Download World War II and the Cold War

World War II (1939 – 1945) and the Cold War (1947 – 1991)
8th grade Social Studies
Unit 5
Figure 1:
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World War II (1939 – 1945) and the Cold War (1947 – 1991)
Prior Wars
1.
Complete the table below using your prior knowledge.
o
o
o
o
Prior Wars
Revolutionary War
For “Combatants”, explain what country(s) fought what
country(s).
For “Causes”, explain why the war began.
For “Conclusion”, explain how the war ended. Who won, and did
they sign a peace treaty?
For “Analysis”, explain whether you believe the conclusion of
the war left unresolved issues that might later turn to war again,
or if it resolved all the issues between the countries.
Combatants
Causes
Conclusion
Analysis
War of 1812
Mexican War
Civil War
Spanish War
WWI (Great War)
The End of World War I (the Great War)
Germany was blamed for the Great War, and it was forced to sign the Treaty
of Versailles which forced it to pay for all the damage it had done in the war
(which Germany could not afford). When the Great Depression hit, its
economy suffered even more. Since Germany’s economy was doing so
poorly, a man named Hitler became popular in Germany because he
promised to make Germany a great country again.
Japan’s economy suffered during the Great Depression, and its leaders
wanted the resources of other nearby countries (like China) to improve its
economy. The United States did not approve of Japan’s actions, and placed
an embargo on Japan.
2.
3.
4.
Based on your Prior Wars analyses above, what do you predict Germany
and Japan are likely to do? What is motivating Germany and Japan to
behave as they are?
If you were the United States, how would you react to what is happening in
Germany and Japan? Explain.
Use the world map in the back of your textbook and indicate where each of
the Axis and Allies countries are on the map below.
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World War II (1939 – 1945) and the Cold War (1947 – 1991)
World War II (1939-1945)
Axis
Germany (major power)
Italy
Japan (major power)
Allies
France
United Kingdom/Britain (major
power)
Russia/Soviet Union/USSR (major
power)
United States (major power)
World War I (Great War) (1914-1918)
Triple Alliance (Central Powers)
Triple Entente (Allies)
Germany
France
Austria-Hungary
United Kingdom
Turkey
Russia
Italy
Japan
5.
Compare and contrast the various alliances in World War II with the
alliances in the Great War (World War I) by explaining how they changed
or remained the same.
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Definitions:
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Anschluss: Natural political unification of Germany and Austria.
Appeasement: The policy of giving in to the demands of another.
Blitzkrieg: German term meaning “lightning war”, a war that is fought swiftly and
with surprise.
Cede: Give up something, usually land.
Collaboration: Working together.
Embargo: When a country refuses to trade with another.
Fascism: A radical form of government that was an extreme form of nationalism and
militarism, with a strong belief in a single powerful leader.
Lebensraum: German term for “living space”.
Scorched Earth: A military strategy where you destroy your own farms and cities so
that the enemy cannot use it against you.
Spazio Vitale: Italian term for “living space”.
Schutzstaffel: Abbreviated as the S.S., a german word that translates as Protection
Squadron.
Tariffs: Taxes on products from other countries, designed to make them more
expensive so people will buy locally-made products.
Leaders of WWII
The Rise of Hitler in Germany
In 1938, Germany was fascist country under the Nazi Party and Chancellor Adolf Hitler.
Although the 1919 Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I had put limits on the
size of Germany’s military, by the late 1930s, Hitler had begun ignoring those
limitations. He began not only to rebuild his military rapidly, but also to speak openly of
Germany’s need for lebensraum, or “living space.”
Germanys economy was ruined after WWI, and his expansion of Germany’s
military created tens of thousands of new jobs and helped Germany’s economy recover
from the harsh economic penalties Germany was forced to pay the Allies.
The Rise of Mussolini in Italy
Mussolini founded fascism in Italy and part of his success in popularizing fascism was
its emphasis on unity. Fascism did not care whether you were rich or poor, it only cared
that you were loyal to the nation and that you were loyal to that nation’s leader.
Mussolini became even more popular in Italy when he began arguing for
Spazio Vitale, claiming that Italy was overpopulated and crowded and that it needed to
expand into the Mediterranean Sea, particularly in the east.
The Japanese Empire
Hirohito was emperor of Japan during WWII and was considered the son of Heaven.
The real leader of Japan was Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, who was the main proponent
of war with the Allies.
The United Kingdom (Britain)
Before and at the beginning of the war, Neville Chamberlain was the Prime Minister of
the U.K., and practiced the policy of appeasement. He was replaced by Winston
Churchill in 1940, who early on opposed Hitler and appeasement.
