World War II and the Beginning of the

World War II and the Beginning of the Cold War 12/14/2021 1

The New Prosperity Postwar prosperity in urban America helped make the early 1920 s – with new advertising through the radio and magazines, and with profits from overseas trade. Rural America did not obtain much of this “easy money” but still wanted the comforts advertised in publications like the Sears Catalog.

The Jazz Age The prosperity characterized the “Roaring Twenties, ” where “flappers” smoked in public, youth enjoyed their own status as a “market. ” But the prosperity rested on shaky ground – people did not make enough money to buy all that was being manufactured. By 1927, many industries were reducing staff and cutting wages. All that was required was a shock to create a financial panic. The bubble burst in 1929.

Restoring World Trade

An Assurance of Peace? In the late 1920 s, U. S. Secretary of State Frank Kellogg joined the French foreign minister in persuading world leaders to sign a pact promising to “settle all differences without resorting to war. ” Every major nation signed it – and then ignored it.

New Nations Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan were ‘independent’ after 1919, the other lands were British and French “mandates” for years. 12/14/2021 6

Prosperity on shaky ground • Despite the rising stock market, American (and world) prosperity rested on very little more than public confidence; this declined as dictatorships took hold in Europe and Asia • World trade declined as many nations imposed high tariffs (taxes on imported foreign goods) • The world’s gold supply was not stabilizing prices • Unemployment was slowly growing, as fewer people could afford modern luxury goods • As sales of cars, radios, and other “durable goods” (refrigerators, washing machines, etc. ) slowed down, American factories laid off workers.

THE CRASH Over speculation in the stock market led to wild swings in stock prices. In October 1929, the overall market fell to less than 50% of its previous value. Hundreds of thousands loss their jobs in the financial depression.

Bank Failures – 9000 banks holding $7 billion closed in 1 year (no deposit insurance existed)

One in four workers were unemployed by 1933

Europe and Asia 1933 – Hitler promises Germany ‘justice’ for its defeat in 1918. 1937 – Japan invades China. The League of Nations is helpless. 12/14/2021 11

Isolationism • Financial depression in 1929 -38 reduces trade and raises international tensions. • Neutrality Laws in 1935 -1936 Restrict American business with nations at war and prevent American citizens from being endangered. • U. S. journalists begin covering wars in Asia and North Africa; their stories have an impact on how Americans regard the situation. • Refugees from Europe also affect how Americans think about Europe. 12/14/2021 12

Isolationism Neutrality Laws in 19351936, written by Gerald Nye of North Dakota (below), restricted American business with nations at war and prevent American citizens from being endangered.

September 1939 – Germany Invades Poland 12/14/2021 14

Refugees European refugees outside American consulate in Marseilles, France, 1940. 12/14/2021 15

William L. Shirer Vienna “looked like any German city in the Reich – red, white and black Swastika flags hung from the balconies of most of the homes. And in the streets people raised their hands in Nazi salute and greeted each other with ‘Heil Hitler!’” CBS radio correspondent William L. Shirer on the German control of much of Europe. .

As France collapsed, President Roosevelt faced a problem similar to what Wilson faced in 1916. Roosevelt decided to run for re-election in 1940. The defeat of France had shocked Congress into vastly increasing spending on defense – and to accepting a 3 term president. But no one wanted war with Germany. US Aid 12/14/2021 17

Defeat in France In May-June, 1940, the German armies defeated France in 6 weeks and forced the British to evacuate their troops from Belgium. The U. S. feared Britain would quickly sign a treaty that gave Hitler control of Europe. 12/14/2021 18

France Occupied 12/14/2021 19

Britain Alone France, having promised to make no separate peace, not only signed a separate peace but also returned to Germany 400 captured German airmen, who could now be used to attack Great Britain. 12/14/2021 20

Cash and Carry FDR persuaded Congress to modify the Neutrality Laws so Britain could buy weapons for cash and carry them away on their own ships. 12/14/2021 21

German U-boats 12/14/2021 But German “untersee” boats were sinking one of every three tons of goods that Britain bought – and again threatening American ships. 22

