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WWII. 1939-1945 . The start. 21 years after WWI Causes Germans and Japanese wanted to expand their countries into empires. Conquering other countries Read Ch 12 section 2, start at WWII. Powers. ALLIES Britain France Soviet Union U.S. China. AXIS POWERS Germany Italy Japan.
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WWII 1939-1945
The start • 21 years after WWI • Causes • Germans and Japanese wanted to expand their countries into empires. • Conquering other countries • Read Ch 12 section 2, start at WWII
Powers • ALLIES • Britain • France • Soviet Union • U.S. • China • AXIS POWERS • Germany • Italy • Japan
The Rise of Totalitarian Rulers • The government has total control over the country and its citizens • Use violence to enforce laws and punish opposition • Regimes seized power in Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union
Italy • Mussolini rose to power • Fascism: government should include their own political party and no others. • Total government control of political, economic, religious, and cultural activities • Ll Duce- “the leader” • Used his private military squads- Blackshirts
Germany • Adolf Hitler rose to power • Nazi party • Private military squads- “brown shirts” • Nazis launched vicious verbal and physical attacks against Jews and opposition • When Germany’s President Paul von Hindenburg died in 1934, Hitler appointed himself Fuhrer and Reichskanzler (leader and Reich Chancellor) • Nazis abolished freedom of • Press, assembly, expression, and privacy • Many Jews were sent to concentration camps, harsh, brutal prisons
The Holocaust • Hitler used Jews as a scapegoat- unfairly blaming them for existing problems • Nazis took right away from Jews • Not German citizens • Fired them from their jobs • Took businesses and schools • The Holocaust • Systematic murder of about 6 million Jews and millions of other Europeans believed to be inferior and unfit to be German Citizens • Gypsies, Slavs, political enemies, handicapped, homosexuals.
The European War • Third Reich- German Empire that Hitler was creating as he took over countries (Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Poland) • September 1, 1939, Hitler invaded Poland. • GB and France declared war on Germany 2 days later • Start of WWII, largest and deadliest war ever fought, 40 million people
Battles • European Theater- war for control of Europe and the Soviet Union • Pacific Theater- where the US led the battle against Japan
European Theater • Soviet Union was under Joseph Stalin • Ruthless in domination over soviets • Wanted large empire • Made pact with Hitler not to attack each other, divide Poland • June 1941 Hitler broke the pact and invaded the SU • Stalin joined Allies
Battle of Stalingrad 1942 • Major turning point in eastern front of European Theater • Bloodiest battle in human history, 1-2 million • Centered around German’s attempt to defeat SU • Axis powers lost quarter of military force on eastern front • Soon after, Germans begin retreating
Western Front • Allied attempt to liberate western Europe from Hitler’s control • Led by GB and US • Churchill- GB leader during the war • Tremendous speaking voice and words rallied citizens • British withstood German bombing campaigns • Franklin Delano Roosevelt- US president during the war • Also had captivating speaking style • Did not commit troops and resourced until US was well prepared
D-Day • June 6, 1944 • Allied forces began their invasion of German-held Western Europe • Greatest seaborne invasion in history • Crossed the English Channel to land on the beaches of Normandy, France. • Lead by (lead by later US President Dwight D. Eisenhower. • SUCCESSFUL • Germany forced to Surrender on May 8, 1945.
Pacific Theater • US led the battle against Japan • Battle of Midway • June 1942 • Air battle • US victorious • US now had more sea power than Japan • US forces began fighting their way toward Japan
Australia and Pacific Islands were also part of the war. • 30000 Australians lost their lives in the war • President Roosevelt died April 1945 • Vice Pres. Harry Truman • He helped to end the war • Germany’s unconditional surrender May 7, 1945 • Potsdam Conference July 12- August 2, 1945, • August 1945 ordered two atomic bombs be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan • Brought about end to war. Officially on September 2, 1945
Start of the Cold War • The US and Soviet Union worked together to defeat Axis powers • They were left as superpowers- far more powerful than any other countries on Earth • Tensions grew • US was democratic Soviet Union was communist • Stalin wanted to spread communism. • US opposed expansion of Soviet power and communism • Became known as the Cold War • No actual fighting took place