2. World War II

3. Road to War (1933-1939) In Germany, economic/social discontent focused on Versailles settlement; Adolf Hitler and Nazi Party condemned settlement, Hitler controlled foreign policy

4. Hitler’s Goals Hitler wanted to go beyond Germany’s 1914 boundaries and bring entire German people (the Volk) together as a single nation/racial group – new Germany would include parts of Habsburg Empire, Austria, Poland, Ukraine and space to live (Lebensraum) from Slavs, who were inferior Hitler had no single plan of attack –improvised/didn’t lose sight of goals

5. Germany Rearms: Hitler 1 st wanted to make Germany a military power; 1933, Germany withdrew from international disarmament conference and League of Nations Jan1934, Germany signed nonaggression pact with Poland (France’s main mean of containing Germans) Mar1935, Hitler formed German air force and conscripted 500K men –Formally renounced disarmament provisions of Versailles treaty

6. The League of Nations Fails Sept 1931 Japan occupied Manchuria –China appealed to League, –Lytton Report condemned Japan for using force Didn’t impose sanctions, Japan withdrew from League/kept Manchuria Hitler announced rearmament, League condemned but didn’t prevent him (they hadn’t disarmed either);

7. June 1935 - France and Britain met with Mussolini to form Stresa Front: –short attempt to maintain status quo –Britain violated accords by signing naval agreement with Hitler to maintain control of seas –Italy conflicted Western powers through expansionist ambitions in Africa (Hitler closer to goals)

8. Italy attacks Ethiopia Oct 1935- Mussolini attacked Ethiopia b/c of border incident –wanted to avenge defeat from 1896 –Restore Roman glory and distract public from domestic issues France and Britain eager to appease Mussolini League of Nations condemned aggression ordered economic sanctions: wavering policy discredited the League’s security Mussolini turned to Germany for a Rome-Berlin Axis

9. Remilitarization of the Rhineland Mar7,1936 Hitler sent small armed force into demilitarized Rhineland –Violated Versailles treaty and voluntary Locarno Agreements British opinion wouldn’t support France France wouldn’t act alone: paralyzed by internal division/defensive tactics Allies lost great opportunity to stop Hitler before he became serious menace; –Response to new German problem was appeasement based on assumption that Germany had real problems and Hitler was reasonable (Allies did NOT want war)

10. The Spanish Civil War 1931, Spanish monarchy collapsed and became democratic republic –elections in 1936 brought Popular Front govt to power –July 1936, General Francisco Franco led Falangist (Spanish fascist) from Spanish Morocco against the republic Spanish Civil War lasted 3 yrs –Germany/Italy supported Franco –Soviet Union supported republicans –Brought Germany, Italy and Japan together – France, Britain and US still focused on appeasement – Barcelona fell to Franco in early 1939, fascists controlled almost all of Spain

11. Austria and Czechoslovakia 1934, Nazi Party in Austria assassinated prime minister and tried to seize power –Mussolini suspicious –moved troops to Austrian border –caused coup to fail Hitler tried again in 1938 with bullying, threats, propaganda but Austrian chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg announced a plebiscite Hitler sent his army in the day before Mussolini didn’t object Anschluss (forced union of Germany/Austria) violated Versailles treaty but West remained passive

12. Germany now surrounded democratic Czechoslovakia on 3 sides May1938, false rumors of German attack made French, British and Russians voice their support of Czechoslovakia –Forced Hitler to publicly deny any plans 1938, Hitler gave provocative speech, causing riots in Sudetenland Chamberlain, British prime minister – talked with Hitler –wanted cession of Sudetenland and immediate occupation

13. Munich France and Britain prepared for war Mussolini suggested conference: –Munich conference gave Hitler almost everything he demanded Had to promise he had no more territorial demands Appeasement didn’t work Poland/Hungary took bits of Czechoslovakia/Slovaks demanded their own state Mar15,1939, Hitler occupied Prague/took over Czechoslovakia/discredited appeasement Hitler demanded highway/railroad through Poland and return town of Danzig –France/Britain promised support to Poland –Hitler didn’t take it seriously, started propaganda campaign

