CH. 30: WORLD WAR II

Germany at war… BLITZKRIEG: A German term for “lightning war,” blitzkrieg is a military tactic designed to create disorganization among enemy forces through the use of mobile forces and locally concentrated firepower. Its successful execution results in short military campaigns, which preserves human lives and limits the expenditure of artillery. German forces tried out the blitzkrieg in Poland in 1939 before successfully employing the tactic with invasions of Belgium, the Netherlands and France in 1940.  EARLY VICTORIES: Poland surrendered in 1939; France surrendered in 1940 (Germany then occupied about 3/5 of France); Germany had achieved significant control over major parts of eastern & central Europe by that time.

Germany at war… GERMANY VS. GREAT BRITAIN: Under the leadership of PM Winston Churchill, the British army fought hard to defeat Germany. Despite a major offensive by the German air force that began in August 1940 and that targeted military AND civilian areas, the British (using new radar technology) stood strong. This forced Hitler to postpone his plan to invade Britain indefinitely. GERMANY VS. SOVIET UNION: Initially Hitler & Stalin had a non-aggression pact (under which Germany could have avoided a 2 front war); however, Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June of 1941. He believed the Soviet army would be defeated quickly before the brutal winter set in. He was wrong - & the German army was defeated by the Soviet army in December of 1941. The toll on both sides was tremendous. **The battle for the city of Stalingrad proved a decisive psychological turning point, ending a string of German victories in the summer of 1942 and beginning the long retreat westward. Germany proved unable to defeat the Soviet Union, which together with Great Britain and the United States, seized the initiative from Germany, leading ultimately to its defeat in May 1945.

JAPAN AT WAR In the decade leading up to WW2 Japan invaded Manchuria, Inner Mongolia, China & various island nations in SE Asia. Japan surprised the world in December of 1941 with its attack on the US at Pearl Harbor. This led directly to the US’ entry into WW2 & the emergence of “The Grand Alliance” of the US, GB & the SU. This would turn the tide of the war. *Up to this point the US had maintained a position of ISOLATIONISM (refraining from making alliances, taking sides, or becoming involved in any way in any European wars.) In this way the US hoped to avoid a recurrence of becoming involved in a war like WWI. In 1942 American naval forces stopped Japan’s advance in the Pacific or “Asian” Theater, but the turning point came with the Battle of Midway when US planes defeated the Japanese navy & established naval superiority in the Pacific. After this the US Army, Marine & Navy used a policy called “island hopping” to capture Japanese-held islands in the Pacific with the goal of reaching mainland Japan.

Japan at War… Prime Minister Hideki Tojo was the former general who became Japan’s military dictator during WW2. He masterminded the attack on Pearl Harbor & also created the “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere”. This was an economic plan that would unite the entire region under Japan’s leadership. In reality it was a way for Japan to gain the resources it sorely lacked - & all other countries were forced to live under Japanese rule as conquered lands. Hideki’s stated goal was to create a “new order in Asia” that replaced European control and influence with Japanese control & influence. Japan was ruthless in the treatment of its colonies during WW2, making decisions that destroyed economies & led to food shortages, famine & death. Like the Germans, Japanese military forces had little respect for the lives of their “subject” people.

World War II Ends… Italy fell to the Allies mid-1943; the next goal for the Allies was to free France from German control, which happened on D-Day (June 1944). D-Day was turning point in war. It was the largest amphibious assault ever launched, and turned the tide of the Second World War. By the end of D- Day over 150,000 troops had landed in Normandy. They pushed their way inland allowing more troops to land over the next several days. By June 17th over half a million Allied troops had arrived and they began to push the Germans out of France. From there the Allies pushed into Nazi- occupied Europe, liberating concentration camps as they moved. By January 1945 Hitler had taken refuge in a bunker under Berlin. In the end he committed suicide. Shortly after that Germany surrendered ending the was in Europe.

WWII Ends Ending the war in the Asian theater required the defeat of Japan. As the Allies advanced through the Pacific, many difficult battles were fought. Casualties & loss of life were alarming so US President Harry Truman made the decision to use atomic bombs to bring the war to a definitive end. The first bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6th; the second – 3 days later on Nagasaki. Emperor Hirohito surrendered unconditionally on 8-14-1945. WWII was over. WW2 Deaths Visualization

Problems after WWII 1) Cold War-ideological conflict between the US (Democracy) & the Soviet Union (Communism) that would dominate world politics until the end of the 1980’s (chapter 31). 2) Self-determination for Europe: How would the liberated nations of WWII proceed politically? What kinds of new governments would be established? US President Truman wanted free elections in E. Europe; Stalin did not. 3) Addressing the atrocities - “crimes against humanity” that were committed during the war. War crimes trials were held to address these issues. 4) A divided Europe – between Communism/Socialism and Democracy.