From Versailles to Pearl Harbor:
The Coming of World War II
Germany Faces Economic Collapse
Town Shelter – Kathe Kollwitz
A Troubled Germany
• Germany in economic despair
• Germany printed more money – led to
inflation – loaf of bread cost 4 million
marks
• Economic unrest led to political instability
• Weimar Republic – unable to deal with
problems
U.S. Response
• Isolationism – many wanted to cut the US
off from Europe’s affairs
• Insistence on war debt repayment –
wanted France and Britain to be repaid, so
they could, in turn, pay the US
The Rise of Adolph Hitler
Hitler standing in an open car
Hitler Takes Power
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Served in WWI – extreme nationalist
Felt Germany sold out by Weimar Republic
Joined Nazi party in 1921
Led an uprising – put in prison – wrote
“Mein Kampf,” - made his hatred of Jews
known
• After prison - expanded Nazi party - made
promises to peasants, workers, and middle
class
Hitler, con’t.
• By 1932, largest party in Reichstag,
German legislature
• Became chancellor – 1932
• Increased power; called for elections to
strengthen Nazi power in Reichstag
• SS burned part of Reichstag building
under his secret order – used the event to
suspend constitutional rights
Hitler, con’t.
• 1934 – president dies – Hitler combines
president and chancellor offices – names
himself Fuhrer
• Within a year, Germany was fascist
• Began movements against Jews
• Kristallnacht – anti-Jewish rampage
• Hitler’s appeal grew, even with the
atrocities
U.S. Response
• FDR became president in 1933
• Thought domestic problems more important
than international
• Military spending a low priority
• US government thought disarmament, arms
control, and treaties could keep peace
• Kellogg-Briand Pact: signed by 62
countries, it outlawed war – no provisions
for enforcement
Fascism in Italy
Mussolini addresses Fascist followers
Turmoil in Italy
• Country in turmoil – used by Mussolini to
gain power
• Used reminders of ancient Rome’s glory to
appeal to Italians
• 1922 – marched on Rome – government
folded – Mussolini named PM
• Went after land – took city of Fiume,
Albania, then Ethiopia
US Response
• Continued isolationism – 90% of
Americans considered themselves
isolationist in 1935
• Neutrality Acts – forbade sale of arms to
aggressive nations, traveling on ships of
countries at war, forbade loans to
countries at war
• “Moral Embargo”
The Rise of Militarism in Japan
Aboard a Japanese aircraft carrier
Militarism in Japan
• Japanese unhappy with instability, being
known as a “second-rate” power
• Military leaders rose to power – censored
anti-military establishment
• Attacked Manchuria to expand Japanese
territory
• 1936 - Signed agreement with Italy and
Germany, forming the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo
Axis
US Response
• Stimson Doctrine – US told Japan they
weren’t pleased with the invasion of
Manchuria, but they took no action
• 1937 – FDR’s “Quarantine Speech” – use
embargoes to stop fascism
• Americans felt this could lead to US
involvement – FDR caved into the
pressure and took no action
Violation and Appeasement
Chamberlain shakes hands with a Nazi leader as Hitler looks on
Hitler & the Treaty of Versailles
• 1936 – violated Treaty by rearming
Germany and taking the Rhineland
• 1938 – moved into Austria
• Britain and France took no action
• France favored military action; Neville
Chamberlain (PM of Britain) believed in
appeasement
• Hitler wanted Sudetenland; W region of
Czechoslovakia
Hitler & the Treaty of Versailles, con’t.
• Tried to get Germans living there to revolt;
they refused
• Decided to invade
• Chamberlain wanted to solve the crisis –
talked Czechs into allowing selfgovernment for Germans in Sudetenland
• Hitler saw he could get his way –
demanded that all of Czechoslovakia
surrender
Hitler & the Treaty of Versailles, con’t.
• Hitler’s aggression caused change of opinion in
Europe
• Sept. 28, 1938 – Chamberlain and Hitler met to
resolve problems – Czechoslovakia and Soviet
Union not allowed to attend
• Great Britain decided to give Sudetenland to
Hitler; Hitler promised to stop expanding
Germany
• Chamberlain declared that the Munich
Agreement guaranteed “peace in our time.”
US Response
• Roosevelt sent a telegram, urging
Chamberlain to keep peace
• FDR sent a letter to Hitler, asking him for a
conference with European leaders; told
him the US wished to stay neutral
• When Munich Agreement signed, FDR
sent Chamberlain a telegram:
“Good man.”
Invasion of Czechoslovakia
German tanks make their way across the border of Czechoslovakia
Hitler Invades Czechoslovakia
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After Munich, Hitler felt invincible
March 1939 – took the rest of Czechoslovakia
Started making demands in Poland
Chamberlain realized he’d been lied to – promised aid
to Poland if attacked; France also joined agreement
• Stalin – opposed to German advance; felt France and
GB had betrayed him
• August 1939 – signed Nazi-Soviet Pact; pledged not
to attack each other
• Pact made Hitler feel invincible; felt France and GB
too weak to stop him
US Response
• FDR sent letters to Italy, Poland, and
Germany, urging leaders to keep peace
• Messages ignored
• FDR prepared declarations of neutrality;
prepared for war to begin
World War II Begins
German troops march across the Polish border
World War II Begins
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Hitler invaded Poland – Sept. 1, 1939
GB and France declared war
Invasion of Poland took three weeks
War continued slowly for the next six
months
US Response
• FDR wanted Neutrality Acts lifted so the US
could give aid to France and GB
• Opposed by the America First Committee –
spokesman was Charles Lindbergh – felt the US
was protected by the Atlantic, not prepared to
fight, needed to stay out of European affairs
• “Cash and Carry” – US gave aid to GB and
France, but they had to buy the supplies and
ship them themselves
• Americans alarmed – 80% wanted US to stay
out
US Support of Britain
Supplies being prepared for transport to Britain
Britain’s Isolation
• Hitler gained power and territory
• 1940 – Hitler controlled Eastern Europe,
Norway, Sweden, Belgium, the
Netherlands, and France
• Battle of Britain – only power capable of
beating Germany
• Atlantic Charter – meeting between
Churchill and Roosevelt
US Response
• Lend-Lease Act – transfer of equipment to
nations who were vital to the US
• Germany attacked America destroyers –
Kearny and Reuben James sunk by
German subs
• FDR wanted merchant ships to be allowed
to be armed – isolationism so strong,
measure failed, even after death of sailors
Bombing of Pearl Harbor
Japanese Aggression
• Japan expanded control in Indochina –
threatened US supplies in the region
• Oct. 1941 - General Hideki Tojo became PM of
Japan – met with US for negotiations – would
withdraw from Indochina if the US would allow
Japan to occupy China
• While negotiations underway, decision all ready
made to attack US
• December 7, 1941 – Attacked Pearl Harbor –
18 ships, 188 planes destroyed, 2,300
Americans killed
US Response
• Relations strained as early as 1937
• Moved fleet to Hawaii to prove military readiness
• Americans feared appeasement – had only
encouraged Axis powers – rejected Japan’s proposal
• US thought Japan might attack – did not think it would
come at Pearl Harbor – FDR asked for a declared war
– Congress passed the declaration of war within hours
• Germany and Italy declared war on the US a few days
later – the US declared war on them
• Signaled the end of isolationism
FDR signs the Declaration of War