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From Isolation to Involvement

From Isolation to Involvement. WWII. M.I. While the US condemned the aggression of Europe and Asia, we did little to stop it. Neutrality became difficult. “Peace in our time”. By 1940- German Army rebuilt Many believed Hitler could be satisfied and war avoided 1. WWI – still fresh

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From Isolation to Involvement

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  1. From Isolation to Involvement WWII

  2. M.I. • While the US condemned the aggression of Europe and Asia, we did little to stop it. • Neutrality became difficult

  3. “Peace in our time” • By 1940- German Army rebuilt • Many believed Hitler could be satisfied and war avoided • 1. WWI – still fresh • 2. Reasonable to unite German speaking peoples • 3. Nazi’s would be interested in peace if they got more territory

  4. The Austrian Anschluss • Hitler wanted unification of all German speaking peoples • Marched troops into Austria for anschluss or unification

  5. Roosevelt Opposes Aggression • Japanese attack on China – US shocked • Roosevelt criticized Japan’s bombing of civilian populations and acts of cruelty. • FDR wanted an alliance of peace loving nations but was criticized.

  6. War Erupts in Europe • Roosevelt failed to stop Japan just as France and Britain failed to stop Hitler • Spring 1939 – Hitler violated Munich pact and takes the rest of Czechoslovakia

  7. The Munich Crisis and Appeasement • Hitler claimed Sudetenland- Czechoslovakia • Not like Austria- democratic, different languages, allied w/ France and USSR • Appeasement- giving concessions in exchange for peace • Neville Chamberlain- PM of GB “a peace with honor…peace in our time” • Germany sent in troops and broke up the country – violation of agreement • Britain and France saw that there was no stopping Hitler without an armed defense.

  8. August 13, 1941

  9. July 3, 1941

  10. Danzig and the Polish Corridor • Hitler wanted Poland • Danzig- Baltic Sea port – 90% German • Highway to connect to Prussia • GB told Poland if they went to war France and GB would help • Appeasement failed

  11. Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact • Germans proposed non aggression treaty to Stalin. • Fascists working w/Communists!?! • Accepted- best way to protect USSR is to let capitalists fight each other • August 1939 – signed • Secret agreement to divide Poland

  12. Hitler Launches a Blitzkrieg Against Poland • Alliance w/Poland – aid if Hitler attacked • They secretly agreed to invade and divide Poland.

  13. The War Begins • Sept 1 1939 – Germany invades Poland • Blitzkrieg- lightening war • Tanks to surround • Airplanes to bomb and drop paratroopers • Used radios to coordinate • Sept 27 – Warsaw fell • By Oct – Polish army defeated

  14. Russia…in the meantime... • Sept 17, 1939 – invades Poland • Takes troops to the eastern part of Poland and invades • Also took Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia • Sept 29, 1939 - Nazis and Soviets divide up Poland

  15. France Falls to the Axis Powers • Axis Powers – Germany, Italy, Japan etc • Allies – Britain, France, and eventually Soviet Union, US and China • 8 months – quiet – phony war-Sitzkrieg- sitting war • April 1940 – Germany attacks Denmark and Norway – blitzkrieg – wanted iron ore supply • Then Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg

  16. France had prepared by making defense of fortresses known as Maginot Line along border w/ Germany • Stationed best armies along border w/Belgium • In between was Ardennes – forested area • German tanks invaded through Ardennes and raced toward English Channel. • Plan to trap English and French against water

  17. The Miracle at Dunkirk • Germans had captured all ports but Dunkirk • German forces close in and STOP on orders from Hitler???????????? • Scared of risking tanks • British might talk peace if troops are not all dead • 3-day delay

  18. 850 ships headed to Dunkirk to evacuate troops • 338,000 troops – miracle • Had to leave equipment • 90,000 rifles • 7,000 tons of ammo • 120,000 vehicles

  19. Winston Churchill warned that “wars were not won by evacuations.” • Germans took Paris and forced French to surrender • France divided in two – Occupied France (Nazi) and Vichy France (Nazi sympathizer)

  20. France surrenders 3 weeks later in the same train car that Germany had surrendered to France in at the end of WWI. • Vichy France

  21. Charles de Gaulle • French general • Set up and exiled government in London • Organized the Free French military and continued to fight the Nazis in France until its liberation

  22. Winston Churchill • The sole voice against the appeasement policy of the Munich Conference • New British Prime Minister after Neville Chamberlain • Once France was conquered by the Germans, Great Britain was the next target

  23. Britain Remains Defiant • Peace not an option • Getting across Channel – Battle of Britain • Began in summer 1940, air raids by the Luftwaffe • Bombing of airfields, factories and then the cities – the blitz • British lost 1,000 planes – Germans 1,700 • In October, night raids began and continued until Hitler called off the attacks the following May

  24. The Battle of Britain is Fought in the Air • Aug 23rd – Nazis hit London- civilian targets – accident- oops! • GB hits Berlin the next night • Hitler orders attack on London and not on military targets – terrorize people into surrender • People hid in subway • British had radar- Nazi’s did not- intercepted

  25. October 1940 – Invasion of GB cancelled

  26. Americans Debate Involvement • Contest was between ideologies as well as nations.

  27. America Favors Isolationism • Great Depression made many focus on domestic issues. • Many believed involvement in WWI a mistake • Theory that big business conspired to enter the war to make fortunes off of selling weapons. • Nye Committee- Senate – more or less said that American bankers and arms manufacturers had pulled us into WWI

  28. Interventionists Urge Support for the Allies • Neutrality Acts of 1935, 36 and 37- restrictions on Americans in times of war. Making loans or sailing on belligerent ships • Neutrality Act of 1939- cash and carry provision- belligerent (at war) nations could buy items from US if they paid cash and carried the items on their own ships

  29. Isolationists Argue for Neutrality • Giving aid to Allies would result in the US entering the war. • Only solution complete neutrality. • Charles Lindbergh – popular isolationist

  30. Roosevelt Inches Toward Involvement • Events in Europe shocked America • Edward R Murrow – CBS reporter – reported from London and told about how the Germans were bombing civilians and not army personnel • Germany, Japan and Italy sign Tripartite Pact – convinces Americans that we must at least prepare to defend ourselves.

  31. Congress passed Selective Service Act – peacetime draft to train 1.2 million troops and 800,000 reserves every year. • FDR gave Britain 50 WWI era battleships in exchange for 8 British defense bases. • FDR wins unprecedented 3rd term of office.

  32. America Takes Steps Towards War • Lend-Lease gives Aid to the Allies • Gave FDR the right to sell, transfer, lease, lend or dispose of any defense article in the interest of defending the US

  33. Atlantic Charter Reinforces America’s Support of Britain • August 1941 – FDR and Churchill met and agreed to the Atlantic Charter • After the war – national self determination and international system of security

  34. US Navy Battles German U-boats • 1941 – Hitler orders attacks on US ships • FDR gave orders to attack any German U-boats on sight. • We were still neutral but getting closer

  35. Eastern Front and Mediterranean • North Africa - specifically Egypt • Erwin Rommel - “Desert Fox” - Afrika Korps • Hitler invades the Balkans and quickly Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary join the Axis powers

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