Semester 2 Reminders Warm Ups Homework Start Fresh Turn in every 6th warm up Don’t accept them late Homework Start Fresh

Origins of World War II

We want to explain: Why dictators rose to power in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s How Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin were similar and different as leaders The policy of appeasement How appeasement impacted WWII Why the US and GB choose to align themselves with the Soviets

Totalitarian In Europe in the 1930s, the stage was set for the rise of dictators who would rule in a TOTALITARIAN system Complete rule by a single party and it’s leader All aspects of people’s lives are controlled without opposition

The Treaty of Versailles Harsh punishment of Germany Led to resentment Soviet Union lost a great deal of land Including several ports Italy felt like they didn’t get enough New democracies set up But had no help in rebuilding No tradition of rule

The League of Nations US was not a member The League was a failure Peace was not kept in the world No way to enforce disarmament Germany and Italy drop out of the League

The Global Depression The Great Depression extended beyond the US Large numbers of people were unemployed Led to discontentment In an environment of discontentment, dictators could easily rise to power

The Rise of Dictators

Germany Adolf Hitler Der Fuhrer National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi) Nationalism, racism, expansionism, anti-communist The Third Reich – the Nazi state

Italy Benito Mussolini Il Duce Fascism – strong central government headed by a powerful dictator Military expansion and extreme nationalism

Soviet Union Joseph Stalin The Man of Steel Communist Collective farms, state run industry Stalin was paranoid Attempted to destroy all opposition

Japan Various Military Leaders Including Hideki Tojo (appointed Prime Minister and Army Minister) Hirohito was emperor of Japan Looked to expand Japan’s power in the Pacific Wanted more land and resources

The Road to War in Europe

Germany begins mobilizing for war in 1935 Germany takes the Rhineland in 1936 Germany and Italy support fascist revolution in Spain Italy invades Ethiopia and later takes Albania Germany annexes Austria Germany occupies the Sudetenland Munich Pact signed France and Britain were hesitant to enter another war, due to problems with WWI and war debt. In 1938, France and Britain met with Hitler and allowed Germany to take Sudetenland if no other land was taken – APPEASEMENT

Germany takes over the rest of Czechoslovakia Germany and Italy form the Axis Powers Soviet-German Non-Aggression Pact of 1939 Germany invades Poland Blitzkrieg – “lightning war” Britain and France declare war on Germany Soviet Union acquires part of Poland and ports in the Baltic states Germany, Italy and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact

Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania join the Axis – 1940 Denmark and Norway fall to Germany – 1940 Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg fall to Germany – 1940 Germany marches on France, takes over Paris – 1940 Vichy France Germany attacks Great Britain Battle of Britain – “the Blitz” Germany invades Yugoslavia and Greece

Germany invades the Soviet Union The Soviet Union allies with Britain and France

WWII – Alliances Axis Powers Allied Powers Germany Italy Japan Hungary Romania Bulgaria United States Britain France Soviet Union Australia Belgium Brazil Yugoslavia Canada China Denmark Greece Netherlands New Zealand Norway Poland South Africa

Discussion – Wrap Up Explain why dictators rose to power in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. Describe how Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin were similar and different as leaders. Explain the policy of appeasement. How did appeasement impact the starting of WWII? The US and Great Britain’s objectives were different than the Soviet objectives for war. So, why did the US and GB choose to align themselves with the Soviets?