The Rise of Dictators During the 1920s and 1930s totalitarian DICTATORS came to power in many nations. Totalitarian: A gov’t that exerts TOTAL CONTROL over the nation and citizen’s lives.

Japan Emperor HIROHITO Prime Minister TOJO MILITARISM

Italy BENITO MUSSOLINI Fascism

Germany ADOLPH HITLER NAZISM

Soviet Union JOESEPH STALIN Communism

Economic & Political Causes Failures of the Treaty of Versailles Weakness of the League of Nations Aggression by Totalitarian powers (Germany, Italy, Japan) Appeasement (giving in to Hitler) Tendencies towards isolationism and pacifism in Europe and the United States

Major Leaders of the War Franklin Roosevelt – US President Harry Truman – US President after death of Roosevelt Dwight Eisenhower – US General Douglas MacArthur – US General George Marshall – US General

War Begins The democracies realized that appeasement had failed. They promised to protect Poland, most likely Hitler’s next target. Hitler formed a Nazi-Soviet non- aggression pact with Stalin. German forces invaded Poland. The Soviet Union invaded Poland from the East. Britain and France immediately declared war on Germany.

The War in Europe During the first two years of the war, the United States stayed officially neutral as Germany overran France, most of Europe, and pounded Britain from the air (Battle of Britain). In mid 1941, Hitler turned on his former ally and invaded the Soviet Union

Battle of Britain In 1940, Hitler ordered the invasion of Britain. The Germans first bombed military targets, then changed tactics to the blitz, or bombing, of London and other cities. London did not break under the blitz. The bombing only strengthened British resolve to turn back the enemy. Now they start attacking population centers - civilians

Axis Strategy Germany hoped to defeat the Soviet Union quickly Gain control of Soviet oil fields Force Britain out of the war through a bombing campaign and submarine warfare Before America’s industrial and military strength could turn the tide. German U-boats used during WWII

Allied Strategy America and its allies (Britain and the Soviet Union, after being invaded by Germany), followed a “Defeat Hitler First” strategy. Most American military resources were targeted for Europe. Allied leaders (from left to right) Chiang Kai-shek, China; Franklin Roosevelt, USA; Winston Churchill, United Kingdom confer at Cairo, Egypt, November 22, 1943)

The War in Europe Despite strong isolationist sentiment at home, the United States increasingly helped Britain. It gave Britain war supplies and old naval bases in Bermuda and the Caribbean (Lend-Lease Act). Franklin Roosevelt compared it to “lending a garden hose to a next-door neighbor whose house is on fire”.

Growing American Involvement When the war began in 1939, the United States declared its neutrality. Japan advanced into French Indochina and the Dutch East Indies. To stop Japanese aggression, the United States banned the sale of war materials to Japan. Tensions rose between Japan and U.S. While negotiating, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor (“…a date that will live in infamy.”) The United States declared war on Japan. Germany and Italy, as Japan’s allies, declared war on the United States.

The War in Asia After Pearl Harbor (12/7/1941), Hitler honored a pact with Japan and declared war on the United States. The debates over isolationism in the United States were over. World War II was now a true world war and the United States was fully involved. President Roosevelt signs the Declaration of War against Japan, December 1941

Major Battles and Military Turning Points North Africa El Alamein – German forces threatening to seize Egypt and the Suez Canal were defeated by the British. This defeat prevented Hitler from gaining access to Middle Eastern oil supplies and potentially attacking the Soviet Union from the south.

Major Battles and Military Turning Points Europe Stalingrad – Hundreds of thousands of German soldiers were killed or captured in a months-long siege of the Russian city of Stalingrad. This defeat prevented Germany from seizing the Soviet oil fields and turned the tide against Germany in the east.

Major Battles and Military Turning Points Europe Normandy landings - (D- Day) American and Allied troops under Eisenhower landed in German-occupied France on June 6, Despite intense German opposition and heavy American casualties, the landings succeeded and the liberation of western Europe from Hitler had begun.

D-Day Map

Early Fighting in the Pacific After Pearl Harbor, the Japanese plan involved:  Japan invaded the Philippines and Indonesia and planned to invade both Australia and Hawaii.  Japan wanted to convince America that it was the dominate power in Southeast Asia and the Pacific and force the United States to choose not to fight and avoid a costly war.

Early Fighting in the Pacific Six months after Pearl Harbor, the Japanese had conquered Hong Kong, French Indochina (Vietnam), Malaya, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, much of China, several islands in the Southern Pacific (Guam, Wake Islands, etc.), and Alaskan Islands. After Pearl Harbor, Japan invaded the Philippines where 80,000 American and Filipino troops were defeated.

Two Key Battles Battle of Coral Sea (May 1942) U.S. Navy stopped Japanese invasion of Australia. The first time a Japanese invasion was stopped.

Two Key Battles Battle of Midway (June 1942) United States Navy defeated a much larger Japanese force. Japanese victory would have allowed them to attack Hawaii. Turning point in the Pacific - Japan began a slow retreat and never regained the offensive. Known as the “Miracle at Midway.”

WWII in the Pacific In the Pacific, American military strategy called for the “island hopping” campaign, seizing islands closer and closer to Japan Using them as bases for air attacks on Japan Cutting off Japanese supplies through submarine warfare against Japanese shipping.

