World War II Stipulations: World War II was the direct result of World War I The “democracies” of Britain and France had conquered most of Africa & Asia The Nazis were defeated with American material and Russian blood

“The traditional form of antidemocratic government in European history was conservative…they had neither the ability nor the desire to control many aspects of their subjects’ lives.” Pg. 898

Totalitarianism – radical dictatorships which made unprecedented “total claims” on the beliefs and behavior of their citizens…believed that individualism undermined equality and unity.” Pg. 898

Communism vs. Fascism Both were totalitarian Communism was an international movement. Fascism was a nationalist movement. “the narsicism of the small difference.”

Stalin orders collectivization of agriculture in the Soviet Union. “forced collectivization led to disaster. Large numbers of peasants opposed to the change slaughtered their animals and burned their crops rather than turn them over the state…the result was a terrible man-made famine which claimed 3.5 million lives.” Pg. 903

“Communists saw themselves heroically building the world’s first socialist society while capitalism crumbled in a worldwide depression …Soviet workers received…old-age pensions, free medical services, free education, and daycare centers for children. Unemployment was almost unknown.” Pg. 907

Mussolini: “Everything in the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state” “Fascism is the resurrection of Roman-ness”

The Roots of National Socialism: “centuries of Christian anti-Semitism were given pseudo-scientific legitimacy by 19th century developments in biology” (Social Darwinism) Lebensraum (living space) could be found to Germany’s east, which Hitler claimed was inhabited by the “subhuman” Slavs and Jews

Before the war: “By 1939 some 300,000 of Germanys 500,000 Jews had emigrated” “Hitler had promised the masses economic recovery, and he delivered…by 1938 unemployment had fallen to 2 percent.” (14% in US) Pg. 915

“Britain adopted a policy of appeasement, granting Hitler everything he could reasonably want (and more) to avoid war.” Pg. 917

1939: Germany and Soviet Union sign non-aggression pact, then both invade Poland, dividing it between them. France and Britain declare war on Germany (but not the Soviet Union)

1941 Hitler breaks pact with Stalin, invades Soviet Union Japan attacks US naval base at Pearl Harbor. US declares war on Japan Germany declares war on US

“In late 1941 Hitler and the Nazi leadership, in some still-debated combination, ordered the SS to implement the mass murder of all Jews in Europe.” Pg. 924

“the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere “the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. Under the slogan “Asia for the Asians”, Japanese propagandists maintained that this expansion would free Asians from hated Western imperialism.” Pg. 927

“American commanders believed the invasion and conquest of Japan itself might cost 1 million American casualties and claim 10 to 20 million Japanese lives.” Pg. 931