The History of WWII: The Pre-War Years Video Guide

Germany Invades! 1. Name countries that Germany invaded prior to World War II and the Year List all that you see during the video Austria-1938 The Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia All of Czechoslovakia Poland- September 1, 1939 Denmark and Norway Holland and Belgium France- 1940

Germany Becomes Aggressive On March 7, 1936, Germany invaded the Rhineland, a disputed land on the German- French border. Rhineland

Germany Becomes Aggressive In March of 1938 Germany invaded Austria. Not one bullet had been fired as Hitler’s troops marched triumphantly through the Streets of Vienna.

Germany Becomes Aggressive In 1938, Germany invaded the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia on October 1. On March 16, 1939, Hitler’s Army invaded and conquered the rest of Czechoslovakia.

Germany Becomes Aggressive World War II Begins On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. This date is accepted as the official start of World War II

Germany Becomes Aggressive On April 9, 1940, Germany invaded Norway and Denmark. On May 10, 1940, Germany invaded Holland and Belgium.

Germany Becomes Aggressive December 5, 1940 – France falls

Map of German Expansion during WWII

The Legacy of World War I 2. What was World War I supposed to be? The war to end all wars.

Nobody wanted to relive the atrocities of World War I again. Thus, it was called the “War to end all Wars.”

Post World War I Policies 3. What happened to the American army after the First World War? Also, What was the policy adopted by most Americans? It had shrunk from 4 million men to less than 200,000. The U.S. would remain neutral.

The Changing World 4. Why were most Americans unconcerned about what was happening around the world in the 1930’s The U.S. was in the midst of a severe depression.

Hitler’s Rise to Power 5. How did Hitler suppress freedom in Germany in February of 1933? He banned books, outlawed free thought, shut down new ideas, and suppressed anything that did not support the Nazi agenda.

Mussolini’s Conquests 6. What countries did Mussolini of Italy invade and what year? Ethiopia Albania- 1939

The U.S.’s stance in the 1930s 7. What policy did the United States develop to stay neutral? The Neutrality Act

The Spanish Civil War 8. Who attacked Spain? Italy Germany In the Spanish Civil War, Italy and Germany aided the fascist Francisco Franco.

Cash and Carry Act 9. What did the Cash and Carry Act allow? It banned sales of almost all U.S. exports unless the buying country came to the U.S. and paid up front before the exchange can take place

Japanese Invasion of Asia 10. Who did Japan invade in 1937? China

U.S. Pacific Fleet 11. What did the U.S. do with its Pacific fleet in 1939? Franklin Delano Roosevelt moved the fleet from San Diego, California to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

U.S. Military Build Up 12. What year did the U.S. begin to rebuild its military? 1939

The Neutrality Act and a Changing World 13. How did the U.S. change the Neutrality Act in 1939? The arms embargo was repealed. The U.S. could manufacture and sell arms to countries as long as the buyer came to the U.S. and picked them up.

The New U.S. Steel Deal 14. Why did Americans not want the U.S. to sell scrap iron to Japan? Japan could use the metal to build armaments that would kill Americans.

Germany’s Expansion in What country did Germany have its sights on by June of 1940? What could it lead to? The conquest of England, and eventually the rest of the world.

Britain's Secret Weapon 16. What was Britain’s unstoppable secret weapon in the fight against Germany? The British people who, above all else, refused to give up.

17. What will happen next? Do you agree or disagree with the United States' position of neutrality before getting involved in the war? Explain why or why not.