Introduction to WWII

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Introduction to WWII
Adapted from McIntyre at http//worldhistory.pppst
.com
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Key Concept What were the four main causes of
WWII? Give an example of each.
1. Failure of the Treaty of Versailles Germanys
borders were changed, and its economy was
bankrupted by reparations payments.
4. Appeasement and Isolationism England and
France were still recovering from WWI and
unsuccessfully tried to use diplomacy to stop
Hitler. Some countries, such as the United
States, isolated themselves to try to avoid being
drawn into other nations wars.

• 2. Economic Factors
• All countries suffered the effects of the Great
  Depression, and people blamed their governments
  and sought change.

3. Nationalism Extreme nationalism gave rise to
Fascism in Italy and Nazism in Germany and caused
Japan to colonize Asia.
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Quick Facts
A. War Costs

1. US Debt 1940 - 9 billionUS Debt 1945 - 98
   billion

• The war cost 330 billion -- 10 times the cost of
  WWI as much as all previous federal spending
  since 1776

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Quick Facts
B. Human Costs

1. 50 million people died (compared to 15 million in
   WWI)

• 21.3 million Russians (7.7 million civilians)

• 11 million died as a result of the HOLOCAUST(6
  million Jews 5 million others)

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When?

• 1939-1945
• US involvement 1941-1945

1939
1941
1945
Sept. 3 -Britain France declare war on
Germany
Dec. 7 Japan bombs Pearl Harbor US enters the
War
May - Germans Surrender
Sept. - Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima Nagasaki,
Japanese Surrender
Sept.1 - Germany invades Poland (official start
to the war)
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Who?
Axis
Allies
(major powers)
(major powers)
Great Britain
Germany
Russia
Italy
United States
Japan
France (note France surrendered to Germany in
1940 (after 6 weeks of fighting)
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Major Leaders
Adolf Hitler Nazi Germany
Benito Mussolini Italy
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Major Leaders
Hideki Tojo Japanese Prime Minister
Winston Churchill British Prime Minister
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Major Leaders
Joseph Stalin Russian Leader
Franklin Delano Roosevelt US President
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Why? (underlying causes of WWII)
1. Failure of Treaty of Versailles
A. Germany lost land to surrounding nations
and wanted them back. B. War Guilt Clause 1)
Germany forced pay 57 trillion (modern
equivalent). These payments bankrupted the
German economy and left them hopeless and
embarrassed. C. The U.S. Congress rejected
the treaty. embarrassed Germans
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Why?
2. Economic Factors
A. The Depression made Germanys debt even
worse. B. Desperate people turn to leaders who
make them feel better about themselves and put
the blame on others. In this case, Hitler
blamed the former government, Jews, foreigners,
communists, Roma (Gypsies), the mentally ill,
and homosexuals. C. Similar situations existed
in other countries such as Italy.
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Why?
3. Nationalism
A. Extreme nationalism gave rise to Fascism in
Italy and Nazism in Germany and caused Japan to
colonize Asia. B. It is an extreme form of
having pride in ones country. It creates a
situation in which people think, My country and
people are the best, we deserve the best, and
were going to take it from you. C. To
support nationalism, countries increase their
military strength to get what they want.
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Why?

• 4. Appeasement and Isolationism

A. Why was the U.S. isolationist? 1. The
Great Depression caused economic problems in
the U.S. 2. Perceptions of WWI a. WWI
did not seem to solve much and cost too
much in money and lives. 3. People
thought that the U.S. got into WWI for the
wrong reasons (greedy businessmen!). B.
This led to Appeasement. 1. Appeasement give
dictators what they want and hope that they
wont want anything else. 2. Appeasements
included allowing the Japanese invasion of
Manchuria, the Italian invasion of Ethiopia,
and Germanys invasion of taking of part of
Czechoslovakia called the Sudetenland.
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• Rise of Totalitarian Regimes

In a Totalitarian country, individual rights are
not viewed as important as the needs of the
nation. The government controls every aspect of
public and private life.
Communist Dictatorship (USSR)
Fascist Dictatorship (Germany, Italy)
Fascism military government with based on racism
nationalism with strong support from the
business community
Totalitarianism
Military Dictatorship (Japan)
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What else did Hitler get?

• Hitler peacefully annexed (took over) Austria
  in 1938.
• Hitler signed a nonaggression pact with the
  USSR.
• They agreed not to fight each other and split
  Poland between them
• Hitler would later break the pact and attack
  the USSR.
• The USSR then became one of the Allies
  fighting Germany.

Hitler's triumphal entry into Danzig, Poland 1939
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How Did Hitler Make War?

• Blitzkrieg Lightning War

• In the next year, Hitler invades
• Denmark
• Norway
• The Netherlands
• France

Hitler in Paris
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US Assistance

• Roosevelt provided aid to the Allies

Lend-Lease - 1939

• US lent war materials to cash-strapped
  Great Britain

Atlantic Charter

• US secretly meets with England to commit to
  defeating Germany

London Firefighter Tackles an Air Raid Blaze
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Meanwhile in the Pacific

• Pearl Harbor a date which will live in infamy

What?

• Surprise attack by the Japanese on American
  forces in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

Effect?

• US declares war on Japan other Axis powers

USS Arizona sinking in Pearl Harbor
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Key Concept What were the four long-term effects
of WWII? Give an example of each.
Effect Examples
Power Shifts U.S. and U.S.S.R become world powers, replacing England and Germany.
Tensions Rise Arms Race and Cold War begin.
Communism Spreads U.S.S.R. sets up satellite nations in Eastern Europe.
Hope Survives United Nations and Marshall Plan implemented.