The Soviet Union (formerly Russia)
Joseph Stalin was leader of the Soviet Union during WWII and was infamous for his
“Great Purge”, where hundreds of thousands of his political enemies were executed or
imprisoned.
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France
Charles de Gaulle became leader of the French resistance after France’s early
surrender to Germany. He was opposed to collaboration with Germany.
The United States
Franklin D. Roosevelt was president of the U.S. during WWII and became president
during the Great Depression with the promise that he would heal the country and keep
it out of another war in Europe. He tried to aid the allies during WWII without declaring
war against Germany, Italy, or Japan.
6.
7.
8.
9.
How did Hitler come to power in Germany?
How did Mussolini come to power in Italy?
How could we have prevented the rise of the two fascist dictators above?
Create a chart on the important world leaders above in the space below.
Include titles such as: Leader, Country,
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World War II (1939 – 1945) and the Cold War (1947 – 1991)
The Start of World War II
Anschluss and Appeasement
In March 1938, Nazi troops took control of Austria, which put up no resistance. Hitler
claimed that the annexation was supported by his doctrine of Anschluss. Britain and
France took no action. Shortly thereafter, Hitler demanded that Czechoslovakia cede to
Germany the Sudetenland, a territory along the German-Czech border. Hitler accused
the Czechs of tyrannizing the large German population there and argued that the
territory belonged to Germany. Britain and France met with Germany and both
countries agreed to give in to Germany’s demand if Hitler and Germany took no more
land. Hitler signed an agreement with Britain and France agreeing to take no more
land.
After taking the Sudetenland, however, Hitler ignored the agreement and occupied
most of western Czechoslovakia. Britain and France did nothing.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
What is lebensraum? Explain.
What is Anschluss? What similar philosophy have we studied before?
How did Hitler become leader of Germany?
What do you think of Hitler’s taking over of other countries? Explain.
What do you think of Britain and France’s actions? Explain.
What caused WWII?
The German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact
Several months after Germany’s annexation of the Sudetenland (in Czechoslovakia),
on August 23, 1939, a meeting occurred in Moscow between German foreign minister
von Ribbentrop and Soviet foreign minister Molotov. Afterward, they announced
publicly that Germany and the Soviet Union had signed the German-Soviet
Nonaggression Pact to prevent hostilities between the two countries.
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World War II (1939 – 1945) and the Cold War (1947 – 1991)
The German Invasion of Poland
Germany’s invasion of Poland came quickly and with overwhelming force. The attack
began on September 1, 1939, with heavy air strikes followed by a rapidly advancing
ground invasion. Hitler referred to the strategy as blitzkrieg, or “lightning war.” The
object of the blitzkrieg strategy was to shock the opponent so severely that there would
be little resistance, allowing the country to be overrun quickly, with minimal German
losses. It took Germany 26 days to conquer Poland.
Atrocities against the Polish People
Germany sought not just to destroy the Polish government but also to obliterate the
Polish people. In the first days and weeks of the war, both Jewish and non-Jewish
civilians were killed regardless of whether they resisted. Villages and towns were
burned, and fleeing survivors were ruthlessly chased down and shot.
Although the regular German army defeated the Polish military within days of
the invasion, a more sinister set of squadrons followed — part of the soon-to-beinfamous S.S. These S.S. squadrons immediately began rounding up and killing Polish
civilians. Larger groups of Jews were singled out and herded into the central Warsaw
ghetto where they were slowly starved for the next two years. Smaller groups
encountered along the way were shot on the spot.
The Soviet Invasion of Poland
Just two weeks after the German invasion began, Soviet troops were ordered by their
leader, Stalin, to invade Poland from the east on September 17, 1939. It took them only
two days to push far enough to meet German troops advancing from the west.
16.
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24.
What was the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact? Explain.
Why did both Germany and the USSR keep the nonaggression pact secret?
Explain blitzkrieg. Was it effective? Why?
We’ve talked of total war, is what the German army did against the Polish
people part of total war?
What is the S.S. and what did they do?
Do we have organizations today similar to the S.S.? Explain.
What atrocities did the Germany army commit in Poland?
Why do you think the German army acted the way it did towards the people
of Poland?
What effect do you think the German-Soviet nonaggression pact will have on
the future course of the war? Explain.
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Propaganda in World War II
25.
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For the following propaganda posters:
For Description: Briefly describe what the poster shows.
For Meaning: Explain what message you think the poster is showing.
For Likely Origin: Explain what major Allied or Axis country created the
poster AND explain why.
Poster 1
Poster 2
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Poster 3
Poster 4
Poster 5
Poster 6
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World War II (1939 – 1945) and the Cold War (1947 – 1991)
Poster
#
1
Description
Meaning
Likely Origin
2
3
4
5
6
26. Create your own propaganda poster about the current war in Afghanistan.
The poster should include some catchy image as well as words to that effect.
