Chapter 13WWII - A World in Flames

Rise of Dictators● After WWI, the Treaty of Versailles and economic depressions

throughout the world led to anti democratic governments in Europe and Asia

● How did these people gain power? BY SPEAKING TO PEOPLE’S EMOTIONS!○ Hitler addressed Germany’s struggles and used propaganda to

convince Germans that Jews were responsible for their problems.○ Nazi message communicated everywhere!

■ Film, books, media

DICTATOR COUNTRY IDEOLOGY

Hitler GermanyNazism - extreme nationalism, control over all industry, the superiority of the Aryan race, and leadership by a dictator

Stalin RussiaCommunism - one-party rule, elimination of private property, does not tolerate opposition

Mussolini ItalyFascism - extreme nationalism, a strong central government lead by a dictator

Tojo JapanMilitarism - extreme nationalism, values military ideals, takes aggressive military approach

Pg. 454

America wanted to stay neutral!● Neutrality - the state of not supporting or helping either side in a conflict● Neutrality Acts (1936/36/37) - Limited the sale of military supplies to countries in

war… trying to discourage war and stay out of it!

Causes?Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia

Spanish Civil War

The creation of the Axis Alliance

ISOLATIONISM INTERNATIONALISM

vs

A national policy of avoiding involvement in world affairs

The idea that trade between nations creates prosperity and helps prevent war

Closer on bottom of study guide: Exit Slip page 459 #7

Section 2

Hitler takes action...● Germany began violating the Treaty of Versailles● He took 3 steps to increase Nazi Power:

1) Hitler called for a unification of all German peoples in other countries.

2) Hitler invaded Poland3) Hitler and Stalin created the Nazi-Soviet Pact

● How did the rest of the world respond to his actions?○ Initially… APPEASEMENT: they agreed to let him do this in exchange

for peace● But after he invaded Poland, Britain and France declared war on Germany

Blitzkrieg

● Means “lightning war”● Using aircraft, tanks parachutes, and radios to produce highly mobile

and fast moving armies that can coordinate multiple attacks and rapidly encircle the enemy

Early Battles● Maginot Line - A line of concrete bunkers and fortifications built by the French

on the Germany border● Germans figured out how to go around it and snuck into France anyway

● Miracle of Dunkirk - Last remaining port in France

● This was the only way out for English and French soldiers

● Germany was supposed to attack but Hitler ordered them to stop○ No one knows why○ This delay allowed hundreds

of thousands British and French soldiers to evacuate - saved lives!

Battle of Britain● Air battle lasting months● During the air battle, Germany accidentally

bombed London and it was seen as an attack on civilians

● Made Great Britain very angry; they bombed Berlin

● Hitler grew angry - Bombing on London● Radar - The british could detect incoming

German aircrafts● Great Britain won!● Winston Churchill - Prime Minister of

Britain

Section 3

Hitler’s Propaganda and Nazi Ideology● Blamed the Jews for

their loss in WWI● Believed the German

race was superior and should take over and enslave the Slavic peoples (Polish, Russian, etc…) because they were inferior

The Holocaust● Rampant racism against Jews● Jews were first identified (Star of David) and stripped of their rights

○ Nuremberg Laws - took citizenship away from German Jews○ Moved from homes to segregated neighborhoods called ghettos○ Eventually taken to concentration camps

● In total…millions of people were killed throughout Europe

How many people died?

These are estimates...

Kristallnacht -”Night of Broken glass”● A night of anti-Jewish violence ● Broken glass littered the streets afterward● Police were ordered not to intervene

○ 90 Jews died○ Hundred were badly injured○ Thousands were terrorized○ 7,500 businesses were destroyed○ 180 synagogues destroyed○ The government took the insurance

payments these businesses would have received

○ 20,000 wealthy Jews were arrested and forced to emigrate and surrender everything they owned

Jews did attempt to leave… but...● Many countries limited immigration and set quotes… why?

○ Nazi’s did not allow Jews to take more than $4 out of Germany○ American immigration laws did not allow anyone in if they were likely going to end

up needing financial support of the government○ High unemployment made some Americans not want to allow immigrants in

because there weren’t enough jobs to go around○ Some Americans held anti-semitic views (racist against Jews)○ Latin American countries and the US all denied access to Jews who had forged or

illegally bought documents

The Final Solution● Germany’s “solution to the Jew problem” was a mass killing in extermination

camps… quicker than how they did it before

Concentration Camp:

Detention centers where

“healthy” people would work as slave laborers until they died of

disease, exhaustion

and malnutrition

Extermination Camp:

Often attached to

concentration camps where people would

be executed in massive gas

chambers

Section 4

America enters the war...● The U.S. had been neutral but had aided Great Britain any way it could

● Atlantic Charter - committed the United States and Great Britain to a postwar world of:

Democracy Nonaggression Free Trade Economic Advancement Freedom of the Seas

Neutrality Act of 1939Warring nation can only buy weapons from the US if they pay cash in full up front

Destroyers-for-bases US Navy destroyers were transferred to the Royal Navy from the United States Navy in exchange for land rights

Lend-Lease ActThe US can lease weapons to any country that is “vital to defense of America”

Hemispheric Defense ZoneEntire western half of the Atlantic was part of the Western Hemisphere and therefore neutral

Pearl Harbor● German U-Boat attacks against American ships

caused a “shoot on sight” policy towards German submarines

● But it was ultimately Japan, not Germany, that got the U.S. involved in the war…

● Japan bombed Pearl Harbor○ Why?

■ 1. Need for more resources ■ 2. Restrictions on trading■ 3. Expansion in the pacific

U.S. declares war on Japan on Dec. 7th, 1941.Germany and Italy then declared war on the U.S.