Introduction to WWII

Quick Facts A. War Costs US Debt 1940 - $9 billion US Debt 1945 - $98 billion The war cost $330 billion -- 10 times the cost of WWI & as much as all previous federal spending since 1776

Quick Facts (write 2-3) B. Human Costs

B. Human Costs Quick Facts 50 million people died (compared to 15 million in WWI) 21.3 million Soviets (7.7 million civilians) 11 million died as a result of the Holocaust (6 million Jews + 5 million others)

When? 1939-1945 US involvement 1941-1945 1939 1941 1945 Sept.1 - Germany invades Poland (official start to the war) Sept. 3 -Britain & France declare war on Germany Dec. 7 – Japan bombs Pearl Harbor; US enters the War May 8 - Germans Surrender August 6 and 9 - Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima & Nagasaki, Japanese Surrender

Axis Allies Who? (major powers) (major powers) Great Britain Germany Soviet Union Italy United States Japan France (note: France surrendered to Germany in 1940 after 3 weeks of fighting)

Adolf Hitler, Germany Austrian born Wounded in WWI Furious with Germany’s part in Treaty of Versailles Stripped Germany of land and colonies Huge burden of debt for war damage in France, Belgium, Great Britain War-guilt clause blaming Germany for starting WWI

Mein Kampf Translation, “My Struggle” Outlined the philosophy of the Nazi Party (NSDAP-National Socialist German Worker’s Party) His views on Germany’s problems Blamed minorities for weakening Germany Most specifically, Jews Called for purification of the Aryan Race Removal of undesirable races through mass extermination, genocide

Hitler as Chancellor Hitler overthrew the German Constitution and took control of the government Ended freedom of speech Violently silenced critics using brown shirts, Nazi thugs Hindenburg died 1934, then Hitler assumed both chancellor and president Called himself “der Fuhrer,” the leader

Benito Mussolini, Italy Fought and injured in WWI Believed the Treaty of Versailles deprived Italy Charismatic speaker who gained supporters 1919, Formed the Fascist Party

German-Italian Alliance 1936, Hitler and Mussolini formed the Rome-Berlin Axis Alliance Later referred to as “The Axis” 1940, Japan joined the Axis Powers

The Fascist Party Political philosophy that advocates… Strong dictatorship Extreme patriotism and nationalism Often linked to racism and cultural superiority Organized gangs of fascists developed around Italy Vowed to end Italy’s economic problems Black shirts, thugs who controlled the opposition

Benito Mussolini Comes to Power By 1922, Mussolini had built so much power, he threatened to invade Rome The Italian King panicked and appointed him prime minister 1925, Mussolini became dictator Called himself “il Duce,” the leader

Italy invades Ethiopia 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia Overpowered Ethiopian resistance Ethiopian emperor fled

Racial Superiority in Italy During WWII, Mussolini deported 7,000 Italian Jews to German death camps 5,910 of them died

Joseph Stalin, Soviet Union 1924, took power after leader Vladimir Lenin died while in office Lenin led a Communist takeover of Russia in 1917 Vicious and often cruel communist dictator Reworked the economy

Stalin’s Economic Plan “Collectivization campaign” – 5 year plan Convert small family farms to huge, government controlled plots Faced with resistance, Stalin reacted by: Forcing the poor off their lands Confiscating the food they produced Sending millions to labor camps in Siberia Agricultural production fell, forced rationing

Stalin’s Economic Plan, con’t Pursued rapid industrialization Assigned millions of laborers from rural areas to build and run new industrial centers All government money flowed into goods that benefited the government Iron, steel, oil, and coal No housing, clothing, or consumer goods Resulted in shortages of essential products Standard of living plummeted Despite troubles, by 1940, Stalin was successful The Soviet Union was a modern industrial power

Stalin’s Reign of Terror Political Domination through purges “Purified” the Communist Party by removing opponents and anyone else he believed to be a threat to his power or ideas Purges successfully eliminated any resistance Great Purge of 1939 Stalin’s agents arrested more than 7 million people, mostly men More than 1 million executed, millions of others put in labor camps

