1. The Second World War . 1-CAUSES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR. The Second World War was caused by: Hitlers Aims. This was the main reason. 1. To unite German speaking people . 2. He wanted lebensraum (living space). 3. He wanted to dominate Europe and the World. He almost achieved his objectives, step by step. German rearmament began in 1932-4. Hitler used his new army to support Franco in the Spanish Civil War (1936-9). Hitler had used Spain as a practise ground. 2. Appeasing: Neville Chamberlain became British Prime Minister, and followed the policy of appeasing Germany, believing that all Hitler wanted to do was unite German speaking people. Hitler's conquests: On 13th March, 1938 the German army entered Austria. In March 1939 Germany conquered Czechoslovakia. Nazi-Soviet Pact (29th August, 1939) The Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact: It was a non- aggression pact between the Soviet Union and Germany. 3. Democratic powers were passive 1. USA Isolated 2. France She could not rely on Britains and Americas support. She wanted peace. 3. Britain Between 1934 and 1937, Britain was sympathetic to German recovery. Between May 1937 and March 1939, Britain appeased Germany. 2-SIDES AND LEADERS: Two sides: AXIS ALLIES The Nazi Germany Italy Japan Great Britain (and its colonies) France (until its defeat) Soviet Union (In June 1941) United States (In December 1941) The main leaders were: A) For the allies. In Great Britain sir Winston Churchill Prime Minister of Great Britain during most of the war, from 1940 to 1945, Churchill led Britain to victory. In the Soviet Union Joseph Stalin Stalin was very brutal Communist dictator of Russia (1928-1953). In the years before World War 2 Stalin murdered or imprisoned almost all of Russia's senior military officers, and millions 4. of other Russian citizens, in a paranoid and unprecedented wave of political terror. In the United States Franklin Delano Roosevelt President of the United States of America (1933-1945). He declared war on Japan after the bombing at Pearl Harbor, but unfortunately he did not live long enough to celebrate the Allies' victory in September of 1945. B) For the axis: The main leaders were: In Germany Adolf Hitler He was the leader of Nazi Germ any. He was the leader of Nazi Germany during World War II. Under his leadership, the Nazis sought to make Germany the most powerful empire in the world and exterminate all they viewed as inferior. In Italy Benito Mussolini Prime minister of Italy (1922-1943). He joined forces with Adolph Hitler to fight the Allied powers. He was executed by his own people. In Japan . Hideki Tojo Prime minister of Japan (October 1941 - July 1944) 5. 3.The features of the war . The Second World War was by far the most destructive war in history. This war had different characteristics: It was a genuine world war. Military operations occurred in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Mediterranean Sea... More than one hundred million troops fought over the war and more than eight hundred million civilians went through occupation, bombardment, misery and hardship. Sixty countries were involved in the war. Duration: WWII started in September 1939, although some historians claimed it started in 1937 when Japan invaded China, and ended in August 1945. Almost six years. Extreme brutality: Totalitarian regimes caused many atrocities, such as genocide (Jews, Gypsies...), systematic torture, concentration and extermination camps... The Allies practiced a sort of warfare based upon bombing civil population. It culminated with the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The civil populations suffered much more than in previous wars. Deportation over and after the war was a normal practice. It caused millions of refugees. All these atrocities were facilitated by the usage of extremely powerful and sophisticated weapons (planes, gas, atomic bomb...) The belligerent powers dedicated their whole economies to the war effort. 6. Read the document and answer the questions: 1. What were the main causes of the second world war? 2. Where did Hitler use the new army? 3.What did Hitler attack in 1938 and 1939? 4. Why do you think France and Britain were passive ? 5. What were the two sides of the war? 6. List the name of the main leaders . 7.Why do we say it was a real world war?. 8. How many countries were involved in the war?. 9. How long did it last? 10.Write three reasons why the war was so cruel. 7. Read the document and answer the questions: 1. What were the main causes of the second world war? 2. Where did Hitler use the new army? 3.What did Hitler attack in 1938 and 1939? 4. Why do you think France and Britain were passive ? 5. What were the two sides of the war? 6. List the name of the main leaders . 7.Why do we say it was a real world war?. 8. How many countries were involved in the war?. 9. How long did it last? 10.Write three reasons why the war was so cruel.