Transcript The Second World Warx

Leading up to WW2:
Bridging the Gap Between WWI and
WWII
8-4 Social Studies
WWI: “The War to End All Wars”
1914-1918
• Much turmoil after WWI
• Treaty of Versailles ended WWI
– Germany vs. the Allied Powers (Britain, France,
Russia, Italy, United States)
• 135 countries participated in this war
• Death total: 15 million+
Several Major Causes of WW2…
1. The Treaty of Versailles
• Germany lost WW1, faced harsh treaty
• Germany forced to “accept the responsibility”
of the war damages suffered by the Allies
• Germany required to pay hugely
• Country left in economic ruins
– Starvation
– Government in chaos
2. Japanese Expansion
• Before WWII: Japan growing rapidly
• Didn’t have land or natural resources to
sustain growth
• Looking to expand their empire to gain new
resources
• Invaded Manchuria (Northeast Asia) in 1931
and China in 1937
• Sparked upheaval
3. Fascism
• Dictatorial form of government (opposite
of democracy)
–Ruling party & single person in power
are superior to all other citizens.
–Reject basic human rights…
• Freedom of speech
• Right to protest the government
Fascism, cont’d…
• Post WWI: countries taken over by powerful
dictators
• Mussolini=Italy
• Looking for lands to conquer to expand their
empires
• Italy invades Ethiopia in 1935
• Adolf Hitler emulates Mussolini as he takes
over Germany
4. Hitler and the Nazi Party
• Hitler and the Nazi Party rise to power in
Germany
• Germans desperate to turn their country
around after WWI destruction
• Hitler offered hope
• 1934: Hitler proclaimed the “Fuhrer” (leader)
– Becomes dictator of Germany
Hitler and the Nazis, cont’d…
• Hitler furious about restrictions of Germans in
Treaty of Versailles
• Rearms Germany
• Teams up with Mussolini and Italy
• Takes over Austria in 1938
• Grows bolder; takes over Czechoslovakia in 1939
5. Appeasement
• European countries didn’t want another war
• Britain and France tried to keep the peace
through “appeasement”
– Tried to make Germany and Hitler happy rather
than trying to stop them
– Backfires: Hitler grows bolder; gives him time to
build up his army
6. The Great Depression
• Pre WWII, during the 1930s
• Great economic suffering throughout the world
• Result: unstable governments (i.e., where Fascist
leaders stepped in) and worldwide turmoil
• Contributed to causes of WWII
The Beginning of the
Second World War
Phase 1: September 1939-June 1940
The Official Beginning…
• Germany invades Poland from the West
– Marks the official beginning of WWII
– September 1, 1939
• 16 days later, Soviet Union invades Poland from
the East
• Germany and the Soviet Union sign a nonaggression pact
– They wouldn’t be enemies
– Agree to divide Poland between them
Allied Forces During Phase 1
• France
• Britain
• The Commonwealth (several countries; for
example: Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South
Africa)
• **Canada officially entered the war on
September 10th, 1939, but didn’t make a total
commitment to the war effort until May, 1940.
Axis Forces During Phase 1
• Germany
• Italy
• Japan
Blitzkreig, 1940
• German term for “lightning war”
• A military tactic to easily break through Allied
defenses in several places
– Combines tanks, aircraft, and mobile infantry
– Fast-moving, powerful units
Blitzkreig, cont’d…
• Germany unleashes against Belgium and the
Netherlands
• Bypass Maginot Line (line of concrete
fortifications, obstacles and weaponry)
– French line of defense
Blitzkreig, cont’d…
• British and French armies tried to stop the
Germans but were defeated.
• Humiliated, the French government
surrendered to Germany, leaving Britain to
carry on the fight alone
Canada’s Contribution
• Sent small volunteer army using ships known
as the Merchant Marine
– Merchant Marine: ocean-going ships used for
trade that were converted to transport military
personnel and supplies
• First ships (September, 1939) sunk by German
submarines almost immediately
Canada’s Contribution, cont’d…
• The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
(BCATP) or simply “The Plan”
– Created December, 1939
– Massive, joint military aircrew training program
created by UK, CAN, AUS, and NZ
– Canada’s air force would train Allied pilots in
Canada
– 131,000 air crew trained in Canada
Canadian Government During Phase 1
• William Lyon MacKenzie King and Liberal Party win
federal election
• Policy of sending small volunteer army overseas
while having large scale war production at home.
– Why would this policy be popular with Canadians?
