World War II Notes

State Standard Indicator 7-4.5 Summarize the causes and course of World War II, including drives for empire, appeasement and isolationism, the invasion of Poland, the Battle of Britain, the invasion of the Soviet Union, the "Final Solution," the Lend-Lease program, Pearl Harbor, Stalingrad, the campaigns in North Africa and the Mediterranean, the D-Day invasion, the island-hopping campaigns, and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

A few basics the participants the Allied Powers – primarily Britain, France, the Soviet Union, and the United States the Axis Powers – Germany, Italy, and Japan the time frame – the war lasted from 1939 to 1945 the theaters of war (where it was fought) European Theater Eastern Front – Europe east of Germany (mainly Poland, USSR, Finland) Western Front – primarily consisted of France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Germany North Africa/Mediterranean – mainly Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Italy, the Balkans, and the Middle East Pacific Theater – Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands

Causes of World War II the outcome of the First World War – specifically the Treaty of Versailles military aggression by Germany, Italy, and Japan desire of the Axis Powers to gain large amounts of territory Hitler’s hatred of the Jews – the Second World War was fought as a cover up to the “real” war – his extermination of the Jews

Who’s Who of World War II Adolf Hitler Franklin D. Roosevelt Joseph Stalin Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Harry S. Truman Douglas MacArthur Dwight D. Eisenhower Erwin Rommel Winston Churchill

Douglas MacArthur Supreme Allied Commander in the Pacific Theater famous line: “I shall return.” oversaw the occupation of Japan after the war

Erwin Rommel German Field Marshal leader of German forces that were defeated in North Africa (Afrikakorps) and at Normandy (Army Group B) known as the “Desert Fox”

Dwight D. Eisenhower Supreme Allied Commander in the European Theater of the war defeated Rommel in North Africa architect of Operation Overlord (Normandy invasion/D-Day)

Harry S. Truman Vice President who became President when FDR died in April 1945 oversaw the end of the war ordered the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Winston Churchill British Prime Minister during World War II refused to surrender to the Nazis inspired many Brits to persevere throughout the war

War Begins the war began when Great Britain and France abandoned the policy of appeasement following Germany’s invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 during this invasion, Germany came from the west and the Soviet Union, at the time an ally of Germany because of a secret non-aggression pact, came from the east the Germans used a style of war called blitzkrieg (“lightning war”)

The Invasion of Poland

The Invasion of Poland

The Invasion of Poland

War Begins the war in the Pacific actually began in 1937 when Japan invaded China despite the passage of several neutrality acts between 1935 and 1937, President Roosevelt knew the U.S. must get involved to prevent the defeat of the Allies cash and carry (1939) Lend Lease Act (1941)

War Begins following the invasion of Poland, Hitler took control of Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and France he then tried and failed to invade Great Britain the invasion was known as the Battle of Britain marked the first defeat for Hitler British used radar and intercepted German coded messages to help defeat the Luftwaffe (German air force) in June 1941, Hitler turned from Britain and betrayed his alliance with Stalin (Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact) and attacked the USSR

Height of Axis Advance in Europe

Battle of Britain

Battle of Britain

War Begins Japan invaded French Indochina in 1941, prompting the US to place an oil embargo on Japan to prevent further aggression part of the Japanese response was the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 this sneak attack brought the United States into the war against both Japan and Germany

Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor 1: USS California (sunk) 2: USS Maryland 3: USS Oklahoma (sunk) 4: USS Tennessee 5: USS West Virginia (sunk) 6: USS Arizona (sunk) 7: USS Nevada 8: USS Pennsylvania 9: Ford Island 10: Hickam Field Ignored infrastructure targets: A: Oil storage tanks B:CINCPAC headquarters building C: Submarine base D: Navy Yard

USS Oklahoma

USS Arizona

War in Africa and the Mediterranean North African Campaign (June 1940-May 1943) Western Desert Campaign Operation Torch Tunisian Campaign Italian Campaign (July 1943-May 1945) invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) landing at Anzio (Operation Shingle) Battle of Monte Cassino

Normandy Invasion/D-Day Battle Date Theater Significance Invasion of Poland Sept. 1 – Oct. 6, 1939 Battle of Britain July 10 – Oct. 31, 1940    Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941  Battle of Coral Sea May 4-8, 1942  Battle of Midway June 4-7, 1942  Battle of Guadalcanal Aug. 7, 1942 – Feb. 9, 1943  Battle of Stalingrad Aug. 23, 1942 – Feb. 2, 1943  Normandy Invasion/D-Day June 6, 1944  Battle of the Bulge Dec. 16, 1944 – Jan. 25, 1945  Iwo Jima Feb. 19 – Mar. 26, 1945  Okinawa  April 1 – June 22, 1945 Hiroshima Aug. 6, 1945  Nagasaki Aug. 9, 1945 

D-Day Invasion

D-Day Invasion

The End of the War on April 12, 1945, President Roosevelt died and Vice President Harry S. Truman became President following the Battle of the Bulge, the Germans retreated back into Germany and surrendered on May 8, 1945 (V-E Day) Truman oversaw the end of the war, including the dropping of the two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki Japan surrendered on September 2, 1945 (V-J Day)

World War II by the Numbers the most devastating war in human history 60-80 million people died as a result of the war 23-25 million soldiers 35-47 million civilians 6 million Jews nearly 22.5 million men were wounded in combat millions of civilians were homeless, starving, and diseased after the war