Your poster should be as colorful and eye-catching as possible.
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World War II (1939 – 1945) and the Cold War (1947 – 1991)
The War in Europe
Invasion of Western Europe
Soon after invading Poland, the Soviet Union fought a four-month invasion of Finland,
ultimately conquering that country, though it lost 200,000 soldiers to Finland’s loss of
100,000. In April of 1940, Germany simultaneously conquered both Denmark and
Norway.
On May 10, 1940, Germany began the invasion of Western Europe with the primary
goal of conquering France. The Netherlands and Belgium were both quickly overrun by
the German blitzkrieg, both surrendering to Germany in just two weeks of fighting.
Germany achieved surprise in these invasions by moving its tank army through the
Ardennes forest, which the Allies did not believe was possible, and thus did not defend
against an invasion from that route.
Meanwhile, Germany invaded France and managed to
surround the main French army, separating it from the
British army near the French port city of Dunkirk. The
British began withdrawing its 300,000 soldiers and all
their equipment from France and fleeing back to the
United Kingdom, leaving France on its own against the
German army.
The new British prime minister (leader) Winston
Churchill encouraged France to resist Germany at all
costs. By June 22, 1940, over half of the French army
had been destroyed by the Germans and Adolf Hitler of Germany forced the French to
surrender in the very same railway car that the Germans in the Great War were forced
to surrender to the French.
27. What role did geography play in the German victory over France? Explain.
28. In what other wars have we seen geography play a role in one side’s victory?
Explain.
29. Why do you think the British withdrew from France and left the French on
their own against the Germans?
30. Would you have done the same as the British? Why?
Battle of Britain
After France’s surrender, Germany’s main goal was to conquer the British in the United
Kingdom. From July to September of 1940, Germany bombed the United Kingdom,
particularly the British capital city of London, which was heavily bombed by the
Germans, resulting in numerous civilian casualties. In the course of these months of air
battles, the British lost 900 planes to Germany’s loss of 1,700 planes. The primary
reason for the British victory was the use of radar by the British to detect incoming
German airplanes and intercept them before they could arrive at their targets. The
British also benefitted from supplies sent by American convoy ships.
After Germany’s huge losses in the Battle of Britain, Hitler postponed his invasion of
Britain and instead turned to attack the Soviet Union in the east.
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World War II (1939 – 1945) and the Cold War (1947 – 1991)
31. What was the one main factor that helped the British defeat the Germans at
the Battle of Britain? Explain.
32. What other wars have we seen technology play a key role in one side’s
victory? Explain.
33. What role do you think technology will play in future wars?
Italy
Italy, led by Mussolini, joined Germany as part of the Axis powers on June, 1940 and
declared war on Britain and France. Italy joined too late to help the Germans in France,
and the Italians had no real air force to speak of. Italy began attacking British forces in
Eastern Africa, where it won, and in North Africa, where it lost. Italy also attacked
Greece and failed. It was at this point that Germany helped Italy and invaded Greece
by first invading neutral Yugoslavia, which quickly surrendered.
34. In your opinion, was Italy a good ally? Explain.
The Invasion of
Russia (Operation
Barbarossa)
Germany began the
invasion of the Soviet
Union on June 22, 1941.
Germany invaded with
over 4 million soldiers
and planned the
conquest of the Soviet
Union to be complete by
the winter of 1941. In the
first week of the German
invasion they destroyed
over 5,000 Soviet
planes, with few losses
to the German air force.
The leader of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin, ordered his army to fight to the last man
and conduct a scorched-earth tactic, which meant that whatever resources they could
not carry away, they were to burn so that the Germans could not use it. The Russians
thus destroyed roads and bridges, burned fields of crops, and demolished or emptied
many factories. Some major factories were even disassembled and moved eastward
out of danger. The scorched-earth policy was effective and slowed the advancing
German armies.
The British and Americans began supplying the Soviets through their northern port
cities. Hitler had already planned to have defeated the Soviets by winter, and when
winter finally arrived, his armies were still fighting. As a result, many German soldiers
died from frostbite and large numbers of German equipment (tanks, guns, etc.)
malfunctioned in the cold weather.
Germany continued to fight in the Soviet Union, both in the winter of 1941 and through
the next year and into the winter of 1942. In this time, they managed to kill 20 million
Soviets, and lost over 1 million of their own soldiers.
35. Was Germany’s invasion of Russia a betrayal? What about the saying, “All’s
fair in love and war”?
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36. What evidence was there in Germany’s past behavior that would indicate its
future behavior towards Russia?
