Transcript Major Events of WWII

Major Events of WWII
German Aggression Grows
Hitler wanted to bring all German
speaking lands into Germany & also gain
“living space” for Germans
 1. Germany “annexes” Austria into
Germany
 2. Part of Czechoslovakia is added to
German lands
 Other countries did nothing to stop Hitler!

Nazi-Soviet Pact
1939- Germany & Russia make an
agreement to be peaceful with one
another- Nazi-Soviet Pact
 Secretly, the 2 countries agreed to:
 1. Not fight one another is a war starts
 2. Invade neighboring Poland & divide the
land between themselves!

Political Cartoon on the Nazi-Soviet
Pact
WWII Begins
September 1, 1939= Hitler stuns the
world by invading Poland
 Britain & France declare war on Germany
to stop Hitler’s advance across Europe. It
is almost too late.

What Caused WWII?
1. Anger over the Treaty of Versailles
(treaty that ended WWI)
 2. Appeasement- Democratic nations
ignored the actions of countries like
Germany, Italy & Japan
 3. Aggression- countries like Germany
Italy & Japan invading & attacking weaker
nations

Hitler’s Greatest Defeat
Battle of Britain- Hitler wanted to invade
Britain & force them out of the war.
 Operation Sea Lion- massive air strikes by
the Germans that lasted almost a year.
 London was bombarded with bombs on a
nightly basis & much of the ancient city
was destroyed. This “blitz” was
unsuccessful- Hitler failed in his mission
here.

London- A tough city
Carrying on…………..
Hitler’s Next Offensive
Operation Barbarossa – 1941- Hitler
invades the USSR to gain “living space” for
Germans.
 Stalin was unprepared & shocked! He
never thought war would come to his
country.
 Russians lost 2 ½ million soldiers &
thousands of Germans froze to death.
 Ended the Nazi-Soviet Pact. USSR will join
war on the side of the Allies.

A Day That Will Live in Infamy…
12/7/41 – Japanese forces attack Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii to destroy the American
Navy fleet.
 Why?

 1.
The U.S. placed a ban on selling war
materials such as iron, steel, & oil to Japan
after they began invading other countries.
 2. Tojo had come to power & was a militaristic
leader.
 * This event forces the U.S. into the war. We
join the Allies & must now fight 2 wars – in
the Pacific & in Europe.
Images of Pearl Harbor
Hitler’s Secret Agenda
Final Solution – Hitler’s plan to rid Europe
of all Jews.
 Concentration Camps – death camps
where all those seen as “inferior” were
placed & most were eventually executed.
 When invading a country, Hitler & the
Nazi’s under his control tried to rid these
areas of all “undesirables”. This has been
called the “holocaust” - catastrophe

The Dark Side of WW2

Hitler at a large political rally at the
pinnacle of power
Hitler’s Youth
(German Boy Scouts!)
Jews being “selected for death”
upon reaching the concentration
camp. (see woman w/baby)
Prisoners fight for food in the
camp
Children were not spared from
starvation
Mass grave of prisoners
Mass grave
Crematorium
Crematorium