World War II

WWII Basics –The AXIS Powers Nations: • Germany

• Italy

• Japan

• Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Finland also joined or participated in campaigns with Germany and Italy

Leaders:

• Adolph Hitler

• Benito Mussolini

• Hiedeki Tojo (Prime Minister) and Emperor Hirohito

WWII Basics – The Allied Powers

Nations:

• Britain (and empire: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India)

• France

• Soviet Union

• USA

• China

• Many other nations…

Leaders:

• Winston Churchill

• Charles de Gaulle

• Joseph Stalin

• F. D. Roosevelt

• Chiang Kai-Shek

WWII Basics – Where

• WWII has several major theatersof war (war locations/operations)

• Europe:• Western Europe (France & Britain)

• Eastern Europe (Soviet Union)

• Mediterranean (Italy, Balkans)

• Northern Africa

• Pacific: • Japan

• China

• Indochina (Southeast Asia)

• Pacific Islands

Historical Backdrop and Causes

• The decades following the end of WWI (1919 – 1939) were marked by unease, war recovery, economic depression, as well as discontentment with the Treaty of Versailles (ended WWI)

• Radical and authoritative leaders came to power in Spain, Germany, Italy, Soviet Union, and Japan to either solves their nations problems or expand their power

• During the 1930s America’s return to Isolationism, as well as a state of war weariness by Britain and France, led to the exposure of the weaknesses of the League of Nations as the terms of the Treaty of Versailles were defied by Germany and other aggressive states

Historical Backdrop and Causes

• The Treaty of Versailles is a major contributor to start of WWII as it created the conditions that allowed the aggressive Nazi party and Hitler to seize control of Germany, as well contributed to the rise of Fascism in Italy, and encouraged the expansion of Militarism in Japan.

Historical Backdrop and Causes• The Impact of Treaty of Versailles:

• The Italian Fascist state was forged out of the instability of the 1920s, disappointment over the Treaty of Versailles, and fear that communism would spread. Mussolini comes to power and promotes Italian nationalism and empirical expansion.

• Hitler becomes Chancellor in Germany in 1933 and promises to restore the German economy and rearms the nation, eventually taking successive aggressive actions that defy the Treaty of Versailles

• Japanese equality was not recognized after WWI. Japan expanded its imperial ambitions and continued to build its military throughout the 1920s and 30s, eventually invading China and S.E. Asia.

Historical Backdrop and Causes

• With America largely on the sidelines, the Western democracies of Europe (Britain and France) were unable to check the aggressive actions of Germany, Italy, and Japan

• Throughout the 1930s the ominous storm clouds of war were gathering as the reordering of the world after WWI was destabilizing

The Storm Clouds – A Timeline• 1920s- political ideology of

fascism developed by Mussolini in Italy (becomes Hitler’s role model)

• 1931- Japan seizes control of Manchuria (N.E. China)

• 1933- Hitler elected Chancellor of Germany promising rescue from economic chaos; Hitler eliminates political opposition and establishes a dictatorship

• 1935- Hitler openly builds up the military; Mussolini invades Ethiopia

Italian fascists were taught:Credere! [to believe]Obbedire! [to obey]Combattere! [to fight]

Ethiopia Invaded

The Storm Clouds

• 1936- Hitler sent troops into the border area with France (called the Rhineland)

• 1936- Germany, Italy, and Japan begin signing alliances

• 1936 to 1939- Italy and Germany support the Fascist Francisco Franco in Spain during the Spanish civil war (considered the “Dress Rehearsal” for WWII)

• 1937- Japan expands into the rest of China (Raping of Nanking incident)

Raping of Nanking• The Japanese slaughtered

1000s (50-300k) of surrendered Chinese soldiers and civilians, and raped an estimated 20-40k + women of all ages (war rape – cultural domination)

The Storm Clouds• 1938- Germany annexed Austria (Anchluss); British Prime

Minister Chamberlain calls for a conference at Munich; Munich Agreement signed giving part of Czechoslovakia to Germany in exchange for Hitler’s “promise” not to make any more demands• Western powers (Great Britain, France, U.S.) pursue a policy of

Appeasement (giving the aggressor what they want) to avoid war

The Storm Clouds• 1939- Germany takes the rest of

Czechoslovakia (Munich is a failure); Britain and France pledge to protect Poland; Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact signed(Germany and Soviet Union secretly agree to split Poland);

• September 1st 1939: Germany invades western Poland (Soviet Union invades eastern Poland on 17th); Britain and France declare war

• WWII Begins in Europe and becomes a global conflict by 1941

WWII – War in Europe

War in Europe – The Blitzkrieg• Technology had advanced rapidly from the end of WWI to

the start of WWII, especially aircraft.

