1. World War II Notes

2. What was WWII? Largest war in human history.
Involved countries, colonies, and territories around the entire world.
By the end, over 70 million were dead.
It lasted from 1939 until 1945.
What was WWII?

3. Rise of Totalitarianism
W WI and the Treaty of Versailles
Appeasement
Rise of Totalitarianism
Causes

4. WWI and the Treaty of Versailles
Germany lost land to surrounding nations
War reparations
Allies collect $ to pay back war debts to US
Germany pays $57 trillion (modern day equivalent)
Germans are bankrupt, embarrassed, guilt ridden, and angry.
Desperate people turn to desperate leaders

5. Appeasement
Giving someone something to make them happy and leave you alone.
Hitler demanded land that wasn’t Germany’s and others just gave it to him.
Nations were trying to prevent war…it didn’t work.
Appeasement just showed Hitler that he could do whatever he wanted.

6. Rise of Totalitarianism
A system in which the state and its leader have nearly TOTAL control.
Individual rights are not viewed as important as the needs of the nation.
No right to vote
No free speech
Government controlled economy
Often a police state
Rise of Totalitarianism

7. Adolf Hitler-Germany
Hideki Tojo -
Japan
Benito Mussolini-Italy
Josef Stalin-USSR

10. What did Hitler Want?
Militarism- soon after becoming chancellor he begins rearming Germany breaking the Treaty of Versailles
Rhineland- moves troops into the Rhineland territory again breaking the Treaty of Versailles
Lebensraum- “living space” wanted more land for Germany
Austria – annexed (adds) peacefully in 1938
Sudetenland – territory in Czechoslovakia
Given to Germany by Great Britain and France
On to Poland

11. Germany invaded Poland to get lebensraum
How did WWII start?

12. How did WWII start? Germany invaded Poland.
Allies declare war on Germany.
Germany then invades France, Belgium, etc.
Then Hitler invades Russia.
Germans use “blitzkrieg” to overwhelm other armies.
Blitzkrieg means “lightening war”
Fast process: Bomb an area, then use tanks, finally bring in soldiers

13. Who was on each side? Axis Powers Germany Italy Japan Allied Powers
Great Britain
Soviet Union
United States
France
Surrendered to Germany in 1940 after 6 weeks

14. Vocabulary List/US home front
Ration: a fixed allowance of provisions or food
War Bonds: a debt issued by a government for the purpose of financing military operations during times of war
Interment: the imprisonment or confinement of people, commonly in large groups,
Morale: emotional or mental condition with respect to cheerfulness, confidence
Riveter: A person who installs rivets to fasten an object together.

15. At the start of WWII the United States claimed neutrality, similar to WWI.
Britain's leader Churchill constantly sent letters to FDR pleading for the US to enter the war.
In a matter of months Hitler had taken over most of Europe and was viciously bombing Britain.
Europe was on the brink of collapse!
American Neutrality

16. US actions before entering the war
Lend-lease Act
was a program under which the United States supplied Great Britain, the USSR, China, and France with war materials between and August
Does this sound familiar?
Selective Service Act: 1940
required that men between the ages of 21 and 35 register with local draft boards, was the only peace time draft in US history.
US actions before entering the war

17. Was America nuetral? Think-pair-share (30 seconds)
Based on the US passing the Lend Lease Act and the Selective Service Act was American still neutral in the war? Discuss…
Was America nuetral?

18. Switch to Pearl Harbor slides

19. How did WWII end in Europe?
Operation Overlord- Allied invasion of France. Also called D-Day.
Within a month 1 million Allied troops were stationed in Europe.
Germany is surrounded with the USSR to the east
Germany surrenders in 1945 after Hitler commits suicide.
How did WWII end in Europe?

20. How did WWII end in Europe?
Allies divide Germany up between them.
Potsdam Conference: Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill met to discuss dividing up Germany
Divided Germany into 4 sections (occupied by France, Britain, U.S. and Soviet Union)
Trials are held in Germany (and Japan) to try the people responsible for the war.
Many are executed and jailed for war crimes.
How did WWII end in Europe?

23. Yalta – “The Big 3”

24. Nuremberg Trials International court tried Nazi war criminals
Over 23 nations tried Nazi war criminals in Nuremberg, Germany
12 of the 22 defendants were sentenced to death
200 other officials were found guilty, but give lesser sentences
Nuremberg Trials

25. Don’t forget about Japan!!

26. Prior to this battle, the Japanese were winning every battle and taking over the Pacific
May U.S. and Australia stopped Japan from invading
Japan won the actual battle, but the allies were able to stop Japan invasion for the first time
U.S. was beginning to use the Island Hopping technique to weaken Japan’s forces
Battle of the Coral Sea

27. Iwo Jima: Island in the Pacific that was a critical battle for U. S
Iwo Jima: Island in the Pacific that was a critical battle for U.S. victory
March 1945
27,000 Japanese held Iwo Jima
U.S. won
26,800 Japanese troops died
6,000 U.S. Marines died
Battle of Iwo Jima

30. Battle of Okinawa June 22, 1945 Japan used 1,900 Kamikaze attacks
110,000 Japanese troops died
7, ,500 U.S U.S. troops died
U.S. won but casualties are getting high from the war in Europe and the Pacific, American’s want a quick end to the war.

31. Program that created 3 atomic bombs that could wipe out entire cities
200,000 Japanese died due to the Atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Hiroshima
August 6, 1945
“Little Boy”
In 43 seconds, the city collapsed to dust
Nagasaki
August 9, 1945
“Fat Man”
Leveled half of the city
Manhattan Project

32. “Fat Man”

33. Nagasaki

34. Hiroshima

38. August 15, 1945: Japan surrenders after the devastating bombings
August 15, 1945: Japan surrenders after the devastating bombings. Official end of WWII.
V-J Day

40. Losses of the Major Wartime Powers in WWII, 1939-1945
Germany
4.5 million military
2 million civilian
Japan
2 million military
350,000 civilians
Italy
400,000 military
100,000 civilian
China
2.5 million military
7.4 million civilians
USSR
10 million military
10 million civilians
Great Britain
300,000 military
50,000 civilians
France
250,000 military
350,000 civilian
United States
274,000 military

41. WWII Aftermath Holocaust camps discovered Creation of United Nations
Tension between US and Soviet Union over who control Germany
The Marshall Plan: US provided food and money to help rebuild Europe.
Beginning of Cold War: Rivalry with the Soviet Union and the US from s.
WWII Aftermath