The Manhattan Project, Atomic Bomb, and End of World War Two

Kicking off our fifth season with a blast as we discuss the Manhattan Project, the creation of the Atomic Bomb, and the end of World War Two. We get into the details behind the development of the bombs, the race to be first, make references to the recent movie, Oppenheimer, and how the United States decided where and how to drop the bombs on Japan.  The eventually brough about the end of World War Two.  All the details are here in this podcast, take a listen, tell your friends, and know that there is always more to learn! Talk to you soon,  Jimmy & Jean

This podcasts focuses on the battles with Japan in the Pacific. The Pacific Theater was the largest theater of the war. The Japanese referred to the Pacific Theaters as the Greater East Asia War. The Pacific theater presented an entirely different strategic landscape.  The US was joined by Great Britain & China in defeating the empire of Japan. British troops consisted of a large number of colonial troops from their territories. Troops from India, Burma (present day Mayanmar, Malaya now known as Malaysia, Fiji, Tonga; Troops from Australia, New Zealand and Canada played a pivotal role as well. Japan attacked the American territories of Hawaii, the Philippines, Guam, and Wake Island and the British territories of Malaya, Singapore, and Hong Kong.   Stretching over vast oceanic expanses, it was characterized by its remote, far-flung island territories, which required lengthy and complex naval and air operations. We do not want to ruin all of Jeananne's comments, so take a listen and share with your friends!   There is always more to learn, ] Jimmy & Jean

Today we are going to be talking about The Holocaust and what the United States, the Allies and people around the world knew about what was happening.   Today we are joined by a special guest, Rebecca Erbelding, a historian, an author, educator and archivist at The National Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Rebecca Erbelding is the author of the book, Rescue Board: The Untold Story of America’s Efforts to Save the Jews of Europe    Rebecca and Jeananne have a conversation about the goings on in the concentration camps run by the Nazis. Take a listen and hear what they have to say.   There is always more to learn, talk to you soon!   Jimmy and Jean

This podcast covers World War Two as it rages on in Europe.  We discuss the goings on in Europe at the time, and we dig into the Allied Strategy, the switching of sides and U.S. alignment with The Soviets.   On the homefront, in The U.S. we cover the contributions of Black Americans, women's contributions during the war, rationing, victory gardens, and more.    We also discuss how technology evolved because of the war. This included major changes on land, at sea, and in the skies above!   We go right up to the end of the war in Europe, and boy does Jeananne go into a lot of detail. In fact, we go right to May 8 1945, called VE Day. Almost exactly 79 years ago to the day we are releasing this podcast! There is always more to learn, talk to you soon! Jimmy & Jean

This podcast covers the Allied invasion at Normandy. It was the largest and most complex amphibious invasion in history. The actual date of the invasion was pushed back a number of times due to changes in the plan.  Hundreds of thousands of soldiers and a half a million military vehicles would need to be brought to the beaches at Normanday. As early as the 1930s, the US military began looking for ways to safely bring troops from ships to beaches. A shipbuilder in New Orleans named Andrew Jackson Higgins modified one of his boats to meet the US military’s specifications. It became known as the Higgins boat. These boats were a game changer. It allowed Allied troops to get to shore. This is why the US WWII museum is located in New Orleans. The area became essential to the war industry and the success of the war.    We do not want to spoil the rest of the podcast in the description, so dig in and take a listen!   Jimmy & Jean

Part three of our coverage of Japanese Internment during World War Two finds Jeananne continuing her interview with Angela Sutton, an Interpretative Ranger at Tule lake, one of the most infamous of the incarceration centers to get inside knowledge and more details of what went on in the camp. We get many details and a few stories, including first hand accounts retold by Ms. Sutton, as well as descriptions of the camp itself.  Jeananne then goes into what happened to the detainees after the camps closed. Japanese Americans were given $25 and a one-way train ticket to go and re-establish their lives.  A Supreme Court case which challenged the Constitutionality of Executive Order 9066 and Japanese Incarceration camps was Korematsu v The United States. More than 40 years after the war’s end, President Ronald Reagan signed into law the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which apologized to still-living Japanese Americans who had been held in the camps and ordered restitution of $20,000.  In 1998, Fred Korematsu was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton. After the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001 when laws were passed that limited people’s civil liberties, once again Fred Korematsu spoke out. He died on March 30, 2005. Listen to this podcast on how this went down and what exactly was involved. There is always more to learn, talk to y'all soon! Jimmy & Jean

