Post on 19-Dec-2015
World War II
An avoidable war, that wasn’t avoided
The Rise of Fascism
• Characteristics of European Fascism:
– Nationalism: high value on nation
– Unity of All Social Classes: single nation political party, opposed worker unions and strikes
– All Powerful Leaders: strong leader best to represent the people
– Extreme Militarism: used violence to defeat political opponents and prepared to use war to expand country
What are the positive and negative aspects of Fascism?
The Roots of Fascism• Anti-Semitism: Hatred of Jewish
people. Jews were blamed for the problems in many countries.
• Racism: Contempt for other races, strengthened by imperialism and spirit of nationalism.
• Social Darwinism: Belief that all human groups compete for survival and that the stronger group has the right to succeed the weaker group.
Jews were forced to wear identification in Nazi Germany
The Old Order CollapsesGermany
Kaiser Wilhelm II was forced from power after WWI and a democratic republic took over (Weimar Republic).
The republic was opposed by land owners, industrialists, military leaders, and professionals.
They wanted a single leader because they feared the people might become socialist and what happened in Russia might happen in Germany.
They also blamed the republic for accepting the Treaty of Versailles
What affect did the Russian Revolution have on Germany after WWI?
The Old Order CollapsesU.S.S.RLenin established
a totalitarian state in Russia
After his death, Joseph Stalin took over and began to eliminate all of his rivals.
Opponents were sent to icy gulags (forced labor camp) in Siberia
He even starved the Ukraine into submission in 1928.
Because of events in Russia, many European countries supported extreme anti-Communist leaders like Hitler and Mussolini.
The Old Order CollapsesItalyCommunism
became popular in Italy after
WWI.
Communism frightened
Italian industrialists, landlords, and other property
owners.
The country had also experienced workers strikes and riots. Many citizens were tired of these and wanted a strong leader.
Fascists in Italy used the fear of revolution and
desire for national glory to
get Benito Mussolini into
power.
Mussolini, a former socialist,
used many Bolshevik
practices while denouncing their
ideas.
Mussolini had a party newspaper, party
organization, and his own private army. Once in power he
passed laws controlling the press,
abolished unions, used violence against
his opponents, murdered opposition
leaders, and established a
totalitarian state.
Rise of the Nazi (National Socialist) Party
Hitler’s Vision for Germany
Hitler blamed the Weimar Republic for the humiliation of the Treaty of Versailles.
He believed that the Aryan race was superior and should rule the world.
He called the Jews an evil race and blamed them for losing WWI. He also saw Communism as a Jewish plot to control the world.
Nazis Come to Power
They created their own army (Brown Shirts)
They beat up political opponents and Jews.
Hitler was elected Chief Minister of the republic.
The party used violence and murder to create chaos in the republic.
The Reichstag (government building) was burned in Berlin and blamed on the Communists.
Hitler declared martial law and established a dictatorship
Germany Under Nazi ControlHuman Rights Violations: People were arrested and executed without trial. Rival political parties, unions, and independent newspapers were closed and replaced with pro-Nazi ones.
Economic Changes: Hitler made use of public works projects like building highways and military rearmament to secure full employment. Economic prosperity returned to Germany.
Secret Police: The Gestapo (secret police) arrested suspected opponents, who were thrown into concentration camps where they were mistreated, tortured, and killed. Dacahu, the first camp, opened in 1938.
Persecution of Jews: Jews were thrown out of government jobs. Jews lost citizenship, were forced to wear yellow stars on their clothes, and were banned from marrying other Germans. Jewish shops were vandalized and synagogues were burned down. Jews were forced into special ghettos and concentration camps.
Why Germans liked Hitler
1. Gave people jobs2. Said that Germans were a superior race3. Got rid of the humiliation of the Treaty of
Versailles4. Restored German military power5. No opposition could speak out against
him
How might things have been different if the press had been able to speak out in Russia, Italy, or Germany?
Lesson Suggestions
• Fascism Activity
The Origins of World War TwoHitler wanted revenge on
France and Britain for Germany’s defeat in
WWI.
The League of Nations failed to stop Hitler as he built a large army, navy, and air force.
The Policy of Appeasement
(granting concessions to an
aggressor) by European Countries
allowed Hitler to retake lands lost to
Germany after WWI.
A MEETING OF INTERESTS British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, empire on his mind, “appeasing” Hitler in 1938.
Explain this political cartoon from the 1930s
Timeline to War
Mussolini invades Ethiopia
1935
Hitler helps fascist dictator Francisco Franco take
over Spain1936
Hitler annexes Austria and part of Czechoslovakia into
Germany1938
Hitler demands the Danzig from Poland but the Polish
refuse to give up the territory.
Hitler makes a deal with Stalin to keep the USSR
out of the war.Hitler invades Poland in 1939 and
WWII begins.
The War in EuropeBlitzkrieg: the use of
planes, tanks, and motorized troop carriers to advance rapidly into
enemy territory.
The Nazis over ran Poland, Denmark,
Holland, Belgium, France, and much of North Africa
by the end of 1940.
Hitler decided to bomb London and
other cities to overcome Britain
Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister, gave speeches on the radio and in public to inspire the British people. Britain had also just invented the radar and was able to use this to help defend the country. Hitler was unable to defeat Britain.
Explain this map from 1942.
Suggested Lessons
• Beginning of WW2 Activity
Germany Invades the Soviet Union
The attack stalled in the cold winter. Tanks and trucks got
stuck before they reached
Moscow
Hitler launched a
surprise attack on
Russian in 1941.
