Unit 7: World War II Pgs.685-698

1. Unit 7: World War IIPgs.685-698 By Gabrielle Mosher

2. Portents of Disaster • After Paris peace treaties signed, economists predicted disaster • Some said that Germany and Austria would suffer from disruption of coal and iron supplies, transportation and importation of food • Some said “cultural sickness” was infecting Europe • Outbreak of World War II confirmed predictions

3. Key Terms • Fascism: political philosophy, movement, or government that puts the nation over the individual; centralized government led by dictatorial leader • Involved suppression of all opposition by organizations that took to the streets (thugs) • Glorified warfare (violence solving the nation’s problems) • First introduced by Benito Mussolini in Italy 1919 • Putsch: a revolt • Totalitarian: a state in which individual is subordinated to a centralized administration that controls the economy, politics, media, and culture under a single dictator • Gestapo: secret police force • Militarism: • Dual Economy: separation between large-scale (large, highly capitalized) and cottage (small scale workshops) industries

4. Italy • Suffered from wartime losses of people/property and economic depression • Labor strikes and peasant unrest • Mussolini • Originated fascism • organized thugs (ex-soldiers from war) who were his core supporters • Thugs let loose onto streets to beat up labor organizers, communists and socialists • Named prime minister for a year then gained full control of state • Abolished other parties, destroyed labor unions, censored press • Organized government into 22 major economic categories each with a fascist leader • Mussolini withdrew Italy from League of Nations when they demanded he withdraw from Ethiopia in 1935

5. Germany • Adolf Hitler • Admired Mussolini • Was a racist (wanting the “pure German race”) • Volunteered for military service and joined anti-communist German Workers’ party which became Nazi organization • Built up group of storm troopers (SA) similar to Mussolini’s thugs • Centrist government thought of as too weak • Militant right wing such as Nazis (want centralized government) • Militant left wing (want socialist or communist government) • Stability of government endangered when Germany punished for not keeping up with war reparations • Hitler attempted a putsch (revolt) in response but failed and imprisoned for 9 months • International depression of 1929 effected all of Germany and democracy blamed • Political leaders turned to Hitler and he used SA to promote violence in able to gain control • Established a totalitarian state • Created SS and Gestapo (secret police force) • All political parties apart from Nazis abolished • Policies based on “racial science” • Public works projects started in order to urge Germany to become economically self-sufficient

6. Japan • After World War I Japan experienced economic opportunity • Industries developed • Transportation increased • Advancement of production and export of consumer goods • Increasing technological advancements • Bridged dual economy • Riots broke out when price of rice increased • Reflection of increasing dependence on colonies for daily commodities • Japan embracing liberal democracy • Growing wealth • Rising urbanization • Increasing industrialization • High literacy rates • Japanese emperor held total power in theory but political leaders actually had control • Military elites began to claim expanded powers

7. Descent Toward World War • League of Nations founded in 1920 • Individual nations taking steps to promote peace • Kellogg-Briand Pact(agreement to renounce war) • Great Depression caused economic and political problems • Despite agreements, Italy, Germany and Japan still promoted militarism • In 1931 Japan seized Manchuriaand quit League of Nations • In 1935 Italy invaded Ethiopia and was not punished by League • In 1936 civil war broke out in Spain • Power struggle between conservatives (clergy, military, and business elites) and liberals (workers, socialists, communists, and anarchists) • Liberals won in election but Germany and Italy sent soldiers, money and weapons to help conservatives (“dress rehearsal” for World War II) • Hitler used civil war as test of air force he was building • Conservative victory established right-wing dictatorship • In 1937 Japan invaded China (Pacific War) • In global terms, invasion considered start of World War II • After taking Germany out of the League of Nations in 1933, Hitler demanded a union with Austria • Mussolini opposed Hitler’s takeover and declared opposition to German troops • German troops gained Mussolini’s consent and conquered Austria • Germans invaded and took over Czechoslovakia • In 1939 Russia signed non-aggression pact with Germany • Involved secret agreement to divide Poland between them • Germany invaded Poland and in response, Britain and France declared war on Germany

8. The War in Europe, 1939-45 • Italy, Germany and Japan called “AxisPowers” • France and Britain took no immediate military action against Germany • “phony war” (lack of fighting through winter of 1939-40) • Germany invaded Denmark and Norway in April 1940 • Germany invaded Belgium, Luxemburg, Netherlands, and France in May 1940 • Battle tactics (trenches, bunkers, minefields) • Netherlands surrendered and Belgium sued for peace • British and French troops retreated to Dunkirk • Mussolini joined attack on France and helped invade Greece • June 22 France surrendered • Britain alone against Germany • Hitler attacked, bombing London • Battle of Britain • Britain held strong against Germany and finally Germany surrendered • Hitler broke non-aggression pact and invaded Russia in 1941 • Stalin counterattacked and Germany retreated from Moscow • In 1940 Italians invaded Egypt heading for Suez Canal • British forces defeated Italians • US not participants in war, but supplied Allied forces with weapons