Part two of our coverage of Japanese Internment during World War Two finds Jeananne interviewing Angela Sutton, an Interpretative Ranger at Tule lake, one of the most infamous of the incarceration centers to get inside knowledge and more details of what went on in the camp. On January 14, 1942, FDR issued Executive Order 2537 which required non-U.S. citizens from World War II-enemy countries—Italy, Germany and Japan—to register with the United States Department of Justice. They were then issued a Certificate of Identification for Aliens of Enemy Nationality. Then came Executive Order 9066. This granted the secretary of war and his commanders the power “to prescribe military areas in such places and of such extent as he or the appropriate Military Commander may determine, from which any or all persons may be excluded.” There was no specific individuals or locations listed in the order. It was broad and left up to interpretation. It was quickly applied to just about the entire Japanese American population on the West Coast.  The War Relocation Board was created.    Listen to this podcast on how this went down and what exactly was involved. There is always more to learn, talk to y'all soon! Jimmy & Jean

After the attack on Pearl Harbor – political debate began about the need to protect the country against another attack from the Japanese, the fear of espionage, and racism all led to the eventual passage of a series of executive orders. Prior to the forced removal from the West Coast, assets were frozen, and the FBI led by J. Edgar Hoover had compiled a list of about 1500 people of Japanese ancestry that the FBI believed needed to be watched. These individuals were arrested the day after the attack. Many of them remained detained for the duration of the war. In addition, On January 14, 1942, FDR issued Executive Order 2537 which required non-U.S. citizens from World War II-enemy countries—Italy, Germany and Japan—to register with the United States Department of Justice. They were then issued a Certificate of Identification for Aliens of Enemy Nationality. Then came Executive Order 9066. This granted the secretary of war and his commanders the power “to prescribe military areas in such places and of such extent as he or the appropriate Military Commander may determine, from which any or all persons may be excluded.” There was no specific individuals or locations listed in the order. It was broad and left up to interpretation. It was quickly applied to just about the entire Japanese American population on the West Coast.  The War Relocation Board was created.    Listen to this podcast on how this went down and what exactly was involved. There is always more to learn, talk to y'all soon! Jimmy & Jean  

Why did Japan attack the US at Pearl Harbor? It’s important to first consider the history between Japan and the US.  Political relations between the two countries have a complicated past. Unlike it’s Pacific neighbor, China, Japan had been successful in isolating itself from the Western world.  Japan was building an empire and by 1905, they had just that. With industrialization comes the need for resources in the form of raw materials.  A nation can get those resources via trade or by force. Japan had plans for the entire pacific and this was a threat to the U.S. interests in the region.  U.S. embargos and reluctance of U.S. banks to fund Japanese businesses caused great tension.    Listen to Jimmy & Jean and get all the details of what happened, why it happened, and how this began World War Two for the Unites States.   there is always more to learn, Jimmy & Jean

Today we begin our long anticipated coverage of World War Two. Now, this being a US History Podcast, we are not going to delve into the granular details of the beginnings of the war in Europe, but we do give a general sense of the goings on that began the conflict. We then really discuss the US Policy of neutrality at the time. So, German blitzkreigs and expansion into neighboring lands, followed by heading into Poland, then France. Once Germany atatcks the Soviet Union though, they have to fight a war on two fronts.  Meanwhile US neutrality means zero involvement, then that evolves into becoming a supplier to The Allies. This manages to keep the US out of the war, at least for this podcast.  There is always more to learn, Jimmy & Jean #ww2 #wwii