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World War II

World War II. Learning Targets. Describe how post World War I conditions contributed to the rise of antidemocratic governments in Europe Explain why many Americans supported a policy of isolationism in the 1930’s. World War II. More than 100 million military personnel  involved

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World War II

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  1. World War II

  2. Learning Targets • Describe how post World War I conditions contributed to the rise of antidemocratic governments in Europe • Explain why many Americans supported a policy of isolationism in the 1930’s

  3. World War II • More than 100 million military personnel  involved • Deadliest conflict in history; 50 to 70 million killed • Total War, participants placed their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities at the service of the war effort • 1939-1945 • Only use of atomic weapons in combat

  4. Roots of WW II • The causes of WWII stem from the end of WWI, specifically the Treaty of Versailles • Germany is solely responsible • German army is limited to 100,000 men • Advanced weapons are restricted or prohibited • Loss of Territory • Must pay reparations • 132 billion Marks ($385 billion today)

  5. Hyperinflation in Germany 1923

  6. Germany Loses Territory

  7. Europe Between the Wars • Benito Mussolini took over Italy in 1922 • Led Italy’s Fascist Party • Fascism is a kind of aggressive nationalism, and is strongly anti-communist • Joseph Stalin Took over the USSR in 1926 after Vladimir Lenin died. • Stalin tried to modernize the economy • He was paranoid of anyone who might overthrow him • Killed millions during the Great Purge in the 1930’s

  8. Adolph Hitler • Joined German Workers Party in 1919. Later renamed the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party) • Quickly rose to power, good at giving speeches • Appealed to German nationalism, blamed WWI loss on Jews • Used a private army called the SA (storm troopers or brownshirts) to attack political foes Hitler & Ernst Röhm, leader of the SA

  9. The Rise To Power…1923-1933 • Led the Beer Hall Putsch (coup) in 1923 but failed and was sent to jail • In jail he wrote Mein Kampf (my struggle) in which he laid out his plans; including ridding Europe of Jews and creating more Lebensraum (living space) for Germans • After jail, he focused more on politics • The Nazi party slowly gained power in the Reichstag (German Parliament) • The Nazi party was aided when the Great Depression occurred and by the weak central government

  10. Rise to Power • In 1933, Hitler became Chancellor of Germany • He quickly moved to give himself dictatorial powers and declared himself Führer(leader) in 1934 • He then set out to rearm Germany, in violation of the Treaty of Versailles

  11. The Road To War: Japan • Japan needed raw materials to supply its growing economy • In 1931, the Japanese army invaded Manchuria and threw out the Chinese.   • The Japanese felt that acquiring resource-rich territories would establish economic self-sufficiency and independence

  12. The US Turns Inward • The US pursued a policy of neutrality & isolationism • Isolationist ideas became popular for two reasons: • Many European nations who owed money to the US for WWI said they wouldn’t pay • The Nye Committee showed that arms manufacturers made huge profits during WWI, prompting many to believe that they tricked the US into the war • The isolationist faction was led by Charles Lindbergh and the American First Committee

  13. Roosevelt & Internationalism • Roosevelt supported internationalism, the idea that trade between nations created prosperity and helps prevent war • When Japan invaded China in 1937, Roosevelt authorized arms sales to China • The Neutrality Acts of 1935 & 1937 made it illegal to sell arms to a country at war • Roosevelt believed that the Act did not apply because neither country declared war

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