A Global Conflict

A Global Conflict Mr. White’s World History

Objectives • After this section, we should be able to: • Explain how the Soviet Union and the United States became involved in World War II

Part I: War in Europe Defeated by Britain, Hitler turned his attention to conquering the Soviet Union, but was unprepared to fight a long war. The Nazis begin the systematic deportation and execution of Jews and other “undesirables”

Operation Barbarossa • After the defeat of the German Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, Hitler turned to the Soviet Union for expansion • Hitler planned Operation Barbarossa • Short, decisive campaign to capture Leningrad, Moscow, and the Ukraine and oil fields in southern Russia • Hitler thought Russian resistance would collapse quickly, and this attitude shaped how his generals prepared for this

German Surprise • The attack took the Soviets by tactical and strategic surprise • Soviet Red Army was basically unprepared • Many units lacked basic essentials for fighting – ammunition, plans for resupplying, communications • Stalin’s purges had removed capable military offices and replaced them with young, but loyal, officers • The German Wehrmacht (army) had rapid successes at the beginning of the attack

Scorched Earth • In response, Stalin ordered a scorched-earth policy • As the army retreated, anything of use that couldn’t be removed should be destroyed – fuel, food, shelter, ammunition, other supplies and equipment • By November of 1941, German armies had pushed 600 miles into the Soviet Union and sat outside Moscow and Leningrad • Soviet soldiers held firm and refused to retreat any further

Russian Resistance • The German army was completely unprepared for an extended war with the Soviets • Russian winter • Most German soldiers lacked proper winter clothing – hypothermia, frostbite • German equipment stopped functioning – guns didn’t fire, radios didn’t work, vehicle engine blocks froze • The Germans had also failed to adequately supply all of their units with what they needed • Didn’t have enough fuel for units to reach their objectives • Had planned to use Russian railways and roads, but these were not suitable for the purposes

The New German Order • Hitler thought that by conquering the Soviet Union and Europe he could establish a New Order • Conquered untermenschen would work for the Nazi master race • These races could be disposed of later • As the Nazis occupied these countries, they seized the resources for themselves

Untermenschen • As Nazis took over these lands, they began to persecute Jews and other untermenschen – sub-humans • Forced to wear badges branding them as undesirables • Sent to concentration camps such as Dachau • In Poland and the Soviet Union, Jews were forced into ghettos to contain them – Warsaw

The Final Solution • In 1941, the Germans began to kill Jews as well as remove them from conquered areas • The Einsatzgruppen followed behind the German army and would round up and kill Jews • In 1942, the Germans instituted the “Final Solution,” and began to round up large numbers of Jews and shipped them to concentration and death camps

Jewish Resistance • The Nazis tried to keep the killings and camps secret – even many European Jews were unaware of what was occurring • Jewish resistance groups in the ghettos were often outnumbered and defeated by the Germans • Resistance groups formed outside of the cities and had some success

Local Support • Jewish resistance movements often didn’t have the support of the local population • Some local people even helped the Nazis round up Jews • Most peoples in these areas did nothing, thinking that it wasn’t their business, or fearing punishment • Denmark was the only nation to actively opposed the Nazi measures • News of the camps reached the outside world, but was not acted upon

Part II: Japan and the United States Opposed by the United States, Japan expanded in the Pacific, and eventually attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor

Japanese Expansion • After taking much of China, Japan turned its attention to European colonies of east Asia • Japan proposed to create a “Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere” – would help other Asian nations overthrow European colonizers • Japan took southern Indochina from the French • U.S. retaliated by placing an embargo on scrap iron to Japan • In response, Japan signed the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy – Axis Powers who would work together for expansion

American Response • Upon Japan’s invasion of Indochina, FDR demanded that they should withdraw from there, and China as well • Congress placed an embargo on oil and froze all Japanese assets in the U.S. • Japan’s military believed that the U.S. stood in the way of Japanese expansion, and thus war was inevitable • Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto convinced the Japanese military to attack the American naval base at Hawaii

Increased Tensions • Negotiations between the United States and Japan began to break down • FDR knew that Japan was poised to attack, but thought it would come in southeast Asia • The U.S moved all aircraft carriers and half the Pacific army’s planes out of Hawaii

Pearl Harbor • On the morning of December 7th, 1941, the Japanese navy attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii • Within 25 minutes, the Japanese had sunk or damaged 19 ships (including 5 battleships), and destroyed 188 aircraft • 2,400 people were dead, 1,100 wounded • The United States declared war on Japan; German declared war on the United States

The Allies • In return, Great Britain declared war on Japan • With this, Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union allied against Germany and Japan • Since Stalin was fighting Germany all by himself, he asked the Allies to open up a second front with Germany • FDR and the U.S. supported this idea, but Winston Churchill and Britain opposed it • Instead, the Allies would attack the Axis powers in North Africa and the Mediterranean

A Global Conflict