World War II Begins

• 1) Define Fascism and analyze why people supported dictators that preached Fascism

• 2) Identify 3 pre-war examples of Fascist aggression.

• 3) Identify the event that marked the beginning of WWII? And explain why Europe did nothing to stop Hitler before?

• 4) Explain the United States reaction when WWII began?

World War II (1st Global War- 1939-1945) fighting on 4 continents, 4 oceans

100 million fought (40-50 mil. Died, many civilians)

• How did it Start

– Treaty of Versailles- Germany destroyed, embarrassed, forced to take full blame for WWI

• Reparations- Ger. Forced to pay France for WWI

• European Depression- Germany becomes the poorest country in Europe

– How would an environment like this lead to a country supporting a leader like Hitler? Think of the emotions Germans share?

Rise of Fascism- duty to the state is more important than individual freedom, strong leader, limit on freedoms

Why would people be willing to give up rights in exchange for strong leadership?

• Three Axis/Fascist Nations

– Italy/ Benito Mussolini- promises Italy a new Roman Empire

– Germany/ Adolf Hitler Jan 1933 Hitler is ELECTED leader of Germany with 35% of vote

• Mein Kampf (My Struggle) outlines Hitler’s beliefs

– Aryan Supremacy- German’s are the supreme race

– Jews- racially inferior

» How did these ideas allow Germans to feel that they had the right to invade and kill other people?

» Why is Hitler bad and US good?

-Japan/Hideki Tojo- felt only way to gain world respect was by force (ex. US banned all Jap. Imm. in 1924)

• Japan wants to be dominant power in Asia

Munich Conference/Appeasement Start of the War- Ger wants land, Hitler wants power

• Sudetenland- Ger. Speaking area of Czech. (Hitler threatens to invade) – Munich Conference (Sept. 1938)- Eng. and Fr. Meet with Hitler to avoid war – Appeasement- Eng. and Fr. give Hitler Sudetenland, in return Hitler promises

not to invade any more countries • Why do you feel England and France gave in to Hitler’s demands? • Hitler not seen as bad guy yet (Stalin/Communism is seen as a scarier

threat) • Hitler so far has only taking land that was once part of Germany before

Treaty of Versailles • Eng and Fr. Not ready for war (depression), Hitler has been building a war

machine • *March 1939 Hitler takes over the rest of Czech. (Hitler lied! Appeasement

is a major mistake, world is not stopping Hitler)

Invasion of Poland (Sept 1,1939)- Germany invaded Poland, marks the beginning of WWII

• Poland- Hitler wants the “Polish Corridor” back (land Ger. lost in WWI)

• Blitzkrieg (lightning war) swift attacks using planes, followed with tanks and troops (Takes Germany 3 weeks to conquer Poland)

– *used in modern warfare, Ger. First country to use blitzkrieg

– Nazi-Soviet Pact- Hitler and Stalin (Russia) agree not to fight each other (and secretly split Poland after Ger. invades Poland)

• Is Stalin/Soviet Union an ally of Germany or US/England during WWII? What do you feel is Stalin’s motivation to side w Hitler?

– *Eng. and Fr. Declare war against Germany

Battle Of Britain (1940-1941)- by June 1940 Germany controls all of western Europe (France, Neth., Belgium, Norway, etc.) except England

Britain is only country left fighting against Ger. Why are the Soviet’s/Russians not fighting Hitler?

• Winston Churchill (Prime Minister) vows never to surrender to Hitler

– Battle of Britain is an air war over England (Germany bombs England at night)

• Why does Hitler not try and invade England w. troops and tanks?

• Lend Lease Act- Allows US to provide Eng. with $ to buy and borrow US supplies (weapons, boats, planes, etc.) American support allows England hold out until Russia and the US enter the war

• Evaluate if the US should have helped England? Is the US at war with Germany? What do you feel Hitler thinks of US aid to England?

– *May 1941 Hitler realizes he can not take Eng. and turns attention on Russia

Holocaust- Hitler wanted to purify Europe by killing all sub-human races (Jews, Poles, Russians, Slavs, Gypsies, disabled, and homosexuals)

• Concentration Camps- slave camps to work “sub humans” to death (Problem- For Hitler, these Jews were not dying fast enough)

• Death Camps- designed to execute “sub-humans” in large numbers

– Auschwitz- largest death camp (2 mil Jews killed there)

– #’s dead- 6 mil. Jews killed (4 mil. left alive in Europe after war) • Why do you feel Jews and other groups were targeted by Hitler?

