Transcript Anthony Pupplo 3-8-11 Global History & Geography II Mr. Brown

Global History & Geography II Mr. Brown
Prelude to WWII
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During the 1930's, Italy, Germany, and Japan
aggressively seek to fabricate new empires.
The League of Nations (predecessor to the United
Nations) proves incapable of preventing European
hostility and maintaining peace.
Western countries are in the midst of recovery from
the Great Depression
As a result of Europe's weakened and debilitated
state, acts of militancy occur and go unchecked
Pre-War Events
Japanese Invasion of China
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The Marco Polo Bridge Incident spurs the Second SinoJapanese War in 1937
The Soviet Union provides China with material support
under the Sino-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
Despite China's tactical maneuvers and the deployment
of their most competent forces, Japan beleaguers and
seizes the cities of Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, and
Wuhan
Japan achieves decisive victory, but Chinese government
does not entirely collapse
In 1938, Japan invades the USSR and Mongolia,
resulting in an inconclusive draw
Invasion of Ethiopia
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The Second Italo-Abyssinian War was a brief colonial
war between the forces of the Kingdom of Italy and the
Ethiopian Empire (Abyssinia)
Resulted in the Italian occupation of Ethiopia and its
annexation into new colony of Italian East Africa
Exposed the weakness and incompetence of the League
of Nations, which did nothing to preserve peace despite
the apparent violation of the League's precepts
European Occupations and Agreements
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Germany, led by Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, annexes
Austria and Sudetenland
Germany and Italy force Czechoslovakia to cede territory
to Poland and Hungary
Germany successfully invades the remainder of
Czechoslovakia
Benito Mussolini of Italy and Adolf Hitler of Germany
formalize their alliance with the Pact of Steel
Hitler and Joseph Stalin sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact in
which they agreed not to fight each other, but Pact would
be breached
Alliances
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Germany, Italy, and Japan form the Axis
Powers
France and Great Britain initially compose the
Allied Powers, but are eventually joined by
China, Soviet Union, and the United States
Major Battles of WWII
Battle of Britain
(1940)
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Following the capitulation of France, Great
Britain stood alone against Germany
Germany seeks to gain control of the English
Channel through Operation Sea Lion
Combat took place at air, pitting the RAF
(Royal Air Force of Britain) against the
Luftwaffe (German air force)
Hurricane and Spitfire fighter planes of the
RAF defeat the Luftwaffe in British victory
Battle for Moscow
(1941)
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Operation Typhoon called for the German
capture of the Russian capital of Moscow
Capture of Moscow was seen as vital to the
success of Operation Barbarossa, code name
for Germany's invasion of Russia
Under the adroit command of Russian
Marshall Zhukov, Russian forces defeated
Germany, simultaneously defying the
implementation of Operation Sea Lion in
Britain
Attack on Pearl Harbor
(December 7, 1941)
“A day of infamy”
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United States bans the sale of war materials to Japan
In response, Japan launches surprise attack on Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii
Japanese view base as the pinnacle of America's military
supremacy in the Pacific Ocean--->Japan surmised that
the blow would eliminate US Influence and leave the
region open to expansion
American casualties total 2,395 death
As a result, the United States enters WWII and sides with
the Allies
Battle of Midway
(1942)
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Japanese seek to capture Midway Island of
Hawaii
United States Admirals Spruance and Fletcher
anticipate Japan's course of action
US sinks four Japanese aircraft carriers in
victory at Midway
Battle of Stalingrad
(1942-1943)
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German army on trek to Caucasus in southwest Russia
From strategic point of view it would be unwise to have left a major
city unconquered in your rear as you advanced
Hitler orders German General Paulus to take the city of Stalingrad
Stalingrad serves as Russian centre of communications and
manufacturing
Russians are devastated by power of German blitzkrieg, but defend
city through allegiance to dictator Joseph Stalin
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Marshal Zhukov leads Russia to decisive victory of Germany
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Russia bleeds German forces dry
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Considered a major turning point in WWII, leaving the German
Army in full retreat
The Battle of the Bulge
(1944-1945)
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Last major Nazi offensive against the Allies in WWII
Hitler launches plan designed to destabilize the
Allies' accord and to also take the port of Antwerp
through which a great deal of supplies was reaching
the Allies
The element of surprise allows German success
early on
However, Allies' bombing of fuel plants leaves
German armor without fuel, ultimately leading to their
defeat
Largest battle fought by the United States in WWII
Invasion of Normandy
(1944)
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Also termed “D-Day,” and Operation Overlord
160,000 Allied troops land in Normandy, France at five
different beachheads commanded by US General Dwight D.
