Changes

Meanwhile, the German submarines ("U-Boats") were sinking ships, which caused public outrage when innocent passengers lost their lives.

Meanwhile, the German submarines ("U-Boats") were sinking ships, which caused public outrage when innocent passengers lost their lives.

But in the fall of 1941, the American public was still against fighting in the war.  But while FDR was focused on Europe, Japan was increasingly aggressive in the Far East and planned to attack us.  There is evidence that our code-breakers had broken the Japanese codes used to communicate their military messages, and that we knew Japan was going to attack Pearl Harbor.  FDR did nothing to prevent the attack, and news of the attack on Dec. 7, 1941 outraged the American public against Japan.  The Japanese sunk most of the American fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor (several big boats were saved due to their tardiness in arriving to their port).  FDR addressed Congress the next day, describing December 7th as "a date which will live in infamy."<ref>http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/P/fr32/speeches/ph.htm</ref>

In the fall of 1941, the American public was still against joining the war.  But while FDR was focused on Europe, Japan was increasingly aggressive in the Far East and planned to attack us.  There is evidence that our code-breakers had broken the Japanese codes used to communicate their military messages, and that we knew Japan was going to attack Pearl Harbor.  FDR did nothing to prevent the attack, and news of the attack on Dec. 7, 1941 outraged the American public against Japan.  The Japanese sunk most of the American fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor (several big boats were saved due to their tardiness in arriving to their port).  FDR addressed Congress the next day, describing December 7th as "a date which will live in infamy."<ref>http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/P/fr32/speeches/ph.htm</ref>

The Constitution authorizes only Congress to declare war, which it did on the very next day (Dec. 8th).  Only one congressman voted against the declaration of war.  Three days later, on Dec. 11th, Congress declared war on Germany too.  That was the last time in history that Congress has officially declared war.

The Constitution authorizes only Congress to declare war, which it did on the very next day (Dec. 8th).  Only one congressman voted against the declaration of war.  Three days later, on Dec. 11th, Congress declared war on Germany too.  That was the last time in history that Congress has officially declared war.

Patton was given the task of taking on the Germany's greatest field commander, Erwin Rommel ("The Desert Fox").  Rommel had completely destroyed the British in Northern Africa and Patton was sent there in 1942 with his tanks to see what he could do.

Patton was given the task of taking on the Germany's greatest field commander, Erwin Rommel ("The Desert Fox").  Rommel had completely destroyed the British in Northern Africa and Patton was sent there in 1942 with his tanks to see what he could do.

Patton, with his aggression, boldly went right at Rommel's army and completely decimated it.  Rommel had no choice but to flee back to Europe and allow Patton to free Northern Africa from German control.  From this "African campaign" Patton then went up to Italy in 1943, and liberated Sicily.  Historians describe Patton's efforts as "cutting through the German defenders like a hot knife through butter."<ref name="Patton">http://military-leaders.suite 101.com/article.cfm/us_general_george_patton</ref>

Patton, with his aggression, boldly went directly at Rommel's army and completely decimated it.  Rommel had no choice but to flee back to Europe and allow Patton to free Northern Africa from German control.  From this "African campaign" Patton then went up to Italy in 1943, and liberated Sicily.  Historians describe Patton's efforts as "cutting through the German defenders like a hot knife through butter."<ref name="Patton">http://military-leaders.suite 101.com/article.cfm/us_general_george_patton</ref>

Patton was unrelenting in his fighting against the otherwise invincible German Army.  Historians estimate that Patton's Third Army caused an astounding 55% of all of Germany's causalities in the war, while Patton's own men suffered only 9% of the losses on our side.<ref name="Patton"/>

Patton was unrelenting in his fighting against the otherwise invincible German Army.  '''''Historians estimate that Patton's Third Army caused an astounding 55% of all of Germany's causalities in the war, while Patton's own men suffered only 9% of the losses on our side'''''.<ref name="Patton"/>

On June 6, 1944, massive Allied forces led by the American soldiers landed at Normandy, France, to retake mainland Europe from the Germans.  Called the "longest day" or "D-Day" (day-day), it was the largest land invasion in the history of the world.  Participants said the ocean was completely filled with boats and soldiers and it was difficult to see much water.  The invasion caught the Germans, already weakened by Patton, off guard.

On June 6, 1944, massive Allied forces led by the American soldiers landed at Normandy, France, to retake mainland Europe from the Germans.  Called the "longest day" or "D-Day" (dee-day), it was the largest land invasion in the history of the world.  Participants said the ocean was completely filled with boats and soldiers and it was difficult to see much water.  The invasion caught the Germans, already weakened by Patton, off guard.

The Allied forces, with the strong and fresh American troops, began pushing through Europe.  Within months they liberated Florence, Paris, Pisa, Brussels and Antwerp, in that order, and started to enter German soil.  But in December the Germans launched a fierce counterattack known as the Battle of the Bulge, causing the Americans 19,000 deaths in a just a few weeks.

