Download The Coming of WWII

The Coming of WWII
Dictators & War
A Bitter Peace Unravels
Many countries were facing difficult times and were willing to accept change.
People accepted new leaders and new forms of government.
Totalitarianism – A theory of government in which a single party or leader controls the
economic, social, and cultural lives of its people.
Repression in the Soviet Union & Italy
Stalin replaced Lenin as the head of the Communist Party. A combination of
fear and massive propaganda kept Stalin in power.
Stalin’s efforts to transform the Soviet Union into an industrial power
resulted in the deaths of 10 million people. Stalin purged the Communist
Party of real or suspected traitors, which resulted in 1 million deaths or imprisonments.
Benito Mussolini became the head of the fascist party. Mussolini
outlawed political parties, took over the press, created a secret police, and
organized youth groups to indoctrinate the young.
Fascism – Believe in a strong sense of nationalism and the idea of making Italy great once again.
Aggressive Leader in Germany
Adolf Hitler was the son of an Austrian civil servant, a failed artist, a
wounded & decorated WWI soldier, and a person who teetered on the
brink of madness. Hitler joined the Nazi Party after WWI and quickly
gained control over it.
A failed attempt to overthrow the government resulted in Hitler being
imprisoned, where he wrote Mein Kampf. Mein Kampf (My Struggle)
became the Nazi bible and a German best seller. The book gives
Hitler’s ideology of extreme nationalism, racism, and anti-Semitism.
Hitler believed that Jews were inferior and that Germans belonged to
a superior master race of Aryans, or light-skinned northern Europeans.
Hitler was aided by a secret police that crushed all opposition.
He had a state-controlled press that praised his
accomplishments. The Nazis created the Hitler Youth to
indoctrinate children with their ideology. The Hitler Youth also
made German children physically fit and trained them for war.
Hitler assumed a God-like aura.
Dictators Turn to Aggression
Japan was having economic troubles and believed that expansion
would solve problems. In 1931, Japan attacks Manchuria and the
U.N. did not respond, which gave dictators around the world
confidence that there would be no repercussions for their actions.
With a stronger military, in 1936 Hitler ordered troops to occupy the demilitarized
Rhineland, a region the Treaty of Versailles forbade German troops from entering.
Yet again, the League of Nations took no action.
Italy had dreams of an empire. Mussolini used his modern military to conquer
Ethiopia in 1935. Ethiopia appealed to the League of Nations for help, but
the league merely responded with sanctions, or economic penalties, against
Italy. The sanctions were never enforced, and by 1936 Mussolini fully
controlled Ethiopia.
Aggression Goes Unchecked
Hitler challenged Britain and France and won. Although they
denounced Hitler’s moves with words, the western powers took no
action, adopting a policy of appeasement.
Appeasement – Giving in to an aggressor’s demands in
hopes of keeping the peace.
Appeasement convinced Hitler that Britain and France were
weak, which encouraged him to continue to break the Treaty
of Versailles. Fearing war, Britain and France appeased
Hitler at the Munich Conference and convinced Czechoslovakia to give him the
Sudetenland. With the Sudetenland now part of the Third Reich, Hitler promised he
would never again ask for more land.
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The Coming of WWII
From Isolation to Involvement
Roosevelt Opposes Aggression
Americans were still favoring a policy of isolation during this
time period, but FDR warned that no part of the world was
truly isolated from the rest of the world in his “Quarantine”
speech. FDR was widely criticized for his views on isolation
and backed away from his stance on intervention in Europe.
War Erupts in Europe
 March 12, 1938 – Germany takes the rest of Czechoslovakia.
o The US and world do nothing.
 Germany wants to invade Poland
o Britain and France vow not to let Germany take any
more countries.
o Hitler was concerned more with the Soviet Union than
Britain or France.
 Signs a Non-Aggression Pact with Soviets.
 In 1939 Germany and the USSR conquered and divided Poland.
 Britain and France declared war on Germany but defensively waited for
Hitler to attack.
 Hitler conquered Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
o For protection France relied on the Ardennes forest and a string of defenses
called the Maginot Line. The French thought the Germans would avoid these
defenses and invade through Belgium, as they did in WWI.
 Hitler surprised the French by cutting through the Ardennes with his panzers,
pinning the Allies to the sea, and pushing them off mainland Europe.
o In less than a month the French were defeated.
 Hitler then plan to invade Britain, but first he needed to control the skies.
o Hitler conducted
days of continuous bombing, but the British held on.
o Hitler decided to postpone the invasion of Britain.
o First loss suffered by Hitler and his war machine.
Americans Debate Involvement
Congress passed the Neutrality Acts of 1935, 1936, and 1937; which
were developed to ensure that the US did not become
entangled in European affairs. FDR slowly getting his way because
in 1939 the US adopts a “Cash & Carry” policy.
This policy enabled the US to sell goods to other nations as long as they carried them
on their ships. Policy does not work, so FDR just sends the goods directly to the Allies.