37. Was the German invasion of Russia a success? Explain.
38. Would you have attacked Russia if you were the leader of Germany? Why?
39. Explain below what your plan to win World War II would have been if you
were in Hitler’s place.
Figure 2: Pacific Theater
The War in the Pacific
Japan and the United States
In the meantime, the United States was becoming more and more of a problem for
Japan. Throughout the 1930s, the United States and many European nations, suffering
from the Great Depression, created high protective tariffs. These tariffs greatly reduced
Japanese export of goods and made worse the effects of Japan’s economic
depression. In July 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt decided not to renew trade
treaties with Japan and this effectively eliminated Japan’s primary source of oil, scrap
metal, and other material resources needed for war. On September 27, 1940, Japan
signed the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy. The pact made the three nations
official allies.
40. How would Japan feel towards the United States because of these tariffs and
refusal to trade? Why?
41. If the United States had kept trading with Japan, would Japan have still
become allies with Germany and Italy? Why?
The United States Prepares for War
Although the United States remained officially neutral during the first two years of World
War II, the United States provided material support first to Britain and later to the Soviet
Union, secretly at first but then openly later. The American people also paid close
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attention to the events developing in the Pacific and, by mid-1941, considered war with
both Japan and Germany to be likely possibilities.
U.S. intelligence services had direct access to Japanese coded
transmissions, so U.S. officials were well aware that the Japanese were planning
something against them—they just did not know precisely what.
Indochina
Indochina was a French colony in Southeast Asia comprising the present-day nations
Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. On July 20, 1941, Japanese troops entered the region
and quickly occupied the entire area. Japan justified the occupation as necessary in
order to deny resources to the Chinese resistance. However, Indochina also provided
Japan with a convenient base for launching attacks against other countries and
territories in the region, including Singapore and the Dutch East Indies. Both the United
States and Britain saw this move as a threat and a clear indication of Japan’s intention
to continue its expansion throughout the Pacific Rim. The two countries expressed their
disapproval by freezing1 Japanese bank accounts.
42. What was the main point of disagreement between Japan and the United
States in the Pacific?
The Japanese Attack Plan
As early as January 1941, Admiral Yamamoto developed a plan for attacking the U.S.
fleet at Pearl Harbor and carried out training exercises to prepare specifically for such
an attack. In October, the Japanese emperor, Hirohito, gave his general approval for
action against the United States and, on November 8, approved the specific Pearl
Harbor attack plan. On November 25–26, the Japanese fleet set sail from Japan, its
goal was to make a permanent end to Western interference in its affairs by obliterating
the U.S. and British military in the Pacific.
Pearl Harbor
On the morning of December 7, 1941, a fleet of six aircraft carriers, twenty-five
submarines, and nearly three dozen additional support ships was sitting 200 miles
north of the Hawaiian island of Oahu—in the open sea, far beyond the line of sight of
any U.S. forces.
The first wave of Japanese planes numbered more than 180. Although U.S.
radar operators saw the massive formation nearly a full hour before the attack began,
they raised no alarm, because they mistook the planes for a group of U.S. bombers
expected to arrive from California around the same time. This mistake happened in
spite of the fact that the planes seen on the radar were coming from the wrong direction
and were much more numerous than the expected bomber fleet.
The first wave arrived at the U.S. Navy base at Pearl Harbor at 7:55 a.m. and
achieved complete surprise; only nine Japanese planes were lost. The primary targets
were major U.S. warships, most of which were docked close together in neat lines.
These included eight of the nine battleships in the U.S. Pacific Fleet, along with several
dozen other warships. The Japanese also targeted six nearby military airfields. A
second attack wave of more than 160 planes followed just over an hour later. By this
time, the Americans were well alerted and managed to bring down twenty Japanese
planes.
1
This meant that Japan could not access its money in banks in the U.S. and
U.K.
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World War II (1939 – 1945) and the Cold War (1947 – 1991)
In all, the attack on Pearl Harbor killed 2,402 Americans, destroyed five battleships
completely, put three more out of commission, sank or seriously damaged at least
eleven other warships, and destroyed nearly more than 180 aircraft on the ground. The
only good luck the U.S. Navy had was that none of its aircraft carriers were in port at
the time and that the Japanese bombers failed to hit the large fuel reserves in the area.
In addition to attacking Pearl Harbor that day, Japan also attacked the U.S.
territories of Guam, the Philippines, Wake Island, and Midway Island, as well as British
colonies in Malaya and Hong Kong.
Declarations of War
The next day, December 8, President Roosevelt went before both houses of the U.S.
Congress to request a declaration of war against Japan; after a vote, the declaration
was formalized just hours later. Britain declared war on Japan on the same day. Three
days later, on December 11, Germany declared war on the United States. Thus, the
United States was now at war with both Japan and Germany and able to enter fully into
its alliance with Britain.
