World War II began in 1939 when Germany invaded Poland. The US joined the war in 1941 after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. Texas contributed greatly to the war effort through training soldiers at military bases, producing goods for the war, and Texans enlisting to fight. Key Allied leaders like Eisenhower and Nimitz led the forces. Germany surrendered in 1945, but the war continued in the Pacific until the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading Japan to surrender and end World War II.

1. Chapter 27 –
WORLD WAR II &
THE COLD WAR
Section 1 – World War II

2. World War II Begins
• After World War I, Italy and Germany turned
to a political theory known as fascism.
– Fascism – strong government headed by one
individual.
Adolf Hitler
(Germany)
Benito Mussolini
(Italy)

3. World War II Begins
• When Germany forces invaded Poland in
September 1, 1939, World War II began.
• Great Britain and France declared war on
Germany.

4. World War II Begins
• In Asia, Japan built up its military strength and
invaded China in 1937.
• On December 7, 1941 Japan launched a
surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to try
to stop United States from preventing Japan to
expand their control of the Pacific

5. World War II Begins
• Doris Miller
became a hero
during the
Japanese attack
on Pearl Harbor.

7. World War II Begins
• On December 8, 1941, U.S. declared war on
Japan. Three days later, Germany and Italy
declared war on the U.S.
• United States was now fighting with the
Allies – Britain, France, and the Soviet
Union, against the Axis Powers of
Germany, Italy, and Japan.

8. World War II Begins
• Thousands of Texans
rushed to enlist.
• Audie Murphy was the
nation’s most decorated
soldier of the war with
33 awards and medals.

9. World War II Begins
• General Dwight D.
Eisenhower served as General
Eisenhower
commander of all
allied forces in
Europe.
• Admiral Chester W.
Nimitz commanded
the U.S. fleet in the
Pacific. Admiral
Nimitz

10. World War II Begins
• Oveta Culp Hobby organized and commanded
the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC).

11. Texas Home Front
• 1.2 million army soldiers and 200,000 pilots
trained at military bases in Texas.
• Many local economies within the state were
boosted as Texas businesses provided services to
military bases.
• As thousands of new jobs were created, the
state’s economy boomed and the depression
came to an end.

12. Texas Home Front
• Growing economy
provided new
opportunities for
people.
– 500,000
Texans, including
African
Americans, moved
to the cities to work
in booming
industries.

13. Texas Home Front
• Like many other Americans, Texans made
sacrifices for the war effort.
• Goods such as gasoline, meat, rubber, and
sugar were in short supply.
• Government rationed, or set aside for each
family, a specific amount of goods.

14. Texas Home Front
• To help feed troops, Texas farmers devoted
more land than usual to food crops rather
than to cotton.
Victory Gardens – small vegetable gardens to grow
extra food.
• Texans also purchased war bonds to finance
the war.

15. Victory for the Allies
• While Texans worked hard on the home
front, Texas soldiers fought alongside Allied
troops that attacked in North Africa and the
Pacific during 1942 and 1943.

16. Victory for the Allies
• 1st U.S. Division to invade Europe was the 36th
Infantry Division from Texas.
• 90th Infantry suffered heavy causalities as it
fought its way across Europe.
• D-Day (June 6, 1941) Allied troops invaded
France to drive out the Germans.

18. Victory for the Allies
• Germany surrendered on May 8, 1945.
• As Allied forces entered Germany, they
discovered death camps in which millions of
people had been killed.
• Holocaust – Germany’s attempt to kill the
Jews of Europe. Around 6 million Jews were
killed.

20. Victory for the Allies
• War in Europe ended, but the war in Pacific still
continued.
• Texas units, included 103rd Infantry Division and
144th Infantry Division, saw extensive action in
the Pacific.
• On August 6, 1945, United States dropped the
atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Three days later, the
bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.

21. Hiroshima, Japan
Nagasaki, Japan

22. Victory for the Allies
• Japan surrendered on September 2, 1945.
• World War II was over.
• Some 50 million people died worldwide as a
result of the war. Of the more than 400,000
Americans who died, 23,000 were Texans.

23. Victory for the Allies
• Texans and the people around the world
turned to the task of rebuilding after the war.