Eisenhower
Allies encounter stiff German resistance but ultimately take
over all five beachheads
Within two months, all of Northern France was under Allied
control
Success of D-Day was a death knell for Germany
The Omaha beach battle of D-Day is reenacted in the movie
Saving Private Ryan
Within a year, Hitler committed suicide, and WWII was over
The Battle for Berlin
(1945)
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Stalin orders two leading generals-Zhukov and
Konov-to race to the German capital
Russians largely outnumber Germans in terms
of soldiers, artillery, tanks, and aircraft
Russian forces assault the city for three weeks
Red Army proclaims victory in Berlin and ends
Hitler's Third Reich
Adolf Hitler commits suicide and Germany
surrenders shortly thereafter
Battle of Iwo Jima
(1945)
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Capture of Iwo Jima was part of a three-point plan the
Americans had for winning the war in the Far East
Iwo Jima considered to have great tactical importance>airfields could be used as emergency landing bases for
damaged airplanes in the bombing raids
Island proved to be a difficult target to take as US forces
advance mere meters each day
America takes island in one month
Battle showed the Americans how far the Japanese would go
to defend their country-a decision that was to influence the
use of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The End of WWII
Victory in Europe Day
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Also known as V-E Day
Commemorates May 8, 1945, the date when
the Allies formally accepted the unconditional
surrender of the armed forces of Nazi
Germany and the Third Reich
Known as Soviet Victory Day in Russia
Victory over Japan Day
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Also known as V-J Day
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Japan devastated in the Battle of Okinawa
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United States drops two atomic bombs on Nagasaki
and Hiroshima
Japanese Emperor Hirohito accepts the Potsdam
Declaration calling for the Surrender of Japan in
WWII, effectively ending WWII
Refers to the initial announcement of surrender,
August 15, 1945, as well as September 2, the day
when the signing of the surrender document
occurred
War Crimes
The Holocaust
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Adolf Hitler's Final Solution calls for genocide of
Jewish people
The Einsatzgruppen were mobile killing units created
to implement Hitler's plan
Jews from countries occupied by Germany rounded
up and shipped to concentration camps in Poland,
notably Auschwitz
Germans kill over six million Jews during the
Holocaust
The book, “The Diary of Anne Frank” chronicles life
and events during the Holocaust
Bataan Death March
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Following the Japanese victory in the Battle of the
Philippines, the Japanese forcibly transfer 75,000
American and Filipino prisoners of war to Camp
O'Donnell internment camp in the Philippines
The march was characterized by physical abuse and
murder
54,000 of 75,000 prisoners reach internment camp
5,000-10,000 Filipino and 600-650 American
prisoners died
Nuremberg Trials
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Series of military tribunals conducted by the
victorious Allied forces of WWII
Resulted in the prosecution and execution of salient
members of the political, economic, and military
leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany
Indictments based on participation in plan or
conspiracy in crimes against peace, planning or
waging wars of aggression, and crimes against
humanity
Many of the condemned committed suicide before
execution
The Aftermath
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Estimated 60 million people died, including 20
million soldiers and 40 million civilians
Utilization of advanced chemical and biological
weapons along with atomic bombs wreaks
global havoc
While many economies were ravaged, others,
including the United States, experienced an
economic boom
Territorial occupations in Europe and Asia shift
Concentration camps and slave labor reach its
apogee, devastating populations
United Nations established to preserve peace
Yalta Conference
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1945 wartime meeting of the heads of government of
the United States, the United Kingdom, and the
Soviet Union—President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Prime
Minister Winston Churchill, and General Secretary
Joseph Stalin
Intended to discuss the re-establishment of the
nations of war-torn Europe
Second of three wartime conferences held by the Big
Three, following the Tehran Conference and
preceding the Potsdam Conference
Marshall Plan instituted to allocate billions of dollars
for the reconstruction of Europe
The Cold War
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Alliance between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union
had begun to deteriorate before the end of WWII
Europe divided Western and Soviet spheres of influence
Soviet spheres of influence-Poland, Hungary, East
Germany, Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Albaniaeventually become satellite states
Post-WWII division of the world was formalized by two
international military alliances, the US-led NATO and the
Soviet-led Warsaw Pact
Cold War characterized by political tension and arms race
Impact on Global History
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WWII dubbed the most destructive war of alltime
Portrayed the carnage and ruin of advanced
weaponry such as atomic bombs
Posed an unprecedented threat to human
civilization
Brought an end to imperialism and the concept
of “superpowers,” leading to global
decolonization
Used as a lesson to promote peace and
international cooperation