14. The Nazi-Soviet Pact Russians feared Western powers would make them bear burden of war vs. Germany; Aug 23,1939 Stalin signed non-aggression pact with Hitler –secret provisions would soon divide Poland between them, allow Russia to occupy Baltic states – Sept1, 1939- Germans invaded Poland –2 days later Britain and France declared war on Germany: WWII had begun

15. World War II European Theater Prelude & November 1942-May 1945

18. Eastern Task Force Western Task Force Center Task Force Montgomery Clark 1 th Abn Div 15 th Army Grp Alexander 15 th Army Grp Alexander 188 Patton 75 Montgomery

19. 8 5 Clark 15 th Army Grp Alexander 1 2 21 th Army Grp Montgomery 15 th Army Grp Alexander Montgomery 8 15

20. 1 2 21 th Army Grp Montgomery 7 1 15 th Army Grp Alexander 8 12 th Army Grp Bradley 6 th Army Grp Devers 5 21 th Army Grp Montgomery 9 12 th Army Grp Bradley 1 2 139 15 th Army Grp Clark 15 8

21. 1 15 th Army Grp Clark 8 6 th Army Grp Devers 21 th Army Grp Montgomery 9 1 2 1 12 th Army Grp Bradley 91317 5 15 8

24. Japan and the United States Enter the War American govt supported British; assistance would have warranted German war vs. US but US might have not entered war in Atlantic without attack in Pacific US policy toward Japan was unfriendly since 1931 conquest of Manchuria when Japan occupied Indochina in 1941 –US cut off oil supplies war faction led by General Hideki Tojo took power/attacked Pearl Harbor –US/Britain declared war on Japan, Germany/Italy declared war on US

25. The Tide Turns US was ill prepared for war; small army/unready industry: Japan captured Guam, Wake, and Philippine Islands –attacked Hong Kong, Malaya, Burma and Dutch East Indies, –poised to invade Australia Germans advanced deeper into Russia, –Almost reached oil fields –Deeper into Egypt –subs attacked British: future looked bleak Tide turned: –battle in Coral Sea secured Australia, –battle off Midway Island secured Hawaii –US/Britain still suspicious of Soviet Union

26. Allied Landings in Africa, Sicily, and Italy: Allied force took over Mediterranean in 1942; 1943, Allies took Sicily –Mussolini driven from power –Germans occupied Italy –Need to defend Italy diverted Germans’ energy

27. Battle of Stalingrad: Hitler attacked Stalingrad on the way to oil fields, but after a huge battle, an entire German army defeated(many Russians died) – afterwards, Russians advanced west as German’s resources dwindled

28. Strategic Bombing 1943, US industrial might came to full force, reduced submarine menace, took over the skies by 1945, extensive bombing

29. The Defeat of Nazi Germany June 6,1944(D-Day) American/British/Canadian troops landed on coast of Normandy; by beginning of Sept, France had been liberated The Battle of the Bulge: last gasp for Germans in the West, resistance rapidly crumbled The Capture of Berlin: In the East, Russian swept forward; Hitler committed suicide; Russians occupied Berlin by 1945: Third Reich was over

30. Fall of the Japanese Empire End was in sight for Japan; US industry/population would overpower them Americans Recapture the Pacific Islands: US began “island-hopping” selected major bases/strategic supply line sites; in 1945, Iwo Jima/Okinawa fell; still, Japanese govt, run by military clique, refused to surrender The Atomic Bomb: Aug 6,1945, US plane destroyed Hiroshima; 2 days later, Soviet Union declared war on Japan in Manchuria; next day, Nagasaki destroyed; Emperor Hirohito intervened, forced govt surrender