Transcript Document
WWII AND THE AFTERMATH Mr. Fisher United States History DICTATORS THREATEN WORLD PEACE • Economic depression brings about dictator rule • • • Russia: • Totalitarian/dictator - Joseph Stalin • WWI – Saw that Russia was far lacking in terms of industry and technology • Stalin – transformed from agricultural society industrial society • Results: • Worlds second largest production powerhouse • Millions of death due to “extermination,” and starvation Italy: • Allowed for the emergence of Benito Mussolini • Established the Fascist Party Germany: • Allowed Adolf Hitler (Der Führer) to come to power • Third Reich – “Thousand-Year Reich” • Nazi Party (Three basic beliefs) • 1.) Nationalism (unite all Germans), Racial Purification, National Expansion DICTATORS THREATEN WORLD PEACE • • United States: (Should the United States take action to PREVENT possible war in Europe?) • Public still outraged by the United States involvement in WWI • Still in a period of isolationism • Impact of the Depression • Congress passes series of Neutrality Acts to keep United States out Where do you think FDR stands on becoming involved in the war? WAR IN EUROPE • Austria, Czechoslovakia Fall (Why these first?) • • • • • • • Large population of German-speaking peoples • Living space • Natural resources Great Britain responds: • Series of appeasement created by Chamberlain (prime minister GB) • Giving up principles to pacify an aggressor Germany turns toward Poland • Soviet Union (Stalin) signs “nonaggression pact” (Why would Germany want this?) Blitzkrieg offensive (What is the blitzkrieg offensive?) • “Lightning war” • Use of fast tanks, powerful aircraft to surprise enemy • Very successful – GB and France not enough time to mount defense Great Britain and France • France falls (Maginot Line inefficient – 1 and 2) • Battle of Great Britain • Germany could not compete with GB navy • Launched major air offensive (Luftwaffe) to defeat Royal Air Force The Holocaust • Systematic killing of 11 million people across Europe (half were Jews – Anti-Semitism) • Jews – cause of Depression and lost of WWI • Final Solution • Policy of genocide – riding Germany of Jews (killing of an entire race, religion… etc) • Forced to work in concentration camps (labor camps) • Final stage • Bullets, overworking, beatings were not fast enough Death camps (gas chambers) German Guard AMERICA MOVES TOWARD WAR • • United States’ Involvement • Attack on Poland/France – revised Neutrality Acts • “Cash-and-carry” program (help allies against Germany) • Must pay cash and provided own transportation • Germany counters with Axis Powers (Tripartite Pact) • Aimed to keep the United States out of the war • Germany, Italy, Japan • Great Britain, Russia need resources can’t afford “cash-and-carry” • Lend-Lease Program (to any country protecting “democracy”) goods • “Lend and lease supplies to allies” • Similar to “lending a garden hose to a neighbor whose house is on fire” • Atlantic Charter (extends readiness) • Relationship between GB/US navies (protection trade on Atlantic) • Creation of the Allied Powers (France, United States, GB) Japan • Launched major offensive in the Pacific (imperialism – WHY?) • Small island that needs natural resources to grow • US embargo on oil to the Japanese • Led to an attack at Pearl Harbor (map) • Missed aircraft carriers and oil filling stations • FDR – declaration of war on the Japanese Empire • Germany and Italy followed in kind • Japanese “War Relocation Camps” • Fear of another attack on West Coast WAR IN EUROPE, PACIFIC (TIMELINE) • • Europe • Battle of the Atlantic • Germany – starve Great Britain from US supplies • Organization of ships into convoys • Eastern Front (Russia) • Battle of Stalingrad • Previous: A constant push by Germany eastward • Russian winter prevented Germans to take the city (Napoleon) • MAJOR win for the Allied Powers – Russia to now move westward • North Africa (Commanded by Dwight D. Eisenhower) • Stalin wanted “second front” across the English Channel • Churchill and Eisenhower – through North Africa and to Italy • Less enemies and easier attacking points in Europe • Allies in Europe • Operation Overlord (D-Day – Battle of Normandy, France) map • Least fortified, break up of Atlantic Wall, liberate France • Fooled Germans that attack was else where (Patton) • Largest land-sea-air operation in army history • Battle of the Bulge • Last German offensive • Disrupt enemy lines and demoralize Allies • Leads to V-E Day (Victory Europe Day) • FDR Dies – Truman President Pacific Ocean: • Battle of Midway (map) • Turning point for the war in the Pacific • Thwarted by communication interception of Midway • Invasion of Japan (map) • Island hopping • Japan still would not surrender • Manhattan Project (dev’l of atomic bomb) • Little Boy – Hiroshima THE HOME FRONT/EFFECTS • • • • • • Rationing of product • Resources going to war effort Increase involvement of women and minorities (Rosie the Riveter) Yalta Conference • The rebuilding of European countries (Marshall Plan) • Stalin – Germany into 4 occupation zones (British, Russian, US, French) Creation of the United Nations (successor of League of Nations) • Organization aimed at keeping peace throughout the world • Also included an army GI Bill of Rights (learned mistakes from Depression) • Provided education and training for veterans • Provided loans for homes, farms, and business Baby Boom Generation • Increase in population as men come home from war • Long-term issues? (Social Security and Medicaid)