2. Germany Italy Japan September 1939 – September 1945
Most geographically widespread military conflict
Approximately 55 million people died, 40 million MORE than WWI!!!
Most countries involved in the war were against the Axis Powers:
Germany
Italy
Japan
American soldiers arriving on the beach of Omaha: D-Day, June 6, 1944
Iwo Jima War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia

3. What Was So Wrong With It?
Signed to end WWI in 1918
SEVERE consequences for Germany
Could be the largest factor in the outbreak of WWII
What Was So Wrong With It?
Germany had to:
accept FULL blame for WWI
give up colonies and land
pay reparations to other countries
**Click the map. This video is a link to Kahn Academy at
This video discusses the aftermath of the Treaty of Versailles and Germany.
Which Led To:
severe economic stress on Germany
German money was almost worthless
German people were starving
German government was in chaos

4. Here Come The Fascists Which Led To:
Began with Stock Market Crash on Oct. 29, 1929, through 1939
Many countries’ economies were struggling – Not just Germany
People around the world were out of work with barely any income
Which Led To:
people having to stand in food lines
governments became unstable
powerful leaders taking control
Here Come The Fascists
Fascist governments believed in a strong central government and strict control
Most were militaristic
Dictators led these governments
Opponents of these governments were often jailed or killed

5. Italy Japan 1922: Italy falls to a fascist government.
1925: Benito Mussolini names himself dictator.
**Click the photo of Mussolini. This video is a link to Kahn Academy at
This video is about Mussolini becoming dictator of Italy.
1926: Emperor Hirohito takes the throne.
Japan
Late 1930s: Military general Tôjô Hideki gains power.
1941: Tôjô Hideki becomes Prime Minister.

6. 1929: National Socialist German Worker’s Party (Nazis), led by Adolf Hitler, begins to gain power.
Germany
Jan. 30, 1933: Hitler is appointed Reich Chancellor.
Feb. 27, 1933: The Reichstag government building burns.
Hitler blames the German Communist Party.
Many believe Hitler is responsible for the fire and is using propaganda to make Germans afraid for their safety.
The Nazi Party was able to take control of the Reichstag and passed an act that gave Hitler the power to pass any law without Reichstag approval.

7. Why Did the German People Like Hitler?
Hitler begins sending political opponents to concentration camps.
Aug. 2, 1934: Hitler names himself
Führer, or supreme leader.
Why Did the German People Like Hitler?
Germans were desperate for a leader who would improve the economy and restore their national pride.
Many Germans were still bitter about the Treaty of Versailles.
Hitler was charismatic and gave the German people hope.

8. Once dictators came to power, they wanted to form alliances.
Oct. 15, 1936
Germany and Italy sign the
Rome-German Axis.
Nov. 25, 1936
Germany and Japan sign the Anti-Comintern Pact.
**Click the photo of Mussolini. This video is a link to Kahn Academy at
This video is about Mussolini and Hitler becoming allies.
May 22, 1939
Germany and Italy form a stronger alliance called the Pact of Steel.

9. Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact.
Sept. 27, 1940
Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact.
All three Axis Powers are now allies after WWII began.
Mussolini & Hitler

10. Japan invades Manchuria, a region in China.
Once dictators came to power, they wanted to expand their countries’ empires.
Japan
Japan is a small island country = few natural resources.
In order for Japan to become an industrialized country, it needed to take over lands that were rich in natural resources.
1931
Japan invades Manchuria, a region in China.
Japan claims more Chinese land and seizes European colonies in the Pacific region.
**Click the map. This video is a link to Kahn Academy at
This video is about the beginning of WWII, including Japanese invasion of China. Watch the clip from the beginning to 3:30.
Italy
1935: Italy invades Ethiopia in north Africa.

11. Germany 1938: Germany annexes Austria.
1939: Germany annexes Czechoslovakia.
**Click the map. This video is a link to Kahn Academy at
This video is about the beginning of WWII, including the German annexation of Austria and Czechoslovakia. Watch the clip from the 3:30 mark to the 5:33 mark.

12. What’s The Big Deal? SHHHHHHHHH…..
Aug. 1939: Hitler and the Soviet Union’s Joseph Stalin sign the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact.
What’s The Big Deal?
If Germany invades Poland, Hitler does not have to worry about fighting the Soviet Union to his east.
Great Britain and France had promised military support to Poland if Germany ever invaded it.
**Click the map. This video is a link to Kahn Academy at
This video is about the beginning of WWII, including the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact. Watch the clip from the 5:33 mark to the 6:29 mark.
SHHHHHHHHH…..
Hitler and Stalin made a secret agreement to invade Poland from the east and west, and they would split Poland amongst themselves.

13. Why Weren’t These Dictators Stopped?
policy of making concessions to a dictator in order to avoid war
Why Weren’t These Dictators Stopped?
The League of Nations was an organization of countries who worked together to maintain peace after the end of WWI.
However, the League of Nations was unable to stop Japan because it was too far away.
Italy was given economic sanctions when it invaded Ethiopia, but the League could not enforced it.
Hitler realized the democratic nations were trying to avoid war, so he grew bolder.
Great Britain and France could no longer ignore Hitler when he invaded Poland.

14. Sept. 1, 1939: Hitler invades Poland.
Sept. 3, 1939: WWII begins as Great Britain and France declare war on Germany in support of Poland.
**Click the map. This video is a link to Kahn Academy at
This video is about the beginning of WWII, including the invasion of Poland. Watch the clip from the 6:29 mark to the end.