World War II

1. World War II US History Paul Dunn Instructor – 2005

2. Road To War • Aftermath of the Treaty of Versailles • Germany Lost Territory • Germany Lost Military • Germany was assigned total blame for war • Map was redrawn with nine new independent nations. Video Clip

3. Road to War • Joseph Stalin • Communist leader of Russia • Total gov’t control of all aspects of life • Did not tolerate dissent • Great purge • Killed an estimated 8-13 million of his own people • Eventual US Ally in the war Photo

4. Road to War • Benito Mussilini • Leader of Italy • Promoted Fascism • Military rule • Forced his way into power by threatening civil war to the king of Italy • Led a group of thugs called the “black shirts” (secret police) Photo

5. Road to War • Adolf Hitler • Formed the Nazi Party • Promoted Aryan race as the master race • Relied on hatred and rascim • Wrote Meine Kampfe (My Struggles) • Seized power through a series of brilliant political and military moves

6. Road to War • Emperor Hirohito • Royal leader of Japan • Real control of the country was in the hands of the Military (fascism) • Hungry for land and resources – especially oil • Invaded Manchuria - a province of China in 1931 • Viewed Japan as the rightful ruler of China and Southeast Asia

7. The Rise of Nationalism • Nationalism once again pushes the World towards armed conflict.

8. Clouds of War • Many regional conflicts erupt – Spain, Ethiopia, Annexation of Austria, Sudetenland • Set the stage for larger conflict • Policy of Appeasement – PM Neville Chamberlain of Great Britain – give Hitler what he wants to avoid war.

9. The Axis Powers

10. Axis Powers • Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini signed an alliance in 1936 that created the Axis Powers • They thought that the axis of Europe should revolve around Germany and Italy • Japan later joined the Axis Powers in late 1936

11. Adolf Hitler 52 min video clip

12. Russo-German Non-aggression Pact • Also referred to as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (August 1939) • Agreement between the Soviet Union and Germany where they agreed not to attack each other • Also granted the Soviets control of the Baltic states in the event of war • Hitler violated this pact when he invaded Russia later in the war Photo at the signing of the pact

13. Russo-German Non-aggression Pact Video clip

14. Fighting Begins • September 1, 1939 Germany Invades Poland • Britain and France immediately declare war on Germany • Germany also occupied Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania and attacked Finland and annexed part of its territory Video clip

15. Blitzkreig • Lightning War • Relied heavily on Air Support and long-range bombing to soften up enemy forces. • Used artillery to provide cover. • Used paratroopers to get behind enemy lines to cause problems for enemy supply lines, troop movements, communications and retreat avenues.

16. Blitzkrieg • Blitzkrieg (cont.) • 4. The tank was used as a mobile artillery piece to provide troop support • 5. Troops moved in armored personal carriers to allow faster movement

17. Blitzkrieg • Forced enemies to move rapidly or be overrun. • Required an elaborate system of logistics to keep troops supplied with fuel and ammunition • Autobahn • Air drops • Troop engineers – built roads, bridges etc. on the fly

18. Blitzkrieg Video clip

19. Maginot Line • Series of fortifications, tunnels, forts etc. that was designed and built by the French to buy time for mobilization in the event of German attack.

20. Maginot Line • The French did not extend the line of defense to the Ardennes Forest • They thought that it was so dense that no army would be able to move through it • This is where the Germans attacked

21. American Isolationism • The American Public was very hesitant to become involved in the conflict in Europe • Neutrality Acts (1935) – forbid the sale of arms and munitions to warring countries • FDR sent arms to aid China in 1937 and there was a public outcry

22. Invasion of France • Germany Invades France – May 10th 1940 • Paris Falls on June 22nd 1940 • Invasion route – Though the Ardennes Forest and Belgium into Northern France • Avoided Maginot Line

23. Invasion of France • Mussolini and Italian forces also invade southern France in a coordinated attack of the Axis Powers • Blitzkrieg was used as a battle tactic • French had forces concentrated on the Maginot Line and were out of position to mount effective defense

24. Invasion of France • Attack was well coordinated • Rapid advance on 2 Fronts • Pinned the bulk of French Troops • In the north of France

25. Miracle of Dunkirk • Nazi forces cut off the retreat of the French toward Paris and push those forces to the port of Dunkirk • British Navy and Merchant marine evacuated over 350,000 French troops to the British Isles in less than a week Video clip

26. Fall of France • Nazi and Italian forces then marched to Paris and occupied the city and the entire country • French leaders evacuated to England and set of the Vicci government (government in exile)

27. Occupied France

28. Lend-Lease • Lend Lease Act of 1941 • US to become the arsenal of Democracy • Changed our status from Neutral to Non-combatant • Provided arms to all nations that were at war with the axis powers • Eventually produced $50 billion in war goods • Germans began sub warfare on American ships in Atlantic • Military escorts for shipping Video clip Video Clip

