World War II1939-1945

People to Know

Alliances

Axis• Germany• Japan• Italy

Allied• Britain • France• USSR• U.S.A.

Signs of Foreign Danger

• Rise of dictators• Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini

• Germany rearms 1935-1936• Ideology of expansionism

Causes of WWII

• Failure of the League of Nations• U.S. and Germany not apart

• Militarism • Invasion of Rhineland• Feelings of nationalism• Failure of appeasement• Invasion of Poland• Alliances

Failure of the League/Treaty

• War Guilt Clause• Disarmament• No bases in Rhineland• Not apart of the League of Nations

Hitler’s Rise to Power=Problem

• 1919: Nazi Party• 1933: Chancellor• 1934-1936: rearms• March 7, 1936: enters Rhineland• 1938: Annexed Austria• 1939: Takes control of Czech• 1939: Invasion of Poland• 1939-1941: the take over of France &

Britain

Major Events

• Take over of France• Battle of Britain• Pearl Harbor- Dec 7, 1941

Japanese Empire

• Expanded spheres of influence in E. Asia• WWI: apart of the Allies• 1920’s-1930’s Economic Depression• 1930: 65 mil ppl (needed resources)

• Expansion, Manchuria (Military)• Kellogg-Briand Pact failed

• 1937: Chinese Invasion• “Epidemic of world lawlessness is

spreading”- FDR

U.S.A

• Isolationism• So while hundreds are being killed…the

US is…. “neutral” 1935-1937• No loans• No weapons• Cash & Carry goods

• Did we learn from our WWII mistakes?

U.S.

• Invasion of Poland• Wanted to send aid (FDR)• Revision of Neutrality Acts (dead)• 1940 (France conquered, Britain NEXT)• 1940 Presidential Election• Lend Lease Act 1941: $49 Billion Worth• 1940: Japanese trade restrictions on US

products (embargo, oil)

“ a day that will live in INFAMY”

U.S. Fights Back

• Selective Service Act: 21-36• Boosted defense spending• GI:16 Million• Minorities fighting

• Tuskegee Airmen• Navajo “code talker”• 350K Women• 300K Mexican Americans• 25K Native Americans

U.S. Economy for War

• Heavy gov’t intervention in economy• War Production Board: agency

• 300,000 Airplanes• 80,000 landing crafts• 100,000 tanks• 5.600 merchant ships• 6 million rifles, machine guns• 41 billion rounds of ammunition

U.S. Economy for War

• Increase need of employment• Union membership rose• Taxes paid for 41% of war cost• $8.9Bil a year to $95.2 Bill a year• $321 Billion• $186 Bond sales• Increased debt about 5X’s

Home Front• Black Markets (higher priced goods)• shortages led to rationing• Movies and entertainment• Read books and magazines• Victory gardens• Recycling• Rosies

Atlantic Charter• FDR & Churchill meet• March 1941• Discuss war aim’s and guiding principles

• No territorial gains• No territorial changes• Respect’s ppl/countries form of political system• Peace and safety within ppl’s boundaries• Abandon the “use of force”

• BASIS of the UNITED NATIONS

Americans Join the Struggle

• Battle in the Atlantic• “the wolf pack”

• North Africa Campaign• Allied & Axis sent

reinforcements• May 1943 Axis troops

surrendered

• Invasion of Italy 1943-1945• Heavy fighting before/after

Rome

War in the Soviet Union

• Broke pact with Stalin• Invaded U.S.S.R.• E. Europe gladly welcomed Hitler• 10 days Soviets retreat?!?• Lend-Lease helps• Battle of Stalingrad 1942-1943

• 1 Mil Soviets• 330K Germans

Operation Overload

• Invasion of Normandy….from Britain• June 6, 1944• 4,600 invasion warcrafts and ships • 25,000 airborne men• Liberation of France• Battle of the Bulge

• Largest battle of WWII• Nazi’s saw the war was lost

War Ends in Europe

• Drive towards Germany from E & W• April 1945 conquered Berlin

Holocaust

• Persecution of Jews• Restrictions, murder, genocide