Tripartite
Pact
Germany, Italy, Japan signed & became allies. Many Americans are
convinced that they at least need to be ready to defend themselves. The
U.S. had the first peacetime draft.
America Takes Steps Toward War
Britain ran out of money to continue with “Cash and Carry,” so
Congress approved the Lend - Lease Act. FDR was now authorized
to lend and lease “defense articles” to those necessary in the
interest of the defense of the U.S.
Atlantic
Charter
FDR and Winston Churchill met on a battleship to agree on certain
principles for building a lasting peace and establishing free governments
in the world. Germany fired on US ships transporting “goods” to
Britain.
FDR orders the navy to attack German U-boats on sight. In June
1941, Germany had gone to war against the Soviet Union.
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The Coming of WWII
America Enters the War
Japan Attacks the U.S.
The U.S. was not happy with Japan taking over China. To halt
Japanese aggression in Asia the US applied economic sanctions.
Because the US stood in their way, on Dec. 7th, 1941 the Japanese
launched a sneak attack upon the American naval base at
Pearl Harbor.
Nov. 1941 the U.S. intercepts the Hull Notes saying Japan will attack. FDR having
“Peace?” talks until December 7, 1941. On Dec. 7th, 1941: Japan attacks Pearl
Harbor in Hawaii.
U.S. fleet caught unprepared. 2,400 sailors died, 1,200 wounded, 18 ships sunk, 160
aircraft damaged, 200 destroyed. Only the aircraft carriers and seven heavy cruiser
survived because they were out to sea at the time of the attack.
On Dec. 8th 1941 the U.S. declares war on Japan. In return, Germany and Italy
declare war on the U.S. because of the Tripartite Pact. With the Japanese attack on
the U.S., WWII became a global war.
Mobilizing for War
Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, a spirit of
partriotism swept across the country. The idea of isolation was
put on hold, while Americans looked for ways to contribute to the war
effort. Army: 1.4 million to 3 million
Navy: 300,000
to 600,000
Marines: 54,000
to 150,000
Women replaced men in factories and served in different capacities in the
US Army. George Marshall formed the Women’s Army Corps (WAC)
to provide clerical workers, truck drivers, instructors, & lab technicians for
the U.S. Army. Women also became nurses in the Army Nurse Corps.
Japan believed that America was a 3rd rate nation and we were “trembling in our
shoes.” But over 5 million people volunteered and 10 million were drafted.
The following groups all volunteered:
 2.5 million African Americans
 33,000 Japanese Americans
 300,000 Mexican Americans
 25,000 Native American
 13,000 Chinese Americans
Fierce Fighting in the Pacific
Gen. Douglas MacArthur commanded the U.S. Army in Asia.
American troops in Asia struggled to hold positions early on and at
one point 75,000 allied soldiers surrendered and became
POWs (Prisoners of War). These POWs were forced to march
63 miles and 7,000 men American and Filipino troops died on what
is known as the… BATAAN DEATH MARCH.
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World War II
The Allies Turn the Tide
Allies Plan Strategy
The Allies believed that Germany posed the greatest long-term threat. The U.S. was
confronted with a two front war, but agreed with the Allies on a “Europe First” strategy.
Turning the Tide In Europe
German U-boats patrolled the Atlantic sinking more than 3,500 merchant
ships and killing tens of thousands men. We start to use the
convoy system with a major improvement… RADAR. With radar
and under water depth charges, the allies begin sinking German ships
faster than they can be produced.
The battle of Stalingrad proved to be the turning point of the war
between Russia and Germany. Russia’s cold winter and superior
numbers stalled the German advance & allowed them to surround
and capture many of the invaders, who began their long retreat
back to Germany. After their victory at Stalingrad, the Russians
went on the offensive and slowly advanced over the next two years.
Lacking men and supplies, Germany was finally
driven out of Africa by the Allies. General Dwight
Eisenhower led the Allies in North Africa and then put George Patton
in charge. The Allies captured the remaining Axis forces and then
moved across the Mediterranean into Italy.
Increasing the Pressure on Germany
The African American fighter squadron known as the Tuskegee Airmen
played an important role in overtaking Italy. Rome was liberated in 1944
and the Italians switched sides against the Nazis. Fleeing for his life,
Mussolini was caught and killed by Italians partisans.
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World War II
Victory in Europe and the Pacific
D-Day Invasion of Normandy
The US, Great Britain, & the Soviet Union were the
main Allied forces and formed the Grand Alliance.
All three nations agreed to fight until Germany and
Japan surrendered unconditionally.
The Allied liberation of Europe began with the
invasion of Normandy on June 6th 1944.
D-Day was the greatest amphibious landing in
history, and forced Hitler to fight a two
front war. This invasion was nicknamed…
OPERATION OVERLORD
Liberation in Europe
Shortly after D-Day the Americans liberated
Paris, which had suffered four years of Nazi
oppression. After freeing France, the Allies
encountered fierce Nazi resistance on the way to
Berlin.
