world war two began on september 1st, 1939, with the german

invasion of poland. by the time the war in than 60 million people have been killed and dozens of nations were destroyed. the ability of democracy to sustain and survive a direct attack have been put to the test and proven. across the globe. the decade of the 1930s has been a time of greatepression resulted in widespread despair. some nations fell under the control of totalitarian leaders in europe. german dictator adolf and his italian counterpart benito mussolini, took advantageprosperity based on military expansion. in asia, the military dominated government of japan plotted a similar coursm these troubles by two oceans. americans to avoid another overseas conflict. at time, u.sitary ranked 17th in the world and were hardly in a to enter a world war. but including president roosevelt began view events in pacific

with increasingly more justification of kind. the including vast numbers of women and children are being ruthlessly murdered with bombs. the air at 2:50 a.m. on september 1st, 1939. president roosevelt was asleep at the white house when the phone by his bedside rang. poland as england and france had pledged to come to poland's defense of germany attacked. roosevelt realized that a larger was at hand. while his sympathies lay with the countries being overrun, the axis powers america's isolate in his mood limited his freedom to respond. the country's neutrality act prevented. the sale of american weapons t nations. there was little he could do at congress for authority and funds sufficient to manufacture munitions and was supplies of ÷n

ssor nation. our most useful and immediate role is to as an arsenal for as well as for ourselves. we should send an ever increasing number ship planes and gun. that is our purpose and our. on december 7th, 1941, debate over american in world war two ended abruptly when japan staged a surprise attack on pearl harbor. the united. nese that attacked pearl harbor hawaii president roosevelt, as that also was made on all naval and military activities. and the principal of oahu. december seven and 1941.

a date which william in infamy united of america was suddenly and deliberately. naval and air forces of the empire ofapan. i asked that the congress declare that since theattack by japan on sunday, december seven, 1941 a state of war existed between the tes and the japanese empire. the attack was part of a larger ry control oil and other critical resources in the pacif japan's goal was to destroy our abilr way. four days later, germany and italy who were allied with

japan, declared war on the united states. roosevelt had believed for some time that germany pose the greatest threat to long term security. when hitler, mussolini set their war machinesosevelt's concerns were proven, justified, and his need to respond was obvious. as the united states entered war, the situation grim. japan had destroyed much of america's west coast fleet and now controlled vast areas of the pacific. and the north atlantic. rmcampaign against supply ships bound for great britain. so what? what about. and in europe, germany armies had invaded the sovieton winston churchill, the america ally, traveled to together, they planned a strategy to combat the axis

of 42 as the alls stopped the expansion of the axis powers and began to take the offensive in epic battle of midway. in june, 1942 was a major turningthe u.s. navy destroyed four japanese aircraft carriers and ended japan' tcentral. a month later, american invaded the guadalcanal this was the first step in a strategy that came be called island hopping. an island by island advance toward the japanese homeland in situation also improved. british forces the german akorps in egypt. an anglo american invasion force landed in north africa to clear the continent of axisces and the german advance. the soviet union was stoed in a series of hard fought battles. in 1943, the tide of battle continued to turn in favor of the allies as they gained greater and greater control of the fighting in bothope and the pacific. the soviet union turned back the german invasion and hitler's armies westward. in july the allies invaded

sicily. the invasion led to the overthrow of mussolini's government. italy's surrender. soon after. the battle of the atlae campaign end. the german submarine menace in the atlantic ocean began ton the allies favor as well. the allies to eliminate this threat so they could begin the giant build up of men and supplies in great britain thatd for the decisive of northwest from 1942 to 1944, the allies pondered, when, where and how a second front in europe could be open this issue caused considerable the big three. as roosevelt, churchill and stalin eachhe plan of attack. stalin demanded that his allies empire in northwestern europe to distract and draw off a portion of the german forces that were attacking the uss favored assault on northwestern europe, but reized attack would re careful planning and preparation. churchill mlimited strategy of attack along the of the axis empire not november 1943. at the big three meeting in tehran, where the leaders able to agree to a spring.

1944 invasion. the war was far from won. the talks also included discussion of a postwar united nations organization. germany led the russians to demand territorial adjustments in eastern europe to establish larger postwar buffer zone the allies also agreed that they would accept surrender from the axis powers. as dawn broke on june irgest amphibious invasion force in historyrs of the english channel. the long awaited invasioa second front was underway, codenamed. the massive invasion had taken years to organize. hundreds of thousands of men and millions of tons of weapons equipment were transported across the atlantic ocean to britain. the invasion force consisted chiefly americans, britons and canadians. in the tense early hours. the assault. fdr monitored reports the front.

