1. WWII: Background
Mr. Turner

2. Ideologies change
After WWI some nations adopted more democratic and freedom minded governments
However there was a rise of totalitarian governments in countries considered world powers
Totalitarianism- a form of government, usually headed by a dictator, that controls the economic, social, and cultural aspects of its citizens’ lives

3. Post-WWI Dictators Joseph Stalin- Russia (aka Soviet Union)
Benito Mussolini- founder of the Fascist party - controlled Italy
Adolf Hitler- Germany
General Hideki Tojo- Japan

4. Dictators start to expand
Japan started to expand to recover from the Depression
Japan began to invade and take over some of China
They invaded Manchuria and began using it for its resources
Hitler wanted to return Germany to its former glory and unify it under the Third Reich
Hitler reclaimed the Saar region from France and sent troops in the Rhineland

5. Mussolini invaded and took control over Ethiopia
During the Spanish Civil war ( ) Hitler and Mussolini sent troops to help the Nationalist (rebellion) side
US, France, and Britain stayed out of these conflicts

6. Allied powers try to help
France, Great Britain, and the US eventually tried to help using an appeasement policy with the dictators
Grant the dictators some of what they wanted in hopes they would stop
France and Britain signed the Munich Pact with Germany
Gave Germany the Sudetenland
Postponed the war for about a year
Only made Hitler more confident

7. War breaks out
1939-Britain and France signed an alliance with Poland in case of German attack
1939-Germany and Russia signed a nonaggression pact so they would not attack each other
September 1, Hitler launched a blitzkrieg against Poland
Russia invaded Poland on September 17, 1939
France and Great Britain did nothing to help their ally

8. German Aggression Germany began attacking all over in 1940
Germany took over
Denmark
Norway
Netherlands
Belgium
Luxembourg
Finally he attacked France - British troops stationed there escaped but France surrendered to German forces

9. Battle of Britain (July 1940)
Hitler turned his eyes to Britain after France fell
He wanted to use the Luftwaffe, German Air Force, to gain control over British airspace
Britain lost almost 1,000 planes but held on strong; Germany lost over 1,700
Hitler decided to withdraw his attack and wait for another day

10. American Neutrality
Americans wanted to stay neutral and out of the war
Congress even passed Neutrality laws to keep us Neutral
However, under the Neutrality Act of the US could sell goods and arms to nations if they paid cashed and carried them on their ships (cash-and-carry policy)
Congress ended up passed another Selective Service act to prepare for war if it came
This was the first peacetime draft in history
Trained 1.2 million troops with 800,000 reserve troops each year

11. Roosevelt and Interventionism
Congress approved the lend-lease program in 1941
Gave FDR the power to sell, lease, lend, or give anything defense related to a country if it helped protect the US
In 1941, FDR and British PM Winston Churchill met and signed the Atlantic Charter
Which endorsed national self-determination and an international system of general security
1941- Roosevelt gave orders for the Navy to attack German U-boats on sight