Hideki Tojo, Japan 1941, became Prime Minister As WWII progressed, he assumed virtual dictatorial powers Wanted to build Japan into a great Empire Needed natural resources not available on small island nation

Japan Invades China Japan needed natural resources to build an empire and for its growing population Northern Chinese province of Manchuria was rich in natural resources 1931, Japan invades Manchuria

Major Leaders Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Nazi, Germany Fascist, Italy

Major Leaders Hideki Tojo Winston Churchill Japanese Prime Minister British Prime Minister

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Major Leaders Joseph Stalin Soviet Leader Franklin Delano Roosevelt US President

Why? (underlying causes of WWII) 1. Treaty of Versailles A. Germany lost land to surrounding nations B. War Reparations 1) Allies collect $ to pay back war debts to U.S. 2) Germany must pay $57 trillion (modern equivalent) 3) Bankrupted the German economy & embarrassed Germans Lloyd George, Georges Clemenceau, and Woodrow Wilson during negotiations for the Treaty

Why? (underlying causes of WWII) 2. World-wide Depression A. The Depression made Germany’s debt even worse B. Desperate people turn to desperate leaders 1) Hitler seemed to provide solutions to Germany’s problems 1923 - Wallpapering with German Deutchmarks

Why? (underlying causes of WWII) 2. World-wide Depression, cont. 2) Hitler provided scapegoats for Germany’s problems (foreigners, Jews, communists, Roma (Gypsies), mentally ill, homosexuals) 3) Kristallnacht - vandalism & destruction of Jewish property & synagogues

Why? 3. Rise of Totalitarian Regimes A. In a Totalitarian country, individual rights are not viewed as important as the needs of the nation Communist Dictatorship (USSR) Fascist Dictatorship (Germany, Italy) Fascism: military government with based on racism & nationalism with strong support from the business community Totalitarianism Military Dictatorship (Japan)

Why? 4. Isolationism of Major Powers A. Why was the U.S. Isolationist? 1. Great Depression (problems at home) 2. Perceptions of WWI a. WWI did not seem to solve much b. People began to think that we got into WWI for the wrong reasons (greedy American businessmen!)

Why? 4. Isolationism of Major Powers, cont. 3. Opposition to war (Pacifism) a. Washington Conference - Limits on size of country's navies b. Kellogg-Briand pact - condemned war as a way to solving conflicts

Why? 4. Isolationism of Major Powers, cont. B. This led to policies of “Appeasement” 1. Appeasement: give dictators what they want and hope that they won’t want anything else 2. Begins with Japanese invasion of Manchuria, Italian invasion of Ethiopia, and continues with Hitler . . .

So What Was Hitler Asking For? Return of German Speaking Lands - “Lebensraum” Austria - Peacefully Annexed in 1938 German Troops Parade in Streets of Czechoslovakian Town, ca. 1939

So What Was Hitler Asking For? Return of German Speaking Lands - “Lebensraum” Sudentenland - (now part of Czech Republic) Munich Conference - Great Britain & France give in to Hitler in return for peace Hitler then invades the rest of Czechoslovakia German Troops Parade in Streets of Czechoslovakian Town, ca. 1939

So What Was Hitler Asking For? Return of German Speaking Lands Nonaggression Pact Russia stays out of the war in return for 1/2 of Poland September 1, 1939, Hitler invades Poland, WWII officially starts Great Britain & France finally declare war on Germany Hitler's triumphal entry into Danzig, Poland 1939

How Did Hitler Make War? Blitzkrieg “Lightning War” In the next year, Hitler invades: Denmark Norway Belgium The Netherlands France Hitler in Paris

US Assistance Roosevelt provided aid to the Allies: Lend-Lease Act - 1940 US “lent” war materials to cash-strapped Great Britain Atlantic Charter – 1941 US secretly meets with England to commit to defeating Germany London Firefighter Tackles an Air Raid Blaze

Meanwhile … in the Pacific Pearl Harbor: “a date which will live in infamy” What Surprise attack by the Japanese on American forces in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Effect US declares war on Japan & other Axis powers USS Arizona Sinking in Pearl Harbor