World War II Basics Leaders- Germany-1. Weimar Republic 2. Adolf Hitler Italy-Benito Mussolini Spain-Francisco Franco Soviet Union (Russia)-Joseph Stalin Great Britain (England)-1. Neville Chamberlain 2. Winston Churchill United States-Franklin Roosevelt Japan-Hideki Tojo

The Two Sides Allied Powers AxisPowers England- Great Britain Germany France Italy China Japan Soviet Union (later) Soviet Union (at first) United States (later)

Adolf Hitler Comes to Power in Germany -Germany humiliated by Treaty of Versailles -suffering 50% unemployment and terrible inflation Hitler and the Nazi party slowly gains power -builds military -puts people back to work -speaks of Germans as the “master race” -promises to destroy Germany’s enemies and bring world domination -has a plan to exterminate European Jews -becomes Der Fuhrer- the leader -calls Germany the Third Reich or Third Empire **As Hitler builds his military machine, he invades and occupies, the Rhineland, Austria, and Sudetenland (part of Czechoslovakia)

Benito Mussolini Comes to Power in Italy **Although Italy was on the winning side of WWI, it did not receive all that was promised. -only gained a small area of land from Austria -national debt was staggering -no raw materials for industry -no markets for industry -no jobs for returning veterans **Mussolini creates the Fascist Party -Fascism- -a political philosophy advocating the glorification of the state, a one-party system, one strong, leader, and an aggressive form of nationalism. - -cause of the nation advanced at all costs - -war and conquests were glorified to achieve national goals

**Mussolini wanted to restore Italy to the strength and glory of the ancient Roman Empire. Mussolini as Dictator -first named prime minister -uses violence of the “black shirts” to ensure Fascist representatives are elected to parliament -began to call himself Il Duce- -the leader -anyone who dared to speak out were beaten, arrested, or murdered -put people back to work by building up military -at first, most Italians supported Mussolini

The Beginning of WWII in Europe **Britain and France become concerned with the growing military might of Germany. When Hitler invades Sudetenland, a pact is signed. The Munich Pact -agreement between Germany, Italy, France, Britain -Germany can keep Sudetenland but promises not to invade any more nations or territories -signed Sept. 1938 -6 months later Hitler takes the rest of Czechoslovakia -Mussolini takes Albania -Hitler begins to threaten Poland **Realizing that appeasement had failed, Britain and France make an alliance with Poland.

Hitler and Stalin sign a Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact -Germany and Soviet Union pledge not to attack each other -Soviet Union gets control of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and part of eastern Poland -Hitler now invades Poland -France and Great Britain declare war on Germany -WWII begins in Sept. 1939

France and Britain Respond to Invasion of Poland -Britain sends more than 300,000 troops across English Channel to northern France -France begins to strengthen fortifications Nations Falling to Hitler in 1940 -Denmark -Norway -Belgium -Luxembourg -Netherlands -Poland -France

Hitler Invades France -Takes northern France -Southern France, the Vichy Regime, cooperates with the Nazis -Hitler forces France to sign armistice as an act of humiliation -an underground “resistance” begins to build in France -several French leaders escaped to Britain to plan the resistance.

Hitler Turns his Sights to Britain **The Battle of Britain -Hitler bombs London homes, businesses, factories as well as military targets -He believed Britain would seek peace with Germany -He underestimated the resolve of Churchill and the British people. -British lose 1,000 planes Germans lose 1,700 -

“You ask, what is our policy “You ask, what is our policy? I will say: it is to wage war, by sea, land, and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us: to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never, surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. This is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: Victory—victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however hard and long the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.” -Winston Churchill **When Hitler realizes he cannot defeat Britain, he turns his sights to the east - -toward the Soviet Union.