World War II

1. World War II History and Legacy Global History II Spiconardi

2. Axis Powers Germany Italy Japan Allies Great Britain France USA USSR The Belligerents

3. German Aggression Rebuilding of military Extreme nationalism Invasion of Poland in September 1, 1939 Britain and France declare war on Germany Italian invasion of Ethiopia Japanese Expansion Manchuria 1931 “Rape of Nanjing” Policy of Appeasement Europe did not want another world war Politicians feared being voted out of office in they supported war Had domestic problems (depression) to deal with Weak League of Nations Rise of Totalitarianism Causes

4. The Phony War • Other than Germany’s invasion of Poland there is no fighting between Germany & its allies and Great Britain and France • War really begins in April of 1940 as Nazi forces invade Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium

5. German invades France on May 16, 1940 Within two weeks Nazi forces are marching in the streets of Paris Charles de Gaulle flees to England and sets up exile government Hitler establishes a puppet government in southern France called the “Vichy Government” under Henri Pétain How did Germany defeat France so easily? Blitzkrieg (“Lightening War”) Massive bombings via planes, trucks, tanks all at high speed Hitler only invades half-way, which allows for evacuation of troops and resistance to Vichy government in southern France Occupation of France

6. Dunkirk Evacuation • England needs to evacuate 338,000 soldiers • Sends 860 boats to rescue British troops in German occupied France • Miraculously the British evacuate all troops without a single loss of life despite being attacked, but all supplies left behind • Moral boost to British

7. Bombings of London and Berlin • Hitler contemplated invading England • Decides to bomb London instead • Britain had most advanced radar system, which limits losses • Angry over bombing of London, Churchill orders bombing of Berlin, which is big blow to Hitler

8. Turning Point: U.S. Enters War • U.S. enters war after bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 • U.S. declares war on Japan • Italy and Germany declare war on U.S. • Tripartite Pact – Germany, Italy, & Japan agreed to declare war on U.S., if one of them was attacked by U.S. • Britain had wanted U.S. to enter war • Britain desperately needed U.S. aid

9. Turning Point: Crypto-Analysis • Britain able to break Germany’s Enigma Code • Britain also breaks Japan’s Purple Code • U.S. uses Navajo Indian language as their code • Unbreakable because there is no written Navajo language

10. Hitler goes back on Non-Aggression Pact and invades the Soviet Union in 1941 “Get rid of Russia and you get rid of Jewery.” Invasion of Russia harder than expected No roads  hurts supply routes Scorched Earth Policy Russians blow up everything in retreat Harsh Russian Winter Germans ill-prepared Battle of Stalingrad Germans outnumber Soviets 3:1 Urban Warfare Stalin orders no retreat Germany supplies must travel 100 miles Soviet supplies come across the river Germans surrender Stalingrad Germany has 3 days of national morning Turning Point: Stalingrad (1942)

11. Gen. Erwin Rommel The Desert Fox Germany’s top general Led troops in Northern Africa Front Hitler accuses Rommel of partaking in plot to kill him in 1944 Two options Suicide with hero’s funeral Treason Trial Battle of El-Alamein (1942) See-Saw battle in Africa British eventually win with U.S. aid Rommel wanted to surrender earlier, but Hitler made him stay until “last man standing” Battle of El-Alamein

12. Allies invade Italy in 1943 Hitler forced to send troops into Italy Takes troops away from other areas in Europe Mussolini surrounded Hitler sends helicopters in and rescues Mussolini End of Mussolini and Fascism in Italy Mussolini hides in German convoy with girlfriend He is discovered and arrested Taken to be shot, but girlfriend “jumps” in front of bullet Bodies hung in a Milanese market Invasion of Italy

13. D-Day: Liberation of France • U.S. leads invasion of Normandy beaches in France (June 6, 1944) • Allies break through German defenses • Advance to Paris • From Paris the Allies invade Germany

14. Yalta Conference • Stalin, Churchill, & Roosevelt meet • Plan for a post-World War II World • Germany would be divided into zones (temporarily) • Stalin would oversee creation of new government in Eastern Europe • Agreed to create United Nations

15. Germany Surrenders Soviets reach Berlin first End of Hitler Hitler is surrounded by Allied Forces Hitler hears small gun fire Marries mistress Writes out will, which bashes Jews Wife takes cyanide pill Hitler shoots himself V-E Day May 8, 1945 The War Ends: Europe

16. Warfare in the Pacific theater was brutal and slow Hot, humid, rough terrain, island hopping Mainly USA vs. Japan with some British help USSR declares war on Japan day after atomic bomb is dropped The Atomic Bomb Hiroshima bombed 8/6/1945 70,000 killed Nagasaki bombed 8/9/1945 40,000 killed The War Ends: The Pacific V-J Day: September 2, 1945

17. Human Losses 75 million dead 38 million Europeans 22 million Soviets Economic Losses England, Germany, and Japan hardest hit Marshall Plan US gives aid to rebuild Europe Nuremberg Trials 22 Nazi leaders put on trial for “war crimes against humanity” Many fled to South America Occupied Nations Western nations occupied West Germany and Japan to promote democracy USSR occupied East Germany and eastern Europe to promote Communism Impact of World War II

18. Beginnings of Cold War Europe divided into West Democracies East Communist Arms Race Questioning of Humanity Writers and Movies explore evils of humanity Brutality that had not been witnessed before The United Nations New international body that provides: Place to discuss world problems Develop solutions to world problems General Assembly All nations members and get one vote Security Council 15 members (5 permanent: US, Russia, France, Great Britain, China) Impact of World War II