World War Two World War II Prelude I

-World War Two-

-World War II: Prelude. I. The Spanish Civil War – 1936 A. The Spanish monarchy came to an end in 1931 B. By 1936, two groups were fighting for control of Spain

1. The Socialists were supported by the U. S. S. R. 2. The Fascists were led by General Francisco Franco a. They were supported by Catholics b. The Fascists called their party the Nationalist Party

C. Both Mussolini and Hitler supported Franco 1. Spain became a testing ground for new weapons a. This information was vital to WWII war planning 2. Italy and Germany became allies a. This was known as the Rome. Berlin Axis D. In 1939 Franco and the Nationalists won the civil war

II. Under Hitler, Germany began to violate the Treaty of Versailles A. Germany stopped making reparations payments B. Hitler moved German troops into the Rhineland C. In 1938 Germany annexed Austria 1. This is known as the Anschluss of Austria

III. The policy of appeasement failed to stop Hitler A. Appeasement is a type of foreign policy where nations make concessions to an aggressive nation 1. They do this in order to maintain peace

B. British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and other leaders adopted this policy towards Hitler 1. Memories of WWI made them reluctant to fight Hitler 2. Public opinion favored the policy a. People did not feel Germany’s violations were worth a war 3. Some people believed a strong Germany would act as a barrier against the Soviets and Communism

IV. In 1938 Hitler initiated a takeover of part of Czechoslovakia A. The Sudetenland was a border region of Czechoslovakia where 3 million Germans lived 1. Hitler believed all Germans should live in one country and wanted to annex the Sudetenland

B. At the Munich Conference, Hitler met with the leaders of Italy, Great Britain and France to discuss Czechoslovakia 1. The leaders agreed that Hitler could occupy the Sudetenland, but not any other area in Czechoslovakia C. According to Chamberlain (the British Prime Minister), the Munich Conference would result in “Peace for our time” 1. Six months after the conference, Hitler annexed all of Czechoslovakia

-World War II: The Start-

I. After taking Austria and Czechoslovakia, Hitler focused on Poland A. Hitler wanted to retake Danzig and the Polish Corridor 1. These areas had valuable agricultural and industrial resources

B. Although enemies, in 1939 Hitler and Stalin agreed to divide Poland not go to war with each other 1. This was known was the Nazi. Soviet Pact

C. On September 1 st, 1939, Germany invaded Poland: World War II had started 1. The Allies were Great Britain, France, the Soviet Union, and in 1941 the U. S. 2. The Axis powers were Germany, Italy, and in 1940 Japan

D. The German strategy for this war was known as Blitzkrieg 1. It called for quick strikes of air and land power 2. Because of its speed, this strategy was called lightning war

II. The early stages of the war were active for both sides A. Germany tore through Poland forced their government to surrender in three weeks B. The Soviet Union annexed the Baltic States in order to strengthen their borders

C. In the Spring of 1940, Germany invaded France through Belgium 1. Within six weeks the German forces had the combined French and British army trapped at the port of Dunkirk 2. 300, 000 troops had to be rescued across the English Channel

3. France surrendered in June of 1940 and would be occupied by Germany for the remainder of the war

III. The Battle of Britain A. Winston Churchill was the new British Prime Minister 1. Churchill invoked great nationalism in the British 2. “We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be”

B. Rather than risk a costly land invasion, Hitler attempted to bomb Britain into submission 1. Radar was a new technology that gave British planes an advantage in defending the island 2. After three months of heavy bombing, Hitler began to give up

IV. North Africa A. By 1941 German and Italian forces had controlled most of North Africa B. Egypt was still supported by the British

-World War II: 1939 -1941 -

I. In the summer of 1941 Germany invaded the Soviet Union A. German troops made significant early gains 1. Soviet troops were poorly led as a result of the purges in the 1930 s that eliminated many Soviet generals

B. As the Soviet forces retreated, they followed a scorched earth policy 1. When winter came, Hitler’s invasion ground to a halt

II. The Germans made changes in the parts of Europe they occupied A. Resources of occupied areas were exploited and put towards the German war effort

B. Hitler’s forces persecuted Jews 1. All Jews were required to wear yellow stars 2. Jewish businesses and possessions were seized

3. Jews were forced to relocate to walled-in areas of cities known as ghettos 4. Many European Jews would die in concentration camps C. Resistance groups vandalized and harassed Hitler’s forces

III. At the start of WWII the U. S. was neutral but clearly favored the Allies A. The Lend-Lease Act allowed the U. S. to send supplies to Allied nations while still technically staying neutral

B. Japan joined the Axis in 1940 1. Japan knocked allied nations out of their Asian colonies 2. The U. S. suspended trade with Japan

3. When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7 th, 1941, the U. S. joined the Allies C. With the U. S. fleet badly damaged, Japan quickly took U. S. possessions in the South Pacific

-World War II: The End-

I. D-Day – Operation Overlord (June 6 th, 1944) A. American and British forces land on the beaches of Normandy, and gain a foothold in France B. Opening of an additional front took pressure off of the Soviet Union

II. Battle of the Bulge – winter 1944 A. German counter-attack against American and British forces B. Despite heavy casualties, the allied line holds C. Last serious Nazi threat

III. German Defeat A. As Soviet forces approached Berlin, Hitler committed suicide on April 30 th, 1945 B. Germany surrendered to the allies on May 7 th, 1945 (V-E Day)

IV. Defeat of Japan A. After Germany’s surrender, the Soviet Union joined the US in the fight against Japan B. The US utilized the strategy of “island hopping” (Iwo Jima, Okinawa) C. In August 1945, President Truman authorized the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki – roughly 120, 000 were killed D. Japan surrendered on August 14 th, 1945 (V-J Day)

V. Yalta Conference A. Leaders of the three allied nations agreed to divide Germany into zones of occupation controlled by the allies 1. Poland the Soviets in the East 2. The US and Britain in the West

B. Germany would have to pay the Soviet Union reparations for the loss of lives and property C. U. S. S. R. agreed to join the war against Japan D. Uneasy agreement between the three nations; especially the US and Russia (Communism vs. Capitalism)

VI. Potsdam Conference A. Meant to reaffirm decisions made at the Yalta Conference B. Allies set up new system of rule in Germany: 1. National Socialism (Nazi Party) outlawed 2. Disarming Germany 3. Introducing representative principles and ideals of government