World War II: A Student Companion (Oxford Student Companions to American History)

385 Pages·1999·1.68 MB·English

by  William L. O'Neill

WORLD WAR II
A Student Companion
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2
Student Companions to American History
WILLIAM H. CHAFE, GENERAL EDITOR
WORLD WAR II
A Student Companion
William L. O’Neill
Oxford University Press
New York
Oxford University Press
Oxford New York
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and associated companies in
Berlin Ibadan
Copyright © 1999 by William L. O’Neill
Published by Oxford University Press, Inc.
198 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016
Website: www.oup.com
Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press
All rights reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted,
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior
permission of Oxford University Press.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
O’Neill, William L.
World War II : a student companion / William L. O’Neill.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0–19–510800–0
1. World War, 1939–45––Juvenile literature. I. Title.
II. Title: World War Two. III. Title: World War 2.
d743.7.049 1999
940.53––dc21 98-54918
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper
On the cover:(top left) Dwight D. Eisenhower; (top right) Adolf Hitler;
(bottom) USS Bunker Hillbombarded by kamikazes off Kyushu,
Japan, May 11, 1945
Frontispiece:Private Paul Oglesby of the 30th Infantry stands at the altar of
a bombed-out church during the Italian campaign, September 23, 1943.
CONTENTS

PREFACE

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

WORLD WAR II:
A STUDENT COMPANION

APPENDIX 1:
IMPORTANT DATES DURING
WORLD WAR II

APPENDIX 2:
MUSEUMS ANDHISTORICSITES

FURTHER READING AND WEBSITES

INDEX
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Servicemenput out a fire aboard the USS West Virginiaduring the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
7
PREFACE
The Second World War was the most from taking advantage of the opportunity
deadly and costly military struggle that the defeat of Japan gave them. But
ever fought. It is estimated that over the long term Communism has proved
some 60 million people died as a result of to be less of a threat to freedom than Nazi
it, most of them civilians. But this figure is Germany and Imperial Japan. It has shown
only a guess. Some countries did not want itself to be capable of reform, as in China,
to admit the full extent of their losses. The and even of being overturned, as in Russia
Soviet Union, for example, always used to and Eastern Europe.
claim that about 20 million soldiers and World War II remains, therefore, a
civilians died because of the war. But when struggle that was not less noble for being
he was still president of the USSR Mikhail imperfect. It was fought at times with
Gorbachev admitted that as many as 29 methods that are hard to defend today. It
million Soviet citizens may have perished. failed to solve all the problems of humanity.
Even this number could still be too low. But what it did do was save a large part
Despite the war’s frightful cost, the of the world from tyranny, and make possi-
Soviet Union and the Western democracies ble the salvation of other parts of the
had no choice except to resist the forces of world in the future. Every Allied nation
Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany. To start can take pride in what it sacrificed for
with, of course, they fought to save them- this great outcome. No subject is more
selves. But there was more at stake than worth studying today for what it teaches
simple survival. Japan intended to enslave us about the meaning of freedom and
the peoples of East and Southeast Asia, democracy.
whom the Japanese regarded as racially The articles in this book have been
inferior. The Nazis also viewed most of the designed to explain the war as accurately
people of Europe as racially inferior to the as possible. Many of the topics covered
Aryan, or Nordic, “race,” of which they remain controversial to this day, so no
believed Germans to be members. The attempt has been made to present this
Nazi plan was to rule Europe, at the very material as the last word on any subject.
least, and to exterminate not only Jews, Readers will have to decide for themselves
but Gypsies and millions of Slavs. The whether this policy or that program was
wars against Germany and Japan were, in wise, or moral, or effective. Although the
this sense, wars against particularly mur- facts are correct to the best of my knowl-
derous forms of racism. They were also edge, the opinions expressed are my own.
wars fought to save democracy and free- They are products of long study and reflec-
dom. It was for good reason that General tion and are as well-reasoned as I could
Dwight D. Eisenhower called his autobiog- make them, but scholars with impressive
raphy Crusade in Europe. qualifications have often come to different
War is never the best way to handle conclusions. That is the nature of history as
political problems. And wars, even when a field, and part of its glory.
they end in victory, cannot cure every ill. Each entry is meant both to provide
After World War II Americans were unhap- essential information and to lead readers
py that Eastern Europe, and later China on to further study by pointing to other
and other nations, came under Communist entries, suggested readings, and significant
rule. That could not be helped. Without the films and videos. A general bibliography at
Soviet Union Nazi Germany could not have the end lists some of the most important
