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WWII WIKI 1
Origins of World War II
Hitler’s Foreign Policy Aims
• Hitler sought to unite the German people
– “protecting the 10 million Germans living outside
the Reich”
• In 1935, Hitler declared that Germany was no
longer bound by the Versailles treaty and began
to rearm, and used the Spanish Civil War of
1936-39 as a training ground for the new troops.
– Germany and Italy supplied Franco and the Soviet
Union supplied the Spanish republic
• In 1936, Hitler reoccupied the Rhineland, taking
away the buffer zone between Germany and
France.
• In 1938 he annexed Austria bringing about
Anschluss or union. Austria Annexed by Hitler
March 14,1938.asf
Where Were the Allied Powers?
• The U.S. had rejected the Peace of Paris and was
caught up in the Depression; Russia was
consolidating its revolution; Britain was caught up in
the Depression; France alone was left to hold
Germany down.
• Also, Nazi propaganda in the U.S. and Britain
portrayed Hitler as the best check on Communist
Russia.
• The British and French feared a new war and went to
great lengths to avoid confrontation. France built
immense fortifications, called the Maginot Line, but
lacked the mobile strike force necessary to counter an
aggressive Germany.
Appeasement
• As a result, Britain came up with the policy of
appeasement:
– Giving in to Germany in the hope that a satisfied
Hitler would not drag Europe through another world
war.
– They thought Hitler simply wanted a peaceful
revision of the Versailles Treaty and that he could
be contained through concessions.
• Czechoslovakia
– A little over 3 million ethnic Germans lived in the
Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia.
– British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain agreed
to meet with Hitler to discuss the matter.
Czechoslovakia: The Apex of Appeasement
• At the Munich Conference of 1938, Britain and
France (not Czechoslovakia) agreed to the
German occupation of the Sudetenland.
– Deprived of the Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia
could not defend against a German attack.
Hitler took Czechoslovakia in March 1939.
• The take-over of Czechoslovakia was different
than the other conquests. This was not about
German self-determination it was about
hegemony or control of Europe.
• With the end of Czech independence, Hitler’s
intent to dominate Europe was apparent.
Poland: The Final Crisis
• Hitler next turned his attention to Poland. He
demanded the return of the city of Danzig and
use of the Polish corridor. Poland refused and
France and Great Britain warned that they
would support Poland if attacked.
• On May 22, 1939, Hitler and Mussolini entered
into a pact, promising mutual aid in the event of
war.
• On August 23, 1939, Germany and Russia
signed a nonaggression pact, giving Hitler
the green-light to invade Poland. Hitler
Invades Poland September 1,1939.asf
The Nazi Blitzkrieg
• Poland
– On September 1, 1939, German troops invaded
Poland. Britain and France declared war three days
later.
– On September 17, German troops invaded Poland
from the east.
– In less than a month, the Nazi blitzkrieg (lightning
war) had captured Poland, which surrendered on
September 27.
• For Hitler, the conquest of Poland was only the
beginning. He then captured Denmark and Norway.
• In May of 1940, German troops invaded Belgium,
Holland, and Luxembourg and marched into France.
Japanese Expansion
• Japan is expanding in the Pacific in search of
raw materials.
• Problems:
– U.S. insisted that Japan withdraw from China
– Japan’s alliance with Germany and Italy
(Tripartite Pact)
• Negotiations over commercial treaty
• U.S. had broken Japanese diplomatic codes
– Japan wanted Indochina
Oil Embargo
• U.S. freezes Japanese assets and starts embargo
– U.S. cuts off sale of airplane fuel to Japan and cuts
back on other natural resources.
– Great Britain and the Dutch East Indies also
participate in the embargo.
• Japan cut off from its major source of oil
– 66.4 percent of imports came from Anglo-Americans
– Over 80 percent of its oil came from U.S.
• Japanese Navy’s oil reserves (2 years)
– Planned for war after August 1, 1941
– The longer Japan waited the worse its economic
and military situation would become.
Decision for War
• “Hull Note” delivered on Nov. 26, 1941
– Basically restated U.S. demands
– Prime Minister Tōjō sees note as ultimatum
and proof that further diplomacy was futile.
– Japanese public opinion was firmly behind
the decision for war.
• Late Nov., 1941 – U.S. learns Japanese
Armada leaves Japan / lost track of and
thought they were headed to attack the
Philippines
• Dec. 6, Japan breaks off negotiations, refusing
to leave China
December 7, 1941
• Japan attacks Pearl Harbor in Hawaii Attack
on Pearl Harbor December 7,1941.asf
– U.S. fleet caught unprepared
– 2400 sailors died, 1200 wounded,18 ships
sunk, and 160 aircraft damaged and 200
destroyed.
– Only the aircraft carriers, by chance on
maneuvers, escaped the worst naval defeat
in American history.
• Later the same day, Japan attacks the
Philippines, Guam, and Midway and attacks
British forces in Hong Kong and the Malay
Peninsula (Singapore)