WORLD WAR II

1. WORLD WAR II A Three-front War

2. When studying World War II, think of THREE parts . . . • The part of the war that was fought in EUROPE against Nazi Germany and its ally, Italy • The part of the war that was fought in the Pacific against Japan • The contributions made at home by the American citizens

3. Three Enemies THE AXIS Powers had THREE major members. • GERMANY, led by HITLER and the NAZIS • ITALY, led by MUSSOLINI and the FASCISTS. • JAPAN, Where General TOJO has replaced the civilian Prime Minister.

4. Three Allies (Friends) • The United States and President Roosevelt (FDR). • Great Britain and Prime Minister Winston Churchill. • The Soviet Union and Premier Joseph Stalin.

5. AS WE TALK ABOUT WWII… • THINK ABOUT WAYS WE HAVE CHANGED AS A NATION AS A RESULT OF FIGHTING THIS WAR Changes as a World Power Changes in U.S. LAW and Civil Rights • Changes in how we see ourselves as a nation.

6. First . . . THE EUROPEAN FRONT

7. Think back to the Treaty of Versailles In the years following World War I, Germany tried democracy, but it failed. • Germans were angry about losing World War I and then being blamed for it • Germany’s Army was limited to 100,000 men • Germany’s industrial region and other land was taken away • Germany was saddled with $33 billion in reparations

8. And . . . • Germany was experiencing a depression of its own that was worse than the one in America. The depression led to– inflation high prices over a long period of time. • Germany added to their own problems by printing more money to pay debts. • For example, a chocolate bar cost Americans a nickel; it cost Germans $150,000 marks (the German “dollar”). In 1923, $1 in the United States equaled 4.2 trillion marks. In other words, Germany’s currency was worthless.

9. In short . . . Germany had been totally defeated and had been humiliated, shamed, disgraced, and dishonored. Its citizens were struggling under the punishment imposed by the World War I allies.

10. In a time of instability, The German people turned to the extremism of Adolf Hitler and his Party Adolf Hitler

11. Hitler preached nationalism – the belief that your country is more important than anything else. He blamed Germany’s problems on different ethnic groups, most notably people of Jewish Descent .

12. 1. He promised them a proud Germany that was strong and powerful again. 2. He promised to solve the economic problems. 3. He said Germany could regain the land it lost and that Germans would feel good about their country again. Why was Hitler chosen? Why did people follow him? And they believed him.

13. In 1936,Hitler made an alliance with Italy, who felt it had been cheated when the “prizes” from World War I were handed out (remember, Italy was on the Allies’ side in World War I.) Benito Mussolini, Leader of Italy during World War II

14. APPEASEMENT • When Italy invaded Ethiopia, the rest of the world did nothing. "It is us today. It will be you tomorrow” Haile Selassie • When Germany sent troops to the French Occupied Rhineland, the Rest of the world did nothing. • When Germany threatened to take part of Czechoslovakia, the rest of the world let them take it. They wanted to avoid war.

15. Three Causes of WWII • German resentment over the Treaty of Versailles and German Suffering from the Great Depression. • The rise of Nationalism in Europe. • The policy of APPEASEMENT The failure of the rest of the world to react to AXIS aggression.

16. Hitler made a secret agreement with Stalin to split Poland between the two nations. His army took Poland in three days using its blitzkrieg warfare (lightning war). ( later, in 1941, Hitler attacked the USSR too!) Britain declared war on September 3, 1939. This began World War II. Hitler’s tanks overran Poland in three days in what is known as blitzkrieg, or “lightning war.”

17. The United States did not become involved in World War II at this point. Americans were still not ready to fight another war – isolationism was still the feeling of the day. However, America did begin supplying Britain and other European countries with tanks, airplanes, ammunition and other materials.

18. Second . . . THE PACIFIC FRONT

19. Japan was expanding into China Japan needed resources for its expansion, especially oil and steel. It bought these resources from the United States.

20. America’s president was angry when Japan invaded China, so the United States cut off shipments of the very things that Japan needed – oil and steel.

21. In 1940, Japan joined Germany and Italy. Together, they became known as the AXIS POWERS

22. To get rid of U.S. interference, Japan launched its surprise attack against America’s navy that was based in the Pacific at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It was Sunday morning at 8:00 am on December 7, 1941. Now we were at war on two fronts. WHY?

23. This is President Roosevelt signing the declaration of war the day after the Pearl Harbor attack (remember, Congress declares War, not the president). Roosevelt called December 7, 1941, “a day which will live in infamy.” Infamy is being famous in a bad way.

24. Third . . . THE HOME FRONT

25. The home front isn’t a war we had to fight. Rather, it was the effort American citizens put forth to fight the war in Europe and the Pacific.

26. Three Thing to Remember About The Home Front • Factories changed production in order to supply the Army . • Since able bodied MEN were fighting, Women had to take over traditional male roles in the workplace. • It was important for soldiers to know that the nation was supporting their efforts.

27. The army needed supplies, and American industry responded. Factories that made cars in peacetime turned out planes (9,000 in the first year; 60,000 by 1944), tanks, and jeeps. Others made weapons, uniforms, and other supplies. And still others shipped food to the soldiers. WARTIME PRODUCTION

28. Women in WWII • Benefited from huge demand for labor because of wartime production • Many American women entered workforce for first time • “Rosie the Riveter”—icon of women worker • Women told it was their patriotic duty to work • Over 6 million women entered the workforce • Women who worked before the war were able to get better paying jobs when war began

29. Civilians did other things to help • They rationed their food and supplies so there’d be enough for the soldiers • They bought bonds, and the government used the money to fight the war • They had air raid drills in case the enemy attacked • They followed news about the war. Roosevelt often spoke on the radio about how the war was going – these were called fireside chats. • They sent letters and hand-made gifts to soldiers • They gave blood to the world’s first blood bank

30. Wartime Opportunities • 15 million Americans moved during the war, usually from rural areas to the cities • The west coast of the U.S. saw explosive growth with attendant problems of housing, school, and service shortages • Thousands of women took jobs in a wide range of areas never before open to them

31. Race in World War II • Racism in military • Soldiers of color enlisted, but in segregated units • Many of these units were the most decorated of the war • African-Americans: Tuskegee Airmen • Mexican-Americans: Company E of the 141st Regiment • Japanese Americans: 442nd Regimental Combat Team • Native-Americans: Served in Marine Corps as Navajo Code Talkers

33. Still, the efforts of Americans on the home front helped the Allies win on the other two fronts. The Allies defeated Italy first, then Germany surrendered on May 8, 1945. Japan surrendered on August 14, 1945 after the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.