Reaction in the United States
The story of the attack on Pearl Harbor has become a part of American culture. For the
American population, the event was a traumatic shock, as few regular Americans knew
much about the events in Japan leading up to the war or about the level of hostility that
Japan bore toward the United States.
Britain’s prime minister, Winston Churchill, was desperate for active U.S.
participation and had long been pressing his old friend Roosevelt to enter the war.
Some historians argue that British intelligence had specific information about the Pearl
Harbor attack and that Churchill deliberately kept the information to himself so that the
United States would finally go to war. These claims, however, remain unconfirmed.
43. What was Japan’s goal in attacking the American fleet at Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii? Did it achieve this goal? Explain.
44. Did the United States have any warnings that Japan might attack them?
45. Was Japan’s sneak attack a part of total war? Was it right to attack the
United States in this way? Why?
46. If you were Churchill, the leader of the United Kingdom, and you knew that
Japan was planning on attacking the United States, would you have told the
United States about the planned attack? Why?
America during World War II
Food, gas and clothing were rationed. Communities conducted scrap metal drives. To
help build the weapons necessary to win the war, women found employment as
electricians, welders and riveters in defense plants. People in the U.S. grew
increasingly dependent on radio reports for news of the fighting overseas. And, while
popular entertainment served to demonize the nation’s enemies, it also was viewed as
an escapist outlet that allowed Americans brief escapes from war worries.
47. How were the lives of ordinary Americans affected by WWII?
THE PLIGHT OF JAPANESE AMERICANS
Not all American citizens were allowed to retain their independence during World War
II. Just over two months after Pearl Harbor, U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt (18821945) signed into law Executive Order 9066, which resulted in the removal from their
communities and the subsequent imprisonment of all Americans of Japanese descent
who resided on the West Coast.
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Executive Order 9066 was the offshoot of a combination of wartime panic and the
belief on the part of some that anyone of Japanese ancestry, even those who were
born in the U.S., was somehow capable of disloyalty and treachery. As a result of the
order, nearly 120,000 Japanese Americans were sent to makeshift “relocation” camps.
Despite the internment of their family members, young Japanese-American men fought
bravely in Italy, France and Germany between 1943 and 1945 as members of the U.S.
Army’s 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry. By the end of the war, the 100th had become
the most decorated combat unit of its size in Army history.
48. Why do you think only Japanese Americans were placed in internment
camps and not German or Italian Americans?
AFRICAN AMERICANS DURING WWII
The Tuskegee airmen were the first black servicemen to serve as military aviators in
the U.S. armed forces, flying with distinction during World War II. Though subject to
racial discrimination both at home and abroad, the 996 pilots and more than 15,000
ground personnel who served with the all-black units would be credited with some
15,500 combat sorties and earn over 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses for their
achievements. It is ironic that segregation still existed in the U.S. for these AfricanAmericans, since German and Italian prisoners of war were allowed to freely eat at
restaurants African-Americans were forbidden to even enter.
The highly publicized successes of the Tuskegee Airmen helped pave the way for
the eventual integration of the U.S. armed forces under President Harry Truman in
1948.
49. Why do you believe African-Americans still fought for America, even knowing
they still faced segregation, discrimination, and racism at home?
50. Map out the numbered events below on your map of the Pacific Theater.
51. Why did Japan lose the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway?
52. What piece of technology allowed the United States to defeat Japan’s forces
in the Pacific?
53. What was Japan’s New Plan? What was one advantage to the plan? What
was one disadvantage?
54. Do you think Japan’s New Plan was a good one? Explain.
Event 1) The Japanese Onslaught
After its initial attacks on Pearl Harbor and Allied interests throughout the Pacific, the
Japanese navy continued to expand its conquests over the coming months. On
February 15, 1942, Japanese forces took Malaya, a humiliating defeat for the United
Kingdom. On March 9, after a series of sea battles, the Dutch East Indies surrendered.
On April 9, the U.S. territory of the Philippines also fell to Japan. Island colonies,
territories, and nations in Southeast Asia continued to fall one after the other as
Japanese forces exploded across the South China Sea and into the Bay of Bengal,
threatening Burma and even India.
Event 2) The Doolittle Raid
On April 18, 1942, U.S. forces launched a daring air raid to demonstrate that Japan
itself was vulnerable to Allied attack. Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle led the attack,
which came from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet. The bombers flew more than 800
miles to Japan, where they dropped bombs on oil and naval facilities in Tokyo and
several other cities. The planes then continued on to China to land. Although the raid
did minimal damage to Japan, it was a powerful psychological victory for the United
States and demonstrated that the Japanese homeland could be attacked.
