9781422286036

World War II

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the Axis powers. They were aggressive and well prepared. On the plus side, America was not alone in this fight. Many nations had already banded together to stop the Axis. Unfortunately, they were not doing very well. Joining the Allies The war had begun in Europe during September 1939, two years before Pearl Harbor. At that time France, Poland, and Great Britain were working together. More nations joined them as Axis aggression continued. Soon this group of nations came to be called the Allies. Many Americans did not want to get involved in the European war. But President Roosevelt wanted to help the Allies. He sent them American weapons and supplies. After Pearl Harbor, the United States formally joined the Allies. As the calendar turned to 1942, the Allies faced a daunting task. Ger- many and Italy had captured most of continental Europe, as well as North Africa. Meanwhile, Japan’s military pushed deeper into Asia and the Pacific. The Axis powers seemed unstoppable. The Allies tried to hang on until their newest member was ready to help. U.S. military units swelled with new recruits, who needed training. Factories that made everyday items like cars and refrigerators had to retool. Their assembly lines would start making tanks and rifles. America was gearing up for war, but it wouldn’t be ready overnight. In the meantime, President Roosevelt decided the American people could use some good news. He ordered an air raid on Japan’s home

Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) was first elected president in 1932. He guided America through the Great Depression and World War II. Roosevelt suffered from a paralyzing ill- ness called polio. He could not walk, but it never stopped him from being a dynamic leader.