Planning for war- by 1940 (before Pearl Harbor), the US knew it would be dragged into the war to help allies (Eng.) US had to prepare for war

before it started fighting

• Selective Service Act (1940) draft is started before US goes to war (1 million drafted- 16 mil. registered)

• Military Spending- US had a weak military due to isolationism ($ is spent, helps end depression)

• FDR re-elected- seeks a 3rd term as President due to WWII – *Only pres. To serve more than 2 terms

– Do you feel Americans wanted to go to war against Germany? Explain why or why not?

Atlantic Charter- US and Eng. meet to spell out reasons WWII is to be fought for by the allies

Why do you feel that the US and England felt it was important to state their beliefs before the war started

• meant to avoid mistake of WWI where all countries were fighting for territorial gain and self interest, and state how the allies were different than the Nazi’s

• The goals of the US and England in fighting against the Fascist powers are… – No new territorial gain (WWII is a war to liberate countries, not take

them over like the Nazi’s and Japanese have) – Self determination of free nations (spread democracy and freedom) – Freedom from fear and want (peace)

• *Became the basis of the United Nations

Pearl Harbor- US naval base in Hawaii (*Attack on PH pulls US into WWII)

• Japan- wants an Empire in the Pacific (Japan felt the US would eventually enter the war)

– Jap. Navy (Nov 25, 1941) set out for HA.

• *Idea- Japan wants a surprise attack and take out the US navy while in harbor (Defeat the US navy before the US even has a chance to fight)

• Dec. 7,1941 (Sunday, 7:55 am) Japanese planes attack PH and kill 2,400 sailors

• Why do you feel the Japanese attacked on a Sunday at 7:55 in the morning

– *1st attack on US soil since Civil War

– *9/11 worst attack on US soil since PH (3500 died)

• US declares war- Dec. 8,1941

• Ger. And Italy declare war on US Dec. 9,1941 – Do you feel the US could have been more prepared for the attack on Pearl Harbor? Explain

Armed Forces- 15 mil. Americans serve in war

– Selective Service Act- 10 million Americans DRAFTED to fight

• Immigrant soldiers- German, Italian, East European, Mex/Am. fought for US

• Af/Am.- 1 mil. served in segregated units, saw combat last yr. of war

» Analyze the hypocracy of the US fighting against the Nazi’s with segregated troops? Why do you feel minority groups fought so hard for the US, even though they were not treated equally?

– Tuskeegee Airmen- Af/Am. airplane fighter squad (highest rate of protection for US bombers)

» *After the war Army was desegregated

Mobilizing for War- American industry converts to war production

– Bond Drives- helped pay for war (Am. Would “invest” 10% to gov.)

– War Powers Act- pres. had power to unite industry and military together

• *1941 US produced 19,000 planes,1944- 96000)

– Am. Workforce- Am. Eager to work after the depression

• Rosie the Riveter- 6 million women worked in factories to produce weapons, planes, and other war materials (due to lack of men) made 65% of men (no child care) but glad to do their part

– What do you think motivated women to work so hard for the war effort?

Effects on Social life- conservation (saving) and rationing (limits) resources and goods (oil, sugar, rubber, meat, butter)

African-Americans- jobs with good wages available in factories

• Great Migration- many blacks moved out of south to cities (esp. LA)

• Mexicans- Bracero Program- guest worker program allowing Mexicans to live in the US to provide necessary labor on farms

• “Pachucos”- cool, young Mexicans who dressed in oversized, baggy suits (Why do you think Americans took such offense to Zoot Suits?)

– “Zoot Suit Riots”- servicemen in Los Angeles attacked and stripped the pachucos (Pachucos were arrested)

• Make an argument why US servicemen should not be harshly punished?

• Japanese Internment- 110,000 Japanese in the US were rounded up and sent to concentration camps

• Why do believe that Japanese Americans were targeted and not the other two? Why were Germans and Italians not treated the same way? – Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor Americans were upset and

blamed all Japanese for the unprovoked attack – Racially different (smaller numbers) Too many Italian and

Germans (blended into US society- fought for US, so did Jap/Am)

• Japanese-American Reaction- accepted their situation, sold everything they had, and moved to internment camps – Nisei- 2/3’s of those arrested were native born Japanese-AMERICANS – 442 combat all Japanese-American unit most decorated unit of war (fought

bravely for US) • Why do you feel the Japanese accepted their situation? What could they

have done to change it? • Korematsu v. US- Supreme Court decision allowing the government to arrest

