WWII Dictators - Global Conflict and Resistance

1. WWII

2. Dictators of the World • Joseph Stalin • Leader of the Soviet Union, Communist • Totalitarianism—government that had complete control of its citizens • Benito Mussolini • Leader of Italy • Fascism—type of government that stresses importance of nationalism • Adolf Hitler • Leader of Germany • Hideki Tojo • Leader of Japan

4. German Problems • Issues with Germany • Germany was blamed for all of WWI. • Germany had to pay millions upon millions of dollars to countries effected by WWI. Germany was not allowed to have much of an army or navy. • Land was taken away from Germany • Hitler • Came to power, gave Germany a sense of hope • Nazism—political party that control the Germans, focused on making Germany powerful • Rebuilt Army, Increased the Spirit of the people

8. German Aggression • Hitler’s Plan • Hated people to the East of Germany • He wanted all of that area for “Lebensraum” which meant living space. • Hitler made his army extremely power, the rest of the world did not pay attention to what he was doing. • Hitler believed he had a right to invade all of the “low country lands” because most of the people living there were of German descent. • Blitzkrieg—Lighting Warfare, attack countries with extreme speed. (Hitler’s new strategy)

10. German Invasions • Early German Invasions • Invaded Austria, then Czechoslovakia. (Both had lots of Germans living there) • Appeasement • Western Leaders let Hitler invade these countries, made them promise to not to invade any more • Next German Invasions • Germany invaded Poland, broke a treaty with USSR • Caused Great Britain, France, and USSR to declare war on Germany. Italy decided to side with Germany (similar govts)

12. German Invasions • Final German Invasions • Algeria, Tunisia, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Czech, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Norway, and parts of the USSR • Italy • Invading lands in Africa, decided to join with Germany • Japan • Invading lands in the Pacific/Asia decided to join with Germany • Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan • Allied Powers: GB, France, USSR, USA

14. How we got ready for war • 10 million soldiers joined the armed forces • Every industry in America changed to meet the demands of a world war • All automobile makers switched from cars to military vehicles. • Shipyards and defense plants sprung up everywhere • Factories made war materials (bombs, guns, etc) • 18 million workers after Pearl Harbor, 6 million were women. • Defense plants hired over 2 million minorities (lots of them moved to the North)

15. Economic Changes • OPA—government organization that fought off inflation • War Protection Board—decided which companies would produce certain consumer goods. • Rationing—each household would receive a book that gave them a certain amount of goods such as meat, shoes, sugar, rubber, etc.. • This was a way to save goods for the military

16. European Conflict

17. The War for Europe • GB and America • The United States and Great Britain were very close • Franklin Roosevelt (US President) decided that Germany posed a greater threat so they decided to focus on them first. • Battle of the Atlantic • Hitler order submarine attacks against US ships that were carrying supplies to GB. • During the first four months of 1942, German U-Boats sank 87 US ships • Convoys, Planes, and US Subs helped occupy the German U-Boats (changed the outcome of this battle)

19. Germany invades USSR • German advance into USSR • Problem: USSR had way too many people, horrible winter • Battle of Stalingrad • Hitler wanted to wipe out the city of Stalingrad because it was a major industrial city. (and named after Stalin) • German Luftwaffe (Air Force) bombed Stalingrad for weeks. • Stalin ordered the city to be defended even though it was surrounded by the Germans. • Slow, guerilla style fighting. • Germans could never gain complete control of the city, eventually they were surrounded by the Soviet Army. • End Result: Soviets lost 1.1 million people, but were finally able to stop the German Advance

23. Africa • Stalin wanted America and GB to open a second front against Germany. • Operation Torch—Invasion of Axis controlled North Africa • Dwight Eisenhower—leader of this invasion and campaign. • Within a short time, the Allies were able to take control of most of Northern Africa.

26. Italy • Decided to attack Italy instead of going through France. • Won the island of Sicily fairly easily. • Hitler was determined to stop the Allied advance through Italy. • Italy was very difficult to fight in because of the bad land. • Allied forces would fight in Italy until the end of the war.

28. Varieties of People Serving • African Americans—Tuskegee Airmen, won two Distinguished Unit Citations • Mexican Americans • Japanese Americans—Fought in Italy and North Africa

29. Preparing for Invasion of France • Allies gathered about 3 million British, American, and Canadian troops in England • Eisenhower planned to attack the beaches of Normandy (located in France) • He tried to keep this a secret by setting up fake invasion sites (Calais)…Hitler put most of his generals there.

31. Actual Invasion of France • Operation Overlord (D-Day) • June 6th, 1944, the Allies began their invasion of France. • 3 Divisions of Paratroopers went down beyond German front lines. • Then thousands of soldiers invaded the coast. • This was the largest land/sea/air invasion in history. (book page 781)

34. Invasion • The Allies had a difficult time getting past all the German guns that were on the coast. • Omaha Beach saw the highest death rates. • After 7 days of fighting, the Allies had claimed an 80 mile strip of Northern France. • Within a month, the Allies were able to get a ton of supplies and men within France.

38. Advancing within France • George Patton • Leader of American Army • August 25th, they took back Paris from the Germans. American troops began moving all throughout France. • German Retreat • Leaving France, now in Belgium and Luxemburg

40. Battle of the Bulge • Hitler was trying to counterattack to break the Allied lines, he wanted to get back the Belgium city of Antwerp. • Hitler was able to break through the initial line, creating a bulge in the Allied Defense. • The battle would last for a month, until the Germans were forced back into Germany. • Germans lost 120,000 troops, 600 tanks, and 1,600 planes…there was nothing that the Germans could do but retreat….the war was almost over.

43. Death Camps • American and Soviet troops began to push towards the center of Germany. • Along the way, both sides would find numerous death camps used by the Germans.

44. End of European Front • By April of 1945, Soviet armies had invaded Berlin (capital of Germany). • Hitler committed suicide on April 30th, 1945. • VE-Day—Victory in Europe Day, May 8th 1945, the war in Europe was officially over. • On April 12th, President Roosevelt died, he was replaced by his vice president, Harry Truman

48. Other German Ideas • Holocaust • Hitler wanted to get rid of all “non-Aryans” • More than 11 million people would be killed throughout Europe. • Jews were the primary target, mainly because there was a history of hatred for the Jews. • Hitler was able to blame the Jews for causing WWI….people believed him. • Millions of Jews lived in the lands East of Germany

49. Holocaust • Kristallnacht • Night of Broken Glass • Nazi Storm Troopers attacked Jewish homes, businesses and synagogues • Thousands of Jews were arrested, hundreds were killed • Jewish attempt to leave • Tried to leave Germany , couldn’t find a home • 40,000 to France, 30,000 to Palestine, 80,000 to GB, 100,000 to USA (most Americans were against this)