World War 2

The Country Comes Together

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941-a date that will live in infamy-

the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”

When the United States was attacked by the Japanese on

December 7, 1941 we were a third rate military power. By the end of the war in 1945 we were producing more weapons and firepower than the rest of the world put together. The American people realized that in order to defeat our enemies and win this war it was necessary to work together toward this goal.

It took a tremendous exercise of American will and power to turn the tide, a national mobilization such as this country had never seen before, and may never see again. Fueling this was raw revenge, retribution for the humiliating defeat at Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor might be the greatest

American victory of the war. It awoke a sleeping giant.

Sixteen million Americans served in the armed forces in the war. Many jobs opened up for women. Women made airplanes, bombs, and ships, and performed secret administrative work on the atomic bomb project. Women joined the WACS and the WAVES, auxiliary forces of the Army and Navy.