1. Do-Now: What do the swastikas and other Nazi paraphernalia mean to you? What do the details of the photo tell you about Hitler and the Nazis?

2. Causes of World War II Lecture #2C Unit: Great Depression & WWII

3.  The Great Depression was the worst economic crisis in U.S. history. From 1931 to 1940 unemployment was always in double digits. In April 1939, almost ten years after the crisis began, more than one in five Americans still could not find work.  On the surface World War II seems to mark the end of the Great Depression. During the war more than 12 million Americans were sent into the military, and a similar number toiled in defense-related jobs. Those war jobs seemingly took care of the 17 million unemployed in 1939. Most historians have therefore cited the massive spending during wartime as the event that ended the Great Depression.

4.  A Bitter Peace Unravels  Many countries were facing difficult times and were willing to accept change.  People accepted new leaders and new forms of government (didn’t have the historical traditions of Democracy)  WWII (Sep 1939 – Sep 1945)

5.  Totalitarianism – A theory of government in which a single party or leader controls the economic, social, and cultural lives of its people.

6.  Rule by a single party  Total control of the military  Total control over means of communication (newspapers, propaganda, etc.)  Police control with the use of terror as a control tactic  Control of the economy  Nazism, Fascism, Communism are all totalitarian governments

7. 1. Underlying Causes of World War II a. Nationalism (Review from WWI): Extreme pride in one’s nationality or country b. Imperialism (Review from WWI): Taking of land/property c. Militarism (Review from WWI): Building weapons or a strong military

8. 1. Underlying Causes of World War II d. Fascism: a political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition

9. e. Totalitarian Dictatorships: Leaders who control all aspects of society i. Each dictator took advantage of economic problems by: 1. Promising simple solutions to their nation’s problems 2. Rebuilding national pride (often using propaganda) 3. Providing scapegoats (targets for anger & blame) 4. Absorbing power, taking away individual rights, and crushing opposition (1 party; 1 ruler)

11. 2. Fascist Germany a. Dictator: Adolf Hitler (Der Fuhrer or The leader) i. Nazism is German Fascism b. Goals: i. Nationalism: 1. Wanted to rebuild Germany 2. Preached Vengeance against (4 hates) a. Democracies (a weak & undisciplined form of gov’t) b. Communism (a threat to Nazi growth) c. November Criminals who signed the WWI Armistice d. Jews (the source of all evil & problems in Germany)

12. 2. Fascist Germany ii. Imperialism: 1. A desire to unite all people of German ancestry (Blood & language) 2. “Lebensraum” (a desire for more living space) needed to build his empire he called The Third Reich iii. Militarism: 1. Defied the Treaty of Versailles & rebuild the army 2. Created the “Nazi War Machine” 3. Built #1 military in the world

13.  Fascism is a term that was originally referred to the fascists of Italy under Mussolini.  Nazism on the other hand, referred as National Socialism, is in an ideological concept of the Nazi Party or the National Socialist German Workers’ Party of Adolf Hitler.  Fascism and Nazism were very similar yet very different at the same time. The main difference between Fascism and Nazism was the so-called concept of race that was central in the Nazi ideology, while the Fascists mostly rejected it.

15. 3. Fascist Italy a. Dictator: Benito Mussolini (Il Duce = The Leader) b. Goals: i. Nationalism: 1. Wished to rebuild the ancient Holy Roman Empire ii. Imperialism: 1. Felt betrayed by the Allies at the Treaty of Versailles Conference due to a promise of land for joining the Allies that was not kept 2. Wanted to control lands around the Mediterranean Sea; 3. “Mare Nostrum” = Our Sea iii. Militarism: 1. Formed the Rome-Berlin Axis (alliance) with Germany in 1936

17. 4. Japan a. Dictators: i. Hideki Tojo: Military Leader & Prime Minister ii. Emperor Hirohito: Political & Spiritual figurehead b. Goals i. Nationalism: 1. Japan wanted to be #1 in Asia 2. Goal: Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere: name for power in Asia ii. Imperialism: 1. To be #1 in Asia, they needed oil and raw materials 2. Wanted China’s land (and others) to obtain oil and raw materials iii. Militarism: 1. Built up the strongest military regime in Asia 2. Soldier’s motto: “Death before Dishonor”

18. 5. Others a. Spain: Franco’s fascists won the Spanish Civil War b. Soviet Union: Joseph Stalin took control of the communist nation  Germany, Italy, & Japan became known as the Axis Powers once the war began. AKA the Bad Guys!