Japanese-Americans (violation of Jap./Am. civil rights and among worst court decisions ever!!!) – Evaluate if the US made the correct decision arresting Japanese-Americans to

prevent spying and sabotage during WWII. Explain

The War in Europe *Defeating Germany was the 1st priority

• Soviet Union- invaded by Ger. (June 1941), Hitler wants Russian resources (oil) • *Violates Nazi-Soviet Non- Aggression Pact

– Battles- Russia suffers high casualties, but Stalin forbids Russians to quit • Moscow- surrounded by Nov. 1941

– *Winter pushes Ger. Back • Leningrad- attacked for 900 days, 500,000 Russians starve to death

– *City is never captured by Nazi’s • Stalingrad- (Spr.42) biggest battle of WWII, Hitler wants control of Russian oil

fields, (5 month battle) 1.2 million Russian deaths, 800K Axis (400k Ger) – Ger. lost and Stalingrad is turning point of War in Europe (Russia pushes

Ger back) Germany weaker b/c fewer troops – *Eng and US do not aid Russia with troops, Stalin mistrusts allies for rest

of war » Why did the US not send troops to help Stalin?

US invades North Africa and Italy

• Africa (USA and GB)- invade North Africa first (Nov 42) after Stalingrad ends Why do you feel the US invaded Africa first rather than help the Soviets or invade France? – General Patton- USA top general, turns US into an effective fighting

force • *Allies take Af. by May 1943

• Italy- invaded after N. Af. Captured (Summer 1943) – Mussolini ousted by Italians (July 1943)

• *Sept. 43 Italy captured – Where do you feel the US will invade next? To reach Berlin

Invasion of Europe- Why do the allies need to invade France if France is an ally?

• D-Day (June 6,1944) largest air-sea-land battle in History

– *Normandy, France- site US, Canadian, British, and French troops land

• 160,000 troops land on 60 mile stretch of beach (4,400 landing craft, 600 war ships, 11,000 planes)

• *5 beaches (US land at Omaha and Utah) Eng., Canadian, and FR. Troops land at Gold, Juno, ands word

• *Allies suffer severe casualties but capture the beaches

– Analyze what difficulties needed to be overcame by the allies for a successful mission

Beginning of the End- German starts losing by ‘44

• 1) Air Superiority- Allies control the skies and can support ground troops

• 2) France liberated- Aug. 25,1944 (Germany fighting 3 fronts- France (west), Russia (east), Italy (south))

• 3) Sea Power- allies control sea and can ship supplies from US

– *Sonar and Radar are invented by allies (can detect Ger. subs and planes)

• Identify what advantage the Americans can provide the Allies to win and liberate countries in Europe by controlling the seas, where as what difficulty will Germany face with constant bombings

• 4) Battle of Bulge (Dec/Jan 1944) Ger. last attempt to push allies back, 76,000 allied troops killed, failure for Germany

• 5) Race for Berlin- Russia and US/GB want to be first to capture Berlin Allies are afraid Stalin will not give back land captured during war and turn those countries communist

– Evaluate if the Allies should risk troops to reach Berlin first so Russia will not turn Germany, Poland, and other European countries communist?

• 6) Concentration Camps liberated- Nazis tried to hide evidence by exterminating as many Jews as possible and digging mass graves – Shows allies what they are fighting for (What are the allies fighting for?)

• 7) VE DAY- May 8, 1945 war in Europe is over – Is WWII over with the defeat of Germany? – *Japan is still fighting and troops are supposed to now fight in Asia – What do you feel is the emotion of troops in Europe upon hearing they

will now be moved to Asia to fight? Do you think they would accept an alternative plan that could end the war quickly?

Jap. Offensive- after Pearl Harbor, Japan takes more land in Pacific

• Philippines-(Dec-Apr 42) US colony, US holds out for 5 months, US vows to return

– *Bataan Death March- 85 mile forced march to Prison camp for US, Eng., and Aus. (Allied) POWs, 140,000 soldiers died

• *Why did the Japanese allow so many ally prisoners of war to die from preventable deaths?

– Bushido- code of honor (Japanese believe in death before surrender, surrender is cowardly and reflects on family forever, those who do surrender are cowards and deserve to die

• *March 42- Japan controls much of Asia and Pacific

Battle of Midway-June 42 Japan tries to attack weak US navy after Pearl Harbor and capture Island of Midway

Why is Midway Island so strategically important?

