1. Issue 4 The Nature of World War II EUROPE

2. What Was WWII Largest War in human history
Involved countries, colonies and territories around the world
By the end over 70 Million were dead
It lasted from

3. What were the causes of WW II
W WWI and the Treaty of Versailles
A ppeasement
R ise of Totalitarianism
(The main causes of War)

4. WWI and the Treaty Germany Lost land to surrounding nations
War Reparations:
Allies collect $ to pay back US for war debts
Germany pays $57 Trillion (today's equivalent)
Germans are bankrupt, embarrassed, guilt ridden and angry
In desperate times, desperate people turn to desperate leaders.

5. Appeasement
Definition: giving someone something to make them happy, so they will leave you alone.
Hitler demanded land that wasn’t Germany’s and people just gave it to him
Nations (Britain and France) were trying to prevent war. They also believed that Germany had been unfairly treated at the treaty of Versailles and Hitler was only claiming what technically was Germany’s.
The Appeasement showed Hitler that he could do whatever he wanted.
Appeasement

6. Rise of Totalitarianism
A system in which the State and its Leader have nearly TOTAL control
Individual rights are not viewed as important as the needs of the nation
No right to vote
No freedom of speech
Government controlled economy
Often a Police State

7. Totalitarianism UUSR Communists Dictatorship Germany & Italy
Fascists Dictatorship
Japan
Military
Dictatorship

8. Hitler
Stalin
Mussolini
Tojo

9. What is Fascism?
Political belief that the individual is less important than the nation
Glorifies violence, believes it is needed to prove Strength of the people
Uses nationalism and Racism
Dictatorships
Germany, Italy became fascists
What's the difference between Totalitarianism and Fascism?
Fascism is an ideology
Totalitarianism is a way to Rule

10. What did Hitler want?
Militarism: soon after becoming chancellor he began to re-arm Germany and broke the treaty of Versatile
Moved the troops into the Rhineland gaining Territory again and breaking the treaty
Lebensraum: “Living Space”
Austria peacefully annexed in 1938
Then onto Czechoslovakia and Poland
What were Hitler’s aims

11. How did WWII Start? Germany Invaded Poland
Allies declared war on Germany
Germany then invades France, Belgium
Then Hitler invades Russia
German’s used ‘Blitzkrieg’ to overwhelm other armies. (Blitzkrieg means ‘Lighting War’ – means surround everything with tanks and troops in trucks ect)

12. Who was on each side? Axis Powers Allied Powers Great Britain Germany
Italy
Japan
Allied Powers
Great Britain
Soviet Union
United States
France (although it surrendered to Germany in 1940 after 6 weeks)

13. The Story http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm5SxG68KSM
Eight Steps to War
The story of WWII
Britain in WWII

14. Characteristics Why was this war fought on such a large scale?
Advances in technology
The Loss of human life was huge
A total War

15. Advances in Technology
Technology advances since previous wars meant that fighting caused far more serious suffering, loss of property and human life.
With Developments in air technology, the war was carried far beyond the front lines and into the civilian areas.
This was a very mobile war, involving wide scale use of tanks, personnel carriers and mobile artillery units.

16. The Loss of Human Life This was Huge!
The soviet Union alone lost 20 million people
Dreadful crimes were committed against humanity in death and slave camps.
In this war ‘unofficial’ fighting groups were formed. (Partisan Groups)

17. Losses from WWII
Germany -4.5 Million Military -2 Million Civilian Japan -2 million Military -350,000 Civilians Italy 400,000 Military 100,000 civilian China 2.5 Million Military 7.4 Million Civilians
USSR
10 Million Military
10 Million Civilians
Great Britain
-300,000 Military
-50,000 Civilians
France
-250,000 Military
-350,000 Civilians
United States
-274,000 Military

18. Total War
WWII was classified as total war as little distinction was made between soldiers and civilians
Destruction of cities resulted in the spread of disease, high unemployment, destruction of personal property and starvation. Many people suffered despair.

19. Aspects of WWII Deaths Atrocities Destruction of property
War against Civilians
Economy
Partisan Groups
Camps
Sophisticated Weaponry
(Aspects of war)

20. Why Did Germany Fail? The Germans Lost the War because:
They had failed to win the key battles against Britain and Russia (Battle of Britain & Barbarossa)
They had overstretched their resources by fighting on too many fronts
The Italians, their allies had proven more of a hindrance than a help (Hitler’s forces had to rescue them in south eastern Europe)
Their navy had failed to block supplies coming in from overseas
They had lost air control after the Battle of Britain

21. The USA had joined the European War
Hitler’s megalomaniac policies did not match Churchill’s inspiration and Roosevelt’s Persistence
Leaders such as Churchill and Roosevelt had cooperated with each other and presented a united purpose which Hitler and Mussolini could not match.