been defeated, and the Soviets could not be books on World War II, but the subject is
denied the spoils of victory. Neither could so vast that a complete listing would
the Communists in China be prevented require a separate volume.
8
HOW TO USE
THIS BOOK
The articles in this Companionare as follows: Fleets, armies and air forces are
arranged alphabetically, so you can spelled out; for example, Fifth Fleet, Third
look up words, concepts, or names Army, Eighth Air Force. Units below them
as you come across them in other readings. were assigned roman numerals; for exam-
You can then use the SEE ALSOlistings at ple, IV Corps or XX Bomber Command.
the end of an article to find entries about More basic units were given Arabic num-
related subjects. Sometimes you may find bers; for example, Task Force 58, 4th
that the Companiondeals with information Armored Division. Army companies were
under a different article name than what assigned letters, such as Company C, also
you looked up. The book will then refer known as Charlie Company. Battalions and
you to the proper article. For example, if regiments were numbered, as in 2nd Battal-
you look up Paratroops, you will find the ion, 354th Regiment.
notation “SEEAirborne Warfare.” If you American historians often apply Amer-
cannot find an article on a particular sub- ican terms to foreign units, except when
ject, look in the index to guide you to the they had distinctive names, such as Luft-
relevant articles. waffe for the German Air Force. If confu-
All people are listed alphabetically by sion sets in remember that the important
last name; for example the entry for Harry thing is to get the number right, whether
Truman is listed under T as Truman, Harry Arabic, roman, or spelled out.
S.In the case of military figures the rank or NNoottaabbllee iinnddiivviidduuaallss: If you want to
position given is the highest they held dur- know about a particular military or civilian
ing the war. For example the entry for figure in the war look up his or her last
Omar N. Bradley names him as Comman- name. There are also topical articles on
der of the 12th U.S. Army Group, although particular groups, such as African Ameri-
he held many other positions and would cans and Japanese Americans.
rise after the war to become chief of the OOrrddnnaannccee: Individual weapons or
Joint Chiefs of Staff. weapons systems sometimes have their own
You can also use this Companiontopi- entries, for example the V-1 flying bomb
cally, by reading all the articles about a par- and the German U-boat (submarine). If you
ticular aspect of World War II. Below are do not find the weapon you are looking for
several groupings of topics around com- under its own entry try looking under
mon themes. general headings such as Small arms,
BBaattttlleess aanndd eevveennttss: The names of bat- Artillery, and Bombers.
tles and events are those most commonly OOrriiggiinnss ooff tthhee wwaarr: The origins of
used, for example Bulge, battle of the; D- the war with Germany and the war with
Day; Dresden, bombing of; Malmedy Japan are explained in the articles on each
massacre. country. But their surrenders are treated in
CCoouunnttrriieess: Information on the war at separate articles, for example “Japan,
home for Britain, Canada, France, Ger- surrender of”.
many, Italy, Japan, Poland, and the Soviet TThheeaatteerrss ooff wwaarr: Theater is an old term
Union can be found in the articles named for a region of military operations. Howev-
for those countries. American life during er, in World War II the United States used
the war is listed separately under “Home theater only in the war against Germany, as
front.” Other articles on domestic matters in the European Theater of Operations
include “Financing the war,” “Labor,” (ETO). In the Pacific War theaters were
“Mobilization,” and “Motion Pictures.” called areas. Except for the Southwest
MMiilliittaarryy oorrggaanniizzaattiioonnss: The United Pacific Area, which was an Army theater
States spells out or abbreviates major units commanded by General Douglas
9
• H O W T O U S E T H I S B O O K •
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Members of the 41st Engineers stand in formation at Fort Bragg, N.C.
MacArthur, the rest of the Pacific was MMuusseeuummss aanndd hhiissttoorriicc ssiitteess: A partial
under the command of Admiral Chester list of museums and historic sites is includ-
Nimitz and known collectively as the Pacif- ed. Some of these, such as the Arlington
ic Ocean Area (POA). It was subdivided Cemetery in Washington, D.C., are not
into the South, Central and North Pacific limited to World War II, but all bear impor-
Areas, each being a separate theater. The tantly on the war experience. As a rule
article Pacific War covers all the fighting museums and sites do not provide a great
against Japan from Pearl Harbor in 1941 deal of information, but they often give
through the first half of 1942. Thereafter impressions or provide a sense of time and
combat operations are described in separate place that cannot be found elsewhere.
articles named for each area. WWeebbssiitteess:: There are a growing number
FFuurrtthheerr RReeaaddiinngg: If you want to know of internet sites devoted to aspects of World
more about a specific topic, you can use the War II. The Further Reading section in the
FURTHER READINGentries at the end of back of this book provides links to internet
each article as well as the Further Reading addresses and resources. Web pages for the
guide at the end of the book, which lists museums and historic sites listed in Appen-
more general sources. dix 2 have been included when available.