The+Second+World+War

The Second World War By Jack K

On September 1, 1939 the world was changed and W.W.II. had begun, when German dictator Adolf Hitler invaded Poland. Within hours Britan and France had declared war on Germany. However it would be two bitter years of fighting before the U.S. would enter the war on December 7, 1941 when the Japanese Empire atacked the U.S. Pacific Fleet at dock in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

During the war many aircraft, vehicles, and weapons were used in the war effort such as the P-51D Mustang, the M-4 Sherman, or the Jeep. Two of the most famous aircraft were the P51D Mustang and the P47D Thunderbolt. The P51D is most commonly known for escorting our bombers all the way to Berlin and Tokyo and back. The P51D was powered by a Merlin 61 engine and because of the P51's special wing design the P51D was able to fly farther than any other allied fighter. Also, the P51D could carry either two external fuel tanks or six 75mm rockets with a 500 lb. bomb with the six 50 calibur machine guns in the wings. In addition, the P47D also known as "the jug" by its pilots is famous for being the plane that strafed Field Marshall Erwin Rommel's staff car. The P47D was armed with eight 50 calibur machine guns in the wings. The P47D played a role as a ground support aircraft, but it also worked for tank and train busting. Also, during the war two of the most common tanks were the M4 Sherman and the M5 Stuart. The M4 was armed with a 75mm gun although later models carried a 76mm gun. Now, the M5 was armed with a 37mm gun because it was a light tank. Finally, one of the most famous vehicles of the war was the jeep. The jeep could carry as many G.I.'s as could fit in. Plus, the jeep could take on just about every job.

In conclusion, when the war came to us, we met it head on.