Transcript Unit 9 Lesson 1

7.1
 Analyze the decision of the United States to enter
World War II, including the nation’s movement
from a policy of isolationism to international
involvement and the Japanese attack on Pearl
Harbor.
Origins of World War II
 ***World War I, the Treaty of Versailles, and economic
depressions laid the groundwork for totalitarian
regimes in Italy and Germany.
***Totalitarian Regime- imposing a form of
government in which the political authority exercises
absolute and centralized control over all aspects of life,
the individual is subordinated to the state, and
opposing political and cultural expression is
suppressed
 19th century imperialism by western powers and rapid
industrialization in Japan led to that nation’s
government coming under the control of the military.
The Rise of Dictators
 Totalitarian Rule- a
20th century
phenomenon in which
the interest of the state
supersede all interests
of the individual
 Fascism- was not a
communist form of
government but rather was a
manifestation of capitalism’s
fear of communism.
ROOTED in Nationalism,
headed by a dictator!
Propaganda – was used by these
governments to effectively control their
populations. Examples?
Adolf Hitler- Germany
Benito Mussolini (Il Duce)
ITALY
***He wanted to restore the glories of
ancient Rome in Italy
Hitler vs. FDR
 ***Adolph Hitler and FDR both came into power in
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1933 amidst the social and economic upheaval of the
Great Depression.
FDR, told the American people they had “nothing to
fear but fear itself”
***Hitler raised the longstanding fear of and
prejudice against the Jews as the source of all of
Germany’s political and economic troubles
The Treaty of Versailles and the world-wide depression
was especially hard on Germany.
***The German people blamed their economic
woes on the Versailles Treaty. ($30 billion in
reparations)
Hitler took advantage of this resentment by taking
aggressive military action and breaking the Versailles
Treaty
The Policy of Appeasement
 Despite his aggressive actions, many leaders of
Europe were not willing to confront Germany.
 The leader of France Premier Edouard Daladier and
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain decided
to follow a policy of ***appeasement, or give in
to Hitler’s aggressive demands in the hope
this would satisfy him and their would be
no further conflict.
 ***The Munich Pact- France and Great Britain
agreed to Hitler’s capture of the Sudetenland in
exchange for Hitler’s promise not to invade
anymore territory.
Meanwhile in Japan
 ***The Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931
initiated the aggressive Japanese policy against China
and Indochina that was designed to create a Japanese
sphere of economic domination.
Hirohito
&
Tojo
Path to War
 When Hitler broke the Munich Pact by
invading Czechoslovakia, the European policy
of appeasement ended.
 ***The German invasion of Poland in
1939 led to war in Europe
 ***In 1940 Japan signed an alliance agreement
with Germany and Italy. They became the Axis
Powers.
AXIS POWERS
 GERMANY
 ITALY
 JAPAN
The Axis Powers
The United States Remains Neutral
 ***While the Axis Powers grew more aggressive the
United States continued to practice
isolationism (keeping to ourselves).
 ***People were more concerned about fixing
the depression at home than they were about
fighting another war in Europe.
 In 1935 Congress passed the ***Neutrality Act.
It prohibited the sale of arms or the lending of
money to countries involved in military action
 We needed $ from selling weapons to Great
Britain, France, etc. so this hurt economy

President Roosevelt Responds to the World
Situation
 Roosevelt was aware of the danger aggressive
nations posed to the United States
 In October of 1937 Roosevelt gave his Quarantine
Speech.
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In the speech he called for a ‘quarantine’ (diplomatic and
economic sanctions) against any aggressor nations. The
speech angered devout isolationists who saw it as a veiled
attempt to side with nations that would oppose Germany
and Japan.
 FDR sought ways to provide aid within the confines
of the neutrality acts and to change American policy
from isolationism to international involvement
From Isolationism to International
Involvement
 Policies of “Cash and Carry”, the destroyers-for-bases
deal, and the Lend Lease Act.
 The US was involved in protecting Lend Lease Act
shipments. By 1941, the US was in an undeclared
naval war with Germany
 The Atlantic Charter is signed
 ***The Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor
forced the US to officially abandon its policy of
isolationism. (Dec. 7, 1941)
 **The subsequent US declaration of war against
Japan led Germany to declare war against the US
US NOW AT WAR WITH AXIS POWERS!
***Pearl Harbor was the Headquarters of our
Pacific Naval fleet
Pearl Harbor
View of Japanese Pilots
Civilian casualties at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor Memorial