Germany tries a counterattack, known as the Battle of the Bulge. Hitler makes one big
move on Dec 16th to split the Allies in half, but this last ditch effort failed. After this
battle, Germany would never be able to go on the offensive again.
The US air force bombed German cities by day while
the British bombed them by night. The constant
bombing crippled German war production, and broke
the Germans’ will to fight.
After their victory at Stalingrad, the Russians went on the
offensive and slowly advanced over the next two years. In the
spring of 1945 Soviet troops reached Berlin from the east as
American troops arrived from the west.
Hitler and his wife committed suicide in their Berlin bunker as
the Allies closed in. On May 8, 1945, Germany surrendered,
and the European war was over. V-E Day on May 8, 1945.
Advancing In The Pacific
After the battle of Midway the US took the offensive against Japan.
US forces waged an “Island Hopping” campaign with the goal of
recapturing Japanese-held islands that would serve as stepping
stones to the Japanese mainland.
Air bases were built on captured islands from which US bombers
could hit Japan. Territory was gained after bloody battles such as
Coral Sea, Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
Kamikaze – Pilots that deliberately crashed their planes into American ships.
The Atomic Bomb Ends the War
The program to develop the Atomic Bomb was code-named the
Manhattan Project, which cost several billion dollars.
J. Robert Oppenheimer was the physicist that ran the scientific aspect
of the project in New Mexico.
FDR had been elected to a fourth term but he died in office, so Harry Truman finishes
out WWII. Truman had to make the difficult decision of whether or not to drop the
atomic bomb. To end the war, the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki. Japan surrendered soon after and WWII was over.
World War II resulted in a total death toll of approximately 60 million, the most deaths
in the history of warfare.
DEATH TOLL
26 mil
11 mil
8 mil
7 mil
– USSR
– China
– Germany
– Poland
Axis Total: 11 million
2.5 mil – Japan
800,000 – France
500.000 – Greece
400,000 – Italy
Allied Total: 46 million
400,000 – Britain
300,000 – US
World War II
The Home Front
A Challenge to Civil Liberties
The attack on Pearl Harbor spread fear across America.
There was a belief that Japanese Americans were
disloyal citizens. The War Department issued a policy
of internment, or temporary imprisonment of a
specific group.
Japanese Americans went to court to seek their rights.
Korematsu v. U.S. The Supreme Court upheld the government’s wartime
internment policy. 1988 – The U.S. offered an apology
and offered apology to surviving internees.
Supporting the War Effort
Rationing goods that our
soldiers will need for the war
effort.
Recruiting women to
take the place of men
in the workforce.
Rosie the Riveter.
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World War II
The Holocaust
Roots of the Holocaust
Nuremberg Laws were put into place by the Nazis to
Nuremberg Laws – Denied German citizenship to
Jews, banned marriage between Jews and non-Jews,
and segregated Jews at every level in society.
Jews rights.
What do we have in the
U.S. that is a lot like this?
JIM CROW LAWS
Violence against Jews was common. The most serious attack was
known as Kristallnacht. (Night of Broken Glass) Jews try to flee
Germay, but…
The problem is that most countries don’t want them either. Cuba only
took 21 of the 973 refugees and so the St. Louis set sail for the U.S.
The U.S. officials refused to accept any of the refugees.
The ship returned to Germany and 600 of the Jews aboard the
Louis later died in Nazi concentration camps.
St.
Nazi’s Adopt the “Final Solution”
Nazis adopted a policy called “The Final Solution”
which was the systematic extermination of
inferiors (Jews, Jehovah Witnesses, Mentally
and Physically Disabled, Homosexuals, Gypsies.
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World War II
Effects of the War
Allies Set Post War Goals
At the Yalta Conference, “The Big Three” met and
agreed that Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania would hold free
elections. Roosevelt and Churchill were not in a position to
push Stalin too hard on issues. (U.S. wanted Soviet support in the
war against Japan).
The Allies got together for a second time (Truman, Atlee, Stalin) and establish four
zones of occupation that Germany would be divided into.
A New World Takes Shape
By the end of WWII, it was clear that that the Age of
Decline of
Imperialism was in the twilight of its existence.
Imperialism
The U.S. and the U.S.S.R. emerged as the world’s two superpowers.
U.S. was wealthy, militarily powerful, and confident.
U.S.S.R. had the Red Army, the world’s largest military force.
What do we have militarily that no one else has?
Atomic Bomb!
International Cooperation
The U.S. led the charge for the est. of the United Nations; an organization
United
that, many hoped would succeed where the League of Nations failed.
Nations
War Crime Trials for the high-ranking Nazi officers. Their
defense was that they were following orders handed down by
Hitler. Judges did not accept their excuses and some were hanged and others
received life sentences.
Nuremberg Trials