Destroyer Deal Despite British failures, Roosevelt in September 1940 ‘traded’ 50 older destroyers to Britain in return for 99 -year leases of bases in the Caribbean and Canada. 12/14/2021 23

Lend-Lease 12/14/2021 24

The Draft In 1940, Congress approved the first peace-time draft in American experience. The draftees (21 or older) were chosen by lottery and were to serve for one year. 12/14/2021 25

Guardsmen Called Up In the fall of 1941, the draft was extended, keeping those from 1940 in the service. National Guard units were also called up for training with the U. S. Army. This included Minnesota and North Dakota guard units. People were now expecting war as inevitable. 12/14/2021 26

Russia Invaded When the Germans invaded Russia in June 1941, special “execution squads” murdered thousands of civilians – communists leaders, community leaders, intellectuals and Jews. About 8 of every 10 German soldiers killed in the war died in the war with Russia. 12/14/2021 27

Genocide The Nazi plan was to occupy the western part of Russia as far as the Ural mountains, allow much of the Russian population to starve and use the remainder as slave labor. “We shoot villagers on the slightest excuse. Just stick them up against a wall. We order the whole village out to watch. It’s a vicious circle. We hate them and they hate us, and on it goes, everyone getting more inhuman. ” From a German soldier’s diary 12/14/2021 28

The Holocaust In order to carry out its extermination plan, Germany pressured its allies – Italy, Romania, Hungary and the Vichy government of France-- to turn all Jews over to German hands. These women at the Gurs refugee camp were likely among the victims. 12/14/2021 29

Death Camps In 1942, the Nazis employed their knowledge of poison gas to speed up the murder of Jews in special death camps, like Auschwitz (entrance to the Auschwitz still exists at the memorial site in Poland. U. S. code breakers also knew about the activities in these camps. 12/14/2021 30

Defeated in 1941 Despite inflicting over 2 million casualties on Russia, the German army was halted in 1941 by better Russian tanks and the onset of winter. With American entry in December, Germany now faced Britain, Russia, and the U. S. 12/14/2021 31

And the War Came 12/14/2021 32

Global War 12/14/2021 Where should the U. S. use its military power? 33

Purpose of the War? In a mid-ocean meeting, Roosevelt and Churchill agreed that Germany should be the major focus of US and British military effort (which angered Americans who wanted quick revenge for Pearl Harbor). Roosevelt also persuaded Churchill to agree to the Atlantic Charter – a commitment to a better postwar world. As yet there was no talk of a “united nations. ” 12/14/2021 34

Different Agendas for Victory n n n To Roosevelt the Atlantic Charter meant a reduction of the British Empire. To Churchill, victory in the war meant preservation of the British empire. Neither Roosevelt nor Churchill completely trusted Stalin (Russia the 3 rd of the Allied powers). But Roosevelt thought Stalin could be persuaded to cooperate. Churchill doubted this. 12/14/2021 35

The Second Front Russia began demanding a “second front” from Britain in 1942. But France was not invaded until 1944. Stalin accused Churchill and Roosevelt of waiting until Russia and Germany had “bled one another white. ” “What news from the second front” – In British newspaper, July 1942. 12/14/2021 36

“Unconditional Surrender” After the U. S. Army fought German troops in North Africa, Roosevelt surprised everyone when he said that only the “unconditional surrender” of Germany, Italy and Japan would end the war. He may have said this to reassure Stalin. Britain, receiving enormous aid from America, had to go along with the idea of not accepting a negotiated peace. 12/14/2021

War in the Air The American air force believed Germany could be forced to surrender by bombing German industry. Of the 78, 000 American “M. I. A. s” of WWII, 85% are air force fliers. 12/14/2021 38

Bombing Germany By 1945 every German city looked like this. More than 700, 000 German civilians died in these bombings. At Dresden, March 1945, 35, 000 died in one raid by British bombers. 12/14/2021 39

