World War II

History and Legacy

Global History IISpiconardi

The Belligerents Axis Powers

Germany Italy Japan

Allies Great Britain France USA USSR

Causes German Aggression

Rebuilding of military Extreme nationalism Invasion of Poland in

September 1, 1939 Britain and France

declare war on Germany Italian invasion of

Ethiopia Japanese Expansion

Manchuria 1931 “Rape of Nanjing”

Policy of Appeasement Europe did not want

another world war Politicians feared being

voted out of office in they supported war

Had domestic problems (depression) to deal with

Weak League of Nations

Rise of Totalitarianism

The Phony War Other than Germany’s invasion of Poland

there is no fighting between Germany & its allies and Great Britain and France

War really begins in April of 1940 as Nazi forces invade Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium

Occupation of France German invades France on

May 16, 1940 Within two weeks Nazi

forces are marching in the streets of Paris

Charles de Gaulle flees to England and sets up exile government

Hitler establishes a puppet government in southern France called the “Vichy Government” under Henri Pétain

How did Germany defeat France so easily? Blitzkrieg (“Lightening

War”) Massive bombings via

planes, trucks, tanks all at high speed

Hitler only invades half-way, which allows for evacuation of troops and resistance to Vichy government in southern France

Dunkirk Evacuation England needs to

evacuate 338,000 soldiers

Sends 860 boats to rescue British troops in German occupied France

Miraculously the British evacuate all troops without a single loss of life despite being attacked, but all supplies left behind

Moral boost to British

Bombings of London and Berlin

Hitler contemplated invading England

Decides to bomb London instead

Britain had most advanced radar system, which limits losses

Angry over bombing of London, Churchill orders bombing of Berlin, which is big blow to Hitler

Turning Point: U.S. Enters War U.S. enters war after bombing of Pearl

Harbor on December 7, 1941 U.S. declares war on Japan

Italy and Germany declare war on U.S. Tripartite Pact – Germany, Italy, & Japan agreed to

declare war on U.S., if one of them was attacked by U.S.

Britain had wanted U.S. to enter war Britain desperately needed U.S. aid

Turning Point: Crypto-Analysis Britain able to break Germany’s Enigma

Code Britain also breaks Japan’s Purple Code U.S. uses Navajo Indian language as their

code Unbreakable because there is no written

Navajo language

Turning Point: Stalingrad (1942)

Hitler goes back on Non-Aggression Pact and invades the Soviet Union in 1941

“Get rid of Russia and you get rid of Jewery.”

Invasion of Russia harder than expected

No roads hurts supply routes

Scorched Earth Policy Russians blow up everything

in retreat Harsh Russian Winter

Germans ill-prepared

Battle of Stalingrad Germans outnumber Soviets

3:1 Urban Warfare Stalin orders no retreat Germany supplies must travel

100 miles Soviet supplies come across

the river Germans surrender Stalingrad Germany has 3 days of

national morning

Battle of El-Alamein Gen. Erwin Rommel

The Desert Fox Germany’s top general Led troops in Northern

Africa Front

Hitler accuses Rommel of partaking in plot to kill him in 1944

Two options Suicide with hero’s

funeral Treason Trial

Battle of El-Alamein (1942) See-Saw battle in Africa British eventually win

with U.S. aid Rommel wanted to

surrender earlier, but Hitler made him stay until “last man standing”

Invasion of Italy Allies invade Italy in

1943 Hitler forced to send

troops into Italy Takes troops away from

other areas in Europe Mussolini surrounded

Hitler sends helicopters in and rescues Mussolini

End of Mussolini and Fascism in Italy Mussolini hides in

German convoy with girlfriend

He is discovered and arrested

Taken to be shot, but girlfriend “jumps” in front of bullet

Bodies hung in a Milanese market

D-Day: Liberation of France U.S. leads invasion of

Normandy beaches in France (June 6, 1944)

Allies break through German defenses

Advance to Paris From Paris the Allies

invade Germany

Yalta Conference Stalin, Churchill, & Roosevelt meet Plan for a post-World War II World

Germany would be divided into zones (temporarily) Stalin would oversee creation of new government in

Eastern Europe Agreed to create United Nations

The War Ends: Europe Germany Surrenders

Soviets reach Berlin first

End of Hitler Hitler is surrounded by

Allied Forces Hitler hears small gun

fire Marries mistress Writes out will, which

bashes Jews Wife takes cyanide pill Hitler shoots himself

V-E Day May 8, 1945

The War Ends: The Pacific Warfare in the Pacific

theater was brutal and slow Hot, humid, rough

terrain, island hopping Mainly USA vs. Japan

with some British help USSR declares war on

Japan day after atomic bomb is dropped

The Atomic Bomb Hiroshima bombed

8/6/1945 70,000 killed

Nagasaki bombed 8/9/1945

40,000 killed

V-J Day: September 2, 1945

Impact of World War II Human Losses

75 million dead 38 million Europeans 22 million Soviets

Economic Losses England, Germany, and

Japan hardest hit Marshall Plan

US gives aid to rebuild Europe

Nuremberg Trials 22 Nazi leaders put on

trial for “war crimes against humanity”

Many fled to South America

Occupied Nations Western nations occupied

West Germany and Japan to promote democracy

USSR occupied East Germany and eastern Europe to promote Communism

Impact of World War II Beginnings of Cold War

Europe divided into West Democracies East Communist

Arms Race Questioning of

Humanity Writers and Movies

explore evils of humanity

Brutality that had not been witnessedbefore

The United Nations New international body

that provides: Place to discuss world

problems Develop solutions to

world problems General Assembly

All nations members and get one vote

Security Council 15 members (5

permanent: US, Russia, France, Great Britain, China)