World War II1939 - 1945

The Worldly Connections to Our Class Novel

Adolf Hitler, Germany – 1933

• He was elected – the people of Germany voted for him.

• People hoped Hitler would rescue Germany from economic problems and end the shame of having lost WW I (1914 - 1918).

Time Magazine - 1938

• Hitler was chosen as the “Man of the Year”

• Hitler was described as ‘the greatest threatening force the democratic, freedom-loving world faces.’

In 1939, Hitler’s Nazi Germany Invades Poland

Germany

Poland

Britain, France, Canada, Australia and New Zealand declare war on Germany.

The U.S. remains neutral.

Britain’s Prime Minister, Winston Churchill

In 1939, Hitler also calls for the ‘annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe.’

In 1941, Jews were required to identify themselves by wearing the Star of David

By 1942, Jews were being rounded up in many parts of Europe and sent to concentration camps - close to six million would be killed.

April - June 1940 - Hitler goes after more of Europe!

• Nazis invade and take over Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France.

Sept. 1940 - Nazis Begin Air Raids on London, England

Meanwhile, the United States remained neutral - most Americans did not want the U.S.

to get involved in the war.

Antoine de Saint-Exupery and World War II

• The P-38, the kind of plane the author flew during the war in Europe.

World War II in Asia

• The military in Japan had taken over the government and began to invade countries, declaring a need for natural resources which were under the control of Western nations in their Asian colonies.

However, Japan’s form of colonialism was based on the idea of ethnic superiority over other Asians.

• Colonizing Korea back in 1905• Invading China in 1936, taking over the capital of Nanjing.

• The Nanjing Massacre of 1937 - Japanese troops killed an estimated 100,000

Chinese civilians.

The world also took note of how the Japanese military had made deals with Nazi Germany.

Military leader of Japan, Hideki Tojo, on the cover of Time Magazine, November 1941

The United States Declares War on Japan and Germany

• It was not until Dec. 1941 when Japan attacked the U.S. navy at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii that the U.S. entered World War II.

Wrap-Up on this Worldly Connection to Our Class Novel

• Antoine de Saint-Exupery began writing The Little Prince in 1940 while in exile, and the story was published in 1943.

• Thus, World War II was the backdrop in which The Little Prince was written!