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World War II. Introduction. LONG TERM CAUSES LEADING UP TO WORLD WAR II (WWII). Treaty of Versailles Germans were forced to: pay reparations Redraw boundaries and reduce territory Reduce the size of their military
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World War II Introduction
LONG TERM CAUSES LEADING UP TO WORLD WAR II (WWII) • Treaty of Versailles • Germans were forced to: • pay reparations • Redraw boundaries and reduce territory • Reduce the size of their military The Germans were upset with this treaty and the Weimar Republic for signing it because it made them look WEAK
Economic and Political Factors • Great Depression hit Germany hard • High unemployment rates • High inflation making German money worthless • Germans were afraid communists would take over • Hitler was seen as a defense against this
Appeasement (giving in to someone’s demands) • Americans passed Neutrality Acts to stay out of foreign affairs • France and Britain appeased Hitler and his violation of the Treaty of Versailles • Germany, Italy, and Japan united to form an alliance called the AXIS POWERS
Hitler invaded Austria, the Sudetenland and eventually all of Czechoslovakia • This territory was known as the “Third Reich” • Chamberlain appeased him to avoid another war, even though it violated the Treaty of Versailles
Hitler’s Leadership • Challenged the Treaty of Versailles • Rebuilt German military • Practiced territorial aggression to claim back land • Promoted extreme Nationalism • Encouraged Anti-Semitic Scapegoating
WWII Begins European Front
WORLD WAR II BEGINS • Hitler invaded Poland in 1939 • France and Britain promised that they would defend Poland if this happened • As a result, WWII began in September of 1939
WAR BEGINS • Hitler invaded Poland on Sept. 1, 1939 using a tactic called “Blitzkrieg” meaning “lightning war” • It was a very fast, forceful fighting tactic and Poland surrendered after one month • After this, the war was called a “phony war” because there wasn’t much fighting until April 1940 • Germany began invading Denmark, Norway, and other surrounding countries Before attacking France and Britain http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/media_nm.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10005137&MediaId=3376
JAPANESE INVOLVEMENT • Japan wanted to expand their empire and become an imperialist power • Japan invaded Manchuria (part of China) because it had many natural resources • The League of Nations investigated this invasion, and Japan withdrew their membership from the League • Japan allied with Germany • Thought they would invade Soviet Union together • When Germany signed Nazi-Soviet Pact, Japan instead invaded the South Pacific • Led to the attack on Hawaii
ALLIANCES • AXIS POWERSGermany, Italy, and Japan • ALLIED POWERS France, Great Britain, Poland • The Soviet Union made a non-aggression pact with Germany called Nazi-Soviet Pactpromising neutrality between the two countries
AXIS POWERS • Germany ~ Adolf Hitler • Italy~ Benito Mussolini • Japan~ Hideki Tojo
ALLIED POWERS • Great Britain • Neville Chamberlain until 1940 • Winston Churchill took over in 1940 • USA~ Franklin D. Roosevelt ~ until 1945 • Harry S. Truman ~ End of the war FDR Truman Churchill Chamberlain
US INVOLVEMENT • USA passed the Neutrality Acts in 1935, stating that we would not supply weapons to belligerent countries (countries at war) taking a position of isolationism • In 1941, the US passed the Lend-Lease Actswhich allowed us to supply weapons to the Allied Powers without going to war • Kept us directly out of the war, but showed that we supported Allies
US ROAD TO WAR • FDR and Churchill met in 1941 and wrote the Atlantic Charter • Document stated their democratic goals that both share • US also helped defend Britain against German submarines • US was showing support for Britain in the war
PEARL HARBOR • Dec. 7, 1941~ US naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was attacked by Japan • Dec. 8, 1941~ Congress declared war on Japan • Event caused the US to enter WWII as an Allied Power
SIGNIFICANT BATTLES OF WWII • Invasion of Poland~ began WWII • Battle of Stalingrad~ allowed Soviets to hold Germans back turning the tide of the war • Battle of El Alamein~ North African battle that turned the tide of the war on the European Front in favor of the Allies by causing Italy to eventually surrender
Bataan Death March~ united Philippines and US against Japanese when 10,000 people were killed • Battle of Midway~ air battle that turned the tide of the war in favor of the Allies on the Pacific Front • D-Day~ June 6, 1944~ led to the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany
END OF WAR IN EUROPE • V-E Day~ May 8, 1945 • Victory in Europe Day • Germany surrendered ending the war on the European Front
ATTACK ON JAPAN • Japan refused to surrender in the war • US dropped two atomic bombs in August of 1945 • Hiroshima ~ 80,000 killed • Nagasaki~ 40,000 killed • Led to the surrender of Japan
WAR ENDS IN JAPAN • V-J Day~ September 2, 1945 • Victory in Japan Day • Japan surrendered and World War II was over
EFFECTS OF THE WAR • Over 22 million military personnel died • 34 million wounded • Holocaust resulted in over 12 million deaths, 6 million being Jews • Millions of dollars spent on the war • Territory destroyed