Beginnings of World War II

Why? The failures of the Treaty of Versailles

Germany was punished and broke – anger was prevalent and the people looked for anyone who felt for them

Italy felt shorted by it – Fought with Allies but got nothing for it – refused Ethiopia

Economic Issues – gives rise to leaders with radical ideology Germany lost industry, military, and wealth – led to huge inflation and in a horrible

depression Germany is a hot bed of political turmoil – Communists and Socialists move in along with

Nationalists

Weak governments in Europe – Primarily the Weimar Government in Germany

No respect from their people They make many bad decisions that destroy the attitude of their people

Outcome of these factors: Totalitarian Rulers take over – rulers who control all aspects of their

people Use propaganda – control newspapers and other publications Censor all those who speak out against them Rule by fear and the promise of return to glory

Dictators Rise in Europe

Fascism – system of government that stresses glory of the state

Main Fascist leaders Benito Mussolini – Italian dictator who promised Italy would never be

overlooked again and that they would return to the glory of the Roman Empire

Adolf Hitler – German dictator who rose to power through the promise of ending German humiliation at hands of Treaty of Versailles and a return to the greatness of the Bismarck regime – also preached Anti-Semitism or discrimination against Jews and blamed them for German hardships

Fascism on the Rise

Francisco Franco – Spanish dictator who rose to power during the Spanish Civil War and received aid from both Hitler and Mussolini to help him gain control By gaining an ally in Spain – Hitler put a lot of pressure on France because

she was now surrounded by those who were against a strong France

Joseph Stalin – Communist leader who succeeded Lenin in Soviet Union. Was known for the brutal way he treated his people Took total control of his country and isolated it from the rest of the world Enacted many plans to create productivity in the nations farms and industry

Japan – became a totalitarian state after being denied any benefits after helping the Allies in World War I Military leaders ran the country with an Emperor as the head of the regime Became very militaristic

Other Dictators and Regimes

These totalitarian regimes became very aggressive: Japan invades Manchuria in China (1931) – wanted resources and control of more

land Italy invades Ethiopia (1935) – they wanted the land they felt they deserved in

Africa Spanish Civil War (1936) – started as a conflict between Communists and

Nationalists Fascists. This war saw the first real involvement of outside nations in a conflict Germany and Italy – helped the Nationalist/Fascists Soviet Union – sent aid to Communists United States – volunteers went to help republican government

Germany militarizes the Rhineland (1936) – troops were put into the Rhine River Valley on the French Boarder in violation of the Treaty of Versailles

The Anschluss (1938) – The unification of Germany and Austria under Adolf Hitler’s control

Sudetenland Conflict (1938) – Hitler and Germany move to take control of German speaking lands of Czechoslovakia

Neville Chamberlain – British Prime Minister – meets with Hitler and works out a supposed deal where Hitler is given lands and in turn he would not make any other moves of aggression on neighbors

Chamberlain said “we have a peace to last all time” – while holding Hitler’s signed document to stop with Sudetenland

Roots of War

Appeasement – giving into demands of an aggressive nation to avoid war and try to maintain peace Policy that was used by Great Britain and France to avoid war with Germany Idea of war was unpopular in these nations after World War I No one thought Hitler could actually have a war machine Main critic in Great Britain – Winston Churchill – rival to Chamberlain and

said that these actions are cowardly and will lead to war with a much stronger Germany

Hitler’s early aggression: March 1939 – Hitler takes the rest of Czechoslovakia – after agreement with

Chamberlain August 1939 – Hitler makes non-aggression pact with Soviet Union

Aimed to keep Soviet Union out of any conflict that was coming with France and Great Britain Hitler promised to never attack Soviet Union – Stalin promised to not get involved with German

affairs

September 1, 1939 – Hitler invades Poland Used military tactic called Blitzkrieg – Lightning War – use of massive air assault and fast

moving land based assault

War in Europe

September 3, 1939 – Great Britain and France declare war on Germany Great Britain and France now known as the Allies Leads to Hitler turning his attention back West and invasion of Allied lands

War moves West: There was a lull in fighting from end of 1939 to April of 1940 – called the Sitzkrieg – phony

war April 1940 – Hitler attacks Denmark and Norway – gave German’s access to Atlantic Ocean May 1940 – Netherlands and Belgium fall to German military – left only France to take

Dunkirk – port city where Germans trapped 350,000 allied troops, which the British rescued and brought back home

June 1940 – France surrenders to Germany Led to two main factions in France

Vichy France – French supporters of Hitler and those who helped him in taking France French Resistance – led by Charles de Gaulle who worked to take out Vichy France and German controllers

Great Britain left on her own against German aggression June/July 1940 – Battle of Britain begins – German bombardment with its air

force (Luftwaffe) of all London and other British targets – would lead to eventual invasion

Britain holds off German Luftwaffe – No ground assault was possible – MAJOR TURNING POINT!!!!

World War II Declared

Japan was already busy taking parts of China and some of the neighboring islands – caused it to see itself as the a great imperialist power

Events in the Pacific: 1934 – Japan expands Navy – violation of Washington Naval Conference

agreements 1936 – Signs Anti-Comintern Pact with Germany – showed it supported

Germany 1937 – Japan declares war on China – Massacres thousands in Nanjing 1940 – Japan forms military alliance with Germany and Italy – form the

Axis Powers 1941 – Japan takes French Indochina – threatened American and British

interests in Asia Showed that Japan was after major resource areas of India and Philippines – British and

American controlled regions

October 1941 – General Hideki Tojo takes over control of Japan – he was a strong nationalist who would go to war with anyone to make Japan a great empire

War in the Pacific

American attitude after World War I Many felt that the cost of World War I was so great that they did not want to

get into European or global affairs again American’s took on isolationist attitude – worry about U.S. affairs only

Many thought it was only enough to defend our country The Great Depression and hardships at home made this attitude even more prominent in the U.S. President Roosevelt was not an isolationist – he thought that the U.S. had a duty as a world

power to help put down any threats to global peace and security – wanted to join League of Nations

American Congress passes Neutrality Act (1935) – law meant to keep U.S. out of any foreign war

Also made it illegal for U.S. to make loans to warring nations

Changing American attitude: Roosevelt saw trouble coming when Italy invaded Ethiopia – but he had to

stay neutral Also bothered by aggressive actions of Germany and Japan – knew that this would eventually

cause issues for U.S.

