Ambitious Advances and Bloody Battles World War 2 Ambitious Advances and Bloody Battles

Rise of Totalitarian Regimes By 1930s totalitarian regimes emerged in Russia, Italy, Germany, Japan All four wanted to expand territory & power in their sphere

Hitler Learns Lessons Japan-1931 invaded & took over Manchuria; League of Nations condemned Japan but did nothing else. 1937 invaded China for valuable ports Italy-1935 Mussolini invaded & took over Ethiopia; League of Nations sanctioned (stop trade), but sanction was ineffective

Hitler Learns Lessons Germany-Hitler sees League of Nations do nothing to stop them In 1936, Spain had Civil War between Fascist Francisco Franco & Spanish who wanted democracy; Germany assisted Franco & used war as opportunity to “practice” air-raid bombings

Vehemently Violating Versailles Hitler wanted lebensraum (living space) for Germans March 1936 moves troops into Rhineland March 1938 invades Austria & makes it part of Germany Western countries & League of Nations do nothing (appeasement—agreeing to demands to avoid war)

Salivating over the Sudetenland Germans were living in part of Czechoslovakia, so Hitler demands Sudetenland Sept 1938 Munich Conference—compromise reached: Germany takes Sudetenland, but no more

Salivating over the Sudetenland British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain says Europe has avoided war (but he’s wrong) March 1939 Hitler breaks Munich Agreement & takes all of Czechoslovakia

Enemies Become Allies?? Stalin & Hitler do not like each other; Stalin has warned West about Hitler, but West does not trust Stalin either, SO… August 1939-Nazi- Soviet Pact—USSR will not attack Germany & will divide Poland

World War 2 Begins Sept 1, 1939—Germany invades Poland Sept 3, 1939—England & France declare war on Germany, but do not fight Germany for 8 months (time period known as Phony War)

World War 2 Begins Blitzkrieg-“lightening war”-fast, efficient attacks used by Germans; quickly take Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Finland, Denmark, Norway West slow to arm, have old weapons; Hitler has new weapons Chamberlain resigns; Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister

Fall of France French built Maginot Line after WW1, but had gap near Belgium June 1940— Germans go around Maginot Line & take Paris

Fall of France France split: Nazis occupy northern France Hitler creates Vichy government in South France (French leaders who work with Nazis) Free France—rebels led by Charles de Gaulle fought Nazis from England

Battle of Britain England only allied country left; Hitler felt would surrender German air force bombed England for 8 straight months; England held off Germans

Hitler Turns on Stalin Hitler felt USSR would provide enough living space for Germans; led surprise attack in June 1941 & pushed close to Moscow; but… Stalin used scorched- earth policy to stop Germans; USSR counter- attacked

Meanwhile... July 1940-Italy declared war on England & France; attacked Egypt Dec 1941-Japan attacked Indochina. US responded to attack by banning sale of scrap iron to Japan

Pearl Harbor Japan mad at US for interfering with expansion Dec 7, 1941—Japan bombed Pearl Harbor (Hawaii); US declared war on Japan 19 ships, 188 planes, 2,400 killed;

1942-Tide Turns Battle of the Atlantic—Allied forces defeat Axis submarines & battleships Stalingrad—German army was held & forced to surrender to Russians El Alamein, Egypt- Allies defeated Rommel’s desert forces in North Africa

Invading Italy July 1943—Allies attack Italy Italian king Victor Emmanuel III had Mussolini jailed; Italy surrendered

V-E Day D-Day—June 6, 1944—Allies invaded Nazi-held France at Normandy & marched towards Germany Mussolini executed, Hitler commits suicide

V-E Day Soviets attacked Germany from east; fought to Berlin by April 1945 May 7, 1945- V-E Day (Victory in Europe) Germany surrenders