Events Leading to World War II

1. Events Leading to World War II

2. Definitions • Totalitarian – Usually a single individual who controls a country and its government • Dictator- A person or group of people who completely control a country through its government • Nazi- A member of the German Nationalist Social Worker’s Party • Fascism-a form of government that believes the state is more important than the individual, maintains control of the economy and suppresses opposition  controlled by a dictator • IN ALL CASES THE LEADER(S) TAKE CONTROL AND MAINTAIN CONTROL THROUGH FORCE

3. 1. Totalitarian Leaders in Europe • Adolph Hitler - Germany • Benito Mussolini- Italy • Hideki Tojo - Japan

4. Why were they able to gain control? • After WWI people blamed their governments for the hardships they faced. • Many nations were experiencing political and social unrest. • As a result totalitarian regimes that restricted personal freedoms and prohibited political opposition rose to power based on their promises to make things better. • They are usually very charismatic and easily get the people to follow them.

5. 2.Japanese Invade Manchuria 1931 • Japan trying to establish a sphere of influence there • US responds by placing economic sanctions on them – we withheld trade of oil, iron, and steel. • The League told them to stop but Japan ignored them and resigned from the League. • The League of Nations does NOTHING!

6. Japanese Invade China 1937 • Later extend occupation of Indochina (now Vietnam).

7. 1931 into Manchuria • 1937 into China and starts WWII in Asia • 1937, U.S. refuses trade with Japan until they withdraw from China….. • 1940 invades Indochina • US froze Japanese assets, refused to trade oil, gasoline and steel.

8. Hitler and FDR • Both come into office in 1933 in the midst of the economic and social upheaval of the Great Depression. • FDR tells Americans, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” • Hitler takes the approach that the Jews are the source of all Germany’s economic and political problems.

9. How Does Hitler Justify His Actions? • He says they are in response to the punishment placed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles. – Makes the Germans believe they had been done wrong. • As a result, the rest of Europe appeases him. • They give their inch and he takes mile after mile. The more they give in the more he takes.

10. What was appeasement? • In 1935 Britain signed the naval agreement with Germany. • For the next three years, Britain and France followed a policy of giving Hitler what he wanted-a policy that became known as APPEASEMENT.

11. Munich Agreement • Agreement signed between England, France, and Germany. • Hitler asked for the Sudentenland to be returned to Germany and that would be all he would ask for. • The problem – Hitler had no intention of honoring his word.

12. LANDMARKS OF APPEASEMENT • 1933-Germany leave the L of N - start to rearm in secret • 1935-Anglo-German Naval Agreement, Abyssinian Crisis, German announces conscription. • 1936- Remilitarization of the Rhineland • 1938 (March) Anschluss • 1938 (Sept) Sudetenland crisis and the Munich agreement • 1939- Germany take over the rest of Czechoslovakia • 1939 Britain and France abandon appeasement and guarantee to defend Poland

13. Why US Neutrality Acts? • Americans want to remain isolationist • Needed to respond in some way to help our allies who were the targets of Fascist aggression in Europe • League of Nations is too weak to do anything. • England and France are appeasing Hitler but the US realizes he’s only getting worse.

14. Neutral NEUTRALITY ACTS • 1935: prohibited arms shipments to all belligerent countries. • 1936: forbid loans to all belligerents • 1937: “Cash and Carry” principle: all nations must pay for nonmilitary purchases and ship the goods in their own vessels

15. What Attempts Are Made to Put A Stop to Hitler’s Actions? • Munich Pact

16. Neutral NEUTRALITY ACTS • 1939: prohibited Americans from traveling on ships of belligerent nations • 1940: Lend Lease program offered to Great Britain…. U.S. becomes the “arsenal of democracy” • FDR responds to Fascist aggression in Europe by protecting democracies and preparing the US for war…..

17. Hitler Invades Poland 1939

18. Neutral NEUTRALITY ACTS • 1939: prohibited Americans from traveling on ships of belligerent nations • 1940: Lend Lease program offered to Great Britain…. U.S. becomes the “arsenal of democracy” • FDR responds to Fascist aggression in Europe by protecting democracies and preparing the US for war…..

19. Neutral AMERICAN NEUTRALITY • Americans wanted to remain neutral. • America First Committee • Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies • Feb. 21, 1940:If Germany is defeating England & France, should the U.S. declare war on Germany and send our Army and Navy to Europe to fight against Hitler? Yes: 23% No 77%

20. LEND LEASE • LEND LEASE • RENTING, LEASING, GIVING BRITAIN AND LATER SOVIET UNION AND CHINA, MILITARY WEAPONS TO ARM THEM AGAINST THE GERMANS AND JAPANESE… • FDR’s FINAL ATTEMPT TO REMAIN NEUTRAL! • USA BECOMES THE “ARSENAL OF DEMOCRACY”

21. U. S. Lend-Lease Act,1941, “ US becomes the arsenal of democracy” Great Britain.........................$31 billionSoviet Union...........................$11 billionFrance......................................$ 3 billionChina.......................................$1.5 billionOther European.................$500 millionSouth America...................$400 millionThe amount totaled: $48,601,365,000

22. Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor • December 11, 1941 • US had placed an embargo on war goods so that Japan could not purchase them • US had placed an embargo on war goods so that Japan could not purchase them • The Japanese felt if they attacked the US hard enough, we would back off and let Japan control

23. Infamy7 DAY OF INFAMY

26. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VqQAf74fsE • FDR Day of Infamy Speech