29. Battle of Britain • Following the occupation of France, Hitler turns to England as his next conquest • London Blitz – used carpet bombing to totally destroy London and Britain’s industrial capacity • Royal air force wins the Battle for London and Hitler decides to let England “rot” for a while • Intends to invade the islands at a later date • Invention of Radar helps British win Battle • Importance of Lend-Lease Video clip

30. Atlantic Charter • Churchilland Roosevelt met on USS Augusta - August 1941 • Agreed to fight Nazi tyranny • Promote democracy throughout the world • Establish freedom of the High Seas • All Nations must abandon the use of force to resolve conflict • Create a lasting Peace • Basically laid the groundwork for the lasting alliance between the 2 countries

31. Path to Infamy • Relations with Japan deteriorate • Oil Embargo • Lend-Lease for Chinese • Japan leaves League of Nations • Japan tries to negotiate “peace” while planning attack on American Soil

32. OperationBarbarossa

33. Nazi Invasion of Soviet Union • Hitler violates the Russo-Soviet Non-aggression Pact and invades Russia • Hitler wanted the valuable food and oil resources that were available in the Ukraine Video Clip

34. Russian Retreat • Strategic Retreat • Fought fiercely and then pulled back • Had space and distance on their side • Created long supply lines for the Nazi’s • Russian resistance fighters – sabotage • Destroyed anything of use to the Nazi’s as they retreated – *Scorched Earth Policy

35. Defense of Stalingrad

36. Russian Stand at Stalingrad • Stalin told troops – No more retreat “Not one step backwards” • Soviet Lines held

37. Defense of Moscow and Counterattack • Nazi forces reached the outskirts of Moscow • Russian forces held • Counterattacked in December • German forces were weak and exhausted • 1200 miles supply lines were unreliable • Soviet forces began to slowly push back the Nazi forces • The march to Berlin had begun

38. Russian Counterattack

39. Nazi Invasion of the Soviet Union • Hitler made numerous mistakes here • Claimed he could conquer Russia in 6 weeks • Underestimated Russian resolve and fighting skill • Underestimated the nastiness of the Russian winter • Thought the Russians were “weak” and “stupid” • Added large nation and it’s resources to the “enemy” • Overestimates the ability and strength of his own forces – this trend continues throughout the remainder of the war • Ignores the advice of leading field generals – this trend also continues throughout the remainder of the war

40. Nazi Invasion of the Soviet Union • Hitler begins to fire generals that are not successful on the battlefield • This trend continues throughout the remainder of the war • Generals eventually withhold battle information and he begins to make decisions on incomplete data • Experienced Generals are replaced by “rookies” that make unnecessary mistakes

41. “The Day that will live in Infamy” Video Clip

42. Pearl Harbor • December 7th, 1941 Japanese surprise attack on the naval forces located in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii • 19 ships, damaged or sunk • 3,088 Americans killed in the attack

43. Japanese Plan of Attack • Surprise attack • Coordinated attack from air (6 aircraft carriers) and submarines (3-7 mini-subs) • Planned to Attack in 3 waves • Prevent ships from leaving harbor • Battleship Row • Destroy military facilities • Destroy repair facilities and fuel storage

44. Japanese plan of attack • Japanese pilots were able to practice for months on almost identical island in Japan • Main target was aircraft carriers, but they were out of Pearl Harbor on maneuvers • Battleships were lined up for maintenance and supplies in a series of docks • Large in-flight of US planes from carriers confused radar operators about attack

45. The Attack Begins • Complete surprise • Most troops were either in church or at reveille • All military installations were attacked simultaneously • US troops took significant time to mount a defense of the island • Japanese thought that the American Public would not support a war if we sustained heavy losses • Underestimated American resolve Video clip

46. 1st Wave • Tora, Tora Tora – roughly translated, means total strategic surprise • 7:55 AM Radar picked up in-flight of planes from the north, but it was ignored • Attack began at approximately 8:05AM at multiple locations • Series of blunders and coincidences led to heightened confusion and stall the defense of the island

47. The Second Wave • Chaos reigns during the hours after attack • Fear that the Japanese would launch ground attack • Island very vulnerable • High probability of success • Third Wave called off by admiral Yamamoto because he could not locate American Aircraft carriers • Huge mistake by the Japanese Military

48. Attack Aftermath • Martial Law • Rule by the military • Retaliation against Japanese who lived and worked on the Island • Salvage and search and rescue operations begin • Preparations for the defense against ground attack

49. Aftermath of the attack at Pearl Harbor

50. Losses at Pearl Harbor • 19 Ships including the Arizona and the Oklahoma • 14 of those ships were recovered and repaired and fought in the war • 92 naval aircraft and 96 Army aircraft were lost – 200+ were damaged • 2388 men killed, 1778 wounded • Japanese lost only 29 planes