World War II

Causes and Contributions to WWII Rise of nationalism Rise of militarism Disputed territorial claims World War I Treaty of Versailles League of Nations Great Depression

The Growth of European Fascism From “fasces,” Roman symbol of authority

Axe surrounded by wooden rods Originates with Benito Mussolini Influenced Europe, Asia, Latin America

Fascism in Italy Poor showing of post-WWI Italian government

Public disappointed with weak territorial gains Economic and social turmoil

Mussolini, former newspaper editor, electoral successes in 1921

March on Rome October, King Emmanuel III offers him prime ministership

1926 seizes power as Il Duce, “the leader”

Adolf Hitler (1889-1945) and the Nazi Party 1921 becomes Chairman of the National Socialist German

Workers’ Party (Nazis) Attempts to overthrow government in 1923

Writes autobiography Mein Kampf in jail, massively popular

Capitalizes on public discontent with post-war era War guilt clause Reparation payments Inability of major parties to come to consensus Anti-semitism

Consolidation of Power Nazis become single largest party in parliament, 1930-1932 Weak president Paul von Hindenburg (1847-1934) appoints

Hitler as Chancellor Suppresses opposition, abrogates constitutional and civil

rights Makes the Nazis the sole legal party Destroyes train unions Purges judiciary, civil service of perceived enemies

The Racial State Theories of racial superiority, racial purity Policies of eugenics

Compulsory sterilization of 30,000 Germans Abortions illegal for healthy Germans, mandatory for

“hereditary ill” and “racial aliens” “Euthanasia” program kills 200,000 people with physical

or mental handicaps between 1939-1945 Precursors to massacres of Jews, gypsies

Anti-Semitism Influence of 19th-century racism 1935 Nuremburg laws define Jew on racial basis

Prohibits marriages between Jews and non-Jews Removal of Jews from civil service, schools Liquidation of Jewish-owned businesses or purchase by

non-Jews Kristallnacht: major country-wide pogrom on Jews,

November 9-10, 1938 “night of broken glass”

Rise of FascismItaly and GermanyCharacteristics

Absolute power Glorification of the

state/gov’t Strong form of

nationalism Defense of private

property, class structure

Rise of Adolf Hitler (1933 to 1945) Disappointing youth Imprisoned for treason in

1923, writes Mein Kampf Member of Nazi party,

elected Chancellor in 1933 Hitler gets ‘emergency

powers’ granted to him Bans speech, press,

assembly, political parties, religion

Pass Nuremberg Laws, 1935

Anger in Japan Not received as equal in

League of Nations Banning of Japanese

immigration in U.S. U.S. refusal of Japan’s

policy in China Population explosion Effect by Great Depression

led to influence of military U.S. oil embargo in 1940

Japan’s War in China Conquest of Chinese Manchuria 1931-1932 Full-scale invasion in 1937 The Rape of Nanjing

Ariel bombing of urban center 400,000 Chinese used for bayonet practice,

massacred 7,000 women raped 1/3 of all homes destroyed

Japan signs Tripartite Pact with Germany, Italy (1940), Non-Aggression Pact with USSR (1941)

Axis Acts of Aggression Japan invades Manchuria, 1931 Italy invades Ethiopia Germany invades the Rhineland (1936),

Austria (1938), Czechoslovakia (1938) Hitler is appeased at Munich Conference

Italian Aggression Benito Mussolini invades Ethiopia with

overpowering force 2,000 Italian troops killed, 275,000 Ethiopians

killed Also takes Libya, Albania

Pre-WWII Agreements Rome-Berlin Axis Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact - 1939 Tripartite Pact – 1940 (United States becomes

the target)

Axis Rally in Tokyo

Nazi Soviet Non Aggression Pact

World War IIBeginning until 1942

The Second World War Allies vs. Axis Powers Italy, Germany and Japan form Axis “Revisionists:” wished to revise post-World

War I peace treaties Allies initially follow policy of appeasement War erupts 1939, global by 1941, over 1945

European Theatre Sept. 1, 1939 – Germany invades Poland, GB

and France declare war April 1940 – Norway and Denmark fall May 1940 – Germans takeover Northern

France Aug 1940 – Germany air bombs Britain

Occupation of France - 1940 Less than two weeks of

fighting Gov’t evacuated to GB,

called Free France Northern France was placed

on German military gov’t Southern France (Vichy)

placed on indirect rule, led by Petain

Battle of Britain - 1940 German Air Supremacy: 2100 Luftwaffe vs. 700 RAF Air bomb London

