World War II Begins Rise of Dictators Leaders

World War II Begins

Rise of Dictators • Leaders get power by playing on anger at end of WWI and Versailles • Italy: Benito Mussolini and “The Black Shirts”, said Italy didn’t get enough out of WWI, builds up military –get power of Roman Empire back • Fascism– extreme nationalism and racism spread, no free speech, • Italy invades N. Africa and Ethiopia, world does nothing

• Germany: depression and WWI punishment hits hard • Adolf Hitler rises to power, Nazi Party– racist against Jews, thought that they were superior • Totalitarian State– single party, don’t allow others, want to expand Germany and build up military

• Japan: military leaders rise to power, want to take over Asia, attack Manchuria (China) • Emperor Hirohito and Hideki Tojo (Prime Minister) • Signs pact with Germany and Italy– become the Axis Powers

American Neutrality • Want to stay out of all crises • Neutrality Acts– banned sale of weapons to countries at war, trade with but must provide own ships

Germany on the March • Germany takes over Rhineland (area between Germany and France) • Then takes Austria because they speak German • Takes over Sudetenland– east of Germany • Munich Pact– conference of European leaders

• Other countries use appeasement– give up stuff to avoid a war • Doesn’t work, Germany takes over Czechoslovakia • Germany signs secret deal with Russia– Nazi. Soviet Non Aggression Pact: promise not to attack each other and split up Poland

War Begins • Hitler invades Poland on Sept. 1, 1939 • Britain and France declare war on Germany • German attack was a blitzkrieg– lightning war, troops, tanks, artillery move quickly, Poland defeated quickly

• England France build up defenses on the Maginot Line (Border with Germany) • Hitler takes Denmark, Netherlands, Norway • Belgians fight hard but surrender– leaves thousands of Allied troops trapped against English channel

• Escape from Dunkirk– Allied troops need to get to safety in England, anything that floats takes troops across • Germany quickly moves into France, takes Paris and France must surrender

Battle of Britain • England is last country in standing Hitler’s way of taking all of Europe • Germany bombs London and other cities for weeks, bomb shelters all over England • German air force versus British pilots– dog fights all over the skies over England English Channel

• British Prime Minister Winston Churchill inspires his people to hold out • Hitler gets frustrated and turns to attack the Soviet Union– breaks deal with Joseph Stalin, huge mistake