Transcript World War II

World War II
The Road to War
 I.
Germany
A. Hitler rises to power because of
the harsh treatment of the Treaty
of Versailles
What types of things did Hitler say
to appeal to the German people?
2:11, 7:23
 Hitler began to break
parts of the Treaty of
Versailles and takes over
Poland in 1939
 Russia (USSR), who has
made a treaty w/
Germany, takes over
another section of
Poland and the Baltic
countries
 B. The US stays neutral &
isolationist for the first two
years as Germany defeats
France and most of Europe.
 Hitler is poised to invade
Britain with bombing and
U-Boats (subs) before the
US enters the war
 Why wouldn’t the US want
to enter the war?
 C. Hitler's Folly - Hitler
breaks the Russian treaty
in 1941 and attacks the
USSR in the East to gain
the oil fields.
 This opens up a two front
war for Germany.
 D. The US helps Great Britain
more and more. Even though
we are officially isolationist
Roosevelt wants us to enter
the war.
 When Britain can't pay for
materials any more Roosevelt
pushes through the LendLease Act . We “loan” Britain
war ships and supplies for
military bases in the
Caribbean (Bermuda).
 Roosevelt says it is like
"lending a garden hose to a
next-door neighbor whose
house was on fire."
II. Japan
 A. Japan is controlled by generals and becomes
militaristic. They want to control Asia economically
and politically.
In search for natural
resources they invade
Manchuria (China) The US won't
recognize Japanese
gains and imposes an
embargo on exports of
oil and steel to Japan.
Tensions rise because
Japan needs oil and
steel.
B.
The US and Japan are
negotiating when Japan attacks
Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th 1941.
The attack destroys almost all of
the Pacific fleet and kills many
Americans. Roosevelt calls it "a
day that will live in infamy."
B.
Japan declares war on the US.
Germany honors its treaty w/
Japan and declares war on the
US.
The US can no longer be
isolationist - The US declares
war on Germany and Japan - It
becomes a World War.
http://www.history.com/shows/wwii-in-hd/videos/attack-pearl-harbor#attack-pearlharbor
Sides and Strategies
 The Allies: Britain, Soviet Union, & the US (France)
 The Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, & Japan - All
Totalitarian regimes
Strategies: Europe
 The Allies’ Strategy in Europe -
Defeat Hitler First - Most of
the resources were put into
Europe.
 Germany’s Strategy in Europe:
Defeat the USSR quickly and
defeat Britain using bombs
and U-boats before the US can
enter the war. (Germany easily
beat France in 1939.)
Strategies: Pacific
 The US Strategy in the
Pacific - Island hopping
- Attacking islands close
to Japan and jumping
over fortified islands
and cutting off their
supply lines.
 Japan’s Strategy: After
Pearl Harbor, Japan
hopes to conquer
Southeast Asia and the
Pacific quickly
Turning Points: Battles
A. El Alamein (Egypt) Germany was poised to take
Egypt and the Suez Canal which would have given
them access to the oil fields in the Middle East and
even attack the USSR from the South, but the British
defeat them in a desert battle (Operation Torch).
B. Stalingrad (1942) - The Germans were bogged
down in a house to house fight. The USSR
eventually wins and prevents the Germans from
taking the oil fields to the East. It is the turning
point in the Eastern Front.
 C. Miracle of Midway (June 1942) - Outnumbered
American forces defeated a Japanese force that was
trying to take the Midway Islands, a jumping off
place (airfields) to get to Hawaii. Japan lost its
aircraft carriers and would be forced to fight a
defensive war.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ0rxa
EHZEo
 D. Normandy, France (D-Day June 6th 1944) - The
Allies land in German occupied France. There are
heavy causalities for the US and its Allies, but the
liberation of Western Europe begins.
 E. Iwo Jima & Okinawa (1945) - Though the Island
Hopping victories are costly, American troops get
closer to Japan – The Japanese soldiers fight
heroically and many commit suicide rather than
surrender

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YedHaLF5So
 F. The atomic bombs on Hiroshima & Nagasaki
(1945) - Facing the prospect of horrible casualties if
the US invades Japan, Pres. Truman has the atomic
bomb dropped on 2 Japanese cities. Many civilians
are killed and Japanese leaders surrender to the US.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=t19kvUiHvAE
US Minorities Serve in the War
 Minority units in general suffered high casualty rates and
won many medals for bravery
 African Americans begin to push for desegregated society
and fair hiring practices
 During WWII Blacks
served in segregated units
and were assigned to noncombat roles.
 They demanded and got
combat roles.
 The Tuskegee Airmen served bravely in Europe.
 Asian Americans were treated with distrust but
Japanese units served w/ distinction (Nisei
regiments).
 Mexican Americans were not
segregated and served well.
 Native Americans –
“Codetalkers” Navajo is an oral
language, not a written
language, so it was impossible
for the Japanese to decode.
Homefront
 A. Government and industry form a close relationship
to retool and allocate resources.



