World War II (1939-1945)

World War II (1939-1945) McFarland

I. Causes of WWII: • Treaty of Versailles (1919) – ended WWI – forced Germany to take the blame starting WWI and to give up territory– the Germans resented it and wanted revenge

I. Causes of WWII: 2) Rise of Dictators: a. Benito Mussolini (Italy): -founded the Fascist Party in Italy after WWI -fascism (the state is more important than the ind.) -called himself Il Duce (“the leader”) -relied on fascist thugs, called blackshirts, to terrorize those who opposed him -given control of Italy in 1922 -conquered Ethiopia in 1935

I. Causes of WWII: • Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union): -rose to power after Lenin’s death in the 1920s -wanted to take care of his country first, not get involved in world affairs -U.S. recognized the Soviet gov’t in 1933 because… 1) for trade to fight the Depression 2) location to Japan

I. Causes of WWII: • Japanese Military Leaders: -rose to power during the Depression -wanted to take control of all of Asia -invaded Manchuria (northern Chinese province) in 1931 for resources -U.S. didn’t like it and eventually cut off trade with Japan (made them mad!)

I. Causes of WWII: • Adolf Hitler (Germany): -born in Austria – April 20, 1889 -unhappy childhood – beaten by his father -loved his mother – she died from breast cancer – her doctor was Jewish -moved to Vienna, Austria to become an artist but failed – Vienna was a very Anti-Semitic (hatred of Jews) city

I. Causes of WWII: -left Vienna in May 1913 to escape military service and moved to Munich, Bavaria (German province) -was arrested by Austrian gov’t for fleeing – failed his military physical – found “unfit…too weak…and unable to bear arms”

I. Causes of WWII: -joined the Bavarian Army when WWI started – served as a “runner” (delivered messages) -was an excellent soldier – earned 2 Iron Crosses for bravery -wounded twice during the war – was in the hospital when the war ended (temporarily blinded by mustard gas)

I. Causes of WWII: -recruited by military intelligence unit to keep tabs on the German Workers Party, who hated Jews, Treaty of Versailles, Weimar Republic, and communists -eventually joined the party and became its leader – party later named Nazi Party -led a revolt against the democratic gov’t in 1923 – it failed and he was sentenced to 5 years in prison (served only 9 months)

I. Causes of WWII: -wrote Mein Kampf (“My Struggle”) while in prison – blamed Germany’s loss in WWI on Jews and communists -believed Germans belonged to a superior “Aryan” race that was destined to rule the world -helped build up the Nazi Party during the Great Depression

I. Causes of WWII: -Nazis promised food, jobs, and a strong military -the swastika became the symbol of the Nazi Party -named Chancellor (2nd in command) by Pres. Hindenberg in Jan. 1933 -became the sole leader, the “fuhrer”, in 1934 after Hindenberg’s death

I. Causes of WWII: -SA Brownshirts – military group that supported Hitler during his rise to power – led by Ernst Rohm -after Hitler became the fuhrer, a new elite group was picked from the best of the SA – they were called the SS: -led by Heinrich Himmler -followed the army during invasions, going after Jews, communists, gypsies, or those listed as “subhumans”

I. Causes of WWII: -Rohm was arrested for being disloyal to Hitler – he was executed along with 200 other SA in 1934 – called the “Night of the Long Knives” -students were encouraged to join the Hitler Youth – helped round up “un-German” books to be burned

I. Causes of WWII: -Nuremberg Laws of 1935 – took away citizenship from German Jews, forced Jews to register with the gov’t, and to wear yellow stars of David on their clothing

I. Causes of WWII: • Appeasement – policy of giving someone something they want just to please them -Hitler’s original goal was to unite all German speaking people -invaded the Rhineland (area bordering France) in 1936 -annexed (took control of) Austria w/o opposition in 1938

I. Causes of WWII: -annexed the Sudetenland (part of Czech.) because many spoke German in 1938 – however, Czech. was closely tied to England -Munich Conference (Sept. 1938) – England and France agreed to let Hitler keep his new territory if he promised not to invade anymore countries (i.e. they appeased him)