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Event 3) The Battle of the Coral Sea
By late spring 1942, Japan had captured most of Southeast Asia and turned its
attention southward. In early May, Japanese invasion fleets were ordered to take over
Tulagi in the Solomon Islands and Port Moresby on New Guinea—the location of a
major Allied base and the last Allied outpost standing between the Japanese navy and
Australia. U.S. forces in the area were alerted in advance because of intercepted
Japanese radio transmissions.
The Americans and Japanese fought on May 7 in the Battle of the Coral Sea.
The entire battle was carried out by carrier-based aircraft, without any ships
exchanging shots—the first time in history that a naval battle was waged exclusively
from the air. Both sides suffered heavy losses. While losses were roughly equal for
each side, the Allied forces succeeded in their goal of protecting Port Moresby.
Event 4) Japan’s New Plan
Following the humiliation of the Doolittle Raid and the failure to take Port Moresby
during the Battle of the Coral Sea, Japan knew that something had to be done to
eliminate the threat from U.S. aircraft carriers. Admiral Yamamoto, who had planned
the Pearl Harbor attack, was again put in charge.
Yamamoto’s plan involved a massive attack on the Pacific island of Midway
and a second, smaller attack on the Aleutian Islands of Alaska with the intent of
drawing part of the U.S. Navy away from Midway. The Japanese assembled a huge
armada of more than 150 ships for the attack, including four aircraft carriers and seven
battleships.
As with the Battle of the Coral Sea, however, U.S. intelligence managed to
decipher Japanese coded transmissions and determine where the actual attack would
take place. The United States responded by sending its entire Pacific Fleet to Midway.
Event 5) The Battle of Midway
Japan started its attack early in the morning on June 4, bombing the U.S. base on
Midway Island. The Battle of Midway was over by the end of the day. In all, the United
States lost one aircraft carrier, one destroyer, nearly 150 airplanes, and just over 300
men. The Japanese losses were far worse: four aircraft carriers, along with more than
230 airplanes and more than 2,000 men.
Event 6) Japan on the Defensive
The nature of the war in the Pacific changed dramatically during the first half of 1942.
Japan had begun with a strong offensive but quickly overextended itself by conquering
most of Southeast Asia. Furthermore, Japan underestimated the U.S. Navy and took a
risky gamble in its attack on Midway. Japan’s losses at Coral Sea and Midway forced it
to shift into a defensive mode. Never again would Australia or the U.S. mainland face a
serious danger from Japanese attack.
America would “island hop” from one island group in the Pacific to another,
coming ever closer to the Japanese home islands. Fighting during this time was brutal,
as the Japanese rarely surrendered and often fought to the last man. Eventually, the
Americans took islands close enough to Japan’s home islands that they could conduct
bombing raids of many Japanese cities.
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The end of the War
Yalta Conference (Feb 1945); Location: Crimea
Held during the war, on the surface, the Yalta conference seemed successful. The
Allies agreed a Protocol of Proceedings to:
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divide Germany into four ‘zones’, which Britain, France, the USA and the
USSR would occupy after the war.
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bring Nazi war-criminals to trial.
set up a Polish Provisional Government of National Unity 'pledged to the
holding of free and unfettered elections as soon as possible'.

help the freed peoples of Europe set up democratic and self-governing
countries by helping them to (a) maintain law and order; (b) carry out
emergency relief measures; (c) set up governments; and (d) hold
elections (this was called the 'Declaration of Liberated Europe').

set up a commission to look into reparations.
At Yalta, the negotiations went very much in Stalin's favour, but this was because
Roosevelt wanted Russian help in the Pacific, and was prepared to agree to almost
anything as long as Stalin agreed to go to war with Japan. Therefore, Stalin
promised that:

Russia would join the war in the Pacific, in return for occupation zones in

Russia also agreed to join the United Nations.
North Korea and Manchuria.
Although the Conference appeared successful, however, behind the scenes, tension
was growing, particularly about reparations, and about Poland. After the conference,
Churchill wrote to Roosevelt
that ‘The Soviet Union has
become a danger to the free
world.’ And on their return
home both he and
Roosevelt were criticized for
giving away too much to the
Soviets.
Page 18 of 23
World War II (1939 – 1945) and the Cold War (1947 – 1991)
Potsdam Conference (July 1945); Location: Germany
At Potsdam, the Allies met after the surrender of Germany (in May 1945) to finalise
the principls of the post-war peace – Potsdam was the Versailles of World War
II. Three factors meant that the Potsdam Conference was not successful:

Relations between the superpowers had worsened considerably since
Yalta. In March 1945, Stalin had invited the non-Communist Polish
leaders to meet him, and arrested them. Things had got so bad that, in
May 1945, the British Joint Planing Group had drawn up plans for
'Operation Unthinkable' - a 'total war ... to impose our will upon Russia'.