– *Turning point of the war in Pacific- US wins in a major air battle and puts Japan on defensive rest of the war • Analyze how the fighting in the Pacific will be different from any other naval war

before WWII. (Think- what is the new weapon that is most important and what ship carries that weapon? How is that weapon better than a boat?)

– Airplane and Aircraft Carrier most important weapons( Japan lost 4 aircraft carriers, the US lost one)

• Evaluate what would have happened if Japan won the Battle of Midway?

Island Hopping- strategy for the US to reach Japan by landing island to island and cleaning each island of Japanese military power

• Battle of Guadalcanal (Aug 42-Feb. 43)- Japan building an airstrip to bomb Australia in Solomon Islands

• Why is Australia so important for the US in the war against Japan? – *US wins major land battle against Jap. (US realizes it should not

• Battle of Leyte Gulf- US takes back the Phil. – *Kamikaze- Japan suicide planes, sank 30 US ships and damaged

hundreds more • Analyze why Kamikaze is a losing fighting strategy? Why do you feel

Japanese participated in these suicide missions? • *Jap. navy almost completely destroyed, Jap. showing no sign of

giving up

• Iwo Jima (Feb 1945) island would allow US planes to bomb Japan (Japan expected attack and poured troops to Island) – *US marines suffered 20,000 casualties but took the

island after 1 month

– *US starts firebombing Tokyo (75,000 civilians die in June firebombing raids)

• Okinawa (Apr.-June 45)- final island needed to invade Japan

– *US suffered 55,000 casualties, Japan 100,000 (10,000 Jap. Soldiers jumped off cliffs rather than surrender)

• Japan showing no sign off surrender

• How do you get an enemy to surrender who refuses to accept surrender?

Atomic Bomb- largest weapon ever invented (recreates power of the sun by splitting the atom that causes a chain reaction) has the power

to destroy the planet if enough are detonated

– Temp- 7000 degrees F – 980 wind speed – 1mt=20,000 tons of TNT

• Albert Einstein- told FDR the Germans were trying to build an A-Bomb – *US in race with Ger. to build A-Bomb first

• Predict what would have happened if Hitler had discovered the A-Bomb first?

• Evaluate if it was worth it for the US to put it’s resources into developing the most devastating weapon in the history of the world?

Manhattan Project- name of the secret project to produce the A-Bomb for US

• Robert J. Oppenheimer- physicist in charge of the Manhattan Project

• July 16, 1945- US tests 1st A-bomb in Los Alamos, NM (VE Day was May 8)

– Should the US drop the bomb to end the war with Japan? (Remember, why did the US originally developed the A-Bomb? Is Japan a threat to the US and Europe like Germany was? Why would Americans be want to drop the A-Bomb on Japan?

– *FDR dies Apr. 1945, VP Harry Truman has to decide to use the bomb

• Nuclear War- President Truman decides to drop the bomb

• Hiroshima- (Aug. 6, 1945) 1st city bombed, 78,000 died instantly (140,000 died by end of 1945) 200,000 died total

• Nagasaki- (Aug. 9,1945) 2nd city bombed, 90,000 died – *No one knew effects of radiation (slow death), thought A-

Bomb only produced a huge explosion • Evaluate if the US was morally wrong for dropping a bomb that killed

mostly civilians?

– *Japan surrenders Aug. 14,1945

Decision to use the bomb

• In Favor • 1) End the war/ save American lives- people felt an invasion of Japan

would have cost 1 mil. Am. Lives and millions of Japanese lives – *Japan believes in death before surrender

• Predict how Americans would have reacted of the US invaded Japan, lost thousands of soldiers, and were told later that the US had the A-Bomb that could have ended the war with no American lives lost?

• 2) Stop spread of Communism- show Stalin/ Soviet Union that US has the biggest weapon on earth and are willing to use it

• 3) Naivety- know one knew about the after effects of radiation – Evaluate if Stalin, who killed millions of his own people and lost 20 mil.

Russians during WWII, would have thought the US was weak because we had the A-Bomb but did not use it. Would he feel that the US was too afraid to use it if he were to invade counties in order to spread Communism?

Decision to use the bomb

• Against • 1) Moral Crime- A-Bomb killed mostly civilians

– Identify what other countries or leaders have used the Atomic used against people • How would the world react today if any country used an

Atomic Bomb? • 2) Japan surrender- many people felt Japan would have eventually

surrendered, they just needed more time – Evaluate three days enough time between the 2 bombings to convince the

Japanese to surrender? (Remember what the Japanese mindset was about surrender? Analyze if you feel all Japanese felt that way at the end of the war?