World War II: The Road to War
1931-1941
The Rise of Dictators
Main Idea: Dictators in the Soviet Union, Italy, Germany and
Spain formed brutal, repressive governments in the 1920s and
30s. They were motivated by their political beliefs and a desire
for power.
Totalitarianism- Government that exerts total control over a
nation.
Fascism- A philosophy that emphasizes the importance of the
nation or an ethnic group and the supreme authority of the
leader.
Benito Mussolini
Wounded serving in WWI (along with Hitler)
Italian Politician and Prime Minister?!
Leader (Il Duce) of the National Fascist Party
Opposed Treaty of Versailles (like Hitler, but for different reasons)
Thought Italy should have been granted more land
Vowed to end Italy’s economic problems (Like Hitler with Germany)
Destroyed all political opposition through his secret police, outlawed
labor strikes and transformed the nation into a one-party dictatorship.
Succeeded in creating a fascist, totalitarian state (like Hitler)
Adolf Hitler
1919, joined the National Socialist German Workers Party/ NAZI party (followed
fascism).
1923, with more than 3,000 followers tried to overthrown the German government with a
series of riots  sent to prison.
Wrote Mein Kampf, which outlined NAZI philosophy and outlined his plans for the nation.
According to the book, Germany had been weakened by groups living in Germany (Jews).
Depression hits Germany in the 1930s. Hitler and Nazi Party promised to stabilize and
restore Germany’s economy.
Become Chancellor of (1933-1945) and then Führer (President/Dictator of Nazi Germany
1934-45) when Hindenburg dies.
By 1936, the depression ends in Germany. Their main goal becomes the conquest of
Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.
Germany continues to expand their forces (violation of Versailles Treaty)
Joseph Stalin
Based his totalitarian government on a vicious form of communism (lacks
respect for individual rights and freedoms, much like totalitarianism).
Historically, communists and fascists have been fierce enemies.
Prior to Stalin, Lenin led the Soviet Union. Lenin died in 1924, causing Stalin
to step in with new plans.
Stalin “modernized agriculture” by making Soviet farmers combine their small
farms and turn them over to the state.
In the Ukraine, Stalin punished resistant farmers by confiscating their crops.
Millions died from starvation, agricultural production plummeted.
Stalin sent the Soviet Union into a severe shortage of essential products.
The Standard of Living declines but by 1940, Stalin achieves his goal of
returning the USSR into a modern industrial power.
“Series of Purges” (Removing undesirables/enemies from power)
Purified communist party
Arrested millions (ended in executions and labor camps)
Governmental Terms
Fascism- emphasized the importance of one nation and the supreme
authority of the leader (i.e Germany and Italy).
NAZI- National Socialist German Workers Party
NAZI Government- One form of fascism that preached German
national and racial superiority.
Dictatorship- A government that is controlled by one person.
Totalitarian Government- Government that has total control over
one nation using terror, restricted individual rights and no political
opposition. In this government, the nation is more important than
the individual.
Communist Government- A one party system where the government
controls the economy and leaves very limited rights and freedoms for
individuals (i.e. U.S.S.R)
Main Causes of World War II
Treaty of Versailles
Germany forces to accept blame for starting W.W.I
Germany had to pay allies $33 billion (cost of W.W.I)
Germany, Austria and Turkey had to give up land to the Allies.
Italy thought they should have gotten more land than they did.
Appeasement- Giving in to Hitler’s demands (Sudetenland/
ceded to Germany at Munich, 1938) in order to keep the peace
in Europe. Done in part because France and Great Britain was
not prepared for war.
Sudetenland
Main Causes of World War II
Axis Aggression in European Theater
Why? Revenge of the Versailles treaty.
Europe (1936-1939)
1936
Rhineland re-claimed by Germany
Hitler signs alliance with Mussolini
1938
German expansion (Sudetenland)
1939
Hitler invades W. Czechoslovakia (ends Chamberlain’s hope of
working peacefully with Hitler/ abandons appeasement)
Hitler’s non-aggression pact with Stalin
Hitler invades Poland (ally of Britain and France war on
Germany)
Blitzkrieg
“Lightning war”
New German military tactic, unveiled in the invasion
of Poland.
Included a fast, concentrated air and land attack that
took the enemy’s army by surprise.
Also used in 1940 (Netherlands, Belgium,
Luxembourg).
Maginot Line
Found along France’s border with Germany.
Provided housing for troops, recreational areas, and even
a/c.
Underground rail lines connected its main sections.
Thick concrete walls and extra-heavy artillery stood ready to
fend off any invading army.
Cons? Only protected the French border that faced
Germany (France was open to an attack through Belgium)
and guns only pointed East towards Germany (potentially
useless).
Dunkirk
Defense and evacuation of French and allied forces in
Europe in 1940.
Makeshift fleet consisting mainly of tugboats, yachts,
and other small private craft which carried some
340,000 soldiers across the English Channel to Great
Britain.
France,1940
France surrenders to Germany.
Germany occupies the northern three fifths of France
and the Atlantic coast southward to Spain.
France adopts a policy of collaboration (cooperation).
France falls to Germany, Hitler’s next target? Great
Britain.
Battle of Britain
July 3, 1940 British initiate Operation Catapult to neutralize French
navy
July 10 First German bombers attack over English Channel
July 19 Hitler urges Britain to make peace
August 13 Eagle Day; more than 1,400 German planes attack
southern England
September 7 Beginning of “London Blitz” (Germany’s bombing raid
on London)
September 17 Hitler indefinitely postpones plans for ground invasion
of England
Outcomes? Considered to be a victory for Britain
Main Causes of World War II
Axis Aggression Pacific Theater
Why? Japan needed raw materials and land for crops and perhaps
wanted to seek revenge against the West.
