World War II - World War II in Numbers - Episode 4

Good morning, we are concluding World War II in Numbers with the fourth episode: Global War.  This series was done out of order over a period of two years, but the series is officially done!  The run time for this episode is 44:57.

United States President Roosevelt is running for an unprecedented third term in office.  America entering World War II seems inevitable.  However, the US public does not want to enter a war.  However, there are forces swirling around that make the United States entering the war seem inevitable.  Things change when Japan attacks Pearl Harbor.  By attacking Pearl Harbor, the course of the war was changed.

In 1940, the US presidential campaign is in full swing.  The American Public has no appetite to get into another foreign war and it seems that by being branded a warmonger, Roosevelt is on the verge of losing the election.  Even after the fall of France, Americans are overwhelmingly against the war even to the point of refusing to send aid to the Allies.  However, President Roosevelt wins the election and America soon finds itself involved in the war.

Britain is fending Germany in the skies.  Now the British are looking for another victory.  They will find it in the Middle East.  Benito Mussolini tries to invade Egypt to seize control of the Suez Canal and stop British oil experts.  He is looking to recreate the Roman Empire and believes that conquering Egypt will do it.  Churchill is ready to fight and defend Egypt.  The Italians thought they would have an easy win in Egypt.  The Italian forces outnumbered the British forces. 36,000 British soldiers fought 250,000 Italian soldiers. However, a surprise attack put the Italians on the back foot and many prisoners and supplies were taken.

Hitler is furious with the Italian losses and he diverts battalions heading to Russia to shore up the Italians.  Erwin Rommel is sent to the desert and this documentary provides a good introduction to his desert campaigns.  He turns the tides and the British are scrambling to catch up.  Churchill goes and tries to defend Greece because the Italians tried to invade Greece.  Unfortunately, Germany is ready and Greece and Yugoslavia fall to Germany.  By diverting troops to Egypt and Greece, Operation Barbarossa, the planned invasion of Russia is delayed.  The Russian winter is coming and although this documentary does not say it you can read between the lines that the Russian winter is a harsh winter.

The fight turns to the desert and the Germans and the British are fighting in the open desert.  However, events on the other side of the world will help determine the outcome of the war.  Japan has invaded China.  They were suffering heavy losses and the Japanese economy was suffering.  Japan wanted to turn the tide of its way by expanding it.  Roosevelt saw what is happening and freeze Japanese assets.  He also sends supplies to the Chinese and beefs up the Pacific.  The Japanese are undeterred and press forward into East Asia.  Japan is going to head into conflict with America.

The Japanese plan on attacking the American Pacific Fleet.  The American fleet was based in Pearl Harbor.  Although Oahu was prepared for an invasion, it was not prepared for a Japanese air raid.  The pilots that participated in Pearl Harbor were seasoned veterans.  The Americans were caught off guard by the attack.  Every installation on the island was attacked.  Once the Japanese are done, it is a landscape of destruction.  However, the Japanese failed to sink the aircraft carriers.

War is declared against the Japanese.  America is united against the Axis powers and now the whole world is at war.  Japan is also invading British Malaya.  They are determined to drive the British out and they are operating under the guise of liberating the people of South Asia from the British Yoke.  What are the other numbers involved in this episode of World War II in Numbers?  Tune into the rest of this episode to find out.

It was interesting to see how the Japanese used a bicycle to invade Malaya.  Over this was another good episode and would be something to add to a list of teacher resources.  This would be a good episode for independent study students.