1. Section 1: The War Begins
Chapter 26 World War II
Section 1: The War Begins

2. Results of WWII Why study it?
Largest armed conflict in the history of the world
62-78 million worldwide deaths (military & civilian)
Mass genocide committed towards individual groups (The Holocaust, Great Purges, etc.)
Atomic Age begins (and other new technologies)
De-Colonization & Nationalism
The beginnings of the Cold War (American & Soviet dominance of the world)

3. WW II Casualties: Asia
Each symbol indicates 100,000 dead in the appropriate theater of operations

4. WW II Casualties: Europe
Each symbol indicates 100,000 dead in the appropriate theater of operations

5. Horrors of the Holocaust Exposed Crematoria at Majdanek
Entrance to Auschwitz
Crematoria at Majdanek

6. Horrors of the Holocaust Exposed Slave Labor at Buchenwald

7. Horrors of the Holocaust Exposed Mass Graves at Bergen-Belsen

8. The Beginning of the Atomic Age

9. Early Computer Technology Came Out of WW II
Colossus, 1941
Mark I, 1944
Admiral Grace Hooper, COBOL language

10. The De-Colonization of European Empires

11. The Bi-Polarization of Europe: The Beginning of the Cold War

12. The U.S. & the U.S.S.R. Emerged as the Two Superpowers of the later 20c

13. TOTALITARIANISM (a govt. that has total control over its people)
Communism
government owns the businesses and land
Soviet Union
Shared
Characteristics
extreme
nationalism
one strong leader
one political party
strong military
secret police
censorship
propaganda
indoctrination
(teaching young
people accepted
ideas of the govt.)
Fascism
individual people own the businesses and land
Germany, Italy

14. Absolute Dictators – Methods of Control
Dictators often used propaganda tools to maintain power (books, radio, the press, films)
People were forbidden from criticizing their government

15. Nazi Propaganda

17. The Rise of Dictators
Dictators (absolute rulers) seized power in Italy, Germany, Japan, Soviet Union after World War I
Germany was treated severely after WWI (stripped of territory, forced to disarm, pay reparations)
Worldwide Depression also hit – many people looked to new leaders to solve problems
The MAJOR Dictators: Benito Mussolini in Italy; Adolf Hitler in Germany; Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union

18. Benito Mussolini (Italy)
Preached a government called Fascism – movement emphasizing loyalty to the state and its leader
Deeply anti-Communist; strong support for Italian corporations
Deep desire to make Italy a great world power
Active Secret Police would jail political opponents
Linked to racism and cultural superiority
Mussolini called himself “IL DUCE” (The Chief)

19. Adolf Hitler (Germany)
Joined politics after WWI – wanted to avenge Germany’s loss
Organized Nazi Party; tried to seize power in 1923 – but was arrested
While in prison – wrote Mein Kampf
Spoke about Germany racial superiority (German Aryans were superior; all others – like Jews, Slavs, Gypsies – were inferior)
Stated German need for Lebensraum – living space

20. Hitler’s Policies Banned all political parties
Created a black-uniformed, secret police unit called the SS (Schutzstaffel)
Massive building program put millions to work – ending the Depression in Germany

21. Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union)
Communist leader (Russia became Communist after WWI)
Controlled every aspect of people’s lives
Attempted to create the “ideal” Communist state
Elimination of all private industry
Collectivized all farms into state-run agriculture
Transformed Soviet Union into industrial giant (Five Year Plans)
**Eliminated all competition to achieve his goals (millions killed or sent to forced labor camps)
**The Great Purge (8-13 million “enemies of the people” killed)

24. New Government for Japan
Japan seemed peaceful and had a democratic government in the 1920s
However, few in government could control the military (who reported directly to the emperor)
When hard economic times hit Japan (caused by the Depression), the military installed a new government that was centered around the Emperor – for whom the military would rule in the name of

25. Goals for Japan’s Militarists
Expand empire overseas
Improve economy through imperialism
Form a Pacific Empire that included China
BENEFITS OF THE EMPIRE ARE…
Could access much needed raw materials
Could have an empire that included billions of people to trade with
New empire would give “living space” for rising population

26. Where Japan could find a solution for what they desired…

27. Japan Invades Manchuria, 1931

28. Japan’s invasions
1931 – Japan invaded Manchuria (Northeastern China - rich in natural resources)
League of Nations protested action, but did nothing to stop Japan
Japan simply left League of Nations in 1933
1937 – Japan invaded the rest of China (captured Beijing and Nanjing – where thousands of civilians were killed) – “Rape of Nanjing”

