World War 2 American Homefront

Neutrality Act

May 1, 1937

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the 1937 Neutrality Act, which banned travel on belligerent ships, forbade the arming of American merchant ships trading with belligerents, and issued an arms embargo with warring nations.

Naval Expansion Act

May 17, 1938

Congress gives President Roosevelt 1 billion dollars to expand the Navy

World War 2

Period: Sep 1, 1939 to Sep 2, 1945

Roosevelt Elected to 3rd Term

1940

This is the first time a president has broken the two term tradition.

Unemployment at 15%

1940

The U.S. is still reeling a bit from the Great Depression.

U.S. Withholds Gas from Japan

Jul 26, 1940

The United States withholds gas from Japan due to their continued aggression in China.

Congress Enacts Draft

Aug 1, 1940

First peacetime draft in history

U.S. Expands Japanese Emargo

Sep 25, 1940

The United States extends the Japan embargo to include iron and steel.

First Military Draft Numbers Drawn

Oct 29, 1940

Thousands sent into the army

Arsenal of Democracy Fireside Chat

Dec 29, 1940

Rousing speech where Roosevelt declared, "We must be the great arsenal of democracy."

War Industries Segregation Battle

1941

Roosevelt faces off against A. Philip Randolph over the issue of desegregating the war industries.

Four Freedom's and Lend-Lease

Jan 6, 1941

President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaims the nation's commitment to the Four Freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom to worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. He also talks about a "lend- lease" program to deliver arms to Great Britain to be paid for following the war's end. Congress approves the bill.

Coast Guard Seizes Axis Ships

Mar 30, 1941

Roosevelt orders that the coast guard seize Axis ships that sail into American Ports.

Robin Moor Sunk

May 15, 1941

The American ship, Robin Moor, was sunk by a German torpedo. Roosevelt declares a national emergency.

Fair Employment Practices Commission Created

May 25, 1941

Roosevelt creates the Fair Employment Practices Commission in order to investigate discrimination complaints in wartime.

Roosevelt Closes Axis Consulates

Jun 16, 1941

Germany and Italy are forced to close their consulates.

Germany invades Soviet Union

Jun 22, 1941

Germany turns on their ally

Roosevelt Desegregates War Industries

Jun 25, 1941

Roosevelt issues Executive Order 8802, which states that there shall be "no discrimination in the employment of workers in defense industries or Government because of race, creed, color, or national origin."

U.S. Aids Soviet Union

Jul 24, 1941

The United States extends lend-lease aid to the Soviet Union.

Rationing Begins

Aug 21, 1941

The Office of Price Administration (OPA) is established to ration scarce consumer goods and to set maximum prices on other products during wartime.

Attack on Pearl Harbour

Dec 7, 1941

Japan attacks the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbour

America Declares War on the Empire of Japan

Dec 8, 1941

President Roosevelt formally signs the declaration of war on Japan

Germany and Italy Declare War on the United States

Dec 11, 1941

This brings American fully into World War 2

Office of War Information and Domestic Propaganda

1942

They mobilized American support for the war effort using radio, television, the national press, and posters.

Largest Government Budget Proposed

Jan 6, 1942

Roosevelt proposes a massive budget to help fund the war

National War Labor Board Established

Jan 12, 1942

Administers wages and work hours and to monitor working conditions in national industries.

War Production Board Created

Jan 31, 1942

The War Production Board (WPB) to mobilizes American businesses for the war effort.

Japanese Internment Approved

Feb 19, 1942

Roosevelt signs Executive Order 9066, which sets the stage for Japanese Internment.

Japanese Internment on the West Coast

Mar 2, 1942

John L. DeWitt issues orders to create Military Areas Number 1 and Number 2 in portions of California, Oregon, Washington, and Arizona.

War Relocation Authority Established

Mar 18, 1942

Its mission was to “take all people of Japanese descent into custody, surround them with troops, prevent them from buying land, and return them to their former homes at the close of the war.”

Race Riots

1943

Race riots break out all over the country in areas such as Los Angeles, New York, Detroit, Mobile, Alabama, and Beaumont, Texas.

Norman Rockwell’s Freedom of Speech

Feb 20, 1943

Norman Rockwell's Freedom of Speech painting illustrates one of Roosevelt's Four Freedoms

Norman Rockwell’s Freedom to Worship

Feb 27, 1943

Norman Rockwell's Freedom to Worship painting illustrates one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Four Freedoms."

Norman Rockwell’s Freedom from Want

Mar 6, 1943

Norman Rockwell's Freedom from Want painting illustrates one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Four Freedoms."

Norman Rockwell’s Freedom from Fear

Mar 13, 1943

Norman Rockwell's Freedom from Fear painting illustrates one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Four Freedoms."

Zoot Suit Riot

May 4, 1943

Riots ensue as servicemen raid downtown Los Angeles targeting Mexican Americans.

Court Upholds Japanese Curfew

May 21, 1943

Norman Rockwell’s Rosie the Riveter

May 29, 1943

Norman Rockwell’s painting entitled "Rosie the Riveter" encourages women to join the war effort.

Italy Surrenders

Sep 8, 1943

D-Day

Jun 6, 1944

Roosevelt dies

Apr 12, 1945

President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies of a cerebral hemorrhage in Warm Springs, Georgia. With the death of President Roosevelt, Vice President Harry S. Truman becomes the 33rd President of the United States

Germany Surrenders

May 2, 1945

Germany surrenders, ending war on the European front.

Hiroshima Nuked

Aug 6, 1945

Nagasaki

Aug 9, 1945

Japan Surrenders

Sep 2, 1945