I. Causes of WWII: • Spanish Civil War (1936-1939): -“dress rehearsal” for WWII -Spanish fascists led by Francisco Franco were trying to overthrow the democratic gov’t in Spain

I. Causes of WWII: -Hitler and Mussolini sent in supplies and troops to help Franco – experimented with new weapons and tactics -U.S., England sent in supplies and volunteer troops to help the existing gov’t -Franco won

II. War Begins: • Hitler broke the Munich Agreement by invading Czech. In 1938 • England and France drew the line at Poland –asked Stalin to help them – Stalin shocked the world by signing the Nazi-Soviet Pact in Aug. 1939 (promised not to attack each other)

II. War Begins: • Germany, now without the threat of a 2 front war, invaded Poland on Sept. 1, 1939 --England and France declared war on Germany and WWII began -Germany defeated Poland in less than a month by using their blitzkrieg (“lightning warfare”) tactic

II. War Begins: • Germany then moved West and took Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands -later moved into France and took Paris on June 17, 1940 -England was now fighting alone

II. War Begins: • Hitler then attacked England in the Battle of Britain (Aug. 1940-Apr. 1941) -strictly air warfare -Hitler sent thousands of Luftwaffe (German Air Force) bombers to England -British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said, “…we shall never surrender” -England developed radar which helped them turn away the Germans – they also asked the U.S. to help

II. War Begins: • June 1941, Hitler launched a surprise attack on the Soviet Union – major mistake – forced Germany to fight a 2 front war • In the meantime…Japan joined Germany and Italy to form the Axis Powers

III. The American Response: • U.S. remained neutral at first because of the problems at home (Depression) • U.S. passed a series of neutrality acts (laws) that said we would withhold weapons and loans from all nations at war • “cash and carry” policy – required all non-military goods to be paid for in cash and transported by the buyer

III. The American Response: • FDR believed the U.S. would eventually get involved and tried to ease the restrictions • After the war began, Congress passed the Neutrality Act of 1939 which allowed England and France to buy weapons on a cash and carry basis • Sept. 1940 – FDR traded 50 used Destroyers (naval ships) to England for the right to build military bases on British territory in the Caribbean Sea

III. The American Response: • Sept. 1940 – Congress passed the Selective Service Act which was the first peacetime draft in U.S. history -ages 21 to 36 registered -must serve at least 1 yr. in the military if drafted

III. The American Response: • March 1941 – Congress passed the Lend-Lease Act: -allowed FDR to aid any nation whose defense was vital to national security -began to send war material to England -ended Am. neutrality

IV. U.S. Relations with Japan: • U.S. stopped selling iron, steel, and oil (war materials) to Japan after they took French territory in Asia -made the Japanese mad – planned an attack • Pearl Harbor – Am.’s largest naval base – in Hawaii – Japan chose to attack it – 4,000 miles from Japan

IV. U.S. Relations with Japan: • 6 Japanese aircraft carriers and 20 other ships moved towards Hawaii, carrying 400 bomber and torpedo planes • U.S. had broken the Japanese codes and knew an attack was coming but didn’t know exactly where (thought it would be in the Philippines)

IV. U.S. Relations with Japan: • Date and time of attack: Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941 – 7:55 a.m. • Planes picked up on radar, but ignored (thought they were Am. planes)

IV. U.S. Relations with Japan: • U.S. Losses: in less than 2 hours -2,300 killed – 2,000 injured -18 warships sunk or destroyed – including all 8 battleships (ex: U.S.S. Arizona) -3 aircraft carriers were not there (2 at sea, 1 in CA for repairs) – destroying them was Japan’s main goal

IV. U.S. Relations with Japan: • Japan lost 29 planes • FDR said, Dec. 7, 1941 will be “a date which will live in infamy” • Congress declare war on Japan: Dec. 8, 1941 • Germany and Italy declared war on U.S.: Dec. 11, 1941

IV. U.S. Relations with Japan: • Feb. 1942: FDR ordered the army to intern (imprisonment) all Japanese-Am.’s because he thought they were a threat to national security -100,000 were interned -1988: Congress apologized and paid all who were interned $20,000

World War II (1939-1945)