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Power Shifts and Rising Tensions in Europe and Asia Before WWII

Learn about the dictators in power, aggressive nationalism, and rising tensions in Europe and Asia before the outbreak of World War II. Understand how the US reacted and how propaganda was used during the war.

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Power Shifts and Rising Tensions in Europe and Asia Before WWII

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  1. Who was in power in Europe/Asia before WWII? • Dictator: Leader with absolute power • Mussolini in Italy • Founded Fascist Party after WWI • Aggressive nationalism • Build military & expand borders • Nation over individual • Hitler in Germany • Prominent member of Nazi Party • Very similar to fascism • Fascists hate communists

  2. Who was in power in Europe/Asia before WWII? • Militarists in Japan • Military (not gov’t) invaded Manchuria in China for resources • Seized control of Japanese gov’t • Stalin in USSR • Seized power in 1926 after Lenin’s death • Tolerated no opposition • Had tens of millions of his own people killed

  3. How did the US react to rising tensions in Europe? • Read and complete notes for the section, America Turns to Neutrality onpage 587-588 • Focus on European alliances & American policy towards them

  4. What was the Holocaust? • Holocaust: genocide—mass killing—of Jews, communists, homosexuals, Romani, physically and mentally disabled • Nazis passed Nuremberg Laws • Restrictions on marriage, voting, employment, and travel • Kristallnacht, or night of broken glass, in 1938 • Used as justification for Gestapo, or special Nazi police, to arrest Jews

  5. What was the Holocaust? • Nazi’s Final Solution for Jews • Healthy sent to concentration camps as slave labor • Sick, old, young sent to extermination camps to be executed

  6. How did Americans feel about the tensions in Europe? • Many Americans supported isolationism • Stay out of international affairs & avoid war • Passed the Neutrality Act of 1935 • Illegal to sell arms to nations at war • Passed the Neutrality Act of 1937 • “Cash-and-carry” for non-military goods • Pay up front and pick up with own ships

  7. How did Americans feel about the tensions in Europe? • Roosevelt supported internationalism • Trade between nations helps everyone and prevents war

  8. We are assembled here tonight because we believe in an independent destiny for America. Such a destiny does not mean that we will build a wall around our country and isolate ourselves from contact with the rest of the world. But it does mean that the future of America will not be tied to these eternal wars in Europe. It means that American boys will not be sent across the ocean to die so that England or Germany or France or Spain may dominate the other nations. An independent American destiny means, on the one hand, that our soldiers will not have to fight everybody in the world who prefers some other system of life to ours. On the other hand, it means that we will fight anybody and everybody who attempts to interfere with our hemisphere. - Charles Lindbergh

  9. Why did the USA enter the war? • US aid to British & China • Neutrality Act of 1939—selling arms again • Lend-Lease Acts—$40 billion in arms to British/China on credit • Destroyers for Bases—warships for military bases • US sanctions against Japan • Oil, metal, other raw materials • Actions angered Axis Powers (Japan, ITA, GER)

  10. Why did the USA enter the war? • Japan enters peace talks w/ US • Intercepted message—Japan to war? • Surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, naval base in Hawaii, in Dec. 1941 • 200+ ships/airplanes destroyed, and 3,500+ casualties • FDR asks Congress for war • Congress eager to vote yes • Hitler declares war on US

  11. How was propaganda used during WWII? • Various media to increase support for the war • Financial support with war bonds • Recruitment to military • Make the enemy look foolish • Conserve or ration food/supplies • Prevent espionage • Encouraged civilians to join effort on home front

  12. How did the Allies plan to win the west-ern front? • Attack edges of German Empire • Invade North Africa—Patton v. Rommel (“Desert Fox”) • Battle on Atlantic • Convoys to protect ships • Factories at home front to replace them • Technology (radar, sonar, depth charges) to control seas • Destroy German economy • Bombs targeting railroads & factories • Turning point—Stalingrad, winter of 1942-1943

  13. How did the Allies plan to win the west-ern front? • North Africa to Sicily to Italy • Mussolini arrested, removed from power in 1943 • Conference in Tehran, Iran • Big Three: FDR, Stalin, Churchill • Three main goals • Open two-front war • Split GER after war • Create org to help keep peace

  14. How did the war in Europe end? • Gen. Eisenhower (Ike) in charge of invasion • 1.5 million Allied troops in GB • Hitler didn’t know when/where • D-Day on June 6, 1944 • Invasion to break through GER lines, push Nazis back into Germany • Battle of the Bulge • Hitler’s last major offensive • USA: “Nuts!” • Americans trapped, rescued by Patton

  15. How did the war in Europe end? • Allies & Soviets both on German soil  Berlin • Hitler commits suicide in bunker • Karl Doenitz as successor • Negotiates unconditional surrender on May 7, 1945 • Victory in Europe—VE Day on May 8, 1945

  16. What strategy did USA adopt in Pacific Theater? • Japan attacks Philippines • Gen. MacArthur evacuated • 80,000 American POW taken on Bataan Death March • Doolittle Raids—first bombs dropped on Tokyo • Battle of Midway—Hawaiian code breakers prevent surprise attack on US fleet • New US strategy: island hopping—island by island

  17. What strategy did USA adopt in Pacific Theater? • FDR suffers stroke & dies, succeeded by Harry Truman • Iwo Jima—close enough to bomb Japan • Used napalm—flammable jellylike liquid—to set Tokyo on fire • Okinawa—close enough to invade • Japan refused to surrender

  18. How did USA force Japan to surrender? • Manhattan Project—top secret gov’t program to build nuclear bomb • Led by J. Robert Oppenheimer • First successful test in New Mexico codenamed Trinity test • August 6, 1945: Little Boy dropped on Hiroshima • More than 50,000 instantly killed • August 9, 1945: Fat Man dropped on Nagsaki

  19. How did USA force Japan to surrender? • Manhattan Project—top secret gov’t program to build nuclear bomb • Led by J. Robert Oppenheimer • First successful test in New Mexico codenamed Trinity test • August 6, 1945: Little Boy dropped on Hiroshima • More than 50,000 instantly killed • August 9, 1945: Fat Man dropped on Nagasaki • Japan surrenders within a week • Victory in Japan (V-J Day) on August 14, 1945

  20. What happened after the war? • Formation of the United Nations • Political organization where countries could discuss, vote on, and peacefully solve issues • Nuremberg Trials • USA, Britain, France, and Soviet Union tried Nazis for war crimes • Many Nazi and Japanese leaders executed

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