23 consecutive days; 30,000 civilians killed Morale victory for Britain

U.S. Involvement prior to 1942 Neutral except for

trade Cash and Carry policy Lend-Lease Act

US in WWII before Pearl Harbor US initiates “cash and carry” policy to supply

Allies with arms “lend-lease” program: US lends war goods to

Allies, leases naval bases in return US freezes Japanese assets in US US places embargo on oil shipments to Japan Japanese Defense Minister Tojo Hideki

(1884-1948) plans for war with US

Axis Powers in Africa Italy invades Egypt via

Libya Hitler reinforces Italy

with Afrika Korps Vital Interests

Oil in Middle East Suez Canal

Operation Barbarossa Invasion of Soviet Union – June 1941 Penetrated 100 miles in USSR Will be stopped by Soviet winter 90% of German deaths will occur on eastern

front

Axis expansion in Europe & North Africa

The Pacific Theatre The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere –

War in Asia Japan occupied Manchuria, 1931 Invaded French Indochina , 1940

Acquired Korea, 1905 Became a menace to British and American

interests in the area

Asia and the Pacific

World War IIThe Turning Points

Turning Points in 1941 and 1942 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 Hitler’s defeat at Stalingrad in 1943 Axis defeat at El Alemein in 1942 Japanese defeat at Midway in 1942

Wreckage from Pearl Harbor

Operation Overlord - 1944 June 6, 1944; D-Day- invasion of Normandy,

France Two prong attack: Attack on Germany from

west and east May 7, 1945: V-E Day; unconditional

surrender by Germany

Allied Victory in Europe Red Army (USSR) gains offensive after Stalingrad

(February 1943) British, US forces attack in North Africa, Italy D-Day: June 6, 1944, British and US forces land in

France US, Britain bomb German cities

Dresden, February 1945: 135,000 Germans killed in shelters

30 April 1945 Hitler commits suicide, 8 May Germany surrenders

The Invasion of Normandy, France

Island Hopping The use of blockade and strategic attacks on

Japanese-held islands August 6 and 9; atomic bombs dropped on

Hiroshima and Nagasaki August 14, 1945: V-J Day

The Atomic Bomb Aug 6 and 9:

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

140,000 people in Hiroshima and 80,000 in Nagasaki by the end of 1945

Japanese Surrender US firebombs Tokyo, March 1945

100,000 killed 25% of buildings destroyed

Atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, August 1945

Emperor Hirohito (1901-1989) surrenders unconditionally September 2, 1945

Total War Japan - Rape of Nanking – 12/1937

300,000 die due to rape, murder, torture Germany - Bombing of Britain – 8/1940

30,000 civilians die Germany - Siege at Leningrad – 9/1941

3 year siege: 1 million Russian civilians die Great Britain - Firebombing of Dresden - 2/1945

2 day attack: 24-40,000 civilians die United States - Firebombing of Tokyo 3/1945

80,000 killed, millions homeless

Deaths During World War II (millions)

20

15

4

2

6

0.4

0.3

6 USSR

China

Germany

Japan

Poles

Britain

US

Jews

The Yalta Conference

Iwo Jima

Hiroshima – after the bomb

Prisoners at a Concentration Camp

Nazi Genocide and the Jews Jews primary target of Nazi genocidal efforts

Other groups also slated for destruction: Roma (Gypsies), Homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses

Nazis initially encouraged Jewish emigration Few countries willing to accept Jewish refugees

Aborted plans to deport Jews to Madagascar, reservation in Poland

The Final Solution mobile killing squads follow German army into

USSR with Operation Barbarossa Round up of Jews and others, machine-gun

executions of 1.4 million Later in 1941 decided on “Final Solution:”

deportation of all European Jews to Death Camps Plans solidified at Wannsee Conference, January

1942

The Holocaust Jews deported from ghettos all over Europe in

cattle cars, spring 1942 Destination: six specially designed Death

Camps in Eastern Europe Technologically advanced, assembly-line style

of murder through poison gas (Zyklon B) Corpses destroyed in crematoria Estimated number of Jews killed: 5.7 million

The Holocaust in Europe, 1933-1945

Women and the War WAVES (Women Appointed for Volunteer

Emergency Service) US, Great Britain bar women from serving in

combat units Soviet, Chinese forces include women

fighters Women very active in resistance movements

“Comfort Women” Asian women forced into prostitution by

Japanese forces 20/30 men per day, in war zones “Comfort Houses,” “Consolation Centers”

Killed when infected with venereal disease Large-scale massacres at end of war to hide

crimes Social ostracism for survivors