In the Pacific Battles in the Pacific, at Guadalcanal and elsewhere, had taught American Marines and Soldiers that the Japanese never surrendered, and did not take prisoners. This would color views of Asia among Americans. 12/14/2021 40

Island Hopping To win the Pacific War, the United States had to build the largest fleet in history and move from island to island, building air bases as they approached Japan. 12/14/2021 41

D-Day, 1944 12/14/2021 42

End in Europe The war ended in Europe in May 1945, after the Russian armies captured Berlin and Hitler committed suicide. 12/14/2021 43

End of Japanese Navy Total destruction of Japan’s navy by April 1945 opened the home islands to endless bombing. 12/14/2021 44

End in the Pacific Atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, forced Japan to surrender (but only on the condition that the Japanese emperor remain on the thrown). 12/14/2021 45

Allies No Longer 12/14/2021 46

n n n 12/14/2021 Postwar Europe and American Leadership U. S. was the guiding force in creating a United Nations to replace the old League US played major part in occupying Germany and japan from 1945 -52. The aim was to “build democracy. ” US “Marshall Plan” provides billions of dollars to restore European economy (eastern Europe does not participate). US creates NATO to counter Soviet military power. US leads in the creation of West German Republic. US “containment” policy is key to cold war strategy. 47

Russia and Its Security Russia had suffered highest losses of the war – 20 million deaths and much of its industry destroyed. But it had the largest army in Europe.

Russia’s “Eastern Bloc” Poland Czech. Hungary Romania Yugo. Bulgaria The Russian armies controlled much of eastern Europe as the war ended.

Unity with Tanks Russian tanks crush uprising in Hungary, 1956 The Soviet Union kept its hold over Eastern Europe with military force, using armed force to suppress independence movements in Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968.

Dividing and Occupying The US, Britain, Russia, and France, occupied Germany, dividing the country (and the capitol) into 4 zones. Cooperation soon became difficult. Russia literally looted its zone of anything of value.

“Iron Curtain” In response to the Russian domination of Poland, Truman cut off aid to Russia and invited Churchill to the U. S. in 1946, to warn Americans that an “iron curtain” was falling over eastern Europe. The Cold War was on.

Truman Doctrine Angry over Stalin’s failure to keep his Potsdam promises, Truman stopped Lend Lease aid to Russia. In 1947, he also promised extensive aid to Greece to prevent its government from falling to communist insurgents. This “Truman Doctrine” was a key step in the U. S. -Soviet rivalry for influence in Europe.

Europe in Shambles Secretary of State George Marshal warned Truman and Congress that, without substantial American help, the economy of Europe would not recover from the war. Another world-wide depression could result in war – and a communist victory.

Marshall Plan A much more extensive aid program was the Marshall Plan, inaugurated in 1947 -48, it granted extensive aid toward restoring the economy of western Europe. Because the Soviet Union would not permit American agents to inspect economic conditions in the eastern nations his armies occupied, no aid went to those countries.

National Security In 1947, the U. S. Congress passed the National Security Act, which merged the armed services under the Department of Defense, created the CIA and the National Security, and set a goal of coordinating national defense with the policy of “containment” of Soviet influence.

Berlin Airlift In 1948 -49, the Soviet Union tried to drive the U. S. and Britain out of Germany with the blockade of Berlin. The U. S. used aircraft to fly supplies to west Berlin. Russia tested its own Abomb in August 1949. The arms race was on.

NATO In 1949, the U. S. led in the organization of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), an alliance that pledged the U. S. to bring military aid to any NATO member attacked by “aggressors” – the first U. S. military peacetime alliance commitment in its history.

Containment Because another major war would involve atomic bombs, the U. S. sought another strategy for dealing with Russia. George Kennan (right) a senior State Department analyst, suggested containment – use American financial (and military) power to keep Russian influence out of other countries; wait for Russia’s population to tire of Soviet rule.

The War for Hearts and Minds Containment would dominate the Cold War’s struggle within the “Third World” -the poorer nations in Africa, Asia and South America that could opt for communism or capitalism as their guide for economic growth. Critics charged that this meant creating either a slave world or a “consumer world. ”