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World War Looms World War II: World War Looms Chapter 24 World War Looms: Dictators Threaten World Peace Chapter 24, Section 1 Causes of World War II Militarism—build up of army Alliances Italy, Germany, Japan unite to control the world around their Axis Britain, France, Russia and the U.S. become the Allies Imperialism—expanding empires Ex. Mussolini wants to recreate the Roman empire Nationalism—belief that your Nation is supreme and should take control of surrounding territories Appeasement—Britain and France allow Hitler to Treaty of Versailles to hoping that he would not attack surrounding territories World Depression—economic crisis opened doors for dictators to take control in Europe Ex. Hitler, Mussolini League of Nations—did not have the force to stop Japan and Hitler Treaty of Versailles—unfair terms create resentment from Germany Treaty of Versailles: Failures of the World War I Peace Settlement Treaty of Versailles causes anger, resentment in Europe Germany resents: blame for war loss of colonies and border territories outrageous reparations that they had difficulty repaying • Dawes Plan—U.S. loaned Germany money to pay reparations and set up a reasonable repayment schedule Russia resents loss of lands used to create other nations New democracies had little experience, little tradition, and were weak flounder under social and economic problems Dictators rise; driven by nationalism, desire for more territory Joseph Stalin transforms the Soviet Union 1922 V. I. Lenin established Soviet Union after civil war 1924 Joseph Stalin took over: created a great industrial power (second in the world) by using the “five-year plan” replaced private farms with collectives—large government owned farms Millions died in famines caused by the restructuring Stalin used the army and other police forces to crush all opposition • Great Purge (1930s)—arrested or killed anyone who threatened his power; 8–13 million killed Stalin turned the Soviet Union into a totalitarian state (a country where the government has complete control) Totalitarian Totalitarian government exerts almost complete control over nearly every aspect of public and private behavior Totalitarian state, individuals have no rights, and the government suppresses all opposition They maintain themselves in power by means of secret police, propaganda disseminated through the state-controlled mass media, regulation and restriction of free discussion and criticism, and widespread use of terror tactics Joseph Stalin The Rise of Fascism in Italy Unemployment and inflation led to bitter strikes—some were communist-led Middle and upper classes wanted stronger leaders Benito Mussolini played on fears of economic collapse and communism Supported by government officials, police, army 1922 Mussolini led an army of his followers, whose black uniforms gave them the name Blackshirts, in a march on Rome • Italian king appointed Mussolini prime minister and granted him dictatorial powers He called himself Il Duce (the leader), he crushed all opposition with the Blackshirts He wanted to restore the Roman Empire Fascism, a military-dominated government that controls all aspects of society—stresses nationalism and the needs of state above individual Benito Mussolini The Nazis Take Over Germany Adolf Hitler leader of National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nazi Party) He wanted to emulate Mussolini’s march on Rome, his attempt failed and he was sent to jail While in jail he wrote Mein Kampf—which outlined the basic beliefs of Nazism, based on extreme nationalism Wanted to unite German-speaking people, enforce racial “purification” By 1932, 6 million unemployed—they bought into Hitler’s message; many men joined Hitler’s private army Nazis became strongest political party; Hitler named chancellor (“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer”) Dismantled democratic Weimar Republic; established Third Reich (the Third Empire) and claimed dictatorial powers Hitler prohibited Jews and non-Nazis from holding government positions, outlawed strikes, and made military service mandatory Nazi storm troopers, known as Brownshirts because of the color of their uniforms, crushed all political opposition Adolf Hitler U.S. Cautious after Peace Agreements Broken Washington Conference—an international conference that the United States held—led to three important treaties (Japan broke by invading Manchuria) Four-Power Treaty—an agreement among US, Great Britain, France, and JAPAN to respect one another’s Pacific holdings Five-Power Treaty—US, Great Britain, JAPAN, France, ITALY agreed to freeze their navies at 1921 levels and thus avoid the financial strain of further naval buildups Nine-Power Treaty—signed by US, France, Great Britain, JAPAN, ITALY, Belgium, China, the Netherlands, and