21. e. Poor Decisions were made by the powerful democracies i. France & Great Britain adopted a policy of appeasement ii. The League of Nations would prove ineffective; lacked a military iii. U.S.: Isolationism & Depression kept our focus on U.S. concerns; once aggression began we claimed to be neutral

22.  Appeasement – Giving in to an aggressor’s demands in hopes of keeping the peace.  Appeasement convinced Hitler that Britain and France were weak, which encouraged him to continue to break the Treaty of Versailles.  Fearing war, Britain and France appeased Hitler at the Munich Conference and convinced Czechoslovakia to give him the Sudetenland. With the Sudetenland now part of the Third Reich, Hitler promised he would never again ask for more land.

23. Equation: Nationalism + Imperialism + Militarism = Aggression Extreme Aggression = War!

24. Japan Italy Germany

25.  Germany sends troops into Rhineland  (this is an area that Germany had lost control of after WWI)  Spanish Civil War 1936  Nazis and Fascists help Franco fight against Nationalists  Soviets help Nationalists against Franco

26.  GOAL: Unify German Speaking People  Austria  Czechoslovakia  Took moved troops into Rhineland in 1936

27.  Leaders didn’t stop Hitler. Why?  Fearful of another BLOODY war  Thought request to unite German lands reasonable  Thought Nazis would be more interested in peace once they got land

29.  A German term for “lightning war,” blitzkrieg is a military tactic designed to create disorganization among enemy forces.  Basically, an intense military campaign intended to bring about a swift victory.

30.  1938 – Hitler and the Germans invade Austria (most Austrians spoke German and welcomed becoming a part of Germany)  But…Hitler and the Germans were expanding – and the WWI treaty (of Versailles) told them not to…

31.  After taking Austria – Hitler wanted more  His next desire is the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia  The Czechs didn ’ t want to give this area to Germany – nor did France and Russia

32.  GB, FR, Italy, Germany  Czechs had to give up Sudetenland  British step in to offer a peace and avoid war  British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain meets with Hitler in Munich, Germany  Hitler has to promise he is done seeking territory  Appeasement: Giving concessions in exchange for peace

33.  Hitler now wants Poland – Danzig

34.  Germany’s Invasion of Poland in 1939 marks the official beginning of World War II  The Soviet Union also invaded Poland and the Baltic countries from the east.  Germany and the Soviet Union signed a nonaggression pact in August 1939, stating that they would not fight each other.

35.  Yeah….this will work out…  Hitler signed a Non-Aggression Pact with Stalin and the Soviet Union (they agree NO WAR) – France and Britain lost an ally in Stalin  Immediately after – Germany invaded Poland (France & Britain declare war on Germany) WWII officially begins

36.  September 1939 Germany invades Poland, starting World War II. Britain and France declare war on Germany.  April 1940 Germany invades Norway and Denmark.  May 1940 Germany invades Belgium and the Netherlands.  July 1940 Germany begins bombing Britain.  June 1941 Germany invades the Soviet Union.

37.  The policy of appeasement practiced by Britain, France, and other members of a weak League of Nations emboldened Germany to expand her borders.  Germany began to build up a military presence in the border area next to France (the Rhineland) and in the Sudetenland, despite the Versailles Treaty restrictions.

38.  Despite warnings of war, Hitler invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. Britain and France had little choice but to respond by declaring war on Germany.  The Soviet Union also invaded Poland and the Baltic countries from the east.

39.  Germany and the Soviet Union signed a nonaggression pact in August 1939, stating that they would not fight each other.  Germany practiced a strategy of Blitzkrieg (lightning war) that enabled her to overrun Poland, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands within eight months. German troops pushed on to Paris, and France surrendered.

41.  Only port left was Dunkirk  Hitler stopped pursuit for a reason still unknown today  338,000 soldiers were evacuated safely  Became known as “Miracle at Dunkirk”  France would surrender 3 weeks later

42.  Video clip  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F47B4O5 mrCo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F47B4O5 mrCo

43.  Winston Churchill new Prime Minster  Peace was NOT an option  “Even though large tracts of Europe have fallen…we shall not flag or fail…We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and the streets, we shall fight in the hills, we shall never surrender.”  Quoted in Freedom of Fear

44.  Air force battle (Luftwaffe vs. Royal Air Force)  Cities and civilians targeted  Britain outnumbered, but prevail mainly because of new invention, radar  “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” Churchill  Germany gave up

45.  A significant turning point of World War II, the Battle of Britain ended when Germany’s Luftwaffe failed to gain air superiority over the Royal Air Force despite months of targeting Britain’s air bases, military posts and, ultimately, its civilian population.

48.  1.Nationalism is an intense loyalty to one’s a) Family b) Race c) Religion d) Country

49.  2. Throughout the 1930s, dictators seized control in many countries, but not in a) Germany b) France c) Italy d) Japan

50.  3. _________________ was the totalitarian ruler of the Soviet Union. a) Benito Mussolini b) Francisco Franco c) Joseph Stalin d) Charles de Gaulle