World War II 1939 1945 n Causes Whats

World War II (1939 -1945)

n Causes What’s Essential? of the War (underlying and direct) n Reasons for American Neutrality (various acts/events) n Reason for American entrance: Pearl Harbor n Wartime goals of the Allies n Major battles: D-Day, Iwo Jima, Okinawa

Essential to Know (con’t) n American Homefront (women, blacks, Japanese internment) n Yalta and Potsdam Conferences and their significance n Decision to drop atomic bomb and its lasting effects

Causes for World War II UNDERLYING: DIRECT: n Treaty of Versailles n Germany invading n Nationalism Poland on n Worldwide September 1 st, Depression 1939 n Dictatorships n The policy of appeasement n American Isolationism

The Axis Powers!!!

Hitler and Nazi Germany n Rise to power result of weakness of previous government (1933 became Chancellor) n Charismatic speaker, preached German nationalism, denounced Versailles Treaty n Blamed Jews, communists for Germany’s problems n Promised return of German pride

Benito Mussolini in Italy n Fascist leader who took control of Italy in 1922 n Wanted to create another Roman Empire n Invaded Ethiopia in 1935 n Along with Hitler supported Francisco Franco in the Spanish Civil War (combat experience)

Japanese Expansion n Sought total control of Pacific (resources) n 1931 - military occupation of Manchuria n 1936 - Japan signs Pact with Germany, Italy n Nanking Massacre. December 1937

American Neutrality n Domestic: U. S. in midst of President Roosevelt Great Depression, public intent on remaining neutral n 1935: First Neutrality Act (no sale of arms to belligerent nations) n 1937: Arm sales only on “cash and carry” basis n FDR warns of impending problems

Isolationism in the United States n Economic, Hitler and Mussolini military reasons for neutrality n Tried to prevent mistakes that led to WWI involvement n FDR: “Let no one imagine that we will escape…that this western hemisphere will not be attacked”—outraged many isolationists

Appeasement n 1938 - Hitler invades Austria, Sudetenland on Czech border n Munich Conference (1938): Chamberlain and Daladier allow Hitler to do this (appeasement) n Chamberlain: “Peace in our time” n British rearmament

War Erupts!!! n March German “blitz” of Warsaw 1939 - Hitler breaks Munich agreement, invades rest of Czechoslovakia n August 1939 - Hitler signs nonaggression pact with rival USSR, turns attention west n September 1, 1939“blitzkrieg” invasion of Poland; Britain and France declare war on Germany

World War II (19391941) Hitler’s Wild Ride in Europe While the U. S. Watches

Hitler Moves in Europe n April 1940 - Hitler seizes Norway, Denmark n May- Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg n By June, Hitler controls France, turns attention to Britain n Fall 1940 - Battle of Britain n London heavily bombed but Churchill remains defiant British Prime Minister Winston Churchill

The United States and Britain n 1939 - Roosevelt revises Neutrality Act, allows for arms trade n Public opinion divided n Election of 1940 - FDR wins 3 rd term n 1940: Destroyers for Bases Deal n 1941: Lend-Lease Act

n “Destroyers for Bases”: called for 50 American destroyers to be exchanged for the use of 8 British naval bases along the North Atlantic coast n “Lend-lease”: made it possible to lend or lease supplies to any country whose interests were vital (GB)- $50 billion

The U. S. Enters the War n The “destroyers for bases” USS Greer Atlantic Charter deal allowed the U. S. to extend its influence n August 1941 - Atlantic Charter: Churchill and FDR agree to defend democracy, free trade and economic advancement n The U. S. destroyer Greer attacked in September 1941 n US directly involved in naval warfare

United States and Japan n Japan wanted to extend influence in Far East n July 1940: U. S. embargo of raw materials to Japan n 1941: Lend-Lease aid to Japanese attack on China Pearl Harbor n Anticipating attack in the Philippines n December 7, 1941: Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