• Hitler used his air force (Luftwaffe) and tanks (Panzers) to rapidly dominate mainland Europe in the initial phases of the war

• This war strategy is called the Blitzkrieg, or lightening war“Strike First, Strike Hard, No Mercy, Sir”

Step 2 Tanks Step 3 Ground TroopsStep 1 Luftwaffe

The Blitzkrieg

War in Europe – German Advances

• Using the Blitz, Germany quickly overran Poland, Denmark, Netherlands, Luxemburg, and Belgium in six weeks

• France fell in June of 1940 and a new puppet government was set up in the city of Vichy (forced cooperation with Germany)

• France fights on through underground resistance and units that avoided capture before its “fall”

War in Europe – The Battle of Britain• In less than a year the Axis had

extensive control over mainland Europe

• In August of 1940 Hitler plans to invade Britain (last standing against Axis; Non-Aggression still intact with USSR)

• Strategy was to bomb Britain into submission using the Luftwaffe• Indiscriminate targeting of cities

and civilians

• This becomes known as the Battle of Britain and is effectively Hitler’s first defeat as the British air force successfully fends off the Luftwaffe

Keep Calm and Carry On

War in Europe – Operation Barbarossa

• In June of 1941 Germany invaded the Soviet Union using the Blitz and expecting a quick and complete collapse of the USSR

• Initial invasion was successful as the Soviet Union was caught be surprise (USSR joins Allies)• German units begin

slaughtering Soviet Jews and communist (Part of the Holocaust)

Side Note – in December of 1941 Japan attacked the U.S. and America officially joins the Allies

War in Europe – Operation Barbarossa• In December the tide turned as the

USSR launched a counter offensiveand the Germans were not equipped for winter warfare• Soviets had been using Scorched Earth

to deprive Germans of food and shelter

• From the summer 1942 to February of 43 the Soviets began pushing Germans west beginning with their major victory at the Battle of Stalingrad (German offensive in USSR is over – German retreat)

• With America’s entrance to the war in 1941, along with the Soviet success, the Allies were making gains

War in Europe – Allied Successes

• With America’s entrance to the war in 1941, along with the Soviet success, the Allies were pushing back against the Axis powers

• In 1942 British and American troops defeated the Germans in North Africa

• In 1943 Italy was invaded and Mussolini was overthrown by a disillusioned Italian population• Hitler helps Mussolini reestablish

control over Northern Italy• Many Italians fight against Hitler and

Mussolini• Northern Italy surrenders in January

of 1944

War in Europe – Allied Successes• The Allies launched a major

offensive known as D-Day in June of 1944 to push Germans out of western Europe• The invasion was huge – more than

150,000 men landed on French beaches in the initially wave (850,000 by the end of June)

• Paratroopers also dropped behind enemy line

• France was liberated and victory over the Axis took less than a year hereafter

• The final German counter offensive (Battle of the Bulge –very large battle) failed in the winter of 1944-45

Operation Overlord or D-Day

War in Europe – Allied Victory• By April 1945 the

Allies had surrounded Germany and Berlin(capital of Germany) was invaded by the Red Army in late April

• V-E Day (Victory in Europe) came on May 8th 1945 as Germany officially surrendered

Death of Mussolini and HitlerMussolini

• Was captured by an angry Italian population on April 27th 1945

• He was Hung, beaten, stoned, and shot along with his mistress

Hitler

• As the Red Army closed in Hitler and his mistress/wife went into a bunker

• Hitler reportedly killed himself on April 29th and was discovered by Soviet soldiers

