World War II

1. World War II

2. Events leading to a second war • World War I leaves Europe in ruins • 1919: Versailles Treaty leaves Germany powerless • 1920: Adolph Hitler forms N.S.D.A.P. or German Worker’s Party • the Political Ideology Of National Socialism or Nazism • 1921-33: Severe economic depression grips Europe. Hyperinflation devalues German Mark

3. 1932: Nazis make a strong showing in Parliamentary elections gaining popularity among people • 1933: Hitler appointed Chancellor by the aging President Von Hindenburg. • The Enabling Act is passed by the Reichstag making him total ruler of Germany • 1934: Rearmament begins against restrictions of the Versailles Treaty. 

4. 1936: Hitler reoccupies the Rhineland without opposition • 1938: Austria is annexed by Germany. All opposition is silenced, including the assassination of the prime minister. • The Munich Conference gives Hitler the Sudetenland • Czechoslovakia falls to Germany • 1939: Invasion of Poland by Germany & USSR

5. Taking Sides • The belligerents during World War II fought as partners in one of two major alliances: the Axis and the Allies. • The three principal partners in the Axis alliance were Germany, Italy, and Japan • The Allies were made up of a total of 50 countries, led by Great Britain, the Soviet Union, France, China and the United States

6. Axis Powers The Axis partners had two common interests: 1) territorial expansion and foundation of empires based on military conquest and the overthrow of the post-World War I international order 2) the destruction or neutralization of Soviet Communism.

8. American Reaction To World Events • 1930-1939 American isolationism grows in strength as the Depression worsened • The America First Movement was given support by famous Americans such as Charles Lindbergh • It upheld a policy of non-involvement in European affairs.

9. The strength of isolationism was represented by the passage of the Neutrality Acts of 1935 and 1937. The Neutrality Acts • Prevented the sale of arms to warring powers • Allowed the President to ok a sale of arms; • Sales of Arms had to be done on a cash and carry basis • Prohibited Americans from traveling on belligerent ships

10. Events of World War II Before American Involvement • Invasion of Poland: Sept. 1, 1939 • The USSR invaded: Sept. 17,1939 • taking eastern Poland • Hitler based his attack on the right to reoccupy the Danzig Corridor, part of Germany given to Poland after WWI • "Sitzkrieg" or "sitting war" • The Phony War • Both sides prepared for war with no real fighting • September 1939 to April 1940

11. Blitkrieg • Lightning strike • German air assault • Luftwaffe • Air force

12. Hitler Invades Western Europe: April, 1940 • Norway and Denmark are occupied • Holland & Belgium are attacked

13. THE FALL OF FRANCE • French army collapsed after bombardments by the Luftwaffe and ground troops • Paris fell in June 1940 • Mussolini (Italian leader) attacked southern France • Over 33,000 British soldiers are evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk in North France using every boat available • France surrendered June 22 and was forced to sign a humiliating armistice

15. Battle of Britain • Britain was left alone to fight against the Axis Powers • British Royal Air Force devastated the Luftwaffe, causing Hitler to forego his plan a full scale invasion of England • “Never in the course of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few” • Winston Churchill Prime Minister of England

16. AMERICAN REACTION TO THE FALL OF FRANCE • FDR calls for increased air and naval power. • Two million men go into mobilization/training; later expanded to meet global needs  • Congress passes Alien Registration Act • Controlled immigrant movement (still in effect today) • FDR pledges to uphold the Monroe Doctrine to protect colonies of occupied nations

17. America Moves Toward War • FDR calls for peace in a special session of Congress • Pass the Selective Service Act • First peacetime draft in American History • Asks for increased defenses, Congress sets aside $1 billion  • FDR tried to get the dictators to stop the aggressions with personal messages. • Hitler joked about the message

18. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm1wuKvrxAw

19. The Neutrality Acts were repealed in 1939 to set up a "Zone of Defense" around America • Convergence shifts peacetime production into wartime manufacturing of military goods • Great Depression is over

20. Roosevelt encourages the “Lend-Lease Policy” • To sell or lease defense material to any nation he judged to be vital to the defense of the US • Compared it to lending a garden hose to your neighbor if his house was on fire • Enrages isolationists • Majority of Americans willing to help British • $7 billion Lend-Lease Bill passes Congress

21. Nazi-Soviet Pact • Non-aggression Pact • Signed by Hitler and Stalin • 1939 • Operation Barbarossa • June 22, 1941 • Germany shattered the Pact by invading the USSR • Lend-Lease aided the Soviets, though it was hard for US citizens to accept

22. Dr. Seuss & the War

25. Pacific Theater • Japan invaded China in 1937 • Unveils “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere” • Believed themselves superior • Wanted to annex colonies in Southeast Asia & the Western Pacific held by Europeans • Needed more resources (food, fuel, raw materials) • Japan relied on US for steel, oil, heavy equipment, and machine parts • FDR pledges to support China

27. 1937: US cuts off all oil and metal supplies to Japan • US moves Pacific Fleet from San Diego to Pearl Harbor, HI • 1940: US placed an embargo on Japan • All Japanese finances in U.S. are frozen.

28. Japan negotiates a defense treaty with Germany and Italy • Peace talks failed • Japan prepares for war with the US

29. December 7, 1941 • 7:40 AM: Japanese warplanes appear over Hawaii • “Tora, tora, tora” – message send back that the surprise had been complete • The Arizona and the Oklahoma were hit • More than 1600 killed • 9:00 AM: second wave of attacks

39. Total American carnage • 18 warships sunk or badly damaged • 300 planes lost • 2400 Americans dead • “Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan” • Franklin D. Roosevelt

40. It could have been worse • Two aircraft carriers were away on maneuvers • Japanese did not launch a third attack on the oil depots, machine shops and repair facilities • Damaged ships were repaired and back in service in two years

41. December 8, 1941: Congress declares war on Japan • December 11, 1941: Germany and Italy declare war on the US

43. More Pacific Attacks • Japanese move in against Guam, Wake Island, and the Philippines • In the Philippines • 100,000 US & Filipino troops surrendered after a month of fighting • General Douglas MacArthur was ordered to slip out leaving troops behind

45. Bataan Death March – • low on food, ammunition, and morale, men were dying from lack of nourishment • Japanese General discovered that there were many more men than he thought and was unable to transport all of them by truck to the prison camp • They marched the 70 miles • They committed random beatings and killed men without provocation • Anyone who tried to drink water who was not allowed to, was shot • When the men were allowed to rest, they were forced down on burning hot pavement

46. In 1946, General Homma was held responsible for the brutal treatment of the soldiers. He was tried, convicted, and executed that same year.

48. Homefront • Conversion of factories boosted the nation’s total production by 40% • Airplanes were produced (on average) every 63 minutes • Problem – finding enough people to work • Many people migrated from rural to urban areas and to the West Coast

49. Women • Women began working in increasing numbers • As welders, electricians, and on assembly lines

50. Rosie the Riveter • Rosie the Riveter – symbol of America’s new working woman