The Road to World War II

1. The Road to World War II

2. Worldwide Depression • Countries short of supplies • Still trying to recover from World War I • Economic hard- times worldwide

3. The Rise of Dictators • Allies had expected Germany to pay for damages during World War I • Germany did not have enough money to do this • Adolph Hitler, leader of Germany during the 20’s, said Germany had been treated unfairly. • Believed only Germans with blond hair and blue eyes were “true Germans” • Blamed Jews for many of the problems.

4. German Dictator, Adolph Hitler

5. National Socialists, or Nazis • Political party with Hitler in charge • Grew in power and started an army • Soldiers, called storm troopers • Attacked Jewish people and others opposed to Hitler • Put prisoners into terrible prisons called concentration camps.

6. Nazis in Control • 1933 took control of German government • Hitler ruled as a dictator, an all-powerful ruler. • Rebuilt Germany’s economy by preparing for another war. • Built tanks, guns and other war supplies • Wanted to Rule the World

7. The War Begins • Japan, Italy, and Germany began taking over other countries. • Sept. 1, 1939 Germany invaded Poland • British and French leaders had had enough! • Declared war on Germany on Sept. 3, 1939. • British and French not able to stop Germany from taking over other countries.

8. The United States • Many thought we should stay out • President Franklin Roosevelt promised to keep up out of the war. • Prepared for attack just in case. • 1st peacetime draft • Men ages 21-39 had to register • Started making war supplies

9. U.S. Enters the War December 7, 1941, Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands. Dropped bombs on American ships at the Pearl Harbor naval base. In less than two hours, Japan had destroyed most of the U.S. Pacific fleet. More than 2,000 sailors and 68 civilians were killed.

10. Europe in the 1930’s • Adolph Hitler • Rise because of WWI • Criticized rather than submitted a plan for progress • Forced his way into the chancellorship

11. January 1933: Hitler became Chancellor of Germany

12. Hitler soon ordered a program of rearming Germany Hitler visits a factory and is enthusiastically greeted. Many Germans were grateful for jobs after the misery of he depression years.

13. March 1936: German troops marched into the Rhineland The Rhineland was a region of Germany that was ‘demilitarised’ after the Treaty of Versailles. Germany was not allowed to have troops in the region. Hitler’s actions showed how he was willing to directly challenge the treaty.

14. March 1938: Nazi Germany annexed Austria Again, this went against the terms of the Treaty of Versailles which banned Germany from uniting with Austria. However, the arrival of German troops was met with great enthusiasm by many Austrian people.

15. March 1939: Germany invaded Czechoslovakia Hitler had ordered the occupation of a part of Czechoslovakia known as the Sudetenland (in October 1938). Many hoped that that this would be the last conquest of the Nazis. However, in March 1939, he ordered his troops to take over the remainder of Czechoslovakia. This was the first aggressive step that suggested that a war in Europe would soon begin.

16. August 1939: Germany and Russia signed a non-aggression pact Hitler and Stalin (the Russian leader) signed a ‘non-aggression pact’. They promised that neither country would attack the other in the event of war. As part of the deal, Hitler promised Stalin part of Poland, which he planned to invade soon. This photo shows the Russian foreign minister signing the pact, whilst Stalin stands smiling in the background

17. The non-aggression pact was surprising. Hitler and Stalin were seen as natural enemies. When Hitler talked of taking over new land for Germany, many thought that he meant Russia. Hitler also hated Communism, the form of government in Russia

18. September 1939: Germany invaded Poland But, the pact allowed Germany to march into Poland without fear of an attack from Russia. On 3rd September 1939, Germany invaded Poland and started a War with Britain and France. German troops marching into Warsaw, the capital of Poland.

19. May 1940: Germany turned west and invaded France and the Netherlands In May 1940, Germany used Blitzkrieg tactics to attack France and the Netherlands. British troops were forced to retreat from the beaches of Dunkirk in northern France. Captured British troops, May 1940

20. By June 1940, France had surrendered to the Germans Britain now stood alone as the last remaining enemy of Hitler’s Germany in Western Europe. Adolf Hitler tours Paris after his successful invasion.

21. Germany’s Attack in Europe • Polish invasion • Sept. 1, 1339 • Blitzkrieg • Warsaw Ghetto

22. Germany’s Attack in Europe • Denmark, Holland • Norway (Quisling) • Belgium and France • Dunkirk • Britain • Winston Churchill

23. September 1940-May 1941: the Blitz For the following nine months, the German air force (Luftwaffe) launched repeated bombing raids on British towns and cities. This was known as the BLITZ and was an attempt to bomb Britain into submission.

24. Operation Barbarossa, June 1941 But in May, 1941, Hitler ordered a change of tactics. He decided to halt the bombing of Britain and launch an attack against Russia. He betrayed Stalin and ignored the promises he had made. This was a bold move that would prove to be an important turning point in the War.

25. Quick Facts (write 2-3) A. War Costs • US Debt 1940 - $9 billionUS Debt 1945 - $98 billion The war cost $330 billion -- 10 times the cost of WWI & as much as all previous federal spending since 1776

26. Quick Facts (write 2-3) B. Human Costs • 50 million people died (compared to 15 million in WWI) 21.3 million Russians (7.7 million civilians) 11 million died as a result of the HOLOCAUST(6 million Jews + 5 million others)

27. When? 1939-1945 US involvement 1941-1945 1939 1941 1945 Sept. 3 -Britain & France declare war on Germany Dec. 7 – Japan bombs Pearl Harbor; US enters the War May - Germans Surrender Sept. - Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima & Nagasaki, Japanese Surrender Sept.1 - Germany invades Poland (official start to the war)

28. Major Leaders Adolf Hitler Nazi Germany Benito Mussolini Italy

29. How Did Hitler Make War? • Blitzkrieg “Lightning War” In the next year, Hitler invades: Denmark Norway The Netherlands, France Hitler in Paris

30. US Assistance • Roosevelt provided aid to the Allies: Lend-Lease - 1939 US “lent” war materials to cash-strapped Great Britain Atlantic Charter US secretly meets with England to commit to defeating Germany London Firefighter Tackles an Air Raid Blaze

31. Meanwhile … in the Pacific • Pearl Harbor: “a date which will live in infamy” What? Surprise attack by the Japanese on American forces in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Effect? US declares war on Japan & other Axis powers USS Arizona Sinking in Pearl Harbor

32. Germany’s Attack in Europe • Balkans • Russia • US Isolation

33. Maximum Axis Control (Sept 1942)

34. Allied Counterattacks in Europe • Soviet • North Africa • Italy • Normandy • Battle of the Bulge

36. Allied Counterattacks in Europe • Surrender • Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt • The Marshall Plan

37. Japan’s Invasion • China • Blockade • Pearl Harbor • Southeast Asia

38. Allied Counterattacks in the Pacific • Midway • Southeast Asia • Island hopping • Japanese main islands

39. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/