Hitler looked down on
other races including the
Russians.
The Soviets pushed the Germans back. By the time of the German defeat at Stalingrad, Russia had lost 21 million
people
Describe this political cartoon?
Why would Hitler decide to fight a war with USSR at this time?
The Holocaust: Attempted Genocide of the Jewish People
The Final Solution: Hitler decided to execute all European Jews under the cover of the war. Jews were marched out of towns, burned in camps, shot into graves they dug, or gassed in trucks or bunkers.
Concentration Camps: Later large camps, like Auschwitz, were built. In these camps the Jews were executed in ovens or by gas. Some were spared to do work in the camp but these were half starved.
Sign at gate to Auschwitz that says “Work Makes Free”
Human Toll: By the end of the war 6 million Jewish people had been murdered. Another 6 million gypsies, Slavs, political prisoners, elderly, and handicapped people were also killed.
Gestapo
Jewish leaders being march out of town to be executed
The United States Enters the WarDecember 7, 1941 Japan attacks the US naval fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
The US joins Britain and the USSR (Allies) in the war against Germany, Italy, and Japan (Axis Powers).
The Allies decide to focus on Germany before turning their full strength on Japan.
The War in Europe EndsThe war turns in favor of the Allies. The USSR has more man power than Germany and the USA has a larger manufacturing capability.
June 1944 the Allies invade France (D-Day). This is the largest amphibious landing in history.
British and American forces push through France and Western Germany while Soviet forces advances through Poland and Eastern Germany.
The War in Europe EndsFDR and Churchill meet in 1941 and again with Stalin in 1943 (Teheran) and 1945 (Yalta) to ensure that all the countries freed from Germany control would have self determination and to discuss future disarmament.
Hitler refused to surrender as the Allies closed in on Berlin from both the East and the West. On April 30, 1945 Hitler killed himself and then the German military leaders surrendered.
Churchill, FDR, and Stalin at the Yalta Conference1945
At the Nuremberg Trials many Nazis were tried and convicted for their crimes. These trials revealed the Nazi use of concentration camps for slave labor, medical experiments on humans, forced starvation, and genocide. Germany was divided into four separate zones of occupation by the Allies.
Why would the Allies give France an area of control after the war?
WWII Propaganda
WWII Propaganda
Suggested Lessons
• War in Europe Activity
JapanJapan is a series of islands off the coast of China.
Japan became an industrialized nation in the latter part of the 19th Century.
Look at the map and brainstorm problems an industrialized Japan might have.
Why Japan?• Japan needed raw materials and markets for their
industries.• They also wanted to replace European Imperialism with
an Asian one.• Military policy began influencing national policy in the
1930s. • 1931 Japan invaded Manchuria.• 1937 it invaded the rest of China.
How is Japan in the 20th century similar to the European powers of the 18th and 19th centuries?
Japan in WWII• Japan saw the war in
Europe as a distraction that would allow them to take over Asia.
• When the U.S. threatened to blockade Japanese oil shipments, unless they give up their conquests, Japan attacked the U.S.
• Japan hoped for a short war that would end with a treaty that would give them control of East Asia.
Why was it important for Japan to have a short war?
Pearl Harbor 1941
Japan launched a surprise attack on the US Pacific fleet stationed at Pearl
Harbor Hawaii December 7, 1941
The War in Asia and the Pacific 1941-1943
The war lasted much longer than Japan hoped. At first Japan won many victories. They invaded the Philippines, Hong Kong, Borneo, the Solomon Islands, Java, and
Singapore.
The Tide Turns Against Japan 1943-45
By 1943 the US’s naval superiority began to show. After winning the Battle of Midway the US began “Island hopping” across the Pacific,
forcing Japan to retreat back toward home. After Germany’s defeat in Europe the US turned its full force on Japan.
BattleOf
Iwo Jima1945
The USA wanted to capture the island in order to set up strategic airfields in order to attack the main islands of Japan.
Some of the bloodiest fighting of WWII in the Pacific.
Americans were able to overwhelm the Japanese.
Considered a heroic victory for the Americans.
The Atomic Bomb 1945
• Albert Einstein played a key role in developing the bomb.
• He feared that the Nazis were building a bomb so he encouraged the US to develop one.
• The Manhattan Project developed the bomb in New Mexico.
• On August 6, 1945 the US dropped the bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.
• 3 days later another bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki.
• After this the Japanese surrendered.
Why would the US use such a devastating weapon?
The Occupation of Japan 1945-52
• General Douglas McArthur was assigned the task of re-building Japan.
• Japan became less imperialistic and aggressive.
• Japan lost its overseas holdings.
• Japan lost its army and navy.• Military leaders were
punished. • Japan became a democracy
and the Emperor became a figurehead.
General Douglas McArthur with Japanese Emperor Hirohito
The Global Impact of WWII
• As many as 70 million people died in the war.
• The cities of Europe and Asia lay in ruins.• Germany, Italy, and Japan were occupied
by foreign troops.• The war cost two trillion dollars.
Berlin after World War IICompare Europe after WWI to Europe after WWII
The United Nations
• Purpose: maintain peace in the world and encourage friendship among nations
• Security Council: leading nations that are responsible for ensuring peace and deterring aggression
• General Assembly: all member nations
How affective has the UN been in recent years?
Lesson Suggestions
• World War II in Asia Activity• Nystrom Atlas Activity 64: World War II
Engulfs the World