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World War II

World War II. Invasion of Poland. Allied appeasement emboldens Hitler Germany & USSR sign secret non-aggression pact; agree to divide Poland (August 1939) Germany invades Poland (September 1939) Britain & France declare war; do nothing militarily. Fall of France (1940).

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World War II

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  1. World War II

  2. Invasion of Poland • Allied appeasement emboldens Hitler • Germany & USSR sign secret non-aggression pact; agree to divide Poland (August 1939) • Germany invades Poland (September 1939) • Britain & France declare war; do nothing militarily

  3. Fall of France (1940) • French content to wait behind Maginot Line • Germany invades France (May 1940); sidesteps Maginot Line through the Netherlands, Belgium • Italy declares war on France • Paris captured; France divided into occupied & Vichy France • “Miracle of Dunkirk” saves British army

  4. Battle of Britain (1940) • Italy, Germany invade Greece, Yugoslavia • Britain stands alone • Churchill replaces Chamberlain as Prime Minister • Hitler orders bombing campaign to force Britain to negotiate peace • Luftwaffe targets military & civilian targets • Radar & determination save Britain

  5. Battle of the Atlantic • German submarines hope to starve Britain into surrender • Access to French & Belgian coast give Germany secure bases • Allied convoys develop to deal with threat • Britain secures American aid, destroyer escorts

  6. Invasion of Russia (1941) • Raw materials & lebensraum motivate German invasion • Soviet Army, leaderless, suffers catastrophic loss • Russians adopt “scorched earth” policy • Onset of winter halts German advance • Russia on the ropes, Britain under siege • Japan seizes Allied colonies in Asia

  7. Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941) • Japan reliant on imports of fuel, raw materials • American Pacific presence threatens Japanese expansion • Surprise attack on Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor (Hawaii) & Philippines • Sinks American battleship fleet, misses aircraft carriers • US declares war on Japan • Germany declares war on US

  8. By the year… • 1931: Japan invades Manchuria • 1935: Mussolini invades Ethiopia; Hitler ignores Versailles • 1936: Remilitarization of Rhineland • 1937: Nazi assistance to Fascist Spain; Rape of Nanking • 1938: Anschluss with Austria, seizure of Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia • 1939: Invasion of Poland • 1940: Invasion of France • 1941: Invasion of Soviet Union, Pearl Harbor

  9. Innovations in War: Land • Fast, powerful tanks • Motorized transport • Submachine guns, automatic rifles • Blitzkrieg (lightning war) combines: • Tanks • Infantry • Air support • Radio communication

  10. Innovations in War: Sea • Improved submarines • Radio • “Wolfpack” tactics • Scout subs locate targets, coordinate mass sub attack • Sonar, depth charges • Liberty ships • Aircraft carrier: most critical warship of WWII

  11. Innovations in War: Air • Heavy & close-support bombers • Rockets • Cruise (V-1) & ballistic (V-2) missiles • Radar • Jet aircraft • Strategic bombing: • Bombing campaign directed against civilian and/or industrial targets • Atomic weapons

  12. The Tide Turns • US Navy wins stunning naval victory at Midway (1942); turning point in Pacific war • Siege of Stalingrad destroys German army in the east (1942-1943) • Allies invade Italy (1943) • Allied invasion of France (D-Day June 1944)

  13. The End Game • Day & night bombing of German industry • “Island hopping” campaigns of the Pacific gradually recapture isolated, unsupplied Japanese outposts • Massive Soviet efforts sweep across eastern Europe • Berlin falls to Soviets, European war ends on May 7, 1945 (V-E Day)

  14. The Industrial War Armaments Production 1940-43 (billions of Dollars) Aircraft Production 1939 & 1944 Allies: 1939 1944 USA 5,856 96,318 USSR 10,382 40,300 Britain 7,940 26,461 Total 24,178 163,079 Axis: Germany 8,295 39,807 Japan 4,467 28,180 Italy 1,800 N/A Total 14,562 67,987 Allies: 1940 1943 • USA 1.5 37.5 • USSR 5.0 13.9 • Britain 3.5 11.1 Total 10.o 62.5 Axis: • Germany 6.0 13.8 • Japan 1.0 4.5 • Italy .75 N/A Total 7.75 18.3

  15. The Horror of Total War: Axis • 50 million dead (30 million of those civilians) • Germany: • The Holocaust: 6 million Jews & others • Massacre of civilians & prisoners of war • Human experimentation • Forced labor • Unrestricted submarine warfare • “Vengeance” weapons • Japan: • Between 3-10 million Chinese civilians • Rape of Nanking • Massacre of civilians & POWs • Human experimentation, biological & chemical weapons • Forced labor • “Comfort” women

  16. The Horror of Total War: Allies • USA: • Daylight strategic bombing campaign targeted industry & enemy morale • Conventional (Germany & Japan) & nuclear bombing (Japan) • Britain: • Nighttime strategic bombing (Germany) • USSR: • Massacre of Polish civilians • Massacre of German POWs • Widespread massacre of German civilians & systematic rape of German women

  17. Planning for the Peace: Yalta Conference February, 1945 • USA (Roosevelt), USSR (Stalin) & Britain (Churchill) • Agreements: • Unconditional surrender of Germany • Germany to be divided • Creation of a Poland dominated by USSR • USSR to participate in the United Nations • USSR to declare war on Japan

  18. Planning for the Peace: Potsdam Conference Jul-Aug, 1945 • USA (Truman), USSR (Stalin) & Britain (Atlee) • Agreements: • Demilitarization & denazification of Germany • War crimes trials • Immediate surrender of Japan • USSR given free-hand in Eastern Europe • Truman hints about a new “super-weapon” • Sets stage for Cold War rivalry between USA & USSR

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