WWII

Causes of WWII• 1) Great Depression: Worldwide economic

crisis puts too much stress on many countries

• 2) Treaty of Versailles: Unfair treaty after WWI punished Germany too severely

• 3) Failure of the League of Nations: League was too weak to stop Japanese, Italian, & German aggression

• 4) Japanese Aggression: Japanese military takes over Manchuria (part of China; 1931)

Causes of WWII

• 5) Italian Aggression: Italy attacks Ethiopia; 1935

• 6) German Aggression: After taking Austria and Czechoslovakia, Hitler invades Poland

The World in the 1930’s• The Soviet UnionThe Soviet Union

• Ruled by Ruled by dictatordictator Joseph Joseph StalinStalin

• TotalitarianTotalitarian government: government: the government and every the government and every aspect of the peoples’ lives aspect of the peoples’ lives is controlled by one partyis controlled by one party

• 5 year plans forced USSR 5 year plans forced USSR to modernizeto modernize

• Execution & torture of Execution & torture of political enemiespolitical enemies

Itaaly

• Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini in power

• Fascism = militarism, extreme nationalism (my country is always right) and total loyalty to the leader “Il Duce”

• Invaded and took over Ethiopia; 1935

Germany

• Germany kept taking more and more land from its neighbors while the League of Nations did nothing. Rhineland, Sudetenland, Austria

• Adolph Hitler & Nazi Party came to power by blaming Jews for Treaty of Versailles along with most of Germany's problems

• Fascist Government

• German invasion of Poland caused WWII in Europe

JapanDepression hurt Japanese economy

Military took over

Emperor Hirohito

Superior Japanese would conquer all of Asia

Invaded Manchuria, China; 1931

USA President: FDR Foreign policy of isolationism

(WWI) Focused on Western

Hemisphere Good Neighbor policy in Latin

America

WWII Begins• 1937; Asia:

• Japan begins total war with China

• The Rape of Nanking: 300,000 civilians & POW’s killed in 6 weeks

Europe• Hitler kept taking more and more land

• UK & France thought he would stop

• Agreed to give Czechoslovakia to Germany

• Appeasement at Munich

Peace in our time.

Sucker!

War in Europe• Summer, 1939: Nazi-Soviet Non-

aggression Pact

• September, 1939: -Blitzkrieg- Germany Invades Poland.– England & France declare war on Germany & its allies; Italy & Japan.

• 1940 Germany Invades France successfully using Manstein Plan (like Schleiffen Plan)

Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact

German Invasion of Poland

Germany Conquers France Germany Conquers France using Manstein Planusing Manstein Plan

Axis vs. Allies

Axis

Germany

Italy

Japan

Allies

England

France

USSR

USA

US Moves Toward War

• 1) Cash & Carry, Old Destroyers to UK.

• 2) More $ for the military, 1st peace-time draft declared

• 3) June 1941: Hitler launches surprise attack on Soviet Union breaking non-aggression pact

• 4) Lend-Lease Act: March 1941, allowed US to sell or lease military supplies to the Allies including U.S.S.R.

–Is this isolationism?

On December 7On December 7thth 1941 the Japanese Navy 1941 the Japanese Navy attacked the US Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, attacked the US Naval Base at Pearl Harbor,

Hawai’iHawai’i

The U.S.S. Arizona continues to leak oil in this 2004 photograph

WHY did the Japanese attack the United States?

Because

1) The U.S, was conducting an embargo which kept the Japanese from acquiring the raw materials and petroleum they needed to keep their war machine going

2) The Japanese knew that war with the U.S. was inevitable, so they hoped to destroy our navy before the war started.

Results of the AttackResults of the Attack2,388 people were 2,388 people were killed and another killed and another

1,178 were wounded.1,178 were wounded.Though the U.S. Navy Though the U.S. Navy

lost several ships lost several ships and many planes, and many planes, the damages were the damages were

not critical. not critical. Did not damage Did not damage

aircraft carriers. The aircraft carriers. The US will use those US will use those carriers to defeat carriers to defeat

Japan in a few yearsJapan in a few years

Reactions to the attack

Reactions to the attack

• US citizens want revenge

Reactions to the attack

• Congress declares war on Japan

• Germany and Italy declare war on US

The United States Goes to War

• Training: Army, Navy, & Air Force bases constructed all over the country to train combat troops.

• Women joined armed forces, not allowed in combat, many female pilots used for cargo flights

Production• Government takes

control of economy during the war

• War Production Board: government agency in charge of the economy. Helped factories convert to making military goods

• Unemployment went way down, production went way up, Depression over

Rationing• Most factories were producing

military goods, so consumer goods became scarce.

