1. World War II

2. Learning Targets
Describe how post World War I conditions contributed to the rise of antidemocratic governments in Europe
Explain why many Americans supported a policy of isolationism in the 1930’s

11. World War II More than 100 million military personnel involved
Deadliest conflict in history; 50 to 70 million killed
Total War, participants placed their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities at the service of the war effort
Only use of atomic weapons in combat

12. Roots of WW II Germany is solely responsible
German army is limited to 100,000 men
Advanced weapons are restricted or prohibited
Loss of Territory
Must pay reparations
132 billion Marks ($385 billion today)
The causes of WWII stem from the end of WWI, specifically the Treaty of Versailles

13. Hyperinflation in Germany 1923

15. Germany Loses Territory

16. Europe Between the Wars
Joseph Stalin Took over the USSR in 1926 after Vladimir Lenin died.
Stalin tried to modernize the economy
He was paranoid of anyone who might overthrow him
Killed millions during the Great Purge in the 1930’s
Benito Mussolini took over Italy in 1922
Led Italy’s Fascist Party
Fascism is a kind of aggressive nationalism, and is strongly anti-communist

17. Adolph Hitler
Joined German Workers Party in Later renamed the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party)
Quickly rose to power, good at giving speeches
Appealed to German nationalism, blamed WWI loss on Jews
Used a private army called the SA (storm troopers or brownshirts) to attack political foes
Hitler & Ernst Röhm, leader of the SA

18. The Rise To Power…1923-1933 After jail, he focused more on politics
The Nazi party slowly gained power in the Reichstag (German Parliament)
The Nazi party was aided when the Great Depression occurred and by the weak central government
Led the Beer Hall Putsch (coup) in 1923 but failed and was sent to jail
In jail he wrote Mein Kampf (my struggle) in which he laid out his plans; including ridding Europe of Jews and creating more Lebensraum (living space) for Germans

19. Rise to Power In 1933, Hitler became Chancellor of Germany
He quickly moved to give himself dictatorial powers and declared himself Führer (leader) in 1934
He then set out to rearm Germany, in violation of the Treaty of Versailles

20. The Road To War: Japan
Japan needed raw materials to supply its growing economy
In 1931, the Japanese army invaded Manchuria and threw out the Chinese.  
The Japanese felt that acquiring resource-rich territories would establish economic self- sufficiency and independence

21. The US Turns Inward
The US pursued a policy of neutrality & isolationism
Isolationist ideas became popular for two reasons:
Many European nations who owed money to the US for WWI said they wouldn’t pay
The Nye Committee showed that arms manufacturers made huge profits during WWI, prompting many to believe that they tricked the US into the war
The isolationist faction was led by Charles Lindbergh and the American First Committee

22. Roosevelt & Internationalism
Roosevelt supported internationalism, the idea that trade between nations created prosperity and helps prevent war
When Japan invaded China in 1937, Roosevelt authorized arms sales to China
The Neutrality Acts of & 1937 made it illegal to sell arms to a country at war
Roosevelt believed that the Act did not apply because neither country declared war