WWII 1939-1945

1. WWII 1939-1945 Chapter 26

2. The Rise of Dictators • By the mid 1930’s many countries had been taken over by dictators… i.e. Italy, Germany, Japan, and the Soviet Union. This was possible because many of these countries economic and political conditions were devastated by WWI.

3. The major problem • The Treaty of Versailles which ended WWI did not resolve the issues that caused the war. • Italy and Japan were on the allied side during WWI, however they were not happy with the results of the treaty • Germany was treated very harshly by the treaty • Additionally, WWI left Europe’s economy in ruins.

4. The Great Depression • Because of the Great Depression the economic conditions of most European countries went from bad to worse, there was widespread unemployment, and unrest… many people now turned to new leaders to solve their problems. (Dictators)

5. Dictator of Italy who came to power in 1922 – he began a political movement known as fascism – this political movement called for an extreme form of patriotism and nationalism that was often linked to racism. Benito Mussolini

6. He was the leader of the fascist National Socialist German Workers’ Party, or Nazi party. The Nazi party attracted supporters by preaching German superiority. Adolf Hitler

7. Joseph Stalin took over the Soviet Union power in 1924, under Stalin the government tried to control every aspect of life in the nation. It crushed any form of opposition. Joseph Stalin

8. Became prime minister in Japan – he increased Japan’s military power, and as the war progressed he took over Japan as a complete dictatorship. (he controlled every aspect of life.) Hideki Tojo

9. Dictators expand their territory • In the early 1930’s dictators began taking over other countries and expanding their territory… at first little was done to stop them – this became a threat to other democratic countries.

10. The Axis Powers • In 1936 Hitler and Mussolini formed an alliance called the Rome-Berlin Axis, which became known as the Axis. Japan joined the Axis in 1940.

11. The beginning of war • In 1938 Hitler invaded Austria, which was occupied with mostly German speaking people – many welcomed the unification • Hitler also wanted to take over a part of Czechoslovakia – they did not want to be a part of Germany • France and the Soviet Union pledged their support to Czechoslovakia if Germany attacked – this threatened another World War

12. WWII Map

13. British & French appeasement • British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain met with Hitler to solve the problems… he agreed to let Hitler take over a part of Czechoslovakia as long as Hitler promised to stop trying to take over more countries. • This is called British and French appeasement, which means that they were willing to meet Germany’s demands to avoid war. • British Prime Minister Winston Churchill strongly disagreed with the policy of appeasement, he warned that Hitler would not stop taking over other countries.

14. Hitler Broke His Promise • Hitler soon broke his promise, in March 1939 he invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia. He then said he would seize Polish territory – Britain and France warned him that if he invaded Poland it would mean war.

15. Germany & USSR • In August 1939 Germany and the USSR (Soviet Union) promised not to attack each other • Germany then invaded Poland on September 1 1939 & France & Britain declared war on Germany. • Hitler quickly took over Poland using a new method of warfare called Blitzkrieg “lightning war” – (stressed speed and surprise attacks with tanks, troops and planes) he also quickly took over Denmark, Norway, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

16. France Falls • British and French troops could do little to stop Hitler. • In 1940 Germany attacked France, in less than 2 weeks France surrendered. • Germany thought that Britain would surrender after France fell, however Britain did not and continued fighting despite being attacked heavily by Germany… The British Air Force was able to hold off the German Air Force.

17. Hitler invades the Soviet Union • Despite their agreement not to attack each other Hitler decided to attack the Soviet Union. • He was afraid of the Stalin’s ambitions in Europe, he did not want the U.S.S.R to become too powerful • He also wanted the wheat and oil fields in the U.S.S.R • Germany invaded the Soviet Union they killed and wounded many Soviet troops until December 1941 when the harshest winter in decades stopped the Nazi advance.

18. The U.S. helps the Allies • In 1941 Congress passed the Lend-Lease Act which allowed the U.S. to lend or lease resources and equipment to the Allies • The U.S. sent Great Britain, the Soviet Union and other Allies about $50 billion worth of goods.

19. Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor • In 1941 the Tojo government wanted to attack the Dutch East Indies, (a good source of oil) but the U.S. Navy stood in their way. • On December 7 1941, Japanese warplanes bombed a huge American naval base at Pearl Harbor – the attack came as a complete surprise – many Americans were killed and the U.S. fleet was devastated…

20. The U.S. joins the war • President Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war On Japan. President Roosevelt called this day “a day that will live in infamy.” The U.S. now declares war against Japan and Germany and Italy declared war

21. Question 1 • Now that the United States is at war with Japan, how do you think people in the U.S. feel about Japanese Americans? • Japanese Americans might face harassment, discrimination – Internment

22. New Social Changes • This war, like WWI brought about a lot of social changes… • The government set up an agency called the War Productions Board which coordinated the production of military supplies • By 1945 the U.S. had produced about 300,000 aircrafts and 75,000 ships • All together the U.S. produced 60 percent of the allies ammunition

23. The End of the Great Depression • The production of military supplies created a lot of factory jobs for people. This in turn ended the Great Depression • In fact, “Between 1939 and 1945, the U.S. GNP soared from $90.5 billion to nearly $212 billion.”

