1. World War II : The World at War

2. Neutral United States 1920s-1930s U.S. practiced isolationism (kept out of international affairs) President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Congress passed the Neutrality Act of 1939 declaring its wish to isolate itself from overseas conflicts

4. Lend-Lease Despite its neutrality, U.S. helped Britain hold off Hitler’s forces – Cash and Carry policy : U.S. offered to sell arms if Britain paid cash AND transported weapons in their own ships – Lend-Lease Act of 1941 : authorized prez to lend or lease goods to any country if they were helping to defend the U.S.

6. Anti-Japanese trade ban Japanese aggression against China, French Indochina, & the Dutch East Indies led to strong protests in U.S. 1940 : President FDR banned all export of materials vital (necessary) to Japanese industry – ban included petroleum (gas) & scrap metal

8. Blitzkrieg 1940 - Hitler uses Blitzkrieg (lightning war) tactics = crushed opposing forces with speed and mobility – Troops & artillery in vehicles aided by planes and tanks April 1940 – Germany conquers Norway & Denmark, then Belgium & Holland in May

10. Invasion of France June 1940 - French surrendered & Italy enters war Germany splits France into 2 parts: – Occupied France & Vichy France Occupied France = controlled by German forces Vichy France = French fascist paramilitary organization, The Milice

12. Britain stands alone United States remains neutral, but sent food and arms to British Britain aided by its colonies and former colonies

13. Battle of Britain August 1940 – Germans begin bombing British cities, industrial areas, seaports, & military installations Prime Minister Winston Churchill inspired British people British Royal Air Force destroyed large numbers of German planes June 1941 – aid raids eased off

16. Eastern Front Late 1940 – Hungary and Rumania joined Axis Powers, Bulgaria in 1941 Yugoslavia & Greece defeated; Germans control all of the Balkans

18. Soviet Union June 1941 – Hitler invades Soviet Union – Germans wanted farmlands and oil Britain & U.S. aided the Soviets w/ food & arms – December – Soviet army counterattacks = winter weather halts Germans

20. Pearl Harbor U.S. ban = Japan’s oil supplies drop = Japan gets desperate December 7, 1941 – Japanese planes bombed U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii – Most of U.S. fleet destroyed or severely damaged President Roosevelt requests declaration of war on Japan = Congress agrees December 8, 1941 – 3 days later : Germany & Italy declared war on U.S.

22. Allied Strategy in Europe Jan. 1942 : U.S., Britain, Soviet Union, & 23 nations sign Declaration of United Nations – Strategy : concentrate on Europe first, then Pacific North Africa – 1942-1943 : Allied Powers fight Germans to win back whole of North Africa by May Eastern Front – 1943 : Germans suffer defeat at Stalingrad – Russians pushed Germany west all the way to Berlin, Germany in April 1945

23. Italian Campaign July 1943 - Allies invade Sicily – Mussolini forced out of office & imprisoned by Italian King (later shot & dragged through streets) Italians join Allies, but Germans continue to fight – 1944 : Rome fell to Allies – 1945 : German loses Northern Italy

24. D-Day http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wUjZpPNsxI June 6, 1944 – U.S. General Eisenhower led Allied troops across English Channel to shores of Normandy, France Americans pushed Germans out of France, Belgium, and Holland – Dec 1944 : Germany’s last offense in Battle of the Bulge in Belgium, but quickly pushed back into Germany

25. Fall of Hitler March 1945 : Allies move into Germany from west as Soviets move into Berlin from east – Hitler committed suicide May 7 : German leaders surrender – Next day : V-E Day (Victory in Europe) declared