The Second World War

Questions Why did another world war break out in Europe and in the Pacific in the late 1930s Why did the Allies win WWII? What innovations in warfare were introduced in WWII? How did WWII differ from WWI on the front lines and behind the lines?

Outbreak of War in Europe Aug 23, 1939 Nazi-Soviet Non-aggression pact Sept. 1, 1939, Hitler invaded Poland –Poland partitioned according to terms of Nazi-Soviet non- aggression pact –‘Blitzkrieg’ Sept. 3, 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany –Through May 1940, Britain and France mustered troops in France –May 1940, German armies attacked through Belgium; France fell June, 1940

Battle of Britain, Summer 1940 Jan 1941 Germans entered war in N. Africa June 1941 Hitler invaded Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa) –At outskirts of Moscow by winter, Soviets burn everything as they retreat. Remember? Dec. 1941, Germany declared war on U.S. Nov –U.S. landed in Africa –S.U. counterattack at Stalingrad Hitler’s War

The Second World War in Europe

Fall of Mussolini Mussolini as Hitler’s Puppet Mussolini’s Military Weakness Mussolini’s Demise

The Collapse of Nazi Germany Germany reaches Moscow and then Soviets counter attack. It’s winter time and Germany soldiers are in their summer uniforms. Hitler says no retreat. Scorched earth policy worked again. Germany gains nothing, loses 500, Italian Campaign, Allies are coming from the south June 6, 1944 Normandy Invasion- D-Day (Operation Overlord, Eisenhower) Battle of the Bulge Dec Million Soviet-3 Mil Allies head to Berlin May 8, 1945 Germany surrendered

The Second World War in Europe

Outbreak of War in Asia Emperor Hirohito wants to create empire in the Pacific. July 1940 U.S. Embargo –Aviation fuel and scrap metal September Embargo on oil Dec Japan attacks U.S. Pearl Harbor, “A day that will go down in infamy.” FDR Yamamoto vs. Mac Arthur

The War in Asia June Battle of Midway (Turned the war in the Pacific against the Japanese) Aug Feb 1943 Guadalcanal Oct Philippines invaded Feb 19-March : Iwo Jima –March 10, 1945 Firebombing of Tokyo Aug. 6 and Hiroshima and Nagasaki September 2, 1945 Japan surrenders (V-J Day)

Japanese forces Invade China By 1942 they control Philippines, Guam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Dutch East Indies.

New elements in warfare Tanks: Presence on battlefield prevented WWII from turning into into the hopeless stalemate of WWI Strategic Bombing: Use of large aircraft to knock out enemy industries and bomb enemy civilians Atomic Bomb: Forced Japan to surrender in Sept The Ruins of Dresden

Military Aircraft Production, in thousands of Planes

Consequences of War Estimated million dead Soviet Union lost 27 million Poland lost 6 million, incl. 3 million Jews Germans lost 5 million Germans killed between 12 and 20 million in their zones of occupation Germany and Berlin were divided into 4 occupation zones European economy was devastated U.S. ended war with 1/2 of the manufacturing capability on Earth Postwar Berlin

Total War Warfare in the industrial era meant that to fight and win, nations had to mobilize their entire population –Soldiers fought on front lines –Workers manned factories to make weapons –Farmers fed the soldiers and workers Industrialization made it possible for the state to direct the entire economy toward the war effort Civilians were regarded as legitimate casualties of war, since civilians manned factories, made weapons, and kept armies supplied

Total War “Civilians must have the war brought home to them. Every individual must be made to see the immediacy of the danger to him.... He must be made to understand that he is an integral part of the war front, and that if he loses the war, he loses everything.” –Government Information Manual for the Motion Picture Industry U.S. Office of War Information