America watches the America watches the World go to War (again)World go to War (again)

Looking at what lead the Looking at what lead the United States into World War United States into World War

IIII

United StatesUnited States• FDRFDR

• Democratic PartyDemocratic Party

• President of the United President of the United StatesStates

• Elected into office:Elected into office: 1932 1932

Grand Plan:Grand Plan:1.1. Wants to stop military Wants to stop military

aggression that aggression that threatens American threatens American interestsinterests

2.2. Prevented from doing Prevented from doing so by U.S. isolationistsso by U.S. isolationists

Neutrality Acts (1935-1939)Neutrality Acts (1935-1939)

• Written by isolationists in Congress as a Written by isolationists in Congress as a reaction to U.S. losses following WWIreaction to U.S. losses following WWI– Loans were not paid back by allies or enemiesLoans were not paid back by allies or enemies– Seen as a cause of the Great DepressionSeen as a cause of the Great Depression

• Prevented the United States from trading Prevented the United States from trading with countries involved in a warwith countries involved in a war– No distinction was made between a No distinction was made between a

“belligerent” country or a “victim” country“belligerent” country or a “victim” country

The Axis PowersThe Axis Powers

ItalyItaly• Benito MussoliniBenito Mussolini

• National Fascist PartyNational Fascist Party

• Duce of the Italian Duce of the Italian Social RepublicSocial Republic

• Elected into office:Elected into office: 1922 1922

Grand Plan:Grand Plan:1.1. Revenge for VersaillesRevenge for Versailles

2.2. Restore the Roman Restore the Roman EmpireEmpire

3.3. Re-assert cultural Re-assert cultural superiority over superiority over ““lesserlesser”” peoplespeoples

ItalyItaly• 1935: Invades Ethiopia1935: Invades Ethiopia

– Economic sanctions Economic sanctions passed by League of passed by League of NationsNations

– Leaves League of Leaves League of NationsNations

• 1937: Supports 1937: Supports fascists in Spanish Civil fascists in Spanish Civil WarWar– Spanish fascists win warSpanish fascists win war

• 1939: Invades Albania1939: Invades AlbaniaThe sanctions were voluntary and the major countries largely ignored

them

Nazi GermanyNazi Germany• Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler

• National Socialist National Socialist German Workers Party German Workers Party (NAZI)(NAZI)

• Chancellor of GermanyChancellor of Germany

• Elected into office:Elected into office: 1933 1933

Grand Plan:Grand Plan:1.1. Recover from Recover from

DepressionDepression

2.2. Unify German peoplesUnify German peoples

3.3. Purify GermanyPurify Germany

4.4. Create Create ““lebensraumlebensraum”” (living space) for (living space) for GermanyGermany

Nazi GermanyNazi Germany• 1937: Seizes the Rhineland1937: Seizes the Rhineland

– Violation of Versailles TreatyViolation of Versailles Treaty

• 1938: Seizes Austria1938: Seizes Austria– Violation of Versailles TreatyViolation of Versailles Treaty

• 1938: Demands W. 1938: Demands W. CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia– Gets it, then invades rest of Gets it, then invades rest of

countrycountry

• 1939: Signs treaty with 1939: Signs treaty with Russia / co-invade PolandRussia / co-invade Poland– GB and Fr. Declare warGB and Fr. Declare war

• 1940: Conquers France1940: Conquers France

Empire of JapanEmpire of Japan• Emperor HirohitoEmperor Hirohito• Showa Nationalism Showa Nationalism

(Emperor worship)(Emperor worship)• Emperor of Japan (Greater Emperor of Japan (Greater

East Asia Co-Prosperity East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere)Sphere)

• Became Emperor:Became Emperor: 1926 1926

Grand Plan:Grand Plan:1.1. Become self-sufficientBecome self-sufficient

2.2. Become dominant Become dominant power in the Pacificpower in the Pacific

3.3. End foreign End foreign imperialismimperialism

Empire of Empire of JapanJapan

• 1931: Invades Manchuria1931: Invades Manchuria– Economic sanctions passed Economic sanctions passed

by League of Nationsby League of Nations– Leaves League of NationsLeaves League of Nations

• 1937: Invades China 1937: Invades China during its Civil Warduring its Civil War

• 1941: Japan attacks US, 1941: Japan attacks US, GB, FR, and Dutch GB, FR, and Dutch holdingsholdings

The sanctions were voluntary and the major countries largely ignored

them

Selective Training and Service Selective Training and Service ActAct• First (and only) peacetime draft in U.S. First (and only) peacetime draft in U.S.

historyhistory

• 21 to 35 years old21 to 35 years old

• Looking for 1 million for 1 year (but only in Looking for 1 million for 1 year (but only in Western Hemisphere)Western Hemisphere)

• Result?Result? The U.S. was prepared for war The U.S. was prepared for war thisthis time (unlike WWI)time (unlike WWI)

Lend-Lease ActLend-Lease Act

• Help any country that was Help any country that was ““vital to the USvital to the US””– Garden Hose exampleGarden Hose example– Critics of plan: Do you want it back?Critics of plan: Do you want it back?

• Became the Became the ““Great arsenal of democracyGreat arsenal of democracy””

• Result?Result? The U.S. was prepared for war The U.S. was prepared for war thisthis time (unlike WWI) time (unlike WWI)

Atlantic CharterAtlantic Charter

• The The ““14 Points14 Points”” of World War II of World War II– Rights to self governmentRights to self government– Freedom to choose own governmentFreedom to choose own government– Fear from aggressionFear from aggression– Security for allSecurity for all

• Became the founding document of the Became the founding document of the UN (United Nations)UN (United Nations)

Why did England need help?Why did England need help?

• France defeated in 1940France defeated in 1940

• Evacuation at Dunkirk (1940)Evacuation at Dunkirk (1940)– ““Miracle at DunkirkMiracle at Dunkirk”” (338,000 saved) (338,000 saved)

• Battle for Britain (Sept 1940 – May Battle for Britain (Sept 1940 – May 1941)1941)– 20,000 killed in the Blitz20,000 killed in the Blitz– ““softeningsoftening”” for Operation Sea Lion for Operation Sea Lion

• Germans invade Russia (June 1941)Germans invade Russia (June 1941)

Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill

• British Prime British Prime Minister (1940-Minister (1940-1945)1945)

• ““……will fight with will fight with our blood, sweat, our blood, sweat, toil, and tears.toil, and tears.””

• ““……we fight for we fight for civilization.civilization.””

• ““……we will never we will never surrendersurrender””

Soviet UnionSoviet Union• Joseph StalinJoseph Stalin

• Communist PartyCommunist Party

• General Secretary and General Secretary and Premier of the USSRPremier of the USSR

• Leader since:Leader since: 1924 1924

Grand Plan:Grand Plan:1.1. Repel German invasionRepel German invasion

2.2. Fight a two front warFight a two front war

3.3. Protect the Motherland Protect the Motherland by preventing another by preventing another invasion from Europeinvasion from Europe

The United NationsThe United Nations