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World War II
1939 - 1945
The Worldly Connections to Our Class Novel
Adolf Hitler, Germany – 1933
• He was elected – the
people of Germany
voted for him.
• People hoped Hitler
would rescue
Germany from
economic problems
and end the shame of
having lost WW I
(1914 - 1918).
Time Magazine - 1938
• Hitler was chosen as
the “Man of the Year”
• Hitler was described as
‘the greatest
threatening force the
democratic, freedomloving world faces.’
In 1939, Hitler’s Nazi Germany
Invades Poland
Germany
Poland
Britain, France, Canada, Australia and
New Zealand declare war on Germany.
The U.S. remains neutral.
Britain’s Prime Minister,
Winston Churchill
In 1939, Hitler also calls for the
‘annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe.’
In 1941, Jews were required to
identify themselves by wearing
the Star of David
By 1942, Jews were being rounded
up in many parts of Europe and sent
to concentration camps - close to six
million would be killed.
April - June 1940 - Hitler goes after more of Europe!
• Nazis invade and
take over
Denmark, Norway,
Belgium, the
Netherlands, and
France.
Sept. 1940 - Nazis Begin Air Raids on London, England
Meanwhile, the United States remained neutral most Americans did not want the U.S.
to get involved in the war.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery and World War II
•
The P-38, the
kind of plane the
author flew
during the war in
Europe.
World War II in Asia
• The military in Japan had taken over the government and began to
invade countries, declaring a need for natural resources which
were under the control of Western nations in their Asian colonies.
However, Japan’s form of colonialism was based on
the idea of ethnic superiority over other Asians.
•
•
•
Colonizing Korea back in 1905
Invading China in 1936, taking over the capital of Nanjing.
The Nanjing Massacre of 1937 - Japanese troops killed an estimated
100,000 Chinese civilians.
The world also took note of how the
Japanese military had made deals with
Nazi Germany.
Military leader of Japan, Hideki Tojo, on
the cover of Time Magazine, November
1941
The United States Declares War on Japan and Germany
• It was not until Dec. 1941 when Japan attacked the U.S. navy
at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii that the U.S. entered World War II.
Wrap-Up on this Worldly Connection to Our Class Novel
• Antoine de Saint-Exupery began writing The Little Prince in
1940 while in exile, and the story was published in 1943.
• Thus, World War II was the backdrop in which The Little
Prince was written!