September 1935-1945

World War II was the mightiest struggle humankind has ever seen. It killed more people, cost more money, damaged more property, affected more people, and caused more far-reaching changes in nearly every country than any other war in history. The number of people killed, wounded, or missing between September 1939 and September 1945 can never be calculated, but it is estimated that more than 55 million people perished.

More than 50 countries took part in the war, and the whole world felt its effects. Men fought in almost every part of the world, on every continent except Antarctica.

Major battlegrounds included Asia, Europe, North Africa, the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and the Mediterranean Sea.

July 13th, 1934 Adolf Hitler addresses the Reichstag

Page 492 – Speaking with power and emotion, Hitler tried to sway the minds of his people.

America pre-occupied with own problems to take Hitler seriously.

Suffering of Great Depression convinced most people in the US that first priority is at home, not overseas.

Enormous cost of victory in WWI – lives and money convinced most Americans to stay out of European conflict.

President Roosevelt's “good neighbor policy” Idea of no intervention among nations.

Events in Germany and Italy would make it impossible for United States to avoid intervention in Europe.

•Challenged Italians to join him in rebuilding Italy’s Power

•Gained a following of political demonstrators know as fascists.

Fascists- preached nation and the race were more important than the individual. Won elections by frightening people into supporting them.

Mussolini’s is leader of the Fascist Party

He becomes a totalitarian dictator. Totalitarian – completely controlling all aspects of Italian life.

Ruthless tactics was seen as a model of strength and determination.

October 1935 – His army invades and takes over the African nation of Ethiopia.

Nationalist Socialist German Workers Party known as the Nazi Party.

Eliminate the difference between rich and poor would make Germany strong again

Hitler said the Jews were to blame for Germany’s economic problems. They were of the “Aryan” race who betrayed Germany during WWI.

Denounced Treaty of Versailles

July 1932, Nazi Party is most powerful in Germany

1933 Hitler gets Paul Von Hindenburg to suspend German Civil Rights

Convinces the Reichstag to give him power to make laws without consent

1934 demands military to swear allegiance to him

Hindenburg's death Hitler abolishes the office of president and declares himself the fuehrer, or supreme leader of the 3rd Reich.

Becomes a totalitarian dictator

Page 495-496

What two leaders formed an alliance in 1936? What was the alliance called?

What happened in 1931 that sparked a Spanish Civil War?

What countries aided Francisco Franco?

In the end what happened to democracy in Spain

1938 Hitler claims Austria as part of Germany

Six months later occupies parts of Czechoslovakia

Wanting to avoid war leaders of Britain and France adopt a policy of appeasement – they give into his demands to keep the peace

Hitler promises to make no new territorial gains in Europe.

Winston Churchill “Britain and France had to choose between war and dishonor. They chose dishonor. They will have war”

Hitler invades Poland on Sept 1st 1939.

His Luftwaffe ( air force) bombarded polish cities. He uses blitzkrieg tactics.

Great Britain & France pledge to defend Poland against outside aggression.

Great Britain & France declare war on Germany. World War II had begun.

Japan was an aggressive nation in the 1930’s

Military leaders began a policy of territorial expansion

Invaded and took over Manchuria in 1931

Japan withdraws from League of Nations

1937 Japanese forces invaded major Chinese cities.

Congress passes Neutrality Acts ( prohibits sale of weapons to nations at war and prohibited American citizens from traveling on ships to warring countries

Nearly 2/3 Americans thought World War I had been a mistake.

Roosevelt saw Germany and Japan were serious threats to American security.

Roosevelt decided Hitler and Mussolini were “two madmen” who “respected force and force alone”

April 1940 Hitler unleashes air and sea assault against Denmark and Norway.

German tanks and bombers bring the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxemburg to their knees.

French put faith in Maginot Line. 1940 Germans tanks cross French border and attack French positions from the rear.

Germans now occupy Paris

With France secure, Hitler begins all-out attack on Britain.

British Royal Air Force knocks German plans out of the sky.

Hitler resorts to nightly bombings of London.

Some Americans supported interventionism others including Charles Lindbergh favored Isolationism.

Aware of the split in public opinion Roosevelt cautiously aided the Allies.

Events in Europe convinced Roosevelt to run for an unprecedented 3rd term.

During campaign quietly transferred 50 destroyers to Britain.

Establish the nation’s first peace time draft. Soldiers could only serve in Western Hemisphere. Laid foundation for later mobilization.

Roosevelt wins 1940 election.

Roosevelt moves to support allies

Proposes the Lend-Lease Bill gave the President right to sell, lend, or lease military supplies to any nation deemed “vital to the defense of the United States.”

Moved the nation closer to war with Germany

Extended Lend-Lease Bill to USSR when Germany suddenly attacked Soviet Borders.

1941 Roosevelt and Churchill met to discuss goals for postwar world. Atlantic Charter – reaffirmed national self-determination.

To protect nations from aggression, the US, Britain and 15 other nations signed the charter to create international organization to protect the security of all countries. Later it resulted in the founding of the United Nations (UN).

After Roosevelt won reelection, he told Americans “we must become the arsenal of democracy.” How did he try to implement this promise?

• 1940 Japan joins with Germany and Italy in the Rom-Berlin-

Tokyo Axis

•United States responds to Japanese aggression by applying

economic pressure.

•Roosevelt places an embargo on sale of scrap metal and

other products that might be put to military use. Japan saw it

as economic war by the US.

•Japan seizes Indochina Roosevelt freezes Japanese assets

in the US and ends all trade.

What was the connection between the United States embargo and the attack on Pearl Harbor?

US continued to negotiate with Japan, most leaders knew that war with Japan would come.

Japanese accept plan by Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto to strike at Pearl Harbor.

Did You Know? The only member of Congress to vote against the war was Jeannette Rankin of Montana, a pacifist who had also voted against United States entry into World War I

On December 8th 1941, the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Roosevelt asked Congress for a declaration of war against Japan.

Days later Germany and Italy declared war on the United States

Although a draft was in effect, Americans signed up for the war in record numbers.

When the war ended, more than 15 million men and nearly 216,000 women had served.

Despite discrimination and segregated units, African Americans and other minority groups enlisted for service.

Hispanics were the most decorated of any ethnic group

Navajos in the Marine Signal Corps outwitted the Japanese by sending messages in codes based on the Navajo language.

When Eisenhower called for African to volunteer in integrated combat units, their service convinced him that integrated units fought with more success then segregated units.

Discussion Questions:

How did minorities aid in the war effort?