1. Causes of WWII

2. Background
Totalitarianism – Form of government in which the government controls every aspect of life
Fascism – The importance of the State (nation) overrides the importance of the individual

3. 2 Fascist Leaders Benito “Il Duce” Mussolini of Italy
Angry about WWI peace settlement
Organized fascist groups
Used thugs called “blackshirts” to terrorize opposition
Suspended elections and established a Dictatorship
Adolf “Der Fuhrer” Hitler of Germany
Angry about WWI peace settlement
Joined Nazi Party
Sentenced to 5 years for trying to overthrow government
Wrote “Mein Kampf” (My Struggle) while in prison
Outlined Nazi philosophy
Defined Germany’s problems
Detailed plans for the nation
Blamed Jews for problems and loss of WWI
Promised to rebuild German empire and stabilize Germany
Gained power and became head of German state

4. Expansion
Hitler wanted to expand Germany’s borders to include Germans living in other nations
Marched into the Rhineland
Annexed Austria
Demanded Sudetenland (East Czechoslovakia)
European response
Britain and France (Allies) met with Germany and Italy (Axis), September 1938
Britain and France chose “Appeasement” – Give into demands to keep peace

5. Hitler moves again Took the rest of Czechoslovakia
Warned by Britain and France not to invade Poland
Hitler invaded Poland, September 1, 1939… Europe went to war

6. The Lightning War Poland Other Lands
Germany used a “Blitzkrieg” (Lightning War) to take Poland in 1 month
Germany gave East Poland to Russia per an earlier deal
Other Lands
April 1940 – Hitler took Denmark and Norway
May, 1940 – Hitler took Belgium and the Netherlands
June 14th, 1940 – Hitler marched on Paris… Paris fell in 3 days

7. Britain Japan Hitler turned on the only power left…. Britain
Sent German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Battle of Britain
1000 planes a day bombed Britain
Lasted from December, 1940 to June, 1941
Japan
Followed the same steps as the Axis powers in China
Joined the Axis powers in April 1941

8. American Response Americans did not want to fight in Europe or Asia
Isolationism led to Neutrality Acts (mid 1930’s)
No weapons or loans to nations at war
Non-military goods (food and medicine) must be paid for in cash and transported by that nation = “Cash and Carry”
1939 – FDR moved a built-up Pacific fleet to Hawaii (Pearl Harbor)
1939 – Neutrality Acts changed to include weapons in “Cash and Carry”
U.S. slowly helped
FDR “traded” old destroyers for naval rights
Wanted to “loan” war supplies to Allies
“Lend Lease” Act
Passed by Congress in March 1941
Allowed FDR to help nations vital to U.S. security

9. The U.S. and Japan The U.S. and Japanese ties became strained
The U.S. demanded that Japan stop taking Asian lands… put economic pressure on Japan
Japan decided their goals in Asia could not be achieved as long as the U.S. had a powerful fleet in the Pacific

10. Dec. 7th, 1941…”A day that will live in infamy”
180 Japanese “Zeroes” attacked just after 7:00 am
“Kamikaze” suicide pilots crashed into ships
18 Ships sunk or heavily damaged
300 planes destroyed
2400 Americans killed
1200 Americans wounded
FDR went to Congress…. America went to War!