1. Essential Question:
What factors led to the outbreak of World War II in 1939?
Warm-Up Question:
Considering the short comings of the Treaty of Versailles, what do you think will cause the Second World War?

2. The Causes of World War II
WWI was not the “war to end all wars” as a series of problems from 1919 to 1939 led to World War II
Resentment in Germany over the Treaty of Versailles
The failure of the League of Nations to maintain world peace
A global depression & intense nationalism led to the rise of dangerous, aggressive dictators

3. Huge reparations slowed Germany’s ability to rebuild after the war
Cause of World War II
Huge reparations slowed Germany’s ability to rebuild after the war
The punishing terms of the Treaty of Versailles (war guilt & demilitarization) led to anger & resentment in Germany

4. Causes of World War II
Britain & France were leaders of the League of Nations, but war debts & post-war rebuilding meant that they could not afford another war

5. The Causes of World War I
European nations were dependent upon U.S. investment to help rebuild, …but the Great Depression led to a world-wide depression in the 1930s, especially in Europe
In Germany inflation was so bad, that money became worthless; Here German children use stacks of German money as play toys

6. The Rise of Totalitarianism
These desperate conditions led to the rise of totalitarianism in Europe
Dictators seized total control over the gov’t & the lives of citizens
Promoted nationalism to win support & promised a return of jobs, national pride, & “empire”
Used propaganda, police terror, & persecution to maintain power

8. Totalitarian Regimes in Europe & Asia

9. Totalitarian Regimes in Europe & Asia
Mussolini & Hitler both believed in fascism—the idea that nations need strong dictators, total authority by one political party, but that people can keep their private property
Communists like Lenin & Stalin in the Soviet Union believed that the gov’t should control all property & business

10. Totalitarian Regimes in Europe & Asia
In the 1920s & 1930s, Japan was the strongest & wealthiest nation in Asia; Prime Minister Hideki Tojo created a military dictatorship in Japan

11. Causes of World War II
In the 1930s, territorial expansion in Europe & Asia contributed to WWII
In the 1930s, Japan began to build a large Asian empire to provide resources for their industry & military; Japanese forces attacked Manchuria, northern China, & East Indies
In the 1930s, Mussolini directed the Italian military to seize Libya & Ethiopia in Africa, then Albania in Europe

12. To fulfill Hitler’s dream of Lebensraum (living space); Germany annexed Austria & Czechoslovakia in the 1930s

13. Failure of the League of Nations
This expansion threatened world peace, but the League of Nations failed to intervene effectively:
Britain & France relied on appeasement (giving in to an aggressor to avoid war)
The League condemned Japan, Italy, & Germany but resisted more severe actions to halt expansion

14. The Outbreak of World War II
In 1939, German expansion led to the outbreak of World War II:
Hitler negotiated the Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact allowing Germany to seize half of Poland
World leaders were shocked by the agreement & horrified by German military expansion

16. On September 1, 1939 Germany invaded Poland
England & France could not use appeasement any longer & declared war on Germany
On September 1, Germany invaded Poland

17. In 1940, Germany, Italy, & Japan signed the Tripartite Pact ( “Axis Coalition”) to protect each other in case any nation was attacked

18. Expansion in Europe & Asia
Once WWII began, the Axis Powers used modern militaries to seize large territories in Europe & Asia:
The Germans used blitzkrieg tactics to take most of Europe
Italian forces seized north Africa
Japanese military gained an empire in Southeast Asia

19. Blitzkrieg (“lightning war”) tactics used air raids followed by infantry & tanks invasions

20. In 1940, Germany began bombing Britain, the strongest Allied nation
By 1941, the Axis Powers controlled almost all of Europe & northern Africa
In 1940, Germany began bombing Britain, the strongest Allied nation
By 1941, the Axis Powers controlled almost all of Europe & northern Africa
In 1940, France fell to the Nazis
In 1941, Germany broke the Nazi-Soviet Pact & invaded the USSR

21. Meanwhile…in the Pacific
Japan took full advantage of the European war to expand in Asia

22. Conclusions
By the end of 1941, the Axis Powers appeared close to victory:
Germany & Italy were in control of Europe with Britain & USSR as the only opposition to victory
Japan seemed to go unnoticed in their conquest of Asia
From 1939 to 1941, the USA remained neutral, but not isolated, from the global conflict

23. Closure Activity On your map, label the following:
The 3 main Axis Powers
The territories under the control of the Axis Powers by 1942
On your timeline, identify the 5 most important events that contributed to World War 2; For each event, provide a brief summary & an image