1. The Causes of WWII & How the US Got Involved

2. The big idea: WWII came directly from the aftermath of WWI
Germany devastated by terms of Treaty of Versailles
U.S. Isolationist
League of Nations weak
Great Britain and France want to avoid another ruinous war
Some WWI allies wanted more:
Italy felt like it was left out of spoils of Treaty of Versailles - wanted territory
Japan still wanted China

3. The march towards WWII German anger, Hitler, aggression
Fascism in Italy
Spanish Civil War
Militarism in Japan

5. 1. Germany Faces Economic Collapse
Germany in debt $67 billion dollars after WWI
So it prints more money which leads to enormous inflation
1914 $1 = 4.2 marks, 1923 $1= 1billion marks
These economic problems led to a depression - widespread unemployment and poverty
Germans were unhappy and blamed their problems on communists, Jews, and the new Wiemar Republic gov’t (b/c they signed the Treaty of Versailles)
Germans want revenge

6. U.S. Response to German Depression
Isolation from European affairs
Did send some relief/food to Germany immediately after WWI
Insisted Germany pay back the debt
When it was suggested they didn’t have any money to pay with, Pres. Coolidge said “They hired the money, didn’t they?”
In 1924 created the Dawes Plan which gave new loans to Germany so they could pay back the old ones
Worked briefly until the US couldn’t make the loans during the Great Depression

7. What signal did US action send to Germany?

8. 2. Rise of Adolph Hitler Served in WWI - became an extreme nationalist
Thought Germany was sold out by
Weimar gov’t b/c signed TofV
Joined National Socialist German
Workers’ Party (Nazi Party) in 1921
Became a popular speaker
Imprisoned 1923 for leading an uprising
Wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle) in jail
Outlined ideas of supreme Aryan race
Blamed Jews - said inferior, too
Said USSR was an obstacle to German expansion

9. Hitler Becomes a Dictator
After prison, Hitler worked on increasing Nazi membership - gaining seats in the legislature (Reichstag)
Nazis were largest political party - chose Hitler to head the gov’t
Hitler increases his power
Reichstag fire blamed on communists, Hitler suspends constitutional rights
1934 Hitler declares himself the “Fuhrer” (leader) and heads a fascist gov’t (authoritarian, nationalistic, conservative)

10. Hitler’s Policies Deprived Jews of jobs, civil
rights, made them wear stars
for easy ID (Nuremburg Laws)
1938 Kristallnacht “night of the broken glass” in Germany/Austria
Destroyed 200 sysnagogues, 7,500 Jewish businesses, killed 100, arrested 30,000 and put in prison camps (115,000 emigrate from Germany)
Preached a platform of German expansion and economic recovery based on supremacy of Aryan race

11. U.S. Response
US focuses on domestic issues - dealing with the Great Depression
$ was spent on New Deal programs, not US military
in 1930s the US military was 15th largest in the world - same size as Sweden’s)
US hopes that arms control and international peace agreements will work to stop war

12. What signal did the US response send to Hitler?

13. 3. Fascism in Italy
Italy poor and politically unstable after the war, wanted more land under TofV
Fascism gains ground
Restore glory of Rome
Thought democracy destroyed unity and order
Hated communists & socialists
Appealing b/c people wanted stability and improvement
Benito Mussolini - WWI Vet, Fascist

14. Benito Mussolini Takes Over
1922 “March on Rome” succeeds in scaring King into making Mussolini Prime Minister
Mussolini increases his power - controls elections, censors media
Improved economy - modernized agriculture, industry, education
Imperialist foreign policy
Invaded Ethiopia Oct. 1935

15. US & Allied Response
League of Nations did not help Ethiopia and did not punish Italy
US continues to be isolationist
1935: 90% Americans say they are isolationist
FDR’s “moral embargo” against Italy
Asked US businesses not to sell anything that might help Italy’s aggression
US businessmen do not comply.
Dow, “We do not inquire about the uses of the products. We are interested in selling them.”
US Neutrality Acts (1935-7)
No sale of weapons to aggressive countries
No traveling on ships of countries at war
No loaning money to countries at war

16. What signal did that send Mussolini?

17. 4. Spanish Civil War 1936-9, Francisco Franco
leads the Nationalists in a civil war to defeat the Republicans (socialism & communism)
Germany & Italy sent troops & air force to aid Franco & Nationalists
Nationalists win & set up a fascist state
Germany, Italy, Spain set up a military alliance “The Rome-Berlin Axis”
(beginning of the Axis powers)

18. US & Allied Response America continues to be neutral
Does not supply weapons to the Republicans b/c feared it could then turn into a larger conflict
FDR wanted to keep American isolationist voters happy
3000 Americans go on their own to fight on side of Republicans
France, Britain do not do anything either

19. What signal did that response send the Axis powers?

20. 5. Rise of Militarism in Japan
Japan endured the world’s depression, too. They also wanted to become more of a world power.
This led to a group of military leaders controlling the gov’t in the 1930s
Dissent with the gov’t was seen as harmful to the country’s power
Censorship, arrested critics, secret police

21. Japanese Imperialism 1931- invaded & occupied Manchuria
(northern China) coal/iron
“We are only seeking room that will let us breathe.” - Japanese politician
Brutal treatment of Chinese (denied today)
1933 resigns from League of Nations
1936 became part of the Axis
Hitler wanted Japan to attack Russia and British colonies in Asia
Japan wanted to gain territory & resources