Meanwhile, Roosevelt had died, and America had a new president,
Truman, who was inclined to ‘get tough’ with the Russians.

Also, soon after he had arrived at the Conference, Truman learned (on
21 July) that America had tested the first atomic bomb. It gave the
Americans a huge military advantage over everyone else. It also meant
that Truman didn't need Stalin's help in Japan. Instead, Truman's main
aim at the conference was to find out from Stalin what date the Russians
intended to enter the war in the Pacific - something which (unlike
Roosevelt) he did NOT want.
So, at Potsdam, the arguments came out into the open.
The Conference agreed the following Protocols:
 to set up the four ‘zones of occupation’ in Germany. The Nazi Party,
government and laws were to be destroyed, and 'German education
shall be so controlled as completely to eliminate Nazi and militarist
doctrines and to make possible the successful development of
democratic ideas.
 to bring Nazi war-criminals to trial.
 to recognize the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity and
hold 'free and unfettered elections as soon as possible'.
 Russia was allowed to take reparations from the Soviet Zone, and also
10% of the industrial equipment of the western zones as reparations.
America and Britain could take reparations from their zones if they
wished.
President Truman presented it as a 'compromise', but in fact the Allies had disagreed
openly about:

the details of how to divide Germany.

the size of reparations Germany ought to pay.

Russian influence over the countries of eastern Europe.
Page 19 of 23
World War II (1939 – 1945) and the Cold War (1947 – 1991)
Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb
You are the President of the United States in 1945. Germany has
been defeated and the war in Europe is over. Our country has
been at war with the Japanese Empire for the last 4 years.
When you became President of the United States after the
death of President Roosevelt, you were informed of a secret
military program known as the “Manhattan Project”; a weapon of
mass destruction unlike anything the world has ever seen. This
“atomic bomb” uses the process of nuclear fission, splitting an
atom which releases an enormous amount of energy. The destruction caused by this bomb
would be catastrophic, and could potentially end the war.
You now have the duty as Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces to make the
decision of whether or not to use the atomic bomb against the Japanese. You hold a
meeting with your cabinet, in which they offer suggestions and make the case for and against
using the atomic bomb. During the meeting, you wrote down notes in your notebook about
what was said by your cabinet members:












The United States has been at war with Japan and Germany for 4 years. In that time,
the United States military has lost 416,800 soldiers in this war. This war has claimed 60
million lives (2.5% of the world’s population).
Using the atomic bomb could bring a swift end to the war.
The atomic bomb carries the equivalent power of 20,000 tons (40,000,000 lbs.) of TNT
explosive. Regular bombs only carry 2 tons of explosive. This means that the atomic
bomb is 10,000 times more powerful than a standard bomb. This could be seen as
excessive.
To the Japanese, the idea of surrender is disgraceful. Based on what we have seen in
our previous battles with them, we can expect the Japanese people to fight to the last
man.
The Japanese military has kept 2 million soldiers on the Japanese mainland to protect
themselves from invasion. It is estimated that an invasion of Japan would cost 1 million
American lives. Even still, success is not guaranteed. We believe that we could expect
heavy resistance from the Japanese, including bloody hand-to-hand combat in the
streets (including women and children).
Using the atomic bomb will kill and estimated 200,000 innocent civilians. The effects of
the bomb will be terrible. The bomb will destroy an entire city. Those within the blast
radius of the bomb will be vaporized instantly, and those who survive will have serious
burns and radiation poisoning. Radiation poisoning could impact the Japanese people
and environment for generations.
There is no guarantee that the Japanese will surrender because of this bomb. We have
been conducting bombing raids on Japan for 2 years, and the Japanese government
has shown no signs that civilian casualties will deter them.
After our military victories in the Pacific, we have effectively taken away the Japanese’s
ability to wage war or invade the United States and its territories. It is possible that we
can reach a peaceful solution.
Negotiations before Pearl Harbor with the Japanese were a failure. The Japanese have
shown that they can be untrustworthy.
We only have 2 atomic bombs. There has only been one successful test on this
weapon that has been done. It is possible that it will fail.
Successful use of the atomic bomb could lead to an arms race between the US and
Soviet Union. This could make the world unsafe.
Public support for the war is slipping. We have defeated the Germans and the
American people don’t understand why it is taking so long to defeat the Japanese. The
people are losing patience.