Images of Pearl Harbor

America Enters War n Pearl Harbor attack devastates nation n FDR: “A date which will live in infamy” n December 8, 1941 - FDR receives war declaration from Congress against Japan n Germany, Italy declare war on United States FDR addresses Congress after Pearl Harbor attack

Japanese Internment n February, 1942: FDR issues Executive Order n Over 100, 000 Japanese-Americans on West Coast moved to the interior n Japanese farms/businesses bought for far less value

Allied Military Strategy (1941 -1945)

The Participants n Allied Powers n Axis Powers -England -Italy -Soviet Union (after German attack on June 22, 1941) -Germany -Japan -France -United States

Mobilizing for War n 1940 - Economy focuses on military mobilization n Massive industrial output (twice as productive as Germany, 5 times Japan) n Primary focus: tanks, planes, battleships n War Production Board n Military draft, training Wartime propaganda

The Liberation of Europe n FDR: Erwin Rommel, the “Desert Fox” Liberate Europe first and pursue an “active defense” in the Pacific n Battle of Atlantic: Hitler’s “Wolf Packs” vs. Allied Navies n Clear Germany from North Africa n Late 1942: Only Tunisia was controlled by Axis Powers

Allied Advances in Europe (1943 -1944) n January, 1943: Allies agree to fight until they win “unconditional surrender” n February 1943: SU takes back Stalingrad and moves westward n Same time, Allied victory in Tunisia secures Africa

Allied Advancements Cont… n July 10, 1943: The invasion of Italy. n Fighting continues from July 1943 to June 1944 (70, 000 Allied troops killed) n Separate peace was signed with new Italian government in September, 1943

Unconditional Surrender in Europe (1944 -1945) n Britain and U. S. air raid strategic sights in Germany (Flying Fortresses) n June 6, 1944: D-Day and the Allied invasion of Normandy n Battle at Normandy lasted from June 6 -July 24 n August 25, 1944: France

Germany’s Last Gasp Effort n Hitler was caught between Allied troops coming from the West and Stalin’s forces coming from the East. n December 1944: Battle of the Bulge n April 25, 1945: Russia and Allied Forces meet at the Elbe River n May 8, 1945: Germany surrenders (V-E DAY)

n Plans YALTA CONFERENCE (February 1945) for German surrender n Stalin agrees to hold free elections and help with Japan n Broken promises, USSR’s position strengthened n Initiated Cold War Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin

Allied Military Strategy in the Pacific (1941 -1945) n By 1942, Japan had controlled almost the entire area of the Pacific n Allies were able to hold on to Hawaii and Samoa n “Active defense” campaign: -Battle of the Coral Sea (May, 1942) -Battle of Midway (June, 1942) -Battle of Guadalcanal (Aug. 1942 -Feb. 1943)

The Pacific Theatre Cont… n The Allies took control of several islands in the Pacific under the leadership of General Douglas Mac. Arthur -Iwo Jima (1945) -Okinawa (1945) n The recapture of the Philippines was the highlight (Oct. 1944 -March

“The Alternative to Surrender is Prompt and Utter Destruction” n August 6, 1945: Atomic bomb is dropped on Hiroshima (at least 75, 000 killed) n August 9, 1945: Atomic bomb is dropped on Nagasaki

World War II- The Homefront n n “Rosie the Riveter” inspired many women to contribute n American industry key to victory Built tanks, bombs, guns, ships, ammunition, etc. War bonds (borrowed $$$ from Americans) raised about $50 billion for war effort Women “filling in” for men off at war Victory Gardens

Blacks in WWII effort directly led to later civil rights movement n Patton’s “Black Panther” Battalion at Battle of the Bulge n Tuskegee Airmen n July, 1948: Truman signs Executive Order integrating US military

“The War is Over” n Japan surrenders to Allied Forces on the U. S. Missouri after the second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. August 14 th– V-J Day

THE COSTS OF THE WAR n U. S. lost over 300, 000 n World suffered at least 60 million n Over 25 million Russians alone died n Over 10 million in death camps n New fears arise after the war– fight to contain Communism– THE COLD WAR ERA!!