29. Italy invades Ethiopia
Mussolini saw the League of Nations do nothing to stop Japan
Envious of Britain & France’s holdings in Africa
Invasion of Ethiopia in 1935 – the spears and swords of Ethiopia no match for tanks, guns, and planes of Italy
League of Nations – take no action to stop Italy

30. Germany Begins Conquests
1936 – Hitler moves troops into the Rhineland (German region near the French border)
WWI treaty said no German troops here
French Gov’t and League of Nations – TAKE NO ACTION

32. German-Italian Alliance
Germany and Italy formed the Axis Powers
Now – two dictators with stated goals of expansion are good friends
Axis Powers help Spain’s Fascist military overthrow its elected government (Spanish Civil War)
Mussolini and Hitler

33. Hitler begins his own Conquests
1938 – Hitler and the Germans invade Austria (most Austrians spoke German and welcomed becoming a part of Germany)
But…Hitler and the Germans were expanding – and the WWI treaty told them not to…

34. The Sudetenland After taking Austria – Hitler wanted more
His next desire is the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia
Small area of Western Czech where many German-speakers lived
The Czechs didn’t want to give this area to Germany – nor did France and Russia

35. Germany’s Expansion

36. “Appeasement” at Munich
The British step in to offer a peace and avoid war
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain meets with Hitler in Munich, Germany
They agree to give Hitler the Sudetenland
Hitler has to promise he is done seeking territory

37. Reactions to Munich
Neville Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister who came up with the agreement, said that he had achieved “peace in our time”
Winston Churchill, the future Prime Minister, said: “Britain and France had to choose between war and shame. They chose shame. They will get war, too.”

38. Hitler breaks his promise: Germany Starts the War
After being given Sudetenland – Hitler takes the rest of Czechoslovakia
Hitler then signs a Non-Aggression Pact with Stalin and the Soviet Union (they agree to not make war on each other) – now France and Britain have lost an ally in Stalin
Immediately after – Germany invades Poland in Sept (France & Britain declare war on Germany) WWII officially begins
The Non-Aggression Pact was publicly a peace treaty, but in reality just a ploy by Hitler and Stalin to divide up Eastern Europe

39. The “Conquered” World - 1942

40. Hitler’s Lightning War
Hitler introduced the “Blitzkrieg” – or ‘Lightning War’ – as his principle strategy
Took the enemy by surprise using fast moving tanks and airplanes – followed by infantry soldiers

41. Hitler Attacks Western Europe
April 1940 – Hitler invaded Denmark and Norway (he wanted coastline areas to launch future attacks on Britain)
May 1940 – Hitler attacks Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and eventually France
France fell in June 1940
French Gen. Charles de Gaulle fled to London and set up a government-in-exile

43. Hitler Attacks Britain
P.M. Winston Churchill declared that England would “never surrender”
Germany’s effort began with bombing campaigns – first airfields & factories, then civilian sections of cities
Britain had radar and a code-making machine called the Enigma
The Battle of Britain continued to June 1941 – until Hitler decided to put resources elsewhere

44. Hitler invades the Soviet Union
June 22, 1941 – Germany invades the Soviet Union
Desire “lebensraum” (living space)
5 million-man Russian Army not equipped nor prepared for Hitler
Germans moved 500 miles into Russia – who simply retreated and burned

46. The Lend-Lease Act
Before U.S. is in war, FDR wanted to help the Allies in Europe (especially England)
Wanted the U.S. to be “the great arsenal of democracy”
U.S. lends weapons & equipment worth $50 billion

48. Great Britain United States Netherlands France

49. Problems in the Pacific
Japan dreamed of a vast Asia-Pacific Empire
1941 – European powers “distracted”
Japan was in need of raw materials
took Manchuria in ’31
French Indochina in Aug ‘41
The U.S. cut off oil shipments to Japan to punish their aggression
Only obstacle for Japan dominating region: U.S. Navy in Pacific.
War seemed imminent. But Where? When?

51. The Attack on Pearl Harbor
December 7, 1941
Massive air assault / Pacific Fleet badly damaged
2,400 Americans killed / 18 ships
FDR: “A date which will live in infamy”
America officially enters war

52. U.S.S. Arizona

53. America’s Response
President Roosevelt asks Congress to Declare War on Japan
Famous speech: FDR declares that “December 7, 1941 is a day which will live in infamy”
Watch clip