The decision is yours and yours alone to make. Once you have made your decision, you
need to write a speech to address the American people, justifying your decision. Your speech
should be at least 3 paragraphs, and you should give at least 3 reasons that you came to the
decision you did. Also, you need to show that you are aware of the consequences of your
decision, and that needs to be reflected in your speech.
Page 20 of 23
World War II (1939 – 1945) and the Cold War (1947 – 1991)
THE PACIFIC
In the Pacific, the Americans and Japanese fought from island to island (aka “Island
Hopping”), with the Americans steadily pushing the Japanese back to their home
islands. The president of the United States had initially planned for a normal invasion of
Japan much like the invasion of Germany in Europe, but his top military officials warned
him that minimum estimated American casualties for such an invasion would exceed
one million (up until this point only some 400,000 Americans had died in the war).
Japanese casualties in an invasion were predicted to be as high as 10 million (up until
this point some 2 million Japanese military had died in the war). President Harry
Truman made the decision to use the newly-created atomic bomb on the Japanese
cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. America had considered dropping these bombs on
Germany, but the decision was made to save them for later. The two bombs killed
200,000 people, mostly civilians. A few days later Japan surrendered and World War II
officially ended.
55. What is “island hopping”?
56. Why do you think the decision was made to drop the atomic bombs on
Japan, and NOT Germany?
57. Was Truman’s decision the correct one? Explain.
58. What would you have done if you had been President Truman? Why?
Page 21 of 23
World War II (1939 – 1945) and the Cold War (1947 – 1991)
The Holocaust
The Holocaust was the systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored
persecution and murder of approximately six million Jews (there were nine million living
in all of Europe) by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. The Nazis, who came to
power in Germany in January 1933, believed that Germans were "racially superior" and
that the Jews, deemed "inferior," were an alien threat to the so-called German racial
community.
During the era of the Holocaust, German authorities also targeted other
groups because of their perceived "racial inferiority": Roma (Gypsies), the disabled,
and some of the Slavic peoples (Polish, Russians, and others). Other groups were
persecuted on political, ideological, and behavioral grounds, among them Communists,
Socialists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and homosexuals.
ADMINISTRATION OF THE "FINAL SOLUTION"
In the early years of the Nazi regime, the National Socialist government
established concentration camps to detain real and imagined political and ideological
opponents. Increasingly in the years before the outbreak of war, SS and police officials
incarcerated Jews, Roma, and other victims of ethnic and racial hatred in these camps.
To concentrate and monitor the Jewish population as well as to facilitate later
deportation of the Jews, the Germans and their collaborators created ghettos, transit
camps, and forced-labor camps for Jews during the war years. The German authorities
also established numerous forced-labor camps, both in the so-called Greater German
Reich and in German-occupied territory, for non-Jews whose labor the Germans
sought to exploit.
Following the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, Einsatzgruppen (mobile killing
units) and, later, militarized battalions of Order Police officials, moved behind German
lines to carry out mass-murder operations against Jews, Roma, and Soviet state and
Communist Party officials. German SS and police units, supported by units of the
Wehrmacht (German army) and the SS, murdered more than a million Jewish men,
women, and children, and hundreds of thousands of others. Between 1941 and 1944,
Nazi German authorities deported millions of Jews from Germany, from occupied
territories, and from the countries of many of its Axis allies to ghettos and to killing
centers, often called extermination camps, where they were murdered in specially
developed gassing facilities.
THE END OF THE HOLOCAUST
In the final months of the war, SS guards moved camp inmates by train or on
forced marches, often called “death marches,” in an attempt to prevent the Allied
liberation of large numbers of prisoners. As Allied forces moved across Europe in a
series of offensives against Germany, they began to encounter and liberate
concentration camp prisoners, as well as prisoners en route by forced march from one
camp to another. The marches continued until May 7, 1945, the day the German armed
forces surrendered unconditionally to the Allies.
Page 22 of 23
World War II (1939 – 1945) and the Cold War (1947 – 1991)
After World War II (The Cold War) (1947-1991)
Warsaw Pact
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty
Organization)
Soviet Union
United States
?
?
?
?
59. What major countries are part of the NATO alliance? What alliance were
most of these countries in during World War II?
60. What major countries are part of the Warsaw Pact alliance? What alliance
were most of these countries in during World War II?
61. Based on the map above, which alliance do you think eventually won World
War II? Explain.
62. Create an alliances flip book showing the change in alliances between the
major countries of the world, beginning with the Great War, continuing with
World War II, and ending with the Cold War-era NATO and Warsaw Pact
alliances. Each map of your flip book should contain a brief summary of each
major nation in that alliance. The Summary should include the following
information:
a) Leader:
b) Government:
c) Goals:
Page 23 of 23