• May, 1940: Canada changes policy
– German victories
– National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA)
– Canada moves into a total commitment to the war
effort
The Second World War
Phase 2
June 1940 - July 1943
Bad News for Britain
• The second phase of the war began badly for
Britain and its allies
• When would the war against Hitler be won?
The War Takes a Turn
• Two major events:
1. June 1941: German armies invade
Soviet Union
Breaks the terms of the nonaggression pact
Soviet Union becomes Britain’s
ally
2. December 7, 1941: Japan attacks the
U.S. at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii
Surprise attack by Japanese Navy
against U.S. naval base
U.S. had not yet entered the war
U.S. declares war on Germany and
Japan
Both events change the course of
the war
Significant Losses
• June 1942: U.S. forces retaliate, destroying
much of Japan’s air and naval forces.
• February 1943: Battle of Stalingrad ends
– German army fights Soviet army for control of the
city of Stalingrad, Russia
– Germany suffers major defeat
Canada’s Contribution
Battle of the Atlantic (1939-1945):
– Navy and merchant marine fighting
– Canada’s enormous effort was crucial to Allied
victory
– Convoys of merchant ships carrying war materials
to Britain and the Soviet Union
– German submarines successful in sinking several
convoys
– Mid-1943: more effective anti-submarine tactics
Canadian Failures
• Hong Kong, November 1941:
– Canadians sent to back up the British there
– Japan attacks Hong Kong on December 7, 1941.
– Japan defeats British & Canadians
• Battle of Dieppe, France, 1942:
– More than 6000 Allie soldiers participated (4963
Canadians)
– Disastrous for Canadians—over 900 killed & 1900
prisoners of war
Doubting Canada…
• Were we properly equipped?
• Were we properly trained?
• Should we have participated in these
operations in the first place?
Canadian Propaganda Posters
Before the War Propaganda
• Physically and psychologically unprepared for
the war
• Recovering from the trauma of the depression
• Weren’t prepared or enthusiastic about the
war
• Government forced to support the war and
defuse discontent
Extensive Propaganda Campaign
• Bureau of Public Information; later the
Wartime Information Board
• Dampen cynicism & stimulate support
• Posters became an essential element
– Relatively inexpensive
– Timely fashion
– Broad, sustained exposure
Posters Everywhere
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•
•
•
•
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Billboards
Shop windows
Theatres
Buses
Streetcars
Matchbox covers
“Message Delivered”
• Implied much more than they stated or
showed
• Communicated complex, highly emotional
messages “in the blink of an eye”
• Instantly internalized rather than analyzed
• Strikingly immediate impact on people’s…
– Values
– Attitudes
– Aspirations
Phase 3
July 1943-June 1944
Good News for the Allies
• Balance shifts in favour of Allies
• Allies on the offensive on all fronts
• *Front: the term used to describe the line of
contact between two enemy forces.
Global Context
• U.S. forces pushed the Japanese back and
recaptured the Philippines
• Soviet army was forcing German army to retreat
back to Berlin
• The aerial bombing of Germany increased
– greater number of bomber and fighter aircraft being
produced in Canada and the U.S.
Canada’s Contribution
Canada— “the bomb dot com”
• By 1943, there was an all-Canadian bomber
group—due to Canada’s air force expansion
• Goal: destroy Germany’s industry and
therefore its ability to wage war
• German civilians killed and injured
Canada’s Contribution, cont’d…
“The Italian Campaign”
Allied Invasion of Sicily, Italy (July 9 –August 17, 1943):
• The Canadian fighting force had expanded from a
single division to a full army.
• The First Canadian Division invaded island of Sicily and
won.
• Allies took Sicily from Axis Powers (Italy and Nazi
Germany)
• Benito Mussolini toppled from power (shot dead on
April 28, 1945)
Canada’s Contribution, cont’d…
“The Italian Campaign”
Fighting intensifies in Italy:
• Canadians continued to fight in Italy and faced
German reinforcements.
• Canadian soldiers took part the Battle for Ortona,
Italy in December, 1943.
– Canada vs. Germany
– After 8 days of fighting, depleted Germany withdrew
– Canada’s capture of Ortona is one of the country’s
greatest victories during the war
Canada’s Contribution, cont’d…
“The Italian Campaign”
Battle for Cassino, Italy:
• January 17-May 18, 1944
• Canada participated in the attack against the
German army at the town of Cassino, Italy
• Canadians fought in Italy until 1945, when
they were moved to northwest Europe to
rejoin the rest of the Canadian army.