Transcript 1_Introduction to WWII

On the Brink…Again!
Did the 1920-30s Even Happen?
Write down anything underlined
Here We Go
Again
• World War One was
called the war to end
all wars – but by
1939 the world was
on the brink of
another war
• Dictators have taken
control of many
countries and the
League of Nations
had proven
powerless to change
or control events
Japan and Italy
• Because of the global economy, most
developed nations were hit hard by the Great
Depression of the 1930s
• Also, after WWI most nations involved were
struggling to recover
• Both Italy and Japan turned to territorial
expansion to alleviate the economic downturn
• Both pushed the limits of the League of
Nations to see their empires expanded
The Failure of the League of Nations: Manchuria
• By 1931 the industrialized Japanese economy depended
on raw natural resources from China; particularly
Manchuria
• Being an island nation and lacking in raw materials,
Japan created a crisis in Manchuria as an excuse to
invade China’s northern territory for its resources
• China sought the League of Nations to help stop the
invasion
• The League condemned the invasion but did nothing
else
• Soon after, Japan left the League of Nations in protest
China Pleads With the League To Help
The Failure of the League of Nations:
Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
• After WWI Italy’s economy struggled to
recover and was made worse by the Great
Depression
• As part of Mussolini’s plan to inspire the
Italian people (and distract them) he sought to
build a new Italian Empire like the ancient
Roman Empire
• That meant expanding colonial possessions in
Africa
Italy
Albania
Dodecanese Islands
Libya
Eritrea
Somaliland
Abyssinia
(Ethiopia)
The Failure of the League of Nations:
Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
• In 1935 Italian forces invaded Abyssinia using
tanks, machine guns, airplanes and poison gas
• The Abyssinians had spears and very old guns
• Haile Selassie, Emperor of Abyssinia appealed
to the League of Nations who agreed Italy was
wrong but did nothing else
• Britain and France did not interfere because
they wanted to keep Italy as an ally against
Germany
(Left) Italy’s Mussolini
(Right) Germany’s Hitler
Germany After WWI
• The Treaty of Versailles had ended WWI,
but no one was happy about the way peace
was settled
• The Allies believed they had won the war
but gained little
• Germany and its allies believed that they
had been treated too harshly
• Section 231 of the Versailles Treaty known
as the ‘War Guilt’ clause forced Germany to
accept full blame for the war
“The Allied and Associated
Governments confirm and
Germany accepts the
responsibility of Germany and
her allies for causing all loss
and damages to which the
Allied and Associated
Governments and their
nationals have been subjected
as a consequence of the war
imposed upon them by the
aggression of Germany and her
allies.”
War Guilt
• There is an anger in Germany when the terms
of Versailles are made public
• Many Germans did not want the treaty signed
but there was no choice as Germany was
incapable of restarting the war
• Germans felt betrayed by their new
government
• Instead of bringing peace to the world,
Versailles just planted seeds of anger and
conflict
“Stabbed in the Back”
“Stabbed in the Back”
Europe’s New Map and New Leaders
• The treaty of Versailles had changed the
boarders of many European countries, but this
new map of Europe created tensions
• The plan had been to give national groups
their own countries – but it was impossible to
please everyone
• Many Germans felt cheated when their homes
were ‘moved’ into new countries like Poland
Finland
Estonia
Latvia
Lithuania
Poland
Czechoslovakia
Austria
Hungary
Yugoslavia
Romania
• The Great Depression had led some people in
countries like Italy, Spain and Germany to turn
to dictators to solve their problems
• People wanted leaders who would offer them
hope for a better future – no matter the cost
Adolf Hitler and Germany
• Conditions in Germany were very bad after
WWI
• To pay reparations, the government printed
huge amounts of money making it almost
worthless
• In 1918 a loaf of bread cost 2 dollars (marks)
by 1924 a loaf cost 6 000 000 dollars (marks)
• People struggled to survive and when the
Depression hit things got even worse
Worthless Germany Money
German
children
playing
with
stacks
of
money
Man bringing money to buy loaf of bread
Woman
burning
money
for heat
1 000 000 000 Mark Note
Using money
as wallpaper
• Adolf Hitler and the Nazis promised to fix
everything
• Hitler also claimed that the Germans were a
master race and were entitled to rule other
people
• His message was popular and he was chosen
by the people (elected) to lead Germany in
1933
• He immediately removed the previous
government and started over with his own
system of ruling through the Nazi Reich, or
empire
Racial
Superiority
Images of the
‘ideal’ German
Racial
Superiority
Images of the
‘ideal’
German
Images of the Nazi Reich
German Flag 1933
Eagle on top of a Swastika
Representing German Rule
The Path to War
• Once in power Hitler completely ignored the
Treaty of Versailles by:
1. Building a large powerful army
2. Stopping reparation payments to the Allies
3. Taking control of Austria and some of
Czechoslovakia
• In response, world leaders tried to bargain
with Hitler wanting to avoid another war
• They believed him when he said he just
wanted to make Germany whole again
Hitler Watches and Learns
• After witnessing the League of Nations inability to
stop Japan or Italy, Hitler comes to believe that he
will not be stopped
• A Rome, Berlin, Tokyo Axis is formed
• In 1938, Germany annexes Austria and
Czechoslovakia and in 1939 invades Poland
• Two days later Britain, France, Australia and New
Zealand declare war on Germany and its allies
• Canada did not declare war right away like in WWI,
but independently declared war a week later