1. American History II - Unit 5
World War II
American History II - Unit 5

2. WORLD WAR II LOOMS Unit 5.1 Mr. Duncan

3. Post WWI Problems
Post-WWI economic depressions, made worse by the US’s Great Depression
Growing nationalism – loyalty to one’s country above all else (can be aggressive)
Tensions existed due to the Treaty of Versailles – Germany and Russia angered and looking for revenge
Some European countries turned to dictators to solve political, economic, and social issues.

4. Political Trends
Dictator – ruler with total power over a country, usually obtains power by force
Establish totalitarian gov’ts – gov’t that attempts to exert complete control over its citizens by protecting no individual rights and suppressing opposition
Fascism – advocates a strong, centralized, nationalistic gov’t headed by a dictator
Communism – advocates for community ownership of property, with complete social and economic equality (essentially contradicts with the idea of a dictator)
Nazism – advocates for extreme nationalism, racism, and militaristic expansionism – basis for the Nazi Party

5. Benito Mussolini Adolf Hitler Joseph Stalin
1922 – appointed head of the gov’t by the Italian king
Il Duce – “the Leader”
Extreme nationalism and focus on militaristic expansion
Private property with strong gov’t control
Established the “Third Reich” – 3rd German Empire
Der Füher – “the Leader”
Racism and racial “purification”
1924 – assumed power after Lenin’s death
Focused on agricultural and industrial growth through complete gov’t ownership (no private property)
Attempted communism - eventual rule by the working class
“purged” opposition (8-13M people)

6. Militarists Gain Control in Japan
Military leaders in Japan believed the superior Japanese race needed more room to grow (inspired by Hitler's lebensraum – living space)
Japanese militants invaded Chinese province of Manchuria
control of Manchuria
Success led to complete militarist control of Japan’s gov’t
League of Nations condemned Japan’s actions → Japan left the League of Nations

7. Spanish Civil War
Spanish army officers, led by Francisco Franco, rebelled against the Spanish republic
Italy and Germany (Rome-Berlin Axis) aided Spanish fascists (rebels)
Russia supported the existing republic
Western democracies remained neutral
1939 – Franco’s forces prevail → Franco = Spanish fascist dictator

9. Aggression in Europe 1933 – Germany left League of Nations
1935 – Hitler began organizing a national army
Violation of Treaty of Versailles
1936 – German troops to the Rhineland
region bordering France and Belgium
The League of Nations did nothing to stop Hitler’s aggressions

10. Aggression in Africa Mussolini - imperialist focus on Ethiopia
The League of Nations called for “collective resistance to all acts of unprovoked aggression.” (don’t do it Italy!)
1936 – Mussolini gained control of Ethiopia
League of Nations members boycotted Italian trade (ineffective)
Ethiopia appealed to the League of Nations for help, “It is us today. It will be you tomorrow.”

11. What are France, GB, and the US doing in response??

12. French and British Appeasement
Appeasement - policy of conceding to an enemy in hopes of maintaining peace
How France and Great Britain both reacted to the aggression of Italy and Germany to avoid war
Encouraged Italy and Germany to become more aggressive

13. US Response Isolationism through neutrality
US signed the Kellogg-Briand Treaty in 1928 with 62 other countries → war would not be used “as an instrument of national policy”
However, FDR only continued the trend of post WWI isolationism to an extent…
Withdrew armed forces from Latin American countries (Good Neighbor Policy)
Recognized USSR and exchanged ambassadors
Reciprocal Trade Agreement Act – gave POTUS power to make trade agreements → aimed at reducing tariffs
Neutrality Acts – series of acts that outlawed arms sales or loans to warring nations or nations engaged in civil war

14. US Response
As tensions abroad grew, FDR could no longer remain neutral.
1937 – Japan attacked China again → FDR continued to supply arms to China because Japan had not officially declared war (Neutrality Acts loophole)
FDR called upon peace-loving nations to “quarantine” (isolate) aggressive nations to stop war…
FDR backed off foreign involvement when isolationist newspapers criticized him for wanting to lead the US into war.