Rationing - People could only have so many resources (gas,
food etc.) so the rest could be directed to the war effort
War bonds and income tax financed the war
Industry retooled for wartime production - Car factories
became tank and plane factories
B. Human resources – People Power
 Women move into previously all male jobs - This will
continue after the war. Rosie the Riveter works in
non-combat military roles and factories
 Minorities move into
traditional white labor
jobs. African-Americans
move to northern
industrial cities and
push for equality, and
many men enter the
military.
 Citizens volunteer in war
effort
 The draft is begun for
military personnel –
Selective Service Act.
 Entertainment industry pitched in by promoting
nationalism through the USO & War Bond Drives.
Propaganda
 Government censorship
reporting the war
 Public morale and ad
campaigns kept Americans
focused on the war
 Entertainment industry
produced movies plays and
shows that boosted morale
and patriotic support often portrayed the enemy
in stereotypical ways

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGDg6dYvR
KY
Treatment of Japanese Americans
 On the west coast there is a
false belief that the Japanese
Americans were helping the
enemy. They were relocated
to internment camps.
 They lose all their possessions
and the Supreme Court
upholds the decision.
 Many decades later the US
apologizes and financial
payments and an apology are
given to the survivors.
http://www.history.com/shows/wwii-in-hd/videos/japanese-internmentin-america#japanese-internment-in-america
The conduct of countries during the war
A. Rules: The Geneva
Convention - Tried to ensure
the humane treatment of
prisoners of war (POW) by
establishing rules for nations
to follow.
 Japan did not follow these
rules and was brutal to US
prisoners of war.
 Bataan Death March - US
prisoners in the Philippines
– thousands died.
B. How a nation treats POW's often reflects the values and
moral codes of a country (Japanese soldiers often
committed suicide rather than be captured). Democracies
tend to value people more so they usually treat prisoners of
war better.
C. Treatment may also depend on how savage the war is - In
Europe the rules of the Geneva Convention were usually
followed but in the Pacific where the battles were more
savage they usually were not
D. The Holocaust
 Often wars lead to genocide – The systematic and
purposeful destruction of a racial, political, religious, or
cultural group. Germany developed the FINAL
SOLUTION
 Hitler and the Nazis believed in a superior master Aryan
race (Blue eyed & blond hair) and sought to purify
Germany and the world by getting rid of anyone they
hated
Who did they hate and why?
 The Jews (Hitler said they
caused the Great Depression
w/greedy fiscal policies - Many
Jews were involved w/ banking)
 Poles, Slavs and Gypsies Genetically inferior
 Undesirables - Homosexuals,
mentally ill & political dissidents
(trouble makers). Not meant to
live because they were physically
or mentally inferior to the Aryan
race
Results of the Holocaust
 Nuremberg trials after the war - Nazi's were
convicted of war crimes (Some were put to death).
Those convicted were not allowed to use “I was just
following orders” as an excuse.
 6 million Jews were killed. Due the holocaust there
was increased pressure for a Jewish homeland in the
Middle East (Israel)
The World After the War
 What is the United States’ position in the world after
WWII?
 With all the other world powers in ruins the US
becomes a world power
The World After the War
 Japan was occupied by the US.
 Became a democracy and a strong ally of the US.
The World After the War
 The Soviet Union
(Russia) occupied most
of Eastern Europe,
Central Europe & the
Eastern part of Germany
 Germany was partitioned
into East and West
West Germany
• American, British
& French sectors
• Independent
Democracy
East Germany
• Run by Soviets
• Communist
The World After the War
 Europe was in ruins so the
US launched the Marshall
Plan - provided financial
support to rebuild
countries so they do not
turn to Communism
The World After the War
 The United Nations was
formed to prevent future
wars…
 …much like the League
of Nations
The World After the War
 The split between the US
and the Soviet Union
brought on the Cold War
which influenced world
foreign affairs until the
1980's.
http://www.team7itasca.com/te
am7/Cold%20War.htm