From Isolation to Involvement

1. From Isolation to Involvement WWII

2. M.I. • While the US condemned the aggression of Europe and Asia, we did little to stop it. • Neutrality became difficult

3. “Peace in our time” • By 1940- German Army rebuilt • Many believed Hitler could be satisfied and war avoided • 1. WWI – still fresh • 2. Reasonable to unite German speaking peoples • 3. Nazi’s would be interested in peace if they got more territory

4. The Austrian Anschluss • Hitler wanted unification of all German speaking peoples • Marched troops into Austria for anschluss or unification

5. Roosevelt Opposes Aggression • Japanese attack on China – US shocked • Roosevelt criticized Japan’s bombing of civilian populations and acts of cruelty. • FDR wanted an alliance of peace loving nations but was criticized.

6. War Erupts in Europe • Roosevelt failed to stop Japan just as France and Britain failed to stop Hitler • Spring 1939 – Hitler violated Munich pact and takes the rest of Czechoslovakia

7. The Munich Crisis and Appeasement • Hitler claimed Sudetenland- Czechoslovakia • Not like Austria- democratic, different languages, allied w/ France and USSR • Appeasement- giving concessions in exchange for peace • Neville Chamberlain- PM of GB “a peace with honor…peace in our time” • Germany sent in troops and broke up the country – violation of agreement • Britain and France saw that there was no stopping Hitler without an armed defense.

8. August 13, 1941

9. July 3, 1941

10. Danzig and the Polish Corridor • Hitler wanted Poland • Danzig- Baltic Sea port – 90% German • Highway to connect to Prussia • GB told Poland if they went to war France and GB would help • Appeasement failed

11. Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact • Germans proposed non aggression treaty to Stalin. • Fascists working w/Communists!?! • Accepted- best way to protect USSR is to let capitalists fight each other • August 1939 – signed • Secret agreement to divide Poland

13. Hitler Launches a Blitzkrieg Against Poland • Alliance w/Poland – aid if Hitler attacked • They secretly agreed to invade and divide Poland.

14. The War Begins • Sept 1 1939 – Germany invades Poland • Blitzkrieg- lightening war • Tanks to surround • Airplanes to bomb and drop paratroopers • Used radios to coordinate • Sept 27 – Warsaw fell • By Oct – Polish army defeated

15. Russia…in the meantime... • Sept 17, 1939 – invades Poland • Takes troops to the eastern part of Poland and invades • Also took Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia • Sept 29, 1939 - Nazis and Soviets divide up Poland

16. France Falls to the Axis Powers • Axis Powers – Germany, Italy, Japan etc • Allies – Britain, France, and eventually Soviet Union, US and China • 8 months – quiet – phony war-Sitzkrieg- sitting war • April 1940 – Germany attacks Denmark and Norway – blitzkrieg – wanted iron ore supply • Then Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg

17. France had prepared by making defense of fortresses known as Maginot Line along border w/ Germany • Stationed best armies along border w/Belgium • In between was Ardennes – forested area • German tanks invaded through Ardennes and raced toward English Channel. • Plan to trap English and French against water

19. The Miracle at Dunkirk • Germans had captured all ports but Dunkirk • German forces close in and STOP on orders from Hitler???????????? • Scared of risking tanks • British might talk peace if troops are not all dead • 3-day delay

20. 850 ships headed to Dunkirk to evacuate troops • 338,000 troops – miracle • Had to leave equipment • 90,000 rifles • 7,000 tons of ammo • 120,000 vehicles

24. Winston Churchill warned that “wars were not won by evacuations.” • Germans took Paris and forced French to surrender • France divided in two – Occupied France (Nazi) and Vichy France (Nazi sympathizer)

25. France surrenders 3 weeks later in the same train car that Germany had surrendered to France in at the end of WWI. • Vichy France

27. Charles de Gaulle • French general • Set up and exiled government in London • Organized the Free French military and continued to fight the Nazis in France until its liberation

28. Winston Churchill • The sole voice against the appeasement policy of the Munich Conference • New British Prime Minister after Neville Chamberlain • Once France was conquered by the Germans, Great Britain was the next target

29. Britain Remains Defiant • Peace not an option • Getting across Channel – Battle of Britain • Began in summer 1940, air raids by the Luftwaffe • Bombing of airfields, factories and then the cities – the blitz • British lost 1,000 planes – Germans 1,700 • In October, night raids began and continued until Hitler called off the attacks the following May

30. The Battle of Britain is Fought in the Air • Aug 23rd – Nazis hit London- civilian targets – accident- oops! • GB hits Berlin the next night • Hitler orders attack on London and not on military targets – terrorize people into surrender • People hid in subway • British had radar- Nazi’s did not- intercepted

31. October 1940 – Invasion of GB cancelled

32. Americans Debate Involvement • Contest was between ideologies as well as nations.

33. America Favors Isolationism • Great Depression made many focus on domestic issues. • Many believed involvement in WWI a mistake • Theory that big business conspired to enter the war to make fortunes off of selling weapons. • Nye Committee- Senate – more or less said that American bankers and arms manufacturers had pulled us into WWI

34. Interventionists Urge Support for the Allies • Neutrality Acts of 1935, 36 and 37- restrictions on Americans in times of war. Making loans or sailing on belligerent ships • Neutrality Act of 1939- cash and carry provision- belligerent (at war) nations could buy items from US if they paid cash and carried the items on their own ships

35. Isolationists Argue for Neutrality • Giving aid to Allies would result in the US entering the war. • Only solution complete neutrality. • Charles Lindbergh – popular isolationist

36. Roosevelt Inches Toward Involvement • Events in Europe shocked America • Edward R Murrow – CBS reporter – reported from London and told about how the Germans were bombing civilians and not army personnel • Germany, Japan and Italy sign Tripartite Pact – convinces Americans that we must at least prepare to defend ourselves.

37. Congress passed Selective Service Act – peacetime draft to train 1.2 million troops and 800,000 reserves every year. • FDR gave Britain 50 WWI era battleships in exchange for 8 British defense bases. • FDR wins unprecedented 3rd term of office.

38. America Takes Steps Towards War • Lend-Lease gives Aid to the Allies • Gave FDR the right to sell, transfer, lease, lend or dispose of any defense article in the interest of defending the US

39. Atlantic Charter Reinforces America’s Support of Britain • August 1941 – FDR and Churchill met and agreed to the Atlantic Charter • After the war – national self determination and international system of security

40. US Navy Battles German U-boats • 1941 – Hitler orders attacks on US ships • FDR gave orders to attack any German U-boats on sight. • We were still neutral but getting closer

41. Eastern Front and Mediterranean • North Africa - specifically Egypt • Erwin Rommel - “Desert Fox” - Afrika Korps • Hitler invades the Balkans and quickly Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary join the Axis powers