24. American Factories • American factories produced so many military supplies that they stopped producing other supplies such as cars, tires, shoes, meat, and sugar. • The government then had to use rationing, or giving families a fixed amount of certain products to manage the scarce resources.

25. More Social Changes • Women served in the U.S. Army • Women Performed important non-combat duties • Women built planes, tanks, and other military equipment • Minorities also served in the Military • More jobs opened up for minorities • More than 1 million African Americans worked in the war industry • More than 44,000 Native Americans • Tens of thousands of Hispanics worked in the war industry and farming industry. (Braceros)

26. Discrimination affects the U.S. • The rise of minority workers caused racial tensions. • African Americans and Mexican Americans suffered prejudice and violence in the defense industries in the Northern and Western Coast cities.

27. The Government tries to stop Discrimination for minorities • President Roosevelt issued executive order 8802. It outlawed discrimination in defense industries working for the Federal Government.

28. Discrimination against Japanese Americans • Because Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, many Americans directed their anger towards Japanese Americans. • Because so many Americans feared that the Japanese Americans would be disloyal to the United States, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 in February 1942.

29. Japanese Internment • The order allowed the federal government to send Japanese Americans to internment camps which were similar to prisons. • More than 111,000 Japanese Americans were forced to sell their property, quit their jobs, and go to these prison-like camps.

36. War in Africa and Europe • The Allies wanted to land in France as soon as possible. Churchill thought the Allies were unprepared for such an invasion. • He convinced them that they should first drive the Germans out of North Africa in order to gain control of the Mediterranean and open the way to invade Europe through Italy.

37. The Allied Plan • The Allies did as Churchill suggested and they did defeat the Axis powers of Northern Africa – In May the Axis Powers of Northern Africa surrendered and the Allies planned their invasion of Italy.

38. The Invasion of Italy • The Allied forced the Germans out of Sicily and then moved towards Italy. By this time Italians had turned on Mussolini, and officials had imprisoned him. Although he escaped, the new Italian government surrendered to the Allies in September 1943.

39. Germans Retreat From Russia • In September 1942 Germany invaded the City of Stalingrad, the Russians fought back and were able to hold off the Germans for months until Winter. A German commander begged Hitler to let him retreat, but Hitler Refused. • Many German Nazi soldiers froze and/or starved to death. In February 1943 the remaining German troops surrendered. • This battle became a turning point of WWII

40. Germans Surrendering

41. "Dead in the mud and slush of the East. German soldiers died from the cold as much as from enemy action during this first winter in Russia."

42. "The crew of a Pzkw III [Nazi tank] thaw the frozen mud round their tank. Vehicles stuck in the autumn were practically cemented in by the frosts."

43. “German Captives: Russian soldiers don’t beat them or anything, on the contrary, they are giving them cigarettes and a light.”

44. D-Day (June 6, 1944) • D-Day was the Allied invasion of France. American, British and Canadian soldiers invaded France and began pushing out the Germans. This was the largest land-sea-air operation in army history. • By the end of June 1944, 850,000 Allied troops had poured into France. They moved inland towards Paris battling Nazi troops along the way. • On August 25, Allied forces freed the French capital.

45. Hitler’s Final Assault • In December 1944, Hitler launched his final assault, the Battle of the Bulge. German troops pushed back Allied forces in the Ardennes region of Belgium and Luxembourg before U.S. forces regrouped and defeated them. The battle’s human toll was costly, with about 120,000 German casualties and about 80,000 American casualties.

46. The War Ends in Europe • By early 1945 the Germans were retreating everywhere. As the Americans and British advanced from the west, the Russians raced towards the German capital from the East.

47. Yalta Conference • After Germany surrendered Allied leaders met in the Soviet resort of Yalta (Yalta Conference.) • “The Big Three” (Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin.) they had to decide the future of Europe.

48. By the time of Yalta Conference President Roosevelt was in poor health. In April 1945 just months after being sworn in for a fourth term, the president died and the vice president Harry S. Truman, succeeded him and continued the war effort. Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR)In office 1933-1945

49. Germany Surrenders • In late April 1945 the Russians reached Berlin. Deep inside his air-raid bunker, Adolf Hitler sensed that the end was near. On April 30, the man who had conquered much of Europe committed suicide. • German leaders then signed an unconditional surrender.

50. The Holocaust • As the Allies fought toward Berlin, they made a shocking discovery. Scattered throughout German-occupied territories were concentration camps where 6 million Jews and people of other persecuted groups (Gypsies, Russians, Poles, political prisoners, and homosexuals.) had been murdered. • An estimated 11 million people were killed in all • (More on the Holocaust later in the PP)