1. World War Two

2. History of World War II Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933
He was a dictator who wanted to control Europe and then the world.

3. In March 1938, Germany annexed Austria and took it over.
Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union protested, but did nothing.

4. Hitler then said he was taking part of Czechoslovakia.
Britain and France wanted to avoid a war, so they gave it to him.
They assumed he would stop, 6 months later he took the rest of Czechoslovakia

5. Now what? In 1939, German troops marched into Poland.
Britain and France declare war on Germany

6. Germany then take over Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
They force France to surrender

7. 1940
In 1940, Germany began attacking Britain and Russia.

8. The US enters the war in 1941 after Japan bombs Pearl Harbor – a US Naval base in Hawaii

9. Trouble ….
Germany could not keep up a war on two fronts, fighting Britain and Russia and Russia begins beating Germany back.

10. June 6, 1944
On June 6, 1944 the Allies began their plan to invade and take over France.
This became known as D-Day
General Eisenhower of the US led the fight to free France

11. Germany surrendered on May 8, 1945

12. Who was on which side? Allies Axis Powers Great Britain France Canada
United States (1941)
Soviet Union (after 1941)
China
Axis Powers
Germany
Japan
Italy
Soviet Union (until 1941)

13. Causes of World War II
The failure of the Treaty of Versailles to keep peace
Many Germans thought they were being treated too severely
Dictators in Germany, Italy, and Japan were promoting a fanatical national pride (Fascism)

14. Causes of World War II cont.
The axis powers wanted to conquer their neighbors
Germany was economically depressed
Germany had to pay $33 million dollars for damages caused in World War I

15. Results of World War II Between 30 – 40 million people died
It cost $1 trillion to fight
Germany, and it’s capital city Berlin, was divided into 2 countries
West Germany became an independent democracy
East Germany became a communist country

16. Results of World War II cont.
The United States and the Soviet Union became the chief world powers.
The United Nations was formed to keep world peace, the headquarters are in New York City.

17. The Holocaust or the Shoah
Holocaust – a disaster that wipes out life

18. What happened?
Germany blamed their misfortunes on anyone who was not Aryan – this included Jews, Blacks, Gypsies, the handicapped and political opponents
Hitler wanted to fill the world with Aryans – people with blond hair and blue eyes (even though he did not have these features)

19. Hitler wanted to rid the world of Jews and put them into concentration camps.
Some were sent to work camps, others were killed, tortured, or were starved to death.

20. 6 million of the 8 million Jews in Europe were killed this way.

21. How do we avoid war in the future?