World War II Aggression Leads to War Economic

World War II

Aggression Leads to War

Economic problems and social unrest after World War I �Encouraged the rise of dictators who took control of their countries. Let’s Think: What does the title mean by economic problems? What is a dictator?

Fascism takes hold in Italy and Germany. �Benito Mussolini was appointed Italy’s prime minister. He turned Italy into a Fascist state, which is a political system based on militarism, extreme nationalism, and blind loyalty to the state and its leaders. Let’s Think: What is fascism?

Adolf Hitler becomes the leader of Germany. �He created a totalitarian state and passed anti. Semitic laws against the Jews. Let’s Think: What does anti- Semitic mean? What is a totalitarian state?

Japan invades China. �Japan became an aggressive force in the Pacific region.

Italy invades Ethiopia. �The emperor, Haile Selassie, appealed to the League of Nations for aid, but Ethiopia fell to Italy. Let’s Think: What was the League of Nations? Where is Ethiopia?

Hitler violates the Treaty of Versailles without punishment and rebuilds Germany’s armed forces. �It gave Germany military might and it showed Hitler that the European democracies were weak. Let’s Think: What was the Treaty of Versailles?

Britain and France sign the Munich Pact with Germany. �They were following a policy of appeasement that failed to stop Hitler’s aggression. Hitler occupied the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia. Let’s Think: What is appeasement? How was it used in World War II?

U. S. Congress passes the Neutrality Act. �Forbade the United States from selling arms, giving loans, or giving any other kind of assistance to any nation involved in war.

Germany and the Soviet Union sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact. �They pledged not to attack each other and secretly agreed to divide up Poland when Germany attacked. Let’s Think: Why might the Soviets agree to this nonaggression agreement?

Britain and France pledge support to Poland. �When Germany attacked Poland on September 1, 1939, they declared war on Germany.

War Begins in Europe �By June 1940, Britain stood alone against the Nazis. �In June 1941, Hitler invaded the Soviet Union. Let’s Think: Why was Britain standing alone against Germany?

The United States at War

Moving Toward War �President Roosevelt was reelected for a third term in 1940. He sympathized with the Allies in Europe. �The Lend-Lease Act supported the British by allowing them to obtain American war goods without paying for them directly. Let’s Think: The Lend-Lease Act conflicted with which previous Act? How did Roosevelt pass the Lend Lease Act; what compromises did he have to make?

Moving Towards War �Meanwhile, the United States passed the first peacetime draft to build up its armed forces. �Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill showed their alliance by meeting and issuing the Atlantic Charter.

Moving Towards War �On December 7, 1941, the Japanese military waged a surprise attack on U. S. naval forces at Pearl Harbor. As a result, the United States declared war. �In turn, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States.

Moving Towards War �The main Axis powers were Germany, Italy, and Japan. �The main Allied powers were Britain, France, the Soviet Union, China, and the United States. Green areas: Allied Powers Yellow areas: Axis Powers

Europe and North Africa �In the Soviet Union, key victories that stopped the German push took place near Moscow in 1941 and at Stalingrad in 1942. �In North Africa, the British began pushing back the German tank corps after the victory at El Alamein in Egypt. �The United States entered its first ground combat troops and occupied Morocco and Algeria under the command of Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Japan Sweeps Through the Pacific �Japanese troops invaded country after country in the Pacific region, including the Philippine Islands, which were governed by the United States and had U. S. bases. �General Douglas Mac. Arthur became commander of the U. S. troops in the region. Let’s Think: Where are the Philippine Islands located on a map?

Japan Sweeps Through the Pacific �The Bataan Death March followed the defeat in the Bataan peninsula of the Philippines and took the lives of U. S. and Filipino prisoners. �Two historic naval battles that turned the tide of the war in the Pacific were the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway. Both were important because the United States stopped the Japanese and caused such losses to the Japanese navy that it no longer ruled the Pacific.

The War at Home

The War at Home

Building the Military �More than 15 million men served in the U. S. military. �Hundreds of thousands of women served as nurses and in noncombat roles. �For example, they �Ferried bombers from base to base �Towed targets �Taught men to fly

The Wartime Economy �U. S. factories shifted from producing consumer goods to creating military goods. �The War Production Board was a government agency that supervised that change and set production goals. �U. S. military output nearly doubled.

Supporting the War Effort �Americans followed rationing of scarce goods like sugar, shoes, and gasoline. They used ration coupons to buy these goods. �They also bought war bonds to show support. �Maintaining strong moral at home was also key to fighting the war. Let’s Think: What is moral?

Americans on the Home Front

Women Experience Outcomes �Millions went to work in industry to fill needed wartime jobs in factories and shipyards. �They gained: � personal confidence � better working conditions � generally better pay Let’s Think: What jobs did women do during the war?

Rosie the Riveter

We Can Do It!

Japanese Americans Experience Outcomes �Some 110, 000 were interned in prison-type camps for the duration of the war. �They lost their freedom and possessions even though there was never evidence of disloyalty or spying against the United States. Let’s think: Do Japanese internment camps remind you of anything?

African Americans Experience Outcomes �They still faced discrimination in employment and prejudice where they lived �The Fair Employment Practices Committee was set up to investigate job discrimination.

Mexican Americans Experience Outcomes �They experienced prejudice in America. In Los Angeles, they were attacked by U. S. sailors on shore leave. �After the Zoot Suit Riots, Eleanor Roosevelt called attention to the problem of discrimination against them. There was even a song based on the Zoot Suit Riots

Toward Victory

Towards Victory Open your books to page 823

Victory in Europe: Italy Surrenders �Invasion of Sicily in July 1943 �Surrendered on September 8, 1943 Let’s Think: Where is Sicily?

Victory in Europe: D-Day �Date: June 6, 1944 �Commanded by General Eisenhower �Goal: to invade France and retake western Europe �Americans landed on Omaha Beach �Number killed: 2, 500 �Success: Allies entered Paris on August 25, 1944 Let’s Think: Why was D-Day important?

Victory in Europe: Battle of the Bulge �Date: December 16, 1944 �Outcome: Germany’s defeat showed that the Allies had more supplies and soldiers to keep fighting.

Victory in Europe: Germany Invaded �Date: January 1945 �Allies invaded from the west �Soviets invaded from the east. �Allies used ground troops and bombs.

Victory in Europe: Victory �V-E Day: May 8, 1945

Victory in Europe: Aftermath �Nazi death camps discovered �Nazis who committed war crimes were tried at Nuremburg, Germany

Victory in the Pacific: Island Hopping �Strategy: Capture some islands and go around others to create a stepping stone to Japan. Open your books to page 825

Victory in the Pacific: Battles �Guadalcanal �Luzon and Manila in the Philippines �Iwo Jima �Okinawa Can you locate these places on a map?

Victory in the Pacific: The Atomic Bombs �President Truman ordered bombings. �Goal: To avoid estimate of half a million American casualties if United States invades Japan �First bomb: Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 killed at least 130, 000 �Second bomb: Nagasaki on August 9, 1945 killed 30, 000 instantly

Victory in the Pacific: Victory �V-J Day: August 14, 1945 �Who announced surrender: Emperor of Japan �Official end of World War II: General Mac. Arthur accepted surrender on the battleship USS Missouri.

Victory in the Pacific: Aftermath �War crimes trials in Tokyo and Manila forced responsibility on the leaders who created the Japanese War machine.

�Which Allied leader did not live to see the end of World War II, and when did he die? President Roosevelt, because he died of a stroke on April 12, 1945