E. Napp

World War II, 1939-1945 In this lesson, students will be able to define the following terms:

AppeasementBlitzkriegHolocaust

Axis Powers

E. Napp

World War II was in many

ways a continuationof World War I.

Hitler wanted to avengeGermany’s humiliating defeat. German aims

coupled with Japanese ambitions in Asia madeit the most destructive

war in history.

E. Napp

Fascist dictators glorified war and set out to expand their territories throughconquest. The member states of theLeague of Nation did nothing whenHitler rebuilt his army in violation of

the Treaty of Versailles.

E. Napp

When Hitler annexedor took Austria

and then claimed partof Czechoslovakia,the British Prime

Minister Chamberlaintried appeasement.Appeasement is apolicy of grantingconcessions to anaggressor hoping

to avoid war.

E. Napp

Hitler made a secret deal with Stalin to keepthe Soviet Union out of war. When Britainand France finally

refused to give HitlerPoland, he invaded

Poland and started theSecond World War.

E. Napp

The German army used planes, tanks,and motorized troop carriers to advancerapidly into enemy territory. This military tactic became known as the Blitzkrieg, or “lightning warfare”. By the end of 1940, Germany controlled most of Western Europe-only Britainremained free.

E. Napp

In 1941, Hitler betrayed Stalinand launched a surprise attack on the Soviet Union. However, the fierce winterof 1941-1942 froze Germancombat vehicles before theirarmy could reach Moscow.By 1943, the Soviet armypushed the Germans back.

However, the Soviets lost 21 million peoplefighting the Germans.

E. Napp

The Holocaust refers to the genocide(murder of an entire people) of the Jews during World War II. Hitler calledhis plan the “Final Solution” and builtlarge concentration camps to murderthe Jewish people.

E. Napp

Most Jews were gassed and their bodiesburned in large ovens. Some were sparedto do the work of running the camp. Jewswere half-starved and subjected to inhumanconditions. Six million Jews were killedby the Nazis.

E. Napp

Two-thirds of all Jews living in Europe met their deaths at the hands of Nazis.The Nazis also killed Gypsies, Slavs,political prisoners, the elderly, and mentally disabled people.

E. Napp

The Holocaust was one of the worst Human Rights Abuses in the history of

the world.

E. Napp

The Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor in1941 brought the Americans into the war.

E. Napp

Germany, Italy, and Japan were theAxis Powers. Britain, the Soviet Union,

and the United States were the AlliedPowers. It was a brutal war.

E. Napp

Questions for Reflection:• What were the causes of World War II?• What was appeasement and why do you

think it failed?• How did the strategy of the Blitzkrieg differ

from previous war strategies?• What was the Holocaust and why was it

one of the worst human rights abuses?• List the Axis Powers and the Allied

Powers.