Beginnings of World War II

1. Beginnings of World War II

2. Dictators Rise in Europe • Why? • The failures of the Treaty of Versailles • Germany was punished and broke – anger was prevalent and the people looked for anyone who felt for them • Italy felt shorted by it – Fought with Allies but got nothing for it – refused Ethiopia • Economic Issues – gives rise to leaders with radical ideology • Germany lost industry, military, and wealth – led to huge inflation and in a horrible depression • Germany is a hot bed of political turmoil – Communists and Socialists move in along with Nationalists • Weak governments in Europe – Primarily the Weimar Government in Germany • No respect from their people • They make many bad decisions that destroy the attitude of their people • Outcome of these factors: • Totalitarian Rulers take over – rulers who control all aspects of their people • Use propaganda – control newspapers and other publications • Censor all those who speak out against them • Rule by fear and the promise of return to glory

3. Fascism on the Rise • Fascism – system of government that stresses glory of the state • Main Fascist leaders • Benito Mussolini – Italian dictator who promised Italy would never be overlooked again and that they would return to the glory of the Roman Empire • Adolf Hitler – German dictator who rose to power through the promise of ending German humiliation at hands of Treaty of Versailles and a return to the greatness of the Bismarck regime – also preached Anti-Semitism or discrimination against Jews and blamed them for German hardships

4. Other Dictators and Regimes • Francisco Franco – Spanish dictator who rose to power during the Spanish Civil War and received aid from both Hitler and Mussolini to help him gain control • By gaining an ally in Spain – Hitler put a lot of pressure on France because she was now surrounded by those who were against a strong France • Joseph Stalin – Communist leader who succeeded Lenin in Soviet Union. • Was known for the brutal way he treated his people • Took total control of his country and isolated it from the rest of the world • Enacted many plans to create productivity in the nations farms and industry • Japan – became a totalitarian state after being denied any benefits after helping the Allies in World War I • Military leaders ran the country with an Emperor as the head of the regime • Became very militaristic

5. Roots of War • These totalitarian regimes became very aggressive: • Japan invades Manchuria in China (1931) – wanted resources and control of more land • Italy invades Ethiopia (1935) – they wanted the land they felt they deserved in Africa • Spanish Civil War (1936) – started as a conflict between Communists and Nationalists Fascists. • This war saw the first real involvement of outside nations in a conflict • Germany and Italy – helped the Nationalist/Fascists • Soviet Union – sent aid to Communists • United States – volunteers went to help republican government • Germany militarizes the Rhineland (1936) – troops were put into the Rhine River Valley on the French Boarder in violation of the Treaty of Versailles • The Anschluss (1938) – The unification of Germany and Austria under Adolf Hitler’s control • Sudetenland Conflict (1938) – Hitler and Germany move to take control of German speaking lands of Czechoslovakia • Neville Chamberlain – British Prime Minister – meets with Hitler and works out a supposed deal where Hitler is given lands and in turn he would not make any other moves of aggression on neighbors • Chamberlain said “we have a peace to last all time” – while holding Hitler’s signed document to stop with Sudetenland

6. War in Europe • Appeasement – giving into demands of an aggressive nation to avoid war and try to maintain peace • Policy that was used by Great Britain and France to avoid war with Germany • Idea of war was unpopular in these nations after World War I • No one thought Hitler could actually have a war machine • Main critic in Great Britain – Winston Churchill – rival to Chamberlain and said that these actions are cowardly and will lead to war with a much stronger Germany • Hitler’s early aggression: • March 1939 – Hitler takes the rest of Czechoslovakia – after agreement with Chamberlain • August 1939 – Hitler makes non-aggression pact with Soviet Union • Aimed to keep Soviet Union out of any conflict that was coming with France and Great Britain • Hitler promised to never attack Soviet Union – Stalin promised to not get involved with German affairs • September 1, 1939 – Hitler invades Poland • Used military tactic called Blitzkrieg – Lightning War – use of massive air assault and fast moving land based assault

7. World War II Declared • September 3, 1939 – Great Britain and France declare war on Germany • Great Britain and France now known as the Allies • Leads to Hitler turning his attention back West and invasion of Allied lands • War moves West: • There was a lull in fighting from end of 1939 to April of 1940 – called the Sitzkrieg – phony war • April 1940 – Hitler attacks Denmark and Norway – gave German’s access to Atlantic Ocean • May 1940 – Netherlands and Belgium fall to German military – left only France to take • Dunkirk – port city where Germans trapped 350,000 allied troops, which the British rescued and brought back home • June 1940 – France surrenders to Germany • Led to two main factions in France • Vichy France – French supporters of Hitler and those who helped him in taking France • French Resistance – led by Charles de Gaulle who worked to take out Vichy France and German controllers • Great Britain left on her own against German aggression • June/July 1940 – Battle of Britain begins – German bombardment with its air force (Luftwaffe) of all London and other British targets – would lead to eventual invasion • Britain holds off German Luftwaffe – No ground assault was possible – MAJOR TURNING POINT!!!!