Major Battles and Military Turning Points Pacific Midway – In the “Miracle of Midway”, American naval forces defeated a much larger Japanese force as it prepared to seize Midway Island. Coming only a few months after Pearl Harbor, a Japanese victory at Midway would have enabled Japan to invade Hawaii. The American victory ended the Japanese threat to Hawaii and began a series of American victories in the “island hopping” campaign that carried the war closer and closer to Japan.

Midway

The Pacific Offensive The United States targeted large strategic islands to get to Japan.  Cost thousands of American lives and even more Japanese. o Japanese fought ferociously, viewed surrender as cowardly. o Kamikazes attacked the American fleet.

The Pacific Offensive Iwo Jima (February 1945)-The United States lost 6,000 marines taking this Japanese stronghold. More than 20,000 Japanese troops fought to the death in tunnels and caves-only 216 survived.

The Pacific Offensive Okinawa (April 1945)-The final Japanese outpost outside of the Japanese mainland.  The largest amphibious assault of the war in the Pacific.  30 American ships sunk by 1,900 kamikaze attacks.  7,600 Americans died (costliest battle of the war).  Almost 100,000 Japanese died defending the island. o The costly United States victories at Iwo Jima and Okinawa brought the United States close to Japan.

Iwo Jima

Ending the War with Japan The fighting at Okinawa and Iwo Jima demonstrated how costly a potential invasion of the Japanese mainland could be. Manhattan Project-The United States had begun research on a super weapon to defeat the Japanese in  The result was the atomic bomb. The new president, Harry Truman (President Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945), was forced with the decision-use the bomb and end the war or launch an attack that could cost hundreds of thousands of American lives and last years.

Postdam, Germany July 17- August 2, 1945 Truman Atlee Stalin Only Stalin remained from the Big Three (FDR died and Churchill was not reelected) Issued an ultimatum to Japan that required Japan’s were dropped the week after the conference ended Agreed to hold war crimes trials for Nazi leaders (eventually the Nuremburg Trials)

The Bomb On August 6, 1945, the Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima.  Nearly 70% of the city’s buildings were destroyed.  70-80,000 killed immediately and another 70,000 injured.  Japan refused to surrender.

The Bomb On August 9, 1945, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.  Emperor Hirohito then ordered Japan’s surrender on August 14, Approximately 250,000 men, women, and children died as a result of the atomic bomb and its radiation.

Hiroshima

The Geneva Convention The Geneva Convention attempted to ensure the humane treatment of prisoners of war by establishing rules to be followed by all nations.

The Geneva Convention In the Bataan Death March, American POWs suffered brutal treatment by Japanese after surrender of the Philippines.

The Geneva Convention Japanese soldiers often committed suicide rather than surrender. Suicide Cliff where thousands of Japanese committed suicide, soldiers and civilians. (Tourist stop?)

The Geneva Convention The treatment of prisoners in the Pacific Theater often reflected the savagery of the fighting there.

The Geneva Convention The treatment of prisoners in Europe more closely followed the ideas of the Geneva Convention.

Elements Leading to the Holocaust History of Anti-Semitism Defeat in WWI and economic depression blamed on German Jews Hitler’s belief in the master race Final solution – Germany’s decision to exterminate all Jews (Death camps, gas chambers) Auschwitz

Holocaust Genocide: systematic and purposeful destruction of a racial, political, religious, or cultural group

Affected Groups Jews Poles Slavs Gypsies “Undesirables” Homosexuals Mentally ill Political dissidents

Defeating Nazi Germany To win the assault on Germany, the Allies had to use devastating force. As Allied armies advanced into Belgium in 1944, Germany launched a massive counterattack. Both sides suffered terrible losses at the Battle of the Bulge. Hitler’s support in Germany was declining. Germany faced round-the-clock bombing. The Allies crossed the Rhine into western Germany. Soviet troops closed in on Berlin. Hitler committed suicide, and Germany surrendered.

Outcomes of WWII European powers’ loss of empires Establishment of two major powers in the world: The US and the USSR War crimes trials Division of Europe – Iron Curtain Establishment of the UN Marshall Plan Formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Warsaw Pact

The Nuremberg Trials After the war, 24 Nazi leaders were put on trial in Nuremberg and charged with war crimes. Those put on trial were accused of one or more of the following: —Crimes against the peace-waging an aggressive war. —War crimes-acts against the customs of war- killing prisoners, stealing private property, the destruction of towns and cities. —Crimes against humanity-the murder, extermination, deportation, or enslavement of civilians. 12 of the 24 were sentenced to death with seven more being sent to prison, despite claiming that they were only following orders.

Significance In the Nuremberg trials, Nazi leaders and others were convicted of war crimes. The Nuremberg trials emphasized individual responsibility for actions during a war, regardless of orders received. The trials led to increased demand for a Jewish homeland. The Nuremberg War Crimes Trials brought 22 Nazi officials to court in The defendants are seen on the right side of the photo.

Nuremberg Trials

Minority Participation African Americans generally served in segregated military units and were assigned to non- combat roles but demanded the right to serve in combat rather than support roles.

All-Minority Military Units Tuskegee Airmen (African American) served in Europe with distinction. (pictured) Nisei regiments (Asian American) earned a high number of decorations.

Additional Contributions of Minorities Communication codes of the Navajo were used (oral, not written language; impossible for the Japanese to break). Mexican Americans also fought, but in units not segregated. Minority units suffered high casualties and won numerous unit citations and individual medals for bravery in action.

Navajo War Codes