War in Asia and the Pacific

War in Asia and the Pacific – Japan Strikes

• After WWI America had committed to Isolationism and many felt involvement in the Great War was a mistake

• Initially the U.S. assisted the Allies (mostly Britain) financially and committed to some common security goals (Atlantic Charter)

• The U.S. took economic actions against Japanese aggression in 1940-41 (trade embargo/froze assets)

• Japan retaliates with attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th 1941 hoping to knock out the American Pacific fleet, especially the aircraft carriers

Attack on Pearl Harbor

War in Asia and the Pacific – Japan Strikes

• America’s entrance to the war followed the attack but the first year was mostly a story of Japanesesuccesses in the Pacific

• The capture of the U.S. Philippine Islands by Japanese forces was a major blow• Bataan Death March makes Japanese

brutality infamous

• In addition, China upheld a strong resistance as Nationalist and Communist Chinese forces (long at war) joined to fight the Japanese

Bataan Death March65-mile march that killed hundreds of U.S. prisoners and 10,000 Filipinos

War in Asia and the Pacific –Turning Points

• The Battle of Midway in June 1942was a major turning point against the Japanese and put them on the defensive moving forward

• In August of 1942 the U.S. victory at the Battle of Guadalcanal would initiate the U.S. strategy of Island Hopping

• Island Hopping (1943-1945) consisted of many hard-won battles on pacific Islands (i.e. Iwo Jima) that moved U.S. forces closer and closer to Japan

Island Hopping

War in Asia and the Pacific – Allied Victory

• With the German defeat secure in May of 1945, Japan fought on alone

• Island Hopping has positioned the U.S. for a final attack – The USSR had also joined the fight by moving their forces into China

• Japan remained determined not to surrender and prepared to defend the home island for Invasion

Kamikaze Bombers

War in Asia and the Pacific –Manhattan Project

• Throughout the war the U.S. had been working on the Atomic Bomb (Manhattan Project)

• Successful testing allowed President Truman to give the Japanese an ultimatum in July of 1945 (Potsdam Conference – surrender or else…)

• Japan ignored this warning and in response the U.S. dropped two atomic bombs to force their surrender• This was thought to cost less lives than

invading Japan

War in Asia and the Pacific –The Bombs

• The first bomb (Little Boy) was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6th 1945

• The second (Fat Man) dropped on Nagasaki on the 9th

Little Boy - Hiroshima Fat Man- Nagasaki

War in Asia and the Pacific – V.J. Day

• Japan surrendered on the 14th –V.J. Day

• The official surrender ceremony took place on September 2nd

1945 aboard the U.S. battleship Missouri

Impact of WWII – A World Devastated

• The new technologies of WWII, especially aerial bombings, combined with the wide scope of the fighting, created damage and death on a scale never seen before

• The death toll ranges between 50-85 million, with 12 million estimated to have been killed in the Holocaust alone

This is what 70,000,000

looks like! Remember,

each one looks like this!!!!

Impact of WWII – A World Devastated• More than 1 trillion (14 trillion in today’s dollars) was

spent on the actually fighting, but the costs of rebuilding from the devastation is virtually incalculable

• 70% of the European infrastructure (roads, factories, etc.) was destroyed

Impact of WWII – A World Devastated

• Japan and China were in ruins with damage in some cities (Nanking, Tokyo, Hiroshima, etc.) at 50% or more

• Human suffering was unimaginable with millions of women suffering war rape at the hands of foreign soldiers

• Millions of people were starving and sick in widespread famines and diseases

Impact of WWII – Occupation

• The victorious Allies occupied much of the former Axis territories.

• The U.S. occupied Japan for 7 years and rebuilt its government and economy (“Japanese Economic Miracle”)

Impact of WWII – Occupation

• The Soviet Union gained control of many Easter European countries with the intent to build a barrier between itself and the Western Democracies (Britain, France)

Impact of WWII – Occupation

• Germany was divided between a Soviet controlled eastern half and a democratic western half administered by the U.S., Britain, and France.

• The capital city of Berlin was divided the same way even though it was completely within the Soviet sector.

• The division of Berlin would become the first source of tension between the Soviets and the Western Democracies during the Cold War era.