that evening he a statement to the american people. it took the form of a prayer radio. almighty god, our sons, proud of our nation this day set upon the mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our public, our religion and our civilization, and to sethumanitycruel gives to their arms, darkness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith. the normandy invasion left hitler's armies trapped in a vise, fighting an expanding anglo-american canadian force in the west and the soviets red army in the east. the allies began to tighten the vise. by 1945, time was runningforces. the year before the allied had pu pacific empire. by autumn of 1940 for the liberation of the philippines was underway and american had begun a devastatingmpaign against

japanese cities. bases in the marianas. in some of the bloodiest fighting the war island, iwo jima, midway between the marianas and tokyo. america was now in a position to begin the end game in the war germany. franklin roosevelt lived long enough to know that victory was assured. but on the ml 12, 1945, as world war two entered s 2,051st day, an exhausted president roosevelt woke in his dential retreat in warm springs georgia worn down by heart disease, the stresses of wartime leadership. he had there for a brief vacation at 1 p.m. he was studying papers and sitting for a portrait painter wh hplterrific. seconds later, he. within hours the in chief was dead of a massive stroke. less than a month later, hitler committed suicide in his berlin bunker. and on may 8th, 1945, germany surrendered the allies. four months suffering atomic bomb

strikes on the cities of hiroshimaended when japan surrendered in a ceremony, the uss missouri in tokyo. world war two, the mostimportant and most terrible event of the 20th century was over, but a profoundly economic political and social relationships that continue to influence the world we live in to are. we are now in this war. and we're all in it all the single woman and child is a partner in the most tremendous undertake of our american history. we must share news and the good news. the defeat and the victory changing fortunes of wall to fight a global war. the united needs to mobilize its entire population.

and along what became known as the home front turned to ordinary citizens and leaders of largeons help lead the mobilization effort. the response waserican wartime production. moreha aircraft, 630,000 jeeps, 88,000 tanks 1500 naval vessels, six and a half million rifles and, 40 billion bullets. by 1945, the united states was producing 60% of all allied munitions and, 40% of the world's weapons. the american public was asked to conserve scarce for military use products ranging from gasoline to sugar civilians strove less less and often drank less coffee. children organized scrap drives to salvage rubber metal for war es. while their parents joined civil defense units planted victory gardens and purcha billions dollars worth of war bonds millions of americans began federal taxes for the first time, and to control the government put limits on wages, prices andd mrs. roosevelt

at the forefront of this national priorities and focusing on the goals of total bonds blackout shades, hung on their windows and committed the white house to wartime. the couple's four sons all se in military during the war. mrs. roosevelt continued, the ceaseless activism that had long marked as america's she was outspoken in in her support for racial and gender she championed the tuskegee airmen women's admission into armed services and the right of workers to organize. in 1942, she england to offer support to america's and returned with detailed reports for fdr. a year later she a 25,000 mile tour of the south pacific, a representative of the american red cross. the first lady traveled in military transports, putting herself at risk to visit hospitals, military camps and red cross clubs. during herp, she saw an estimated hundred thousand american servicemen womethe need for

war workers created economic opportunities for nd advanced cause of these two major social movements. aftebe threatened by black leaders with a march on washington moved to co discrimination in the defense industries by issuing executive. 8802, which barred racial in war plans to enforce it. he created the fair employment practices commission. many women who during the war found opportunities traditionally held men were reluctant to return to the traditional role of homemaker. the opportunities open for african-americans and women during the to the emergence of the postwar civil rights and women's rights grant us victory over the tyrants and slave free men and nations grant was a common trait that man should know bread and peace that he shall know. justice and righteousness.freedom. security. an opportunity and an equal

chance to do his best, not only own lands, but throughout the world. and inlet us mark toward the clean world. our hands can make. world war two was the most terrible event of the 20th century. it profoundly global economics. politics, social relationships and continues to influence the world we live in today. in the uncertain weeks after pearl harbor, as japanese forces dramatically across the pacific southeast asia, many americans particularly those on the pacific attack and, saw danger in every

corner. these wartime fears, combined with racial prejudice, led a great injustice. early in 1942, civilian and leaders on the west coast complained that members of the region's large community might be working the japanese military to plan serious of this existed, they pushed the roosevelt administration for action. on february 19th, 1942, fdr issued executive order. 1966, which led to thecation of more than 110,000 japanese-americans living on the west coast. they were confined to internment camps operated by the military. than two thirds of these people were native born americans. citizens abruptly forced abandon or sell their homes and businesses. many lost everything that they own. similar wartime led canada and nations throughout latin america to adopt comparable measures against residents of japanese ancestry. yet they remained loyal and some japanese-americans from. the camps served in the nation's

military. eywith extraordinary valor in combat. in two wartime cases. but in the 1980s, the united states congress acknowledged this violation of the civil liberties american citizens and ted to provide some financial compensation to w were the supreme court also vacated its earlier wartime rulings. and. during world war, two millns of americans took up arms to fight totalitarianism and racism abadyet in 1941, america was, a deeply racist nation and the military, many other american institutions was segregated. throughout the war reformers worked to end racial discrimination in the military. with congress largely controlled by powerful southern democrats who staunchly racial separation, fdr felt he could not broadly tary segregation. yet world war two provided fdr with opportunities to take action against discriminate

