Hall of Fame and Infamy World History Unit 7

1. Winston Churchill (Great Britain) He warned the British government about Hitler's rise to power He then became the British Prime Minister He was a great war leader Toward the end of WWII, with Stalin and Roosevelt (and later Truman), he became part of the “Big Three” After the war he warns the world about Stalin – “Iron Curtain” No single leader in WWII had to deal with what Churchill dealt with. Imagine this, you see the Nazi wolf in the woods outside your village and you have been warning people about dealing with her, and no one listens. You see the wolf gobble up child and child. Children like Austria, the Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Denmark, Norway, and now finally your neighbor France. Now the wolf is at your door and there is no one there to help you. Your most able body friend and neighbor is way on the other side of town and can’t come out and play after dark. When he spoke to the crew of the HMS Exeter in February of 1940, two months after it lost 61 men in action against a German cruiser, Churchill said, “God knows how great the [task] is. I hope that is not too late. I am very much afraid that it is. We can only do our best.”

It was said of Churchill: No single leader in WWII had to deal with what Churchill dealt with. Imagine this, you see the Nazi wolf in the woods outside your village and you have been warning people about dealing with her, and no one listens. You see the wolf gobble up child and child. Children like Austria, the Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Denmark, Norway, and now finally your neighbor France. Now the wolf is at your door and there is no one there to help you.

FDR and the fireside chat 2. Franklin D. Roosevelt (United States) He was the U.S. President from 1933 to 1945. He dealt with the Great Depression He declared war with Japan after they attacked Pearl Harbor Roosevelt rallied free world, was a great war leader, and died in office before the war ended i. He maintained neutrality in the face of European hostilities in the late 1930s. ii. His administration began supplying arms to the Allies by 1940. iii. He led the nation into World War 2 after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor FDR and the fireside chat

3. Harry S. Truman (United States) Truman was the Vice President to Roosevelt for only 82 days. Roosevelt rarely contacted him, even to inform him of major decisions. Because of this, he did not even On April 12, 1945, Truman was called to the White House, where he was informed that Roosevelt had died after suffering from a massive stroke. Vice President to FDR. i. US president from 1945 to 1953. i. Concerning WWII, Truman is mainly fulfilling Roosevelt's policies. ii. It is in the post-WWII world where Truman makes his mark. iii. We will talk a lot more about Truman in the next unit. Decides to drop the bomb on Japan, helps to rebuild Europe, and he sets the tone for the Cold War. i. Ultimately decides to drop the bomb. Even Mrs. Roosevelt says ‘what else could he have done.’ ii. Rebuilds Europe with the Marshal Plan, actively supports US involvement with the United Nations, and embraces the idea of containing the Soviet Union.

Truman brought an end to our war with Japan when he made the decision to drop the Atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

4. Dwight D. Eisenhower (United States) American 5-star general who served as Supreme Commander of the Allied forces for the war in Europe Planned and supervised invasion of France on D-Day, allied commander, rules occupied Germany Later, he becomes 34th U.S. President

5. Douglas Macarthur (United States) American 5-star general in charge of the war in the Pacific vs. Japan. Develops “island hoping” and advances toward Japan Rules occupied Japan after WWII Is fired by Truman over a disagreement in the Korean war.

6. Benito Mussolini (Italy) Established the 1st European Fascist movement in Italy Italians’ fear of communism helped Mussolini to gain power Tried to expand in Ethiopia and Northern Africa Part of the Axis Power

Mussolini’s Death Mussolini and his mistress tried to flee Italy toward the end of the war. In April, 1945 they were caught executed, then hung in the town square If you are interested in reading the story of his death, and the bizarre travels of his corpse, go to: http://www.history.com/news/mussolinis-final-hours-70-years-ago

7. Adolph Hitler (Germany) The charismatic fascist leader of Germany during WW II He gained power through promises to bring economic prosperity and pride back to Germany He used aggressive expansionism to gain more land

7. Adolph Hitler (Germany) Hitler was extremely anti-Semitic -He stripped Jews of German citizenship and property (and all dignity) -He had 6 million Jews killed in concentration camps

7. Adolph Hitler (Germany) He created SS to eliminate opposition to him

8. Heinrich Himmler (Germany) Himmler was in charge of Hitler’s secret police (SS) His goal was to further the German master race Tools of SS and Himmler: secret police criminal police concentration camps execution squads Death camps

9. Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union) Soviet communist dictator Signs Nazi Soviet Nonaggression Pact to stay at peace with Germany while dividing up Europe between them Hitler breaks the pact with Operation Barbarossa and attacks the USSR Stalin joins the Allies Part of Big Three, At the end of WWII he invades Germany and takes Berlin

10. Hideki Tojo (Japan) Militaristic leader of Japan during WW II Allied with Hitler as he seized surrounding countries and territories Ordered Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor (many Japanese thought the U.S. was too “soft” to fight back) Responsible for the murder of millions of civilians in China, the Philippines, Indochina, and other Pacific island nations

Tojo ATTEMPTED SUICIDE WAR CRIMES TRIAL EXECUTION ORDERED

11. Emperor Hirohito (Japan) Japanese Emperor during WWII Believed to be “God Like” by his people He encouraged the war and the expansion of the Japanese Empire He survived the war and surrenders He is not tried for war crimes