THE BEGINNING OF WORLD WAR II

KEY EVENTS

The German people felt they were being targeted by the Treaty of Versailles.

Economic collapse from World War I creates fear and despair among individuals afflicted with the aftermath of war.

New wave of patriotism and zealous notion of pride lead to new leaderships.

TREATY OF VERSAILLES

Main TermsWar Guilt Clause

Reparations

Disarmament

Territorial Clauses

Hitler becomes Chancellor of the Third Reich. (1933)

Nazi Germany and Japan sign a Anti-Comintern Pact. (1936)

Hitler annexes Austria into Germany. (1938)

LEADING UP TO WAR

HITLER’S VIEW ON EXPANSION

Hitler conscripts and rearms even thought it breaks agreements with Treaty of Versailles.

Invasion of the Rhineland. (1936)

Hitler believed in order for the Aryan race to survive, expansion was necessary.

Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy form an Axis Treaty. (1936)

HITLER’S VIEW ON EXPANSION CONTINUED

Hitler tries to take over the Sudetenland. (1938)

Hitler moves into Czechoslovakia. (1939)

Hitler begins to make a secret treaty with the USSR.

Why would Hitler want to gain as much land as he did?

What were all the treaties and agreements for in Hitler’s endgame?

WAR BEGINS

Hitler invades Poland under guise of being attacked first. (1939)

France and Great Britain declare war on Germany. (1939)

Germany invades European nation states such as Denmark and Norway. (1940)

Germans use Blitzkrieg, to fight their wars.

Notable individuals at the time, Hitler, Mussolini, Churchill, Stalin, Tojo, and Roosevelt.

Italy enters war as a member of the Axis powers.

Germany launches air attacks on Great Britain.

Japan is island jumping, taking over resources.

WAR CONTINUED

WAR CONTINUED

Japan attacks the United States, Pearl Harbor. (1941)

Hitler declares war on the United States shortly after.

Why did Hitler declare war on the United States when he had no reason too?

Why did the United States focus more on the European theatre of war first more so than the Pacific theatre?

Nazi Germany depended on materials from initial victories.

U.S. was well supplied.

GDP of both nations:

U.S. (800-1.5 Trillion)

Germany. (350-437 Billion)

ADVANTAGES OF ALLIES VS. AXIS

CONCLUSION

Germany felt it was neglected during the Treaty of Versailles.

Patriotic movements helped bolter the Nazi party.

Expansion for resources, land, and connecting ethnic people leads to war.

Hitler does not have the means to fight against the United States when they enter on the side of the Allies.