World War II

1. 1939-1945 World War II

2. Causes • Primarily a continuation of unresolved issues from 1919 • Treaty of Versailles… • resentment • Adolf Hitler played off the resentment to fain power

3. Global Depression • October 29, 1929, the Great Depression crashed the global economy • US held the debts of England, France, Germany • When they began to default on the payments, US banks began to falter • Set off chain reaction of bank failures globally • US also was over producing goods—esp farm products • More product = lower prices; lower prices = farmers can’t pay their loans… • Banks closed…money supplies dried up

4. Increased Government Involvement • All industrialized nations reorganized gov’ts to be more active in financial matters • Social security, unemployment comp, banking regulations • Italy, Germany, Japan --- fascism • Russia --- now known as USSR --- communism • Completely isolated from global economy

5. Fascism • First introduced in Italy by Benito Mussolini • Gov’t attempted to control economy but allowed private ownership of businesses and other property … • BUT all decisions made by single dictator with massive power • Dissent severely punished – unemployment, jail or death • Appealed to many people globally • Germany, Spain and Japan

6. Nazism • German version of fascism • National Socialist Worker’s Party • Small in 1920s but rapidly rose to power due to weak Weimar gov’t • Opposed to both democracy and communist • Promoted past and future German glories

7. Hitler’s Nazism • Attempted to overthrow Weimar Republic • Beer Hall Pustch • Jailed for 8 months! Wrote Mein Kampf • Gained “rock star” status by giving impassioned speeches about German glory • Used democratic principles to overthrow the republic and create a dictatorship • All done LEGALLY • Used propaganda, lies and murder to retain power

8. Fascist Conquests • Fascism requires conquest to obtain cheap labor and raw material • Desires to unite its people against “enemies” • Except for Spain, fascists attacked their neighbors • Italy invaded North Africa and Ethiopia • Germany invaded Czechoslovakia and Austria

9. Japan • Some historians argue that WWII started in 1931 • Started before they became fascist • Invaded Manchuria in 1931 • Enslaved or killed citizens • Occupied coal mines and factories • Invaded China in 1937 • “Rape of Nanking”

10. The little “yip-yip” dog • AKA: The League of Nations • Did little to stop fascist aggression • Hoped fascists would be satisfied after limited conquests and stop • The policy of APPEASEMENT • Only seemed to encourage the aggressors

11. The Combatants • Axis • Germany – Adolf Hitler • Italy – Benito Mussolini • Japan – Emperor Hirohito, Tojo • Allies • England – Neville Chamberlain, Winston Churchill • France • USSR – Stalin • US -- FDR

12. Fighting • Different than WWI • Trench warfare and little movement of fronts • Fast moving fronts due to technology • Tanks and Airplanes made trenches impractical • German “blitzkrieg” (lightening war) • Use of motorized and air vehicles to “soften” front • Then send in foot soldiers – if there were people left to fight back

13. European Theatre • Began in 1939 with the German invasion of Poland • By 1940 Germany controlled MOST of Europe • Russian-German non-aggression pact 1939 • Hitler’s “surprise” invasion of Russia in 1941 blew the pact • US enters war due to Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor • Russia joins Allies in 1941 and stayed the course

14. Allied Offensive • Allies invade North Africa 1942 • Operation Torch • Then Italy • Turning point of European theatre “D-Day” • June 1944 Allied invasion of Normandy • Pushed Germans out of France • At the same time Russia marching West • “Race to Berlin”

15. Pacific Theatre • Japan’s attack on China 1937-1945 led to 20 million deaths • 1941 Japan attacked much of Southeast Asia and Pacific islands • Turning point in Pacific – Midway 1943 • US firebombings of Japanese cities in 1945 • August 6 & 9 – atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki brings unconditional surrender

16. Consequences

17. United Nations • Replaced League of Nations • Key differences • US involvement • Headquartered in US, not Europe • UN Security Council has military authority that can be used to stop aggression by “rogue” nations • UN forces involved in Korean and Persian Gulf wars

18. Atomic Power • MAJOR controversy • Military and government supporters of use on Japan claimed it saved lives that would have been lost in conventional invasion on Japan • Critics questioned the morality of it at all and raised concerns about a world armed with nuclear weapons

19. US becomes world power • Europe’s domination of world affairs ends • Both World Wars crippled Europe • US emerged as the only major power (nukes) whose economy and society relatively untouched • UN aided European colonies in Asia and Africa gain independence • Dutch East Indies, Indochina, India, Ghana

20. Holocaust • Example of the worst fascist treatment of “outsiders” • Hitler’s “Final Solution” targeted Jews and other “undesirables” • 6 million Jews, 4 million others • After war UN supported (US & Britain) establishment of democratic Jewish homeland in Palestine (Israel)

21. Start of the Cold War • Global tensions rise immediately between US and USSR • Stalin warns other allies that “Where my troops land, there they will stay” • He controlled much of Eastern Europe