22. US Response
Stimson Doctrine denounced Japan, did not recognize new land
US stops trade with Japan
FDR’s “Quarantine Speech”
Argued to quarantine fascist aggression
Met with a lot of criticism - people thought it would lead to war
Didn’t act on it

23. What signal did that send Japan & Axis Powers?

24. 6. Violation & Appeasement
Germany begins to expand - violating TofV
1936, occupies Rhineland (had been given to France in TovV
1938, occupies Austria, declares is part of Germany
1938 Germany demands that the Germans in Czechoslovakia have self gov’t
Britain tries to avoid war and appeases Germany, negotiating a deal to give them self gov’t
Hitler demands control of Czechoslovakia
Munich Pact - Britain is okay with letting Hitler have Sudetenland, Hitler promises to leave rest alone
British P.M. Neville Chamberlain declares “peace in our time”

26. U.S. & Allied Response Appeasement (gave into
demands of Hitler in order to avoid conflict)
FDR sent telegram to Chamberlain urging him to reach a peaceful deal with Hitler
FDR wrote to Hitler “The gov’t of the US has no political involvements in Europe, and will assume no obligations in the conduct of the present negotiations.”

27. What signal did that send Hitler and the Axis Powers?

28. 7. Germany Demands More Land
March Germany invades Czech.
No resistance b/c Czech leader feared widespread death, so did not resist
Germany demands land in Poland
August 1939 Nazi-Soviet Pact
USSR/Stalin tried to form a military alliance with Britain & France
They didn’t want to b/c didn’t like communism, thought USSR was weak
Stalin negotiates pact with Hitler - Hitler happy b/c USSR would not interfere with Poland plans
Agreed to split lands in Poland/Eastern Europe

30. US & Allied Response
Nobody stopped Hitler’s invasion of Czechoslovakia
Britain and France sign alliances with Poland to protect it if invaded
FDR sent letters to Hitler & Pres. of Poland urging them to negotiate a peace
Ignored, naive

31. What signal did that send to Hitler & the Axis Powers?

32. 8. WWII Begins in Europe Sept.1, 1939 Germany invades West Poland
Sept. 17, 1939, Soviet
troops invade Eastern Poland
Sept. 3, 1939 France & Britain give Germany two days to withdraw, then declare war on Germany but do not send troops to Poland
Poland’s armies defeated in three weeks
Germany regroups during the winter - no fighting, then invades Denmark spring 1940
Meanwhile, USSR invades Finland Nov. 1939

33. US & Allied Response
Britain & France declare war on Germany but send no troops
FDR tries to end Neutrality Acts so he can send help to Britain & France
faced large public resistance but prevailed b/c believed that if Britain & France lost, it would pose a direct threat to US
Cash & Carry - US sells arms, supplies to F & B as long as they pick them up here
Americans are divided over whether to get involved or remain neutral

34. What signal did this send to Hitler & the Axis Powers?

35. 9. The War Continues
Late Hitler controls Eastern Europe, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, & France
June 1941, Hitler invades Soviet Union
Knew he’d break earlier pact from the start
Wanted to expand into W. USSR
Britain is the last hope

36. US Response Spring 1941 - FDR proposes Lend-Lease Act
US would lend, lease, or give supplies to any country whose defense was considered vital to protecting US from threat (mostly give)
Needed b/c Britain had no $ for supplies, so couldn’t do “Cash & Carry” anymore
US started to ship goods in armored convoys to ship goods as far as Iceland
End of isolationism
Oct German subs sink two US destroyers
song Sinking of the Reuben James by Woody Guthrie
US population remained isolationist
FDR has Congress agree to let US convoys to go all the way to British harbors

37. What signal did this send to Hitler & Axis Powers?

38. 10. Japan Grabs Land
Japan is gaining territory in Asia as war rages in Europe
Threatens US & British resources
Gen. Hideki Tojo becomes P.M. of Japan in 1941
he’s an
expansionist

39. Japan & US Clash
Nov 1941, Tojo sends messenger to US to try to negotiate a deal with US:
Japan would withdraw from Indochina
US would resume economic relations with Japan
But back in Tokyo, Tojo plans to attack US
Believed war with US was unavoidable b/c US was the naval power in the Pacific who might try to stop Japan from taking more land

40. Attack on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941 Japanese air attack of
US military base at Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii
Goal was to destroy US naval power in the Pacific
Sank/damaged 8 battleships, 10 other ships, destroyed 188 planes, killed 2300 Americans
US Aircraft carriers were safe (not in harbor)

41. US Response
Early 1941 US moved Pacific Fleet from California to Hawaii to show power & readiness
US rejected Japan’s negotiations in Nov didn’t like appeasement
Dec. 8, 1941 FDR asks Congress to declare war on Japan following Pearl Harbor Attack
“A day that will live in infamy.” -FDR
Rest of Axis declares war on US days later and US declares war back at them
US is now one of the Allied Powers
Attack on Pearl Harbor ended isolationism

42. What signal did that send to the Axis Powers?

43. FDR’s “Declaration of War” Speech - Dec. 8, 1941
Imagine you’re a member of Congress listening to his speech.
What reasons does Roosevelt give for declaring war?
How would you vote?
How would you explain your vote to the constituents you represent?