Japan takes over Korea (1905)
Japan invades Manchuria, China- Japan needed coal and iron ore
(and land).
Manchurian Incident
Japan breaks Kellogg-Briand Pact
League of Nations orders that Japan end its occupation of Manchuria.
Japan refuses and instead drops out of the league
Japan’s invasion of China continues
1940, Japan takes over French Indochina (Vietnam and Cambodia)
United States, 1930s
Isolationism (focus is getting out of the Depression)
Neutrality Acts  Caused axis aggression
1935, banned the U.S. from providing weapons to nations at war
(Repealed in 1939)
1936, banned loans to nations in war
1937, permitted (cash and carry) trade with fighting nations in
nonmilitary good (Repealed in 1939)
By 1938, Italy had conquered Ethiopia, Japan had invaded China,
and Germany had taken Austria and Sudetenland.
In 1939, Germany invades Poland (U.S. shifts further against the
Axis Powers)
Lend-Lease
March 1941
Authorized the President to aid any nation whose defense he
believed was vital to American security.
Sent aid to Britain
Extended lend-lease aid to the Soviets after Germany attacks
(June 1941 Operation Barbarossa).
By the end of the war, the U.S. had loaned or given away more
than $49 billion in aid to some 40 nations.
Pearl Harbor
In 1940, FDR began limiting what Japan could buy from the U.S.
His goal was to use the threat of further trade restrictions to stop
Japan’s expansion.
After Japan took control of French Indochina (1941), FDR froze
Japanese financial assets in the US and cut off oil shipments. Japan
still needed raw materials.
October 1941, General Tojo becomes Prime Minister of Japan.
FDR continues negotiations and hopes to stay out of the war.
Hirohito - Japanese emperor; approved Pearl Harbor attack plan
December 7, 1941- “The date which will live in infamy”
In less than 2 hours, some 2,400 Americans had been killed and
nearly 1,200 wounded.
December 8, U.S. declares war on Japan
December 11, Germany and Italy declares war on the U.S.
Financing the War &
Public Support
Federal Spending
$8.9 billion (1939)  95.2 billion (1945)
Deficit Spending
When spending exceeds revenue. This was approved by Congress to
pay for war (59% of war cost)
Taxes
Raised to cover the cost of the war (41% of war cost)
War Bonds
Raised $186 billion
War Production
War Productions Board (1942)
Consumer goods  war goods
Allocated raw materials and set priorities
Office of War Mobilization
Centralized Resources
James F. Byrnes
Presidential advisor
“Ran the country, while FDR ran the war.”
Managing the Economy
Victory Gardens- Helped with the food supply
1943- Victory gardens produced 1/3 of U.S. vegetables
Rationing- 1943, intended to have a fair distribution of
food, clothing, gas, tires.
Mobilizing the Armed Forces
Selective Training and Service Act- Required men
between the ages of 21 and 36 to register for the
military.
Four Freedoms Speech (given by FDR) explained what
the troops would be fighting for.
New diversity in the Armed Forces (300,000 Mexican
Americans, 25,000 Native Americans, 350,000 womendid not serve in combat)
Holocaust
1933- 1945 German Nazi directed persecution (and extermination) attempt of ALL JEWS
in Europe as well as: Homosexuals, disable people, Gypsies and political opponents.
Anti- Semitism: Discrimination and violence toward Jews
Practiced for centuries all over Europe
Many Europeans blamed the 1920-30s depression in Europe on the Jews
Hitler blamed the Jews for the German defeat in W.W.I.
1933- Anti-Semitism became the official policy of the German government.
First Concentration Camp opens- Dachau
1935- Jews stripped of German citizenship
1938- Jews are forced to sell businesses for fraction of value
Jews expelled from public schools
Kristalnacht- “Night of Broken Glass”
Destroyed most synogogs in Germany
1,000s of Jews arrested
Most Jewish businesses destroyed
Holocaust
1942- “Final Solution” instituted: Rids Europe of all Jews
Total concentration camps: approx. 1,500
Total “death camps”: 6 (all in Poland)
Auschwitz killed 12,000 per day
1944- U.S. finally begins accepting a large number of Jews
Saved a total of 200,000
1945- U.S. military starts liberating concentration camps
Nuremburg Trails- Tried many Germans for their actions during the war,
many executed.
Total killed in concentration camps:
approx. 6 million Jews (2/3 of all European Jews killed)
approx. 6 million others
1948- Israel becomes a nation
Gives Jews a homeland
Angered Arab/Islamic neighbors (still angry)
Fall of Germany
Events
November 20, 1944 Hitler abandons Rastenburg headquarters
December 16 Battle of the Bulge; Germans begin counteroffensive
in Ardennes
December 24 Germans surround Americans at Bastogne
January 16, 1945 U.S. forces freed from Bastogne
February 4 Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin meet at Yalta
Conference
April 12 Roosevelt dies; Truman becomes U.S. president
Fall of Germany
(continued)
April 16 Soviets begin offensive on Berlin
April 25 U.S. and Soviet advances meet for first time
April 28 Partisans execute Mussolini
April 30 Hitler commits suicide
May 7 Germany signs formal surrender
May 8 Western Allies declare V-E (Victory in Europe) Day
May 9 USSR declares Victory Day
Fall of Japan
March 1945 Allies begin mass bombing raids of Tokyo and other cities
July 16 United States successfully tests first atomic bomb
July 26 Potsdam Declaration signed
August 6 United States drops atomic bomb on Hiroshima
August 8 USSR enters war against Japan
August 9 United States drops atomic bomb on Nagasaki USSR invades
Manchuria
August 15 Hirohito announces Japan’s surrender
September 2 Japan signs formal surrender
Japanese military shrinks; they are forbidden to even declare war again. Emperor
power is reduced.