Portugal; it put the “Open Door” China policies of John Hay into a treaty Kellogg-Briand Pact—treaty signed by 62 countries (including the United States, Great Britain, Japan, France, and Italy) that renounced war as a national policy Militarists Gain Control in Japan 1931, Nationalist military leaders seized Manchurian northeastern China They did this because Manchuria was mineral-rich and contained an abundance of factories League of Nations condemned action; Japan quits League Militarists took control of Japanese government Wanted to lessen Japan’s reliance on foreign imports and reduce the influence of Western countries in Asia Aggression in Europe and Africa Hitler and Germany 1933, he quit League of Nations 1935, he began military buildup • sent troops into Rhineland—German region bordering France and Belgium • League did nothing to stop him Mussolini and Italy 1935, he invaded Ethiopia • The League’s economic boycott failed to stop Mussolini’s invasion of Ethiopia Civil War Breaks Out in Spain 1936, General Francisco Franco rebelled against Spanish republic—Spanish Civil War began Hitler and Mussolini backed Franco Stalin aided opposition Western democracies remained neutral War led to Rome-Berlin Axis—alliance between Italy and Germany 1939, Franco won the war—became fascist dictator Americans Cling to Isolationism Americans became isolationists— avoid entangling alliances with other nations and avoid all wars not related to direct territorial self-defense Girl Scouts of American actually change uniforms from khaki to green to appear less militaristic FDR backed away from foreign policy “Good Neighbor” Policy—nonintervention in Latin America and removal of troops already stationed in Latin American countries Reciprocal Trade Agreement Act of 1934 allowed the state Department to make treaties with other countries to mutually lower import duties within six years, the United States had reached such agreements with more than a dozen nations US formally recognized Soviet Union hoped that the Soviets would help eliminate the military threat of the Japanese expansion Public was outraged at profits of banks and arms dealers during WW I America, fueled by the Nye committee, called them “merchants of death” 1935 Neutrality Acts tried to keep U.S. out of future wars outlawed the transportation or sale of arms to warring nations and banned loans to nations at war outside the Western Hemisphere Neutrality Breaks Down 1937 Japan launched new attack on China FDR sent aid to China—got around the Neutrality Acts because Japan had not actually declared war on China FDR wanted to isolate aggressor nations to stop war—U.S. public and newspapers exploded in protest on FDR accusing him of leading the nation into war World War Looms: War in Europe Chapter 24, Section 2 Union with Austria Post WW I division of Austria-Hungary created fairly small Austria Majority of Austrians are German and favored unification with Germany 1938, German troops marched into Austria unopposed and the union was completed U.S. and the rest of world did nothing to stop Germany Bargaining for the Sudetenland Hitler next wanted to control the Sudetenland, a German- speaking region of Czechoslovakia (3 million German- speakers) Hitler claimed Czechs abused Sudetenland Germans and massed troops on border 1938, Prime Ministers Daladier (France), Neville Chamberlain (Great Britain) met with Hitler—Munich Conference The leaders signed the Munich Agreement (Conference) which gave Germany control of the Sudetenland if in return Hitler promised to make no further territorial demands— APPEASEMENT. The European leaders had adopted a policy of appeasement, or giving in to demands in an attempt to avoid a larger conflict. Winston Churchill, Chamberlain’s political rival in Britain, condemned appeasement policy and warned war would follow The Soviet Union Declares Neutrality March 1939, German troops occupied rest of Czechoslovakia In an attempt to gain the German speaking lands of Poland, Hitler charged Poles mistreated the Germans in Poland Many thought he was bluffing since invading Poland would bring two-front war (USSR in the East and France-Great Britain in the West) Stalin, Hitler signed nonaggression pact—would not attack each other This shocked the world but the rest of the world did not know that there was a secret clause that the two nations agreed to divide Poland between them Blitzkrieg in Poland September 1, 1939—World War II begins Hitler overran Poland in blitzkrieg: lightning war— using excessive force, quick tanks and powerful aircraft, to surprise and quickly overtake enemy before they can mobilize formal defense The German Luftwaffe, German air force, began dropping bombs on strategic Polish sites The tank units rolled in and the major fighting was over within a matter
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