Roosevelt gives Quarantine Speech (1937) – response to Japan’s invasion of China and he felt he had to wake America up to threat of war – compared war to spread of disease

America Goes to War

Still a fight to get isolationist view to give way 1938 – Roosevelt asks Congress for funds to build new Naval Vessels

Isolationists saw this as an act of a warring nation Congress approves the funds and construction of ships

1939 – Neutrality Laws changed – Roosevelt convinced Congress to do this after Germany’s invasion of Poland

Creates policy of Cash-And-Carry – countries at war could purchase American goods as long as they paid cash and picked up their own orders from American ports

1940 – Roosevelt pushes for a policy of “all aid short of war” Allowed Britain to trade for American warships

Election of 1940 – Isolationist View vs. Aid to Allies Roosevelt seeks 3rd term – opposed by Wendell Wilkie Roosevelt wins 3rd term – no one had ever served more than 2 terms

America secures ties with Great Britain 1940 – Lend-Lease Act passed – allowed U.S. to send weapons to Great Britain 1941 – Atlantic Charter signed – Roosevelt and Churchill make agreement to oppose

Germany and her allies (Italy and Japan) These two factors lead to German attacks with U-boats (Submarines) on U.S. ships in the Atlantic Charles Lindbergh and other isolationists formed the First Committee to fight against Roosevelt’s actions

American War Preparations

What led to this happening? American government had cut off supplies of oil, gas, and steel to Japan

because of issues in French Indochina and threats to American interests in Pacific – Japan was angry because they lost some ability to expand war machine

American view: Knew an attack would come – did not know where

Japan – had been planning a surprise attack of Pearl Harbor for some time U.S. planners knew that an attack here was possible December 1941 – Pearl Harbor was not prepared for any surprise attacks

December 7, 1941 – Japan bombs Pearl Harbor Using multiple waves of bombers from aircraft carriers the Japanese do a great

deal of damage to Pacific Fleet – but American aircraft carriers were out at sea and not attacked – JAPANESE MISTAKE!!!

2,400 Americans killed and many ships sunk – only 30 Japanese planes shot down

Pearl Harbor Attacked

Great anger and fear – thought that it could happen again Rumors of Japanese troops invading West Coast Japanese Submarines were supposedly spotted off coast of

California Japanese Americans were feared – Americans wanted them

contained Thought they would assist in any invasion

December 8, 1941 – Roosevelt asks and gets a Declaration of War against Japan

December 11, 1941 - Germany and Italy declare war on U.S.

American Reaction to Pearl Harbor

George C. Marshall – Army Chief of Staff who worked with Roosevelt on a plan for the war U.S. had been planning since 1940

Steps to getting U.S. ready for war: Expanded the Draft – had to get more troops and sailors to fight a

war in two separate parts of the world Women took an active role in helping the war effort –but could not

fight in frontline combat Joined WAVES – Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service Joined WASPs – Women Airforce Service Pilots – tested and delivered aircraft

Joined WAC – Women Army Corps – repaired equipment, worked as electricians, etc By 1943 – became full-fledged members of the army by join Women Army Corp which

was led by Oveta Culp Hobby – an army colonel

Americans built new military bases – primarily in rural areas Camp Hood and Randolph Airfield – Texas – bases were also home for German,

Italian, and Japanese Prisoners of War Also California and Florida saw the growth of many bases

Mobilizing the American Forces

Industry mobilized: Used to build a huge amount of needed war machinery – planes, tanks,

guns, bullets, cargo ships, and warships Government created new agencies to ensure American industry would

meet the needs of military Regulated what was made, the prices charged, and the use of raw materials Headed by American Businessmen

Office of Production Management – headed by Henry Knudsen and Sidney Hillman War Production Board – headed by Donald Nelson

Rosie the Riveter – became symbol of the industrial working woman who was needed because of men going off to fight war

National War Labor Board established in 1943 – helped to solve issues between workers and owners so that production was not slowed

Science mobilized – Manhattan Project – creation of an Atomic Bomb Led by Robert Oppenheimer Research started in 1939

Science and Industry Mobilized

African-Americans for the first time were allowed to fight as Marines Also saw first African-American officers in Navy

Discrimination still was prevalent against African-Americans at home even with their want to be in the war effort Segregated Units Did not receive awards for bravery – none won Medal of Honor

until 50 years after the war African-Americans found new opportunities in labor force

Still had to take lowest paid jobs A. Philip Randolph – Union leader who noticed unfair

treatment called for march on Washington which force Roosevelt to call for end of discrimination of African Americans in government or defense jobs

African-Americans and War Effort

Also saw opportunities in War Effort Bracero Program (1942) - Mexican workers had chance to

work temporarily in America because of need for farm laborers Led to increased tension in some communities – California saw violence

Zoot Suit Riots – violence breaking out in California in 1943 between white sailors and Mexican-American youths Hispanics remained loyal to America despite violence

Many fought in war effort

Hispanic Americans Plight