Origins of World War II Could World War

Origins of World War II Could World War II have been prevented?

Dictators and Militarists Rise to Power Joseph Stalin rose to power and established a Soviet totalitarian government in the Russian empire. In 1928, he established his Five-Year Plan He attempted to raise agricultural and industrial production. His brutal purges claimed millions of lives in the name of communist modernization.

Mussolini establishes a Fascist Dictatorship in Italy Mussolini’s( Il Duce) emotional outbursts rallied the people of Italy to the fascist cause. Fascism is based on extreme nationalism in which the state comes before individual liberty. His violent rants agitated his supporters to take control of Italy’s government. He wanted to create a new Roman Empire

Hitler Leads the Rise of Nazism in Germany Hitler believed in racial superiority of the Aryan Race His Mein Kampf set the goal of conquering territory to expand the empire. Hitler’s extreme nationalism appealed to enough of the voters to get named chancellor. As prime minister he dissolved the republic and set up a fascist dictatorship.

The Military Takes Control of Japan By the 1930’s during the depression, military leaders became more dominant in Japan’s government. Japan’s aggressive tactics were focused on control of raw materials for their growing industrial needs Due to political violence the Japanese took up a more aggressive foreign policy in the 1930’s

Japan’s Aggression meets a Weak American Response At this time Americans favored a policy of isolationism The U. S. favored the ‘Good Neighbor’ approach but was willing to enforce its message that nations should respect each other’s rights. In 1931 Japan seized Manchuria with no response from either the League of Nations or America.

More Japanese Aggression By 1937 Japan and China were in a fullfledged war. After Japan captured Nanjing they murdered over 300, 000 civilians. Roosevelt called for a boycott against Japan but it did not stop their aggression. By 1941, the Japanese military had added French Indochina. Taiwan, and Korea to its list of conquered nations.

Europe’s Dictators Test the League of Nations Japan tested the League and it did not respond. Hitler began testing the sanctions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles Germany built up their military 1936, Hitler moved troops into the Rhineland Mussolini invades and took over Ethiopia Events in Spain also aided the growth of fascism. Francisco Franco ‘s Nationalists established a fascist government in a threeyear civil war.

Britain and France Appease Hitler continued his quest for domination of Europe In 1938 his Anschluss, Anschluss political union, led to a German take over of Austria Next he wanted control of Czechoslovakia. By signing the Munich Pact, France and England gave Hitler the Sudetenland (Western Czechoslovakia). This becomes the policy of appeasement that Hitler tricked Chamberlain into believing he had ‘peace in our time’.

The United States Remains Neutral During the 1930’s the U. S. remained neutral The Neutrality Acts of 1935 -37 limited our role in the European involvementtaking place in Ethiopia or Spain. We remained isolationist because we did not want another World War.

Hitler Plunges Europe Into War In March 1939 Hitler broke the Munich Pact and seized all of Czech. Then Hitler and Stalin sealed an alliance (Non-Aggression Pact) Pact and agreed to divide up Poland when it was invaded. Hitler never intended to keep this agreement either but it cleared the way for a German invasion of Poland

German Armies Roll across Sept. 1, 1939 Germany invades and conquers Poland (blitzkrieg) blitzkrieg Then the Low Countries fall (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) Skirting the Maginot Line, Line pushing the French and English troops to the sea (Dunkirk), the Germans forced the French to surrender, June, 22 A puppet French government was set up. Vichy France

Britain Fights Alone Winston Churchill led Britain against Hitler In 1941 the RAF defended England against the German air assault called the Blitz This showed the Germans were not invincible.

The United States Enters WWII In 1940 Italy Germany and Japan signed on as allies in the Tripartite Pact If war came, the U. S. would be fighting on two fronts now The dilemma for FDR was to get America ready for war without violating neutrality laws. So we passed ‘cash and carry’, carry’ the Selective Service Act, and Lend–Lease. All designed to get us ready for war.

June-Dec. 1941 In June 1941 Hitler breaks the agreement with Stalin and FDR sides with the Soviets In August Churchill and FDR meet and sign the Atlantic Charter pledging support and common goals for each other By November we were arming our merchant ships.

Japan Attacks the U. S. Between 1940 -41 relations broke down with Japan We froze their assets and put an embargo on oil with them We decoded a Japanese message that an attack in the Pacific was imminent. The attack took place on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. In two hours 18 naval vessels were sunk or damaged, 300 planes destroyed, 2400 Americans killed, 1200 injured.

Dec. 7, 1941 FDR asks Congress for a Declaration of War. “A day that will live in infamy. ” Three days later Germany, Italy, and Japan declare war on the U. S. in a conflict that would test the nation’s strength and courage and reshape the world.