WORLD WAR II ORIGINS OF WAR IN EUROPE • The rise of dictators • Fascism – intense nationalism, racism, and obedience to party leader. • Weak new democracies after WWI and poor economies led people to willing give power to leaders who promised then prosperity. • Italy • Benito Mussolini (Il Duce) • Fascist • Promised to return Italy to glory • Invaded Ethiopia and Albania • Germany • Adolf Hitler • Fascist • Blamed Jews for Germany’s problems • Wrote book Mein Kampf • “We cannot admit that one race is equal to another. By recognizing that they are different, the völksich concept separates mankind into races of superior and inferior quality. On the basis of this recognition it feels bound, in conformity with the eternal Will that dominates the universe to postulate the victory of the better and stronger and the subordination of the inferior and weaker…On this planet of ours, human culture and civilization are indissolubly bound up with the presence of the Aryan. We all feel that in the distant future many may be face with problems which can be solved only by a superior race of human beings, a race destined to become master of all other peoples and which will have at its disposal the means and resources of the whole world.” - Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf (“My Struggle”) “Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.” -Adolf Hitler Hitler was Time Magazine’s Man of the Year in 1938. • Soviet Union • Joseph Stalin • Communist • Eliminated all competition after Lenin died • Signed non-aggression pact with Germany • Japan • General Hideki Tojo • Militarist • Invaded China • Failure of League of Nations • Based on collective security. • Had no army to stop aggressive nations • Hitler ignored Treaty of Versailles • Unable to stop Japanese invasion of Manchuria • Unable to stop Italian invasion of Ethiopia • Appeasement • February 1938, Germany annexed Austria • Hitler demanded the Sudetenland – German speaking part of Czechoslovakia • Munich Conference – Sept 1938 • Britain, France, Germany, and Italy • Germany gets Sudetenland if they stops taking territories • Appeasement – giving into demand of a potential enemy. • Neville Chamberlain – “We have achieved peace in our time.” • Kristallnacht (night of broken glass) • Jewish refuge assassinated German diplomat in Paris • November 1938 • German gov’t attacked Jewish synagogues and stores. • Jews arrested and sent to concentration camps. When Germany begins persecuting Jews WORLD WAR II BEGINS • Invasion of Poland • Hitler signed a secret treaty with the Soviet dictator Stalin. • Hitler and Stalin agreed to divide Poland between them. • September 1939, Germany invaded Poland from the West, USSR from the east • German warfare • Blitzkrieg – lightning warfare • Germany quickly moved tanks, troops, and war planes across Poland • Invasion of France • 1940 • April - Germany invaded Denmark and Norway • May – Germany invaded the Netherlands, Belgium, and France • Maginot Line – French military barrier between it and Germany • June – France surrendered • British force cornered at Dunkirk • Battle of Britain • Luftwaffe – German air force • British Royal Air Force able to fend off Germany • Radar aided AMERICAN NEUTRALITY • Neutrality Acts • Neutrality Act of 1935 • No arms or ammunition sent to a foreign nation at war • Neutrality Act of 1936 • Renewed the 1935 act and no loans to warring nations • Neutrality Act of 1937 • No selling to countries in civil war • Cash-and-carry – can sell non-military goods to countries as long as they paid cash and transported it • Lend-Lease Act • Repealed part of Neutrality Acts • America could sell, lend, or lease war materials to any nation whose defense was important to the safety of the USA. • Four Freedoms – speech by FDR 1. Freedom of speech and expression 2. Freedom to worship 3. Freedom from want 4. Freedom from fear • Atlantic Charter • FDR meeting with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill • Announcement of post-war goals • No territory gains • Self-government U.S. ENTERS THE WAR • US-Japanese Tensions • Japan had alliance with Germany and Italy • Japan attacked China again. • FDR cut off oil shipments to Japan • Pearl Harbor • December 7, 1941- Japan launched a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii • 6 ships and 180 air craft destroyed • 2,403 Americans killed, most on the USS Arizona • 1,178 wounded • US declares war • “December 7th, 1941, a date which will live in infamy” • War with Japan began 12/8/1941 • Allied Powers • USA • France • Britain • USSR • Axis Powers • Germany • Italy • Japan HOME FRONT • Draft – Selective Service System • Women’s Army Corp – WACs • Radio operators • Drove • clerks • War Production • War Production Board – converted from peacetime to wartime production • Rationing – oil, steel, aluminum and food • Victory Gardens – grew food • Women in factories • Japanese Internment • Executive Order 9066 – ordered Japanese-Americans on the West Coast to be sent to “relocation centers.” • Korematsu v. United States – ruled Executive Order 9066 constitutional. • African-Americans • March on Washington • A. Philip Randolph • Jobs • Hispanic-Americans • June 1943, armed sailors and soldiers went to Mexican-American neighborhoods • Attacked any Hispanics wearing zoot-suits. • Zoot-suit riots • Jewish-Americans • Immigration limited • SS St. Louis • Ship of German Jews escaping Europe • USA refused to accept passengers • Ship sent back to Europe • More than half died in concentration camps CAMPAIGN AGAINST GERMANY • Soviet Union • June 1941, Hitler invaded the USSR – Operation Barbosa. • Advanced quickly until Stalingrad • Africa • 1942 – US and British troops attacked in Morocco. • German and Italian forces surrendered in Africa in May 1943 • Italy • Allied forces invaded Sicily in July 1943. • Italians overthrew Mussolini. • Italy joined the Allies • Stalingrad • Battle from summer 1942 - January 1943 • In USSR • Considered the turning point in Europe • German army ordered not to retreat • After long siege the Germans surrendered • 100,000 captured but only 6,00 survived • D-Day • June 6, 1944 • Operation Overlord • Allied invasion of France • Led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower • Western Advance • France quickly freed • Battle of the Bulge • December 16. 1944 – end of January 1945 • Hitler’s final push to force USA and Britain to quit • Bloodiest battle for US • Allied victory • Fall of Germany • April 1945 – Soviet Union captured Berlin • Hitler suicide April 30th • Germany surrendered May 7, 1945 – V.E. Day • FDR died April 12, 1945 HOLOCAUST • Holocaust – systematic slaughter of millions of Jews and others deemed “undesirable.” • Anti-Semitism – prejudice against Jews • Polish Jews sent to ghettos then to camps • Final Solution – the complete extermination of all European Jews • Auschwitz – largest extermination camp. In Poland • Deaths: • Jews – 6 million • Soviets – 10 million • Poles – 1.8 million • Serbs, disabled, Gypsies, homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, political opponents – at least 850,000 THE PACIFIC THEATER: THE WAR AGAINST JAPAN • Philippines • General Douglas MacArthur • USA surrendered to Japan in April 1942 • Bataan Death March • US soldiers forced to march 80 miles. • Beaten and bayonetted • Battle of Midway • June 1942 • Turning point in the Pacific • Japan planned to destroy all American air craft carriers • We knew and planned a counter attack • America destroyed 4 Japanese carriers • http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of- midway/videos/battle-of-midway • Japanese Empire crumbles • US forces used “island hopping” • Early 1945 – US retook the Philippines • March 1945 – Battle of Iwo Jima – took Japanese air fields • April 1945 – USA took Okinawa – 340 miles from main Japanese islands • After German surrender USSR declared war on Japan THE ATOMIC AGE • Manhattan Project • Goal to make an atomic bomb • Headed by Robert Oppenheimer • Truman drops the atomic bombs • Invasion of Japan would cost over 1 million American lives • August 6, 1945 – atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima • August 9, 1945 – atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki • Both cities picked bc of military importance • Japan surrendered after second bombing. V-J Day • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wxWNAM8Cso CONSEQUENCES OF WWII • Nuremburg Trials • Surviving Nazi leaders put on trial for “crimes against humanity” • Significance: individuals are responsible for their actions even when ordered by the government • Charged with starting the war and genocide • Herman Goering – head of Luftwaffe highest ranking Nazi • Occupation of Germany • Allies occupied Germany • Each had its own zone • Occupation of Japan • USA occupied Japan • General Douglas McArthur in charge • Japan’s military limited to peacekeeping size • The United Nations • FDR’s idea. He kept Republicans involved and made sure the USSR joined. • 1944 – Dumbarton Oaks - conference deciding structure of UN • Summer 1945 – United Nations Charter signed at the San Francisco Conference. • Mary McLeod Bethune helped write the charter ***** • 50 nations signed. USA first GOALS OF THE UN • Maintain peace • Encourage cooperation • End hunger and disease • Structure of the UN • Peacekeeping forces • General Assembly – All UN nations • Security Council – 5 permanent members, 10 elected • USA, Russia, Britain, France, China • Managed by the UN Secretary General • Universal Declaration of Human Rights • Created by the UN • Human rights include: • Right to life • No slavery or torture • Freedom of religion • Freedom of movement • Freedom of association • Right to work • Right to education.