have a chance of defeating the Nazis.

### Early American Intervention (Europe)

By Early 1942, the USA bring their B-17 Fortress (a bomber) to British Airfields. Their first course of action is to try to destroy German mechanical production such as factories and resources. On August 17, 1943, Allied Air Field Commanders US Generals Curtis LeMay and Robert Williams. They had a plan to bomb German towns of Schweinfurt and Regensberg (where important factories were located such as the Messerschmidt Factory in Regensberg.

The plan is for both Generals to have their bomber teams to go in simultaneously towards their respective targets so overwhelm German anti-air systems.

With this mission, there were problems. One of them is the B-17. It was nearly 10 years old by the time World War 2 came around, and though ti can defend itself as it had around 16 heavy machine guns but because the plane was created before the introduction of pressurization, it couldn't fly very high, making it a prime target for not just German anti-air artillery (called "Flak"), but also for any German Messerschmidt fighter. It also couldn't carry a huge payload of bombs. It also used a aiming device known as the "Norton Bomb Sight", the marketing for it is that

> "You can hit the Bottom of a Pickle Barrel at 25,000 Feet."
>
>

But, testing for this device was in a place where it's always sunny (and no, Not Philadelphia. The deserts of Nevada and Arizona), and the sun doesn't always shine in Europe.

The other problem is British Weather. As the Campaign began, the British Fog didn't lift in time, meaning that LeMay's division got up, but not Williams, and the decision was made to let LeMay's bombers go on their own into Nazi occupied Europe.

As said before, the B-17s (despite their machine guns) were prime targets for not just Flak but also Nazi Me-109s that shot them down. This happened with LeMay's forces in Regensberg, and it also happened with Williams' forces in Schweinfurt. Though, in one raid, the US would lose 60 bombers.

### Early American Intervention (Pacific)

In the Pacific, revenge for Pearl harbor was slow and coming as the USA sent 2 carriers and 2 Douglas bombers to bomb Tokyo. It didn't do a lot of damage, but it effected Japanese morale greatly, as the Emperor's life was greatly threatened. But this will only be the beginning.

But as the USA enters the war, another would-be (and temporary) superpower: The Soviet Union was also fighting a difficult battle against Nazi Germany.

That is what the next page will try to cover. Don't forget to check out my Games and Movies wikis. Until next time, this is JohnnyOTGS signing out.