without having to go to congress and to create an environment in which minorities could advance in the military. in the name. during the war blacks were admitted to the marine corps for the first time and the army air corps, its ban on black pilots with strong public support of first la roosevelt. nearly 1000 black pilots were trained at alabama's tuskegee institute. many of the tuskegee airmen eventually served in combat in europe and north africa. in the all-black 99th pursuit squadron. none of the bombers escorted the unit was ever lost to enemy fire. here for the first time, -- iation cadets were being groomed to fly of a unit which d surrounding the 99% struck. americans of mexican and latino and asian descent as. well as native americans were also given opportunities in the nat' military.

and in theight u states folong america enter the conflict. fdr began to frame world war two in more universal terms as a struggle to defend freedom around the world. fdr is most enduring expression of this concept came in his january sixth 1941 an congress in the future days, which we seek to make secure, he declared, we look forward to a world founded on four essential human freedoms. the first is freedom speech and expression. every square in the world. the second is freedom of every person to worship god in his own way. everywhere in the world.

from one, which translated into world terms, means economic. which will secure to nation a healthys inhabitants. everywhere in the world. the fourth freedom fear, which into terms means a6p world wide reduction of armament to such a point and in such a thorough that no will be in a position to commit an act. th perfect aggression against neighbor anywhere in the world. during the final year of the in europe, allied forces began overrunning camps used by nazi germany carry out its horr solution.

the effort to eliminate europe'sknown today as thef holocaust. the final solution was rooted in nazi ideology, which held that -- were inferior beings, who, by their very existence threane the nazi concept of racial purity. this systematic by the nazi state resulted in the murder of approximately 6 million --. the nazis murdered millions of political dissidents physically and mentally handicapped people and others. they considered to be immediately after coming to power in 1933, adolf hitler began the persecution of germany's jewish population. immigration to the world's democracies was seen by many as a way out. but immigration laws were complicated and often harshly. germanar during late 1930s and world war two led german controlled territory that put vast numbers. european -- under german control

and greatly diminished their prospects for escape to safety. with the outbreak of war persecution e ms murder. beginning in eastern europe and eventually involving millions of -- the entire continent. what known as th jewish question was a carefully planned, organized the killing and destroy every --. thecould find how utterly without mercy or regard for human life. is the german federal? how otherwise can explain the reports of sending numberless jewish people from berlin and other cities an hour's notice packed like cattle into trains with their destination? neither poland or some pa russia. the scale and depravity of the l staggered in reports of mass killings reaching the allies almost as soon as they happened. the response of president roosevelt and others within the american government society has sparked heated scholarly in recent decades. historians debate whether fdr

and, other american decision makers might have more to admit jewish refugees and whether they might have undertaken policies. the bombing of the rails to auschwitz that could have saved lives. from. on october 11th, 1939. economist alexander sacks einstein to franklin roosevelt at the white house. in the letter, the distinguished physicistcribed potential for an atomic weapon and warned thatrway in germany.

roosevelt responded to einstein's letter by authorizing thentific committee to study whether an atomic weapon was feasible. manhattan, a top secret effort to build conference hyde park in september of 1944, fdr churchill agreed to keep the bomb project co secret from soviet leader joseph stalin. what neither was that russian spies were keeping informed about its progress. fdr was prepared to use weapons against both germany and japan but a bomb was n until fdr death in germany surrender in july 45. president harry truman authorized the use of atomic bombs against japan in august were dropped on the japanese cities of hiroshima and nagasaki nagasaki.

and. the most important legacy fr r the united nations organization. from the earliest days of world war, fdr worked to create a postwar organization dedicated to global cooperation and peace thug security. on january 1st, 1942, he welcomed representatives of 25 allied nations to the white house to sign a declaration pledging each to defend life liberty in dependance and religious freedomrve human rights and justice. fdr, this wartime coalition, the

united nations and later led efforts to expand it into a postwar international organization. and returning from this the defense of the refreshed inspired with a firm belief that we have made a good start on the road to a world of peace and am confident that the congress and the american people will accept the results of this conference as the beginning of a permanent structure of upon which we can begin tounderground that better our children and grandchildrenand the children and grandchildren of the whole world must live and can live. that, my friend we all imagine jack, give you what i feel is very deeply. and i ow that of you are feelingy and are going to feel it in the future.

president roosevelt imagined, an organization of nations dedicated to equality and mutual security withs, backbone, being the four policemen, the united states great britain, the soviet union and china, who would enforce the peace. fdr died days before he was to address the opening session of the conference that created the united the day before his death, he labored over a speech about the the mere conquest of our enemies is not enough, he wrote. americansience of human relationships the ability of all peoples, of all kinds to live together and work together in the same world at peace. to make our the world. find to be better than.