Download World War II Causes Appeasement—define Germans were not

World War II
Causes
Appeasement—define
Germans were not happy with the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler began to disobey the treaty:
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He rebuilt Germany’s army
He occupied the Rhineland—a demilitarized zone b/w France & Germany
He supported the Italian invasion of Ethiopia
He & Mussolini supported the Fascists in the Spanish Civil War
He invades and takes over Austria--Anschluss
He demanded Czechoslovakia give Germany the Sudetenland—the German speaking area of
Czechoslovakia. After this demand the leaders of Germany, Italy, France, & Gr. Britain met at the
Munich Conference where Hitler promised that he would take no more land if he could keep the
Sudetenland.
He took over the remainder of Czechoslovakia
He signed a non-aggression pact with Stalin before invading Poland
He invades Poland
Isolationism—define
The US tried to remain neutral during the war because it did not want to suffer the losses of WWI and felt it had
no reason to go to war across the Atlantic. FDR felt Hitler was a threat to our democracy and tried to help Gr.
Britain without violating neutrality by:
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Cash & Carry policy (1939)—US could sell weapons to countries if they paid cash. This helped Britain
b/c they controlled the sea lanes
Lend-lease act (1941)—could lend war supplies to any country whose defenses seemed vital to the US
Protect ships approaching US from German submarines
Stop selling Japan oil and other resources when they invaded French Indochina. Japan needed these
resources to support their growing population b/c they had few resources. This is a major reason they
attacked Pearl Harbor.
Alliances—define
Axis Powers—Japan, Italy, Germany
Allied Powers—Gr. Britain, France, USSR, USA, China, and others
Key Events
Early part of War
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Invasion of Poland—blitzkrieg—starts WWII
Invasion of France—Maginot Line—Dunkirk
Battle of Britain—radar & sonar—bombing of London—Churchill will not surrender
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Invasion of USSR by Germany—scorched earth policy and harsh Russian winter—Battle of Stalingrad
is Germany’s first defeat. USSR allies with Allies
Japanese attack Pearl Harbor—over 200 ships and 3000 men perish
Middle part of War
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Pacific Campaign (includes SE Asia)—Battle of Midway—island hopping
European Campaign (includes North Africa)—British defeat Germans in N. Africa—Allies invade
Sicily and then mainland Italy. Italy surrenders. Germany invades Italy from north.
Tehran Conference—Allied leader meet to divide Germany after the war
Later part of War
European Campaign
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D-Day—Allies invade France at Normandy. After 2 months of fighting Allies capture Paris and
drive Germans back to Germany
Battle of the Bulge—last German offensive but Allies prevail
Soviet Offensive of 1944—drives Germans back—Soviets reach Germany and free Jewish
prisoners
Hitler commits suicide—Germany surrenders May 7, 1945
Pacific Campaign
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US retakes the Philippines
Massive bombing raids started against Japan
Kamikaze raids begin
Roosevelt dies—Truman becomes president in April, 1945—learns of Manhattan Project—secret
plan to build an atomic bomb
Truman must decide whether to drop atomic bomb or invade Japan
US, USSR, and Gr. Britain meet at Potsdam Conference—tell Japan to surrender or face utter
destruction—Japanese moderates decide not to surrender for fear of emperor’s life
First bomb dropped on Hiroshima—August 6, 1945—Japan does not surrender
Second bomb dropped on Nagasaki—August 9, 1945—Japan surrenders
The Holocaust
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1938—Germans rioted against the Jews in night known as “Krystalnacht”—the night of broken glass—
Jewish synagogues and businesses destroyed throughout Germany
Over 30,000 Jews sent to labor camps
As war progresses, Hitler first segregates the Jews into ghettoes, forces them to wear yellow Star of
David, give up property, enforce curfews, etc—Nuremberg Laws
More and more Jews imprisoned
Hitler adopts Final Solution—killing all European Jews. From 1942 onward millions of Jews are
rounded up and sent to extermination camps such as Auschwitz
As Allies advance, camps are moved. By April 1945 many camps are liberated by Allies but not before
6 million Jews and 6 million other “undesirables” are exterminated.