The Origins of WWII

A Return to Isolationism 0 After WWI Americans returned to Isolationism 0 America also tried to improve relations with Latin America under the Good Neighbor Policy 0 The U.S. agreed not to interfere in Latin American affairs

The Rise of Dictators Joseph Stalin- established a brutal totalitarian dictatorship in Russia after the Russian Revolution Benito Mussolini- the fascist dictator in Italy who came into power after WWI Adolf Hitler- Nazi leader who rose to power in Germany as a dictator and was determined to achieve German domination in Europe. This aggression helped start WWII.

Axis Powers

The Failure of the League of Nations 0 Created after WWI the League of Nations was too weak to resist these dictators 0 Collective Security- the idea that peaceful nations would band together to stop aggressors 0 America and the Soviet Union did not join the League of Nations 0 Essentially the League did nothing to stop Germany, Italy and Japan

Appeasement Fails 0 Appeasement- “giving in to satisfy the demands of a potential enemy

Munich Conference

Expansion of Germany 0 Hitler promised to expand Germany and so demanded the Sudetenland a part of Czechoslovakia 0 Initially Britain and France promised to protect Czechoslovakia but when Hitler threated war, they gave in. 0 At the Munich Conference Britain and France gave Czechoslovakia to Germany with consulting the people of that country. 0 With this action, Germany felt confident that Britain and France were weak and so he made more demands

Axis Powers Aggression Germany re-arms 0 Sept Japan invades Manchuria 0 March Hitler takes control of Germany 0 October 1935-Italy invades Ethiopia Germany invades the Rhineland-violates Treaty of Versailles 0 August 1937 Japan invades China Germany annexes Austria and the Sudentenland 0 March Germany takes over all of Czechoslovakia 0 September Germany invades Poland ****IN RED DO NOT LABEL ON MAP****

Japanese Aggression

Germany Re-Arms

JAPAN INVADES MANCHURIA

Non-Aggression Pact 0 By 1939 Germany wanted Poland, Britain and France refused to give in 0 Germany signed a pact with Stalin agreeing to secretly invade Poland and divide up the territory 0 In September of 1939 Germany invades Poland and Britain and France Declare war 0 WWII officially begins

Blitzkreig 0 In Poland Germany unleashes a new type of warfare the world had never seen. Rapid fire by tanks, airplanes, and infantry at one time Poland destroyed by blitzkreig

Flying Tigers - A group of American fighters who did not want to see all of China fall to Japan joined the fighting before U.S. enter the war

Neutrality acts- prohibited Americans from traveling on ships from foreign countries

Lend Lease Act- sell, lease or lend war materials to any country whose defense the President deemed vital to defending America

Cash and carry- Americans could sell non military goods to Britain

America enters the War 0 Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our secretary of state a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack