Events Leading to World War II

Definitions

• Totalitarian – Usually a single individual who controls a country and its government

• Dictator- A person or group of people who completely control a country through its government

• Nazi- A member of the German Nationalist Social Worker’s Party

• Fascism-a form of government that believes the state is more important than the individual, maintains control of the economy and suppresses opposition controlled by a dictator

• IN ALL CASES THE LEADER(S) TAKE CONTROL AND MAINTAIN CONTROL THROUGH FORCE

1. Totalitarian Leaders in Europe• Adolph Hitler - Germany

• Benito Mussolini- Italy

• Hideki Tojo - Japan

Why were they able to gain control?

• After WWI people blamed their governments for the hardships they faced.

• Many nations were experiencing political and social unrest.

• As a result totalitarian regimes that restricted personal freedoms and prohibited political opposition rose to power based on their promises to make things better.

• They are usually very charismatic and easily get the people to follow them.

2.Japanese Invade Manchuria 1931

• Japan trying to establish a sphere of influence there

• US responds by placing economic sanctions on them – we withheld trade of oil, iron, and steel.

• The League told them to stop but Japan ignored them and resigned from the League.

• The League of Nations does NOTHING!

Japanese Invade China 1937

• Later extend occupation of Indochina (now Vietnam).

• 1931 into Manchuria

• 1937 into China and

starts WWII in Asia

• 1937, U.S. refuses

trade with Japan until

they withdraw

from China…..

• 1940 invades

Indochina• US froze

Japanese assets,

refused to trade oil, gasoline

and steel.

Hitler and FDR

• Both come into office in 1933 in the midst of the economic and social upheaval of the Great Depression.

• FDR tells Americans, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”

• Hitler takes the approach that the Jews are the source of all Germany’s economic and political problems.

How Does Hitler Justify His Actions?

• He says they are in response to the punishment placed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles. – Makes the Germans believe they had been done wrong.

• As a result, the rest of Europe appeases him.• They give their inch and he takes mile after

mile. The more they give in the more he takes.

What was appeasement?

• In 1935 Britain signed the naval agreement with Germany.

• For the next three years, Britain and France followed a policy of giving Hitler what he wanted-a policy that became known as APPEASEMENT.

Munich Agreement

• Agreement signed between England, France, and Germany.

• Hitler asked for the Sudentenland to be returned to Germany and that would be all he would ask for.

• The problem – Hitler had no intention of honoring his word.

LANDMARKS OF APPEASEMENT

• 1933-Germany leave the L of N - start to rearm in secret

• 1935-Anglo-German Naval Agreement, Abyssinian Crisis, German announces conscription.

• 1936- Remilitarization of the Rhineland• 1938 (March) Anschluss• 1938 (Sept) Sudetenland crisis and the Munich

agreement• 1939- Germany take over the rest of

Czechoslovakia• 1939 Britain and France abandon appeasement

and guarantee to defend Poland

Why US Neutrality Acts?

• Americans want to remain isolationist• Needed to respond in some way to help our

allies who were the targets of Fascist aggression in Europe

• League of Nations is too weak to do anything.• England and France are appeasing Hitler but

the US realizes he’s only getting worse.

• 1935: prohibited arms shipments to all belligerent countries.• 1936: forbid loans to all

belligerents•1937: “Cash and Carry” principle:

all nations must pay for nonmilitary purchases and ship the

goods in their own vessels

• 1935: prohibited arms shipments to all belligerent countries.• 1936: forbid loans to all

belligerents•1937: “Cash and Carry” principle:

all nations must pay for nonmilitary purchases and ship the

goods in their own vessels

Neutral

What Attempts Are Made to Put A Stop to Hitler’s Actions?

• Munich Pact

Neutral

• 1939: prohibited Americans from traveling on ships of

belligerent nations• 1940: Lend Lease program offered to Great Britain…. U.S.

becomes the “arsenal of democracy”

• 1939: prohibited Americans from traveling on ships of

belligerent nations• 1940: Lend Lease program offered to Great Britain…. U.S.

becomes the “arsenal of democracy”

•FDR responds to Fascist aggression in Europe by protecting democracies and preparing the US for war…..

•FDR responds to Fascist aggression in Europe by protecting democracies and preparing the US for war…..

Hitler Invades Poland 1939

Neutral

• 1939: prohibited Americans from traveling on ships of

belligerent nations• 1940: Lend Lease program offered to Great Britain…. U.S.

becomes the “arsenal of democracy”

• 1939: prohibited Americans from traveling on ships of

belligerent nations• 1940: Lend Lease program offered to Great Britain…. U.S.

becomes the “arsenal of democracy”

•FDR responds to Fascist aggression in Europe by protecting democracies and preparing the US for war…..

•FDR responds to Fascist aggression in Europe by protecting democracies and preparing the US for war…..

• Americans wanted to remain neutral.• America First

Committee• Committee to Defend America by Aiding the

Allies•Feb. 21, 1940: If Germany

is defeating England & France, should the U.S.

declare war on Germany and send our Army and Navy to Europe to fight

against Hitler?

Yes: 23% No 77%

• Americans wanted to remain neutral.• America First

Committee• Committee to Defend America by Aiding the

Allies•Feb. 21, 1940: If Germany

is defeating England & France, should the U.S.

declare war on Germany and send our Army and Navy to Europe to fight

against Hitler?

Yes: 23% No 77%

Neutral

LEND LEASE

LEND LEASE •RENTING, LEASING, GIVING

BRITAIN AND LATER SOVIET UNION AND CHINA, MILITARY WEAPONS

TO ARM THEM AGAINST THE GERMANS AND JAPANESE…

•FDR’s FINAL ATTEMPT TO REMAIN NEUTRAL!

•USA BECOMES THE “ARSENAL OF DEMOCRACY”

Great Britain.........................$31 billionSoviet Union...........................$11 billionFrance......................................$ 3 billionChina.......................................$1.5 billionOther European.................$500 millionSouth America...................$400 million

The amount totaled: $48,601,365,000

Great Britain.........................$31 billionSoviet Union...........................$11 billionFrance......................................$ 3 billionChina.......................................$1.5 billionOther European.................$500 millionSouth America...................$400 million

The amount totaled: $48,601,365,000

U. S. Lend-Lease Act,1941, “ US becomes the arsenal

of democracy”

U. S. Lend-Lease Act,1941, “ US becomes the arsenal

of democracy”

Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor

• December 11, 1941• US had placed an embargo on war goods so

that Japan could not purchase them• US had placed an embargo on war goods so

that Japan could not purchase them• The Japanese felt if they attacked the US hard

enough, we would back off and let Japan control

Infamy7

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VqQAf74fsE

• FDR Day of Infamy Speech