• The government limited amount of goods people could buy. Americans had to use coupons to buy many products. No coupons = no products

• Victory Gardens: Americans encouraged to grow their own food

• Government paid for the war by raising taxes and selling bonds

Women & the EconomyWomen & the Economy• Similar to WWI, many Similar to WWI, many

women worked in women worked in factories producing factories producing military goods.military goods.

• Over 5 million women Over 5 million women workedworked

• Many won better Many won better wages & hourswages & hours

• War work made War work made women more women more confident in confident in themselvesthemselves

African Americans• Many African Americans joined the

segregated military

• Similar to WWI, many African Americans moved to northern cities for factory work

• Double “V” Campaign: Victory in war & victory against discrimination at home. Reduced job discrimination

• African Americans served in all branches of armed forces

• Tuskegee Airmen: group of very successful, heroic African American fighter pilots

Japanese Internment

Because Pearl Harbor was a “sneak attack” Because Pearl Harbor was a “sneak attack” Americans began to distrust Americans of Americans began to distrust Americans of

Japanese or even Chinese descent.Japanese or even Chinese descent.

There were rumors that Japanese-American citizens would spy for Japan or sabotage the

war effort.

The U.S. government decided to lock up any Japanese-Americans

for the duration of

the war.

Internment camps were set-up in isolated areas of the country

Japanese-Americans were rounded and sent by train to their new “homes”

120,000 Japanese-Americans were placed in camps for the duration of the war.

More DiscriminationMore Discrimination

German & Italian German & Italian Americans also faced Americans also faced discriminationdiscrimination

Curfews, job Curfews, job discriminationdiscrimination

11,000 Germans & 11,000 Germans & several hundred Italian-several hundred Italian-Americans locked up for Americans locked up for the warthe war

Mexican Americans & the Bracero Program US didn’t have enough

workers 1942 treaty with Mexico:

allowed businesses to bring in Mexican laborers; The Bracero Program

Led to racial tension & fights between Mexicans & Anglos in the Southwest

Many Mexican-Americans served in military

Major Battles & Turning Points • Siege of

Stalingrad: Nazis running out of oil. Need to get oil in Caspian Sea. Can’t conquer Stalingrad. 900 day siege, Nazis fail. 1 million Soviets die.

Stalingrad

Stalingrad• Important

because the Soviets did not allow the Nazis to get the oil that their war machine needed.

• Tide of war began turning in favor of the Allies

The Japanese in the Pacific• By 1942 the

Japanese controlled much of the Pacific

• US Navy (aircraft carriers) started to turn the tide at the Battle of Wake Island

Battle of El Alamein• British

defeat Germans in Africa

• Beat German General Erwin Rommel

• Saved supply route

• Cut Nazis off from oil

Allied Supplies

Invasion of Italy, 1943

• Combined British & American invasion of Italy didn’t go very well, but it stretched the German army very thin

Invasion of Normandy (D-Day), 1944• Allies invade

France to free it from German control

• Created 2 Front war for Germany

• Germany will soon be overpowered by Allies

Allies Win, FDR Dies

• 1944: British, Americans, Soviets all close in on Berlin

• Hitler commits suicide in bunker, Germans surrender.

• FDR wins re-election in 1944, dies in 1945. Harry S Truman becomes President

War in the Pacific

• A. US Goals:

– i. Regain the Philippines

– ii. Invade the Japanese Islands

War in the Pacific…• B. Island Hopping: invade Japan by capturing

islands in the Pacific along the way

Island Hopping

• i. Navajo code-talkers help US forces communicate without Japanese interception

Island Hopping

• ii. Gen. MacArthur leads US forces to victory in Philippines, Iwo Jima, & Okinawa

II. Surrender of JapanII. Surrender of Japan

a.a. Potsdam Declaration: Allies demand Potsdam Declaration: Allies demand unconditional surrender or Japan will unconditional surrender or Japan will face, “prompt and utter destruction.”face, “prompt and utter destruction.”

b.b. Enola GayEnola Gay drops 1 drops 1stst atomic bomb on atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan; 70,000 people killed Hiroshima, Japan; 70,000 people killed instantly. 3 days later another a-bomb instantly. 3 days later another a-bomb dropped on Nagasaki. 40,000 people dropped on Nagasaki. 40,000 people killed instantly. Many more people die killed instantly. Many more people die later from radiation poisoning.later from radiation poisoning.

The Atomic Bomb

The Holocaust

• 6 million Jews, 5 million Gypsies, communists, homosexuals, mentally & physically disabled, POW’s, etc.

• Over 11 million people systematically murdered by the Nazi regime of Germany

The Nuremberg Trials• War crimes trials• 1945-1946: The

Allies put Nazi leaders on trial for the atrocities of the Holocaust

• “I was just following orders” not an excuse

• 12 Nazi leaders hanged for their crimes