World War II Official start: September 1, 1939 V-E Day: May 8, 1945 Japan officially surrenders: Sept. 2, 1945 United States: December 8, 1941 - 1945

Background: 1931: The Japanese military invaded Manchuria, a province of China 1935: Benito Mussolini’s fascist Italians invaded Ethiopia

Rise of Hitler and Nazism in Germany The TREATY OF VERSAILLES was very harsh on Germany. Germans were angry about paying war “reparations” for WW I and losing land. They blamed their defeat on the Jews. German money became worthless during the Great Depression (woman at right burning paper money in the furnace).

Rhineland Occupation In defiance of the Treaty of Versailles Hitler built up Germany’s army and occupied this area in 1936

Appeasement: To give in to a potential aggressor in hopes that the aggressor will not commit further harmful acts. England and France gave in to Hitler at the Munich Conference in 1938

Appeasement and Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland Ethnically German area of Czechoslovakia Hitler demanded it be returned to Germany in 1938

Munich Conference: 1938 French and British leaders agreed to give Hitler the Sudetenland hoping he would be satisfied with that.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt US President elected to a 3rd term in 1940 and a 4th in 1944 President during most of WWII died April 14, 1945

Isolationism and Neutrality in the 1930s-not on our soil-yet Many Americans like Charles Lindbergh wanted to avoid war at all costs. They didn’t think we had gained anything from fighting WWI. The U.S. was in the Great Depression

George Washington’s Farewell Address Washington had advised “steer clear of permanent alliances” Some people used this to justify isolationism in the 1930s Americans did not want to get involved in another European war

Neutrality Acts of 1935/1937 & the Lend Lease Act 1941 Based on US desire to avoid participation in a European war. US would later pass the “Lend Lease Act” to help Allies with supplies to fight the war. Had a major effect on allies by providing military aid without sending troops.

Start of WWII in Europe German invasion of Poland in September 1,1939 Nazis used blitzkrieg (lighting warfare)

Nonaggression Pact: 1939 The Soviet Union and Germany agreed not to attack each other and to divide Poland between them Cartoon shows Stalin and Hitler as friends

Battle of Britain 1940; Atlantic Charter: August 1941

Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 “A day that will live in infamy” Japanese attacked the US Pacific Fleet (US Navy) United States enters WWII

Internment: Executive Order 9066 Fearing spying or sabotage, the US government began this process in Feb. 1942 The government forcibly relocated and imprisoned Japanese Americans

War Production Board Oversaw conversion of factories that had made such things as toys to war production (planes, tanks, ammunition).

Selective Service Training Act Required all men between the ages of 21 and 35 to register for the draft.

“Rosie the Riveter”: Purpose: recruit women into the workforce – factories Effect: millions of women made important contributions

The European Theater Chief Generals: Eisenhower & Patton Strategy: North Africa, Italy, France, Belgium then on to Germany

Battle of Stalingrad Important Soviet victory over the Germans Soviet Union had sided with Germany early in the war, but switched to the Allies when Germany attacked them.

D-Day June 6, 1944 Supreme Allied Commander General Eisenhower “Ike” led Operation Overlord. Day of the Allied landing at Normandy, France A turning point in the war and key to the defeat of Nazi Germany

Battle of the Bulge Germany’s last major offensive of the War

Holocaust: The “Final Solution” Nazi Germany’s attempt to kill all the Jewish people of Europe

V E Day May 8, 1945 The war is over in Europe, but continues in the Pacific Theater with Japan

General Douglas MacArthur: commanding general in the Pacific Theater (ordered by FDR to leave the Philippines in 1942- he returned)

Battle of Midway: 1942 Naval defeat that left Japan on the defensive for the rest of the war. Important American victory & turning point in the Pacific Theater.

“Kamikaze” Suicide pilots of Japan who flew their planes into enemy ships

Island Hopping Allies strategy to conquer one Pacific island after another, hitting only the most important islands They would move closer and closer to Japan, isolating the Japanese troops on the bypassed islands

Island Hopping cont.

Hiroshima & Nagasaki August 6, 1945 and August 9, 1945

V-J Day August 14, 1945 Japan officially surrenders on Sept. 2, 1945 WWII is over

Approximately 50 million people died- more than half civilians! The Costs of War: Approximately 50 million people died- more than half civilians! Millions more were injured or left suffering from disease or malnutrition.

In Europe, as in Asia, the war devastated national economies and infrastructures. Millions of people found themselves homeless, and lacking the basic necessities. The U.S. emerges as the world power.