WWII Origins

Europe After WWI

Germany• Germany was left weak,

humiliated & economically devastated

• Political turmoil led to a weak gov’t > Weimar Republic

• Hitler’s rise to power– National Socialists (Nazis)– Mein Kampf– Lebensraum– Dynamic speaker

Italy

• Despite winning, mainly ignored at conference

• Mussolini also a dynamic speaker• Fascism: glory of the state• Sets up a dictatorship

under Il Duce

Discussion QuestionsFascist Italy Nazi Germany Communist Soviet Union-Extreme nationalism- Militaristic expansionism-Charismatic leader-Private property with strong government controls-Anti-communist

-Extreme nationalism & racism-Militaristic expansionism-Forceful leader-Private property with strong government controls-Anti-communist

-Create a sound communist state & wait for world revolution-Revolution by workers-Eventual rule by working class-State ownership or property

1. Which two systems of totalitarianism share similar characteristics?

2. At the time, which system do you think the U.S. was most concerned with? Why?

Post-WWI Developments• Japan• Limited islands• 1931 army (without

gov’t approval) invaded Manchuria for land & resources• League of Nations

criticized Japan so Japan withdrew from League

• League of Nations• Powerlessness of

League evident in Japanese invasion of Manchuria• No one willing to

enforce policies• Lead to Italy’s 1935

invasion of Ethiopia

MANCHURIA

ETHIOPIA

Hitler’s Actions

• Violates the Treaty of Versailles by:1. Rebuilding the German

military2. 1936 occupying the

Rhineland• Resource-rich land on

border with France• How does France respond?

3. 1938 Anschluss• Union with Austria• Why does Hitler desire this?

Munich Conference

• Hitler invades Sudetenland (German-speaking region of Czechoslovakia)• Leaders of major countries (excluding Czechoslovakia)

meet to discuss Hitler’s actions• British PM Chamberlain allows Hitler to annex the

Sudetenland• Claims “peace in our time”• Appeasement > giving in to demands to maintain

peace

Hitler’s Early Moves

• 1939 Nazi-Soviet Pact– Agreement signed by Hitler & Stalin– Publicly agree not to invade each other– Secretly agree Germany will invade Poland & Soviet

Union will take eastern part of Poland–Why would these 2 leaders sign this??

• Sept. 1, 1939 Hitler invades Poland– *Signals the beginning of WWII– Use of blitzkrieg: lightning fast war

Nazi-Soviet Pact (Non-Aggression Pact)

German Forces Turn to the West • Sept. 3, 1938 Allies unite

(Britain & France)

• 1939-1940 sitzkrieg or phony war

• April 1940 Hitler invades Denmark & Norway > surrender quickly

• May 1940 Netherlands & Belgium fall– Heroic Dunkirk rescue

• Vichy France– French easily overwhelmed;

Vichy France: unoccupied part of France where leaders cooperate with Hitler

– Charles de Gaulle leads gov’t-in-exile to resist Nazis

Battle of Great Britain

• Britain now stands alone against Hitler• British PM Winston Churchill inspired British

• RAF vs. Luftwaffe in nightly raids• Germany attacks civilians & cities > why is this a

mistake?• RAF has radar & enigma machine

• Edward R. Murrow broadcasts to U.S.• *Shows Hitler can be stopped

Tensions in East Asia

• Japan continues aggression• 1937 Japan attacks China• So brutal > Rape of Nanjing

• Axis Powers• 1940 – Japan’s military allies with Germany & Italy to

become known as the Axis Powers

American Policy

• Isolationism– Continued policy from 1920s-30s

• Neutrality Act 1935– Law passed by Congress to prevent U.S. from being

drawn into war (like WWI)– U.S. remained neutral

• FDR’s Response–Quarantine Speech– 1938 cash & carry policy

Discussion Questions• In the summer of 1939,

President Roosevelt addresses an anxious nation in response to atrocities in Europe committed by Hitler’s Nazi Germany. Roosevelt declares in his broadcast that the U.S. “will remain a neutral nation.” He acknowledges, however, that he “cannot ask that every American remain neutral in thought.”

• 3. Why might the U.S. try to remain neutral?• 4. How might

involvement in a large scale war influence the U.S.?• 5. How can neutral

countries participate in the affairs of warring countries?

Preparing for War• Election of 1940– FDR’s 3rd term–Opponent Wendell Willkie (foreign policy similar to

FDR)• 1940 Lend-Lease Act– Send weapons to Britain regardless of ability to pay– “Neighbors house on fire”

• Atlantic Charter– FDR & Churchill meet secretly & agree to oppose

Hitler & his allies

Election of 1940

Pearl Harbor • 1941 Tensions

between U.S. & Japan over oil & access to Pacific islands• *Dec. 7, 1941 Japan

attacks Pearl Harbor, HI• Confusion led to 8

battleships damaged, 4 were sunk, 200 aircraft destroyed & 2400 Americans died

• Americans react with anger• Dec. 8, 1941

declaration of war• “Yesterday was a date

which will live in infamy…”