8. War in the Pacific • Japan was already busy taking parts of China and some of the neighboring islands – caused it to see itself as the a great imperialist power • Events in the Pacific: • 1934 – Japan expands Navy – violation of Washington Naval Conference agreements • 1936 – Signs Anti-Comintern Pact with Germany – showed it supported Germany • 1937 – Japan declares war on China – Massacres thousands in Nanjing • 1940 – Japan forms military alliance with Germany and Italy – form the Axis Powers • 1941 – Japan takes French Indochina – threatened American and British interests in Asia • Showed that Japan was after major resource areas of India and Philippines – British and American controlled regions • October 1941 – General Hideki Tojo takes over control of Japan – he was a strong nationalist who would go to war with anyone to make Japan a great empire

9. America Goes to War • American attitude after World War I • Many felt that the cost of World War I was so great that they did not want to get into European or global affairs again • American’s took on isolationist attitude – worry about U.S. affairs only • Many thought it was only enough to defend our country • The Great Depression and hardships at home made this attitude even more prominent in the U.S. • President Roosevelt was not an isolationist – he thought that the U.S. had a duty as a world power to help put down any threats to global peace and security – wanted to join League of Nations • American Congress passes Neutrality Act (1935) – law meant to keep U.S. out of any foreign war • Also made it illegal for U.S. to make loans to warring nations • Changing American attitude: • Roosevelt saw trouble coming when Italy invaded Ethiopia – but he had to stay neutral • Also bothered by aggressive actions of Germany and Japan – knew that this would eventually cause issues for U.S. • Roosevelt gives Quarantine Speech (1937) – response to Japan’s invasion of China and he felt he had to wake America up to threat of war – compared war to spread of disease

10. American War Preparations • Still a fight to get isolationist view to give way • 1938 – Roosevelt asks Congress for funds to build new Naval Vessels • Isolationists saw this as an act of a warring nation • Congress approves the funds and construction of ships • 1939 – Neutrality Laws changed – Roosevelt convinced Congress to do this after Germany’s invasion of Poland • Creates policy of Cash-And-Carry – countries at war could purchase American goods as long as they paid cash and picked up their own orders from American ports • 1940 – Roosevelt pushes for a policy of “all aid short of war” • Allowed Britain to trade for American warships • Election of 1940 – Isolationist View vs. Aid to Allies • Roosevelt seeks 3rd term – opposed by Wendell Wilkie • Roosevelt wins 3rd term – no one had ever served more than 2 terms • America secures ties with Great Britain • 1940 – Lend-Lease Act passed – allowed U.S. to send weapons to Great Britain • 1941 – Atlantic Charter signed – Roosevelt and Churchill make agreement to oppose Germany and her allies (Italy and Japan) • These two factors lead to German attacks with U-boats (Submarines) on U.S. ships in the Atlantic • Charles Lindbergh and other isolationists formed the First Committee to fight against Roosevelt’s actions

11. Pearl Harbor Attacked • What led to this happening? • American government had cut off supplies of oil, gas, and steel to Japan because of issues in French Indochina and threats to American interests in Pacific – Japan was angry because they lost some ability to expand war machine • American view: • Knew an attack would come – did not know where • Japan – had been planning a surprise attack of Pearl Harbor for some time • U.S. planners knew that an attack here was possible • December 1941 – Pearl Harbor was not prepared for any surprise attacks • December 7, 1941 – Japan bombs Pearl Harbor • Using multiple waves of bombers from aircraft carriers the Japanese do a great deal of damage to Pacific Fleet – but American aircraft carriers were out at sea and not attacked – JAPANESE MISTAKE!!! • 2,400 Americans killed and many ships sunk – only 30 Japanese planes shot down

12. American Reaction to Pearl Harbor • Great anger and fear – thought that it could happen again • Rumors of Japanese troops invading West Coast • Japanese Submarines were supposedly spotted off coast of California • Japanese Americans were feared – Americans wanted them contained • Thought they would assist in any invasion • December 8, 1941 – Roosevelt asks and gets a Declaration of War against Japan • December 11, 1941 - Germany and Italy declare war on U.S.