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This article explores the failure of the Versailles Treaty, Germany's deep resentment, and the rise of totalitarian leaders such as Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini, and Adolf Hitler. It also discusses the militarism in Japan, the civil war in Spain, U.S. neutrality, the fall of Austria and Czechoslovakia, the Soviet Union's neutrality, the Blitz in Poland, the fall of France, the Battle of Britain, the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Pacific war, the Battle of the Atlantic, Stalingrad, and North Africa.
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Failure of Versailles • Deep resentment in Germany • Weimer Republic could not handle the stipulations • Easy for dictators to ease power.
Joseph Stalin • Took control after Lenin died in 1924 • Wanted the Soviet Union to become the model communist state • Stamped out all free enterprise • Government owned land and industry • Responsible for 8 – 13 million deaths. • Totalitarian- Form of government where the government maintains all control over its citizens
Benito Mussolini • Unemployment, strikes in Italy • Played on economic collapse and communism to gain popularity • Fascism: Terror – based dictatorship that valued strong government control, military strength, and intense nationalism. • Militaristic expansion • Private property w/strong gov. controls. • Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935
Adolf Hitler • Failure of the Weimer Republic, German unemployment & depression gave him an opportunity • Nazism: • Extreme nationalism • Racial purification • National expansion
Militarism in Japan • The Great Depression hit Japan hard • Military took matters in its own hands • 1932: Military dictatorship • Group of leaders • Wanted an overseas empire = nat. resources • Invaded Manchuria • Hideki Tojo becomes Prime Minister is ’41.
Civil War in Spain • 1936, Francisco Franco led Spanish officers against the Spanish Rep. • Civil War • World alarmed by another fascist regime • Backed by Hitler and Mussolini • Western democracies remained neutral.
U.S. Remains Neutral • Arguments that U.S. involvement in WWI was caused by greedy bankers and arms dealers • Neutrality Acts: • Outlawed arms sales or loans to nations at war and or civil war.
Neutrality Breaks Down • FDR found away around the Neutrality Acts • Japan never declared war on China when they invaded Manchuria • U.S. supplied China w/arms • Called on nations to quarantine aggressors • Strong criticism
Austria & Czech. Fall • For Germany to grow it needed land of its neighbors • Hitler knew it might provoke war but didn’t care.
Austria • Majority of population were Germans who favored unification • March 12, 1938: German troops marched in unopposed • Auschliss = Union • World did nothing
The Sudetenland • Hitler = false accusations of Czechs abusing Sudeten Germans • France, G.B. = protect Czech. • Munich Agreement = Sep. 30, 1938 – France & G.B. gave Hitler the Sudetenland w/o a shot fired.
Soviet Union Remains Neutral • Poland: neighbor of Soviet Union • France, G.B. vowed to protect her • Nonaggression Pact- Agreement between two parties not to engage in hostilities. • w/Hitler and Stalin • Divided Poland between the both
The “Blitz” in Poland • Sept. 1, 1939: Germany invaded Poland • Blitzkrieg: Lightning war • Bombing raids by air • Quick but devastating advances on the ground • Sept. 3: France, G.B. declare war on Germany = WWII
The Fall of France • German invasion from the north, Italy from the South • Little resistance • Nazi controlled Northern France, puppet gov. in the South
Battle of Britain • Summer – Fall 1940 • German Luftwaffe relentlessly bombed Britain • Royal Air Force (RAF) • Used radar to take back the skies • Sept. 15, 1940: 185 German planes shot down
Japan’s Ambitions in the Pacific • French, Dutch, and British colonies unprotected in Asia • Japan seized them • July 1941: Japanese takeover of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia • U.S. cut off trade • No oil
Peace Talks • Tojo promised peace • Sept. 1941: Japanese planned the attack • U.S. broke Japanese codes – learned that Japan was preparing for an attack • FDR wanted the Japanese to strike 1st • Dec. 6, 1941: Japan rejects all peace proposals.
The Attack • 180 Japanese warplanes; 6 carriers; two waves • 21 ships / 8 battleships lost or sunk • Nearly the whole Pacific Fleet
Reaction to Pearl • FDR did not want a two front war. • Dec. 8: Unanimous declaration of war on Japan • Dec. 11: Italy & Germany declared war on the U.S. • Sen. Burton Wheeler: “The only thing to do now is lick the hell out of them.”
One Saving Grace • U.S. aircraft carriers left Pearl days before. • Aircraft carriers changed the way the Pacific theatre would be fought.
Battle of the Atlantic • German U-Boats sank any supply ship in the Atlantic • 1st seven month of ’42 = 681 ships lost • Allied Solution: Convoy system • Battleships and airplanes accompanied supply ships
Stalingrad • S-Grad: major manufacturing and communications center city of So. Russia. • Sept. – Oct ’42: Germans surrounded the city • Winter helped the Soviets • Bring in reinforcements and surround the Germans who were inside the city. • German surrender in Jan. ’43 marked the beginning of Germany’s retreat westward.
North Africa • Allies didn’t think they had the men/resources for a European invasion • Operation Torch – Nov. ’42 • Designed by Ike • Industry/resources propelled Allied victory
Italian Campaign • Italy chosen before English Channel invasion • Patton’s Sixth Army • Sicily fell to the Allies in 1943 • Mussolini stripped of power.
D-Day • June 6, 1944 • Largest land-sea-air operation in history • 5 main beaches • Gold • Sword • Juno • Omaha • Utah
D-Day (Decision Day) • 156,000 men (3 million total) • 6,000 landing craft • 11,000 planes • 800 warships • 60 miles of coastline to secure • Break down the Atlantic Wall
Success at Normandy • Within one month: 1 million Allied troops occupied the beaches • Began the process of pushing the Germans back towards Belgium
D-Day Memorial • 9378 Americans buried w/crosses and Stars of David • 209,000 total Allied casualties • 200,000 estimated Germans
