Major Events:
Pearl Harbor:
Pearl Harbor was a surprise military attack conduced by Japan onto the U.S. This bombing is what caused the U.S. to become involved in the war and out of their neutrality. This happened the morning of December 7, 1941. The intention of the bombing was to keep the United States Pacific Fleet from surprise attacking the Empire of Japan.
U.S. drops atomic bombs on Japan:
On August 9th, 1945 this attack ended the conflict between Japan and the U.S. Japan was expecting the attack from the U.S. but they did not think that it would be this severe. The U.S. dropped a bomb on Nagasaki and then shortly after, another one on Hiroshima.
Germany invades Poland:
This event started the disaster that was WWII, when Germany invaded Poland with The Soviet Union and Slovakia.
It was attack resulting in 904,000 losses for Poland, 19,843 losses for Germany, 48 losses for Slovakia, and 6,802 losses
for the Soviet Union. In all 930,693 losses.
It was attack resulting in 904,000 losses for Poland, 19,843 losses for Germany, 48 losses for Slovakia, and 6,802 losses
for the Soviet Union. In all 930,693 losses.
War events:
The Blackout:
The Blackout is when Great Britain had to have all lights out for two days. They would cover the windows with blackout curtains, paint, wood, or cardboard so that no light would seek out for the enemy to see. This event happened on September 1st, 1939, two days before the outbreak of the war.
The Blitz:
The Blitz was the time during World War Two when Germany
attempted to bomb Great Britain. They did this to try to completely take out
Great Britain from the war. London was one of the most seriously bombed cities
in this event.
The Homefront (G.B.):
Japanese attack on the American naval fleet at Pearl Harbor changed everyday life dramatically. All citizens of Great Britain were forced to help in all
ways necessary to prepare for any attacks. This meant rationing supplies, food,
and water. They prepared also by having many war supplies near for defense of
attack.
Children:
Children were massively effected by World War Two. Nearly two million children were evacuated from their homes. The children had to endure rationing, gas mask lessons, living with strangers, ect.
Schools:
School lessons went on as usual. The children also has to learn air raid drills and how to put on gas masks. When they went to school, they normally had to walk over bricks and broken glass that was in the streets.
Evacuations:
People expected cities to be bombed but they were not expecting the school and homes too. The government tried at the start of the war to 'empty the cities' of children and mothers.
Rationing:
America experienced rationing for the first time in World War II. Some products that were rationed during World War II were sugar, meat, coffee, typewriters, fuel oil, gasoline, rubber, and automobiles. Food rationing probably affected Americans the most.
Air Raids:
An air raid was an attack by enemy planes dropping bombs. Warning of enemy planes were given by sirens. When people heard the sirens, they went into air raid shelters. Big bombs exploded with a loud bang and blew buildings apart.
Ration Cards:
Ration Cards contained coupons that shopkeepers cut out or signed when people bought food and other items. Rationing was introduced at the beginning of 1940.
Electronics and mechanical inventions:
Microwave radar came out in late 1039. The first electronic computer was made shortly after World War II. The Curta Calculator was made in a concentration camp during World War II.
Housing:
The cost of an average World War Two house was about $14,000. The appliances in one of these homes were very different than present day appliances. Telephones had a rotary dial and a cord. Appliances such as washing machines were very big and required manual tossing and spinning of the clothes. Floors didn't usually have a pretty design or bright colors. It was either a gray cement floor or, if you were rich enough, a wooden floor. Home furnishings during this time were centered around the war. Such as picturing of their fathers hanging on the wall while they were at war.
Music:
Musicians such as Dinah Shore, Duke Ellington, and the Andrew Sisters were very popular in the war time. Swing dancing to jazz music also became very popular during the war. Swing, blues and country were all very big. The music during this time was the golden age of the American songbook.
Major Department Stores:
Spooners was one of the largest department store during World War Two. It had everything from food and drinks to medicines to even photography production. Mutley Plain was a chain store for Spooners and had about the same items.