The Allied forces, with the strong and fresh American troops, began pushing through Europe.  Within months they liberated Florence, Paris, Pisa, Brussels and Antwerp, in that order, and started to enter German soil.  But in December the Germans launched a fierce counterattack known as the Battle of the Bulge, causing the Americans 19,000 deaths in a just a few weeks.

The Allies did not discover the concentration camps used for the Holocaust until April 1945.  Allied commander and future President Dwight Eisenhower described his horror:<ref>http://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=136</ref>

The Allies did not discover the concentration camps used by the German Nazis for the Holocaust until April 1945.  Allied commander and future President Dwight Eisenhower described his horror:<ref>http://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=136</ref>

:I have never felt able to describe my emotional reactions when I first came face to face with indisputable evidence of Nazi brutality and ruthless disregard of every shred of decency.... I have never at any other time experienced an equal sense of shock.

:I have never felt able to describe my emotional reactions when I first came face to face with indisputable evidence of Nazi brutality and ruthless disregard of every shred of decency.... I have never at any other time experienced an equal sense of shock.

The end of the war then came quickly. On April 28, 1945, the Italian fascist dictator Mussolini was captured and hung by Italians, and the Allied army liberated Venice.  The next day the U.S. 7th Army liberated Dachau, the site of one of the concentration camps.  The following day after that, April 30, Adolf Hitler committed suicide.

The end of the war then came quickly. On April 28, 1945, the Italian fascist dictator Mussolini was captured and hung by Italians, and the Allied army liberated Venice.  The next day the U.S. 7th Army liberated Dachau, the site of one of the concentration camps.  The following day after that, April 30, Adolf Hitler committed suicide.

A week later, on May 7, 1945, the German troops unconditionally surrendered, and the world rejoiced.  A month later, on June 5th, the Allies divided up Germany into western and eastern sections, and three weeks after that, on June 26, the Charter for the United Nations was signed in San Francisco.

A week later, on May 7, 1945, the German troops unconditionally surrendered, and the world rejoiced.  A month later, on June 5th, the Allies divided up Germany into western and eastern sections, giving communist Russia "East Germany."  Three weeks after that, on June 26, the Charter for the United Nations was signed in San Francisco.

But the war continued against Japan, and Japanese soldiers had a fanaticism that prevented them from surrendering at any cost.  America had the upper hand every since it had won the Battle of Midway in the Pacific back in June 1942, but the Japanese were never going to surrender unless something extraordinary happened.  The extraordinary opportunity was provided by America's secret development of the atomic bomb.  Years earlier some physicists, including a friend of Albert Einstein who persuaded him to write a letter, feared that Germany was developing an atomic bomb and they urged the President to develop it before Germany did.  (In fact, Germany was not making any progress.)  The President did not act on Einstein's letter, but later he did begin the Manhattan Project to develop our own atomic bomb at a secret facility in Los Alamos, New Mexico.  Top physicists led the project.  Roosevelt never lived to hear of its success.  It was only after Truman replaced Roosevelt as President that the physicists had been successful in testing the new atomic bomb that they developed.

But the war continued against Japan, and Japanese soldiers had a fanaticism that prevented them from surrendering at any cost.  America had the upper hand ever since it had won the Battle of Midway in the Pacific back in June 1942, but the Japanese were never going to surrender unless something extraordinary happened.  The opportunity was provided by America's secret development of the atomic bomb.  Years earlier some physicists, including a friend of Albert Einstein who persuaded him to write a letter, feared that Germany was developing an atomic bomb and they urged the President to develop it before Germany did.  (In fact, Germany was not making any progress.)  The President did not act on Einstein's letter, but later he did begin the Manhattan Project to develop our own atomic bomb at a secret facility in Los Alamos, New Mexico.  Top physicists led the project.  Roosevelt never lived to hear of its success.  It was only after Truman replaced Roosevelt as President that the physicists had been successful in testing the new atomic bomb that they developed.

As president, Truman was an impulsive and not very bright man.  He still holds the record for the lowest approval rating (only 23% of the country approving of his performance) in his last year in office (1952).  When there was an ugly strike against a steel company, he impulsively ordered a government takeover of the entire company (the Supreme Court later invalidated his action).  When a reporter wrote a negative review about his daughter's piano recital, Truman said he wanted to punch the reporter in the face for it.  When General Douglas MacArthur wanted to be more aggressive in the Korean War, Truman simply fired him.   

As president, Truman was an impulsive and not very bright man.  He still holds the record for the lowest approval rating (only 23% of the country approving of his performance) in his last year in office (1952).  When there was an ugly strike against a steel company, he impulsively ordered a government takeover of the entire company (the Supreme Court later invalidated his action).  When a reporter wrote a negative review about his daughter's piano recital, Truman said he wanted to punch the reporter in the face for it.  When General Douglas MacArthur wanted to be more aggressive in the Korean War, Truman simply fired him.