Lesson 12
WW II – Paths to Global War
Lesson Objectives
• Be able to recount the chains of events in the 1930's
that led to the opening of hostilities in Europe and Asia .
• Understand the genesis and significant features of the
strategies of each major combatant:
• Germany and Japan
• Britain, France, Soviet Union, U.S.
• Be able to recount and discuss the major events in
World War II through the end of 1941.
• Understand the role of the advances in military
technology since the end of The Great War on the events
of the first two years of World War II.
The Path to Global War
History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes.
Attributed to Samuel Clements (1835-1910)
(Remember this?)
Note the repetitive patterns in this lesson:
 “strife”
 “… and the Western allies [or League] did nothing … “
A
Events
September 8, 1926
Germany joins League of Nations
August 27, 1928
Germany signs Kellogg-Briand Pact
Events
September 8, 1926
Germany joins League of Nations
August 27, 1928
Germany signs Kellogg-Briand Pact
 Signatories promise not to use war to resolve
disputes
(Treaty still in force!)
Events
September 8, 1926
Germany joins League of Nations
August 27, 1928
Germany signs Kellogg-Briand Pact
January 30, 1933
Hitler becomes chancellor
October 19, 1933
Germany withdraws from League
January 26, 1934
Germany signs 10 yr non-aggression
pact with Poland
August 2, 1934
President Hindenburg dies; Hitler
declares himself Führer
Events
March 16, 1935
Germany announces conscription,
formation of new army units, navy ships
and an air force
German rearmament now out in the open!
Hitler Assumes Power
(4:09 -9:26)
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© Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013
Rearmament Propaganda
Caption:
"With an insufficient military,
Germany can be blockaded
both by land and sea."
Hans Riegler,
Heer, Flotte und Luftwaffe. Wehrpolitisches Taschenbuch *
(Berlin: Verlag für vaterländische Literatur, 1935)
* Army, Navy and Air Force. Military Political Paperback
Source
Rearmament Propaganda
Caption:
"Germany's industrial areas, unlike
those of France, are defenseless in
defortified or even demilitarized
border zones."
Hauptindustriegebiete = main industrial areas
Hans Riegler,
Heer, Flotte und Luftwaffe. Wehrpolitisches Taschenbuch *
(Berlin: Verlag für vaterländische Literatur, 1935)
* Army, Navy and Air Force. Military Political Paperback
Source
Events
March 16, 1935
Germany announces conscription,
formation of new army units, navy ships
and an air force
October 3, 1935
Italy invades Ethiopia; League of Nations
imposes economic sanctions
March 7, 1936
Germany occupies Rhineland,
successfully challenging France
Rhineland
Re-occupied by Germany – March 7, 1936
Events
October 25, 1936
Germany & Italy form Berlin-Rome Axis
November 1936
Germany & Japan sign Anti-Comintern
Pact
 Attempt by Germany & Japan to isolate Soviet Union
Events
October 25, 1936
Germany & Italy form Berlin-Rome Axis
November 1936
Germany & Japan sign Anti-Comintern
Pact
January 17, 1937
Hitler renounces Versailles Treaty
July 7, 1937
Sino-Japanese War begins
November 5, 1937
Hitler discusses secret plan for
Lebensraum (“living space”)
March 12, 1938
Germany annexes Austria (Anschluss)
Events
May 20, 1938
Czechoslovakia mobilizes over German
pressure against Sudetenland
Events
September 29, 1938
Munich Conference
Chamberlain, Léger, Hitler, Mussolini
Britain
France Germany
Italy
Peace In Our Time
http://homepage.eircom.net/~finnegam/war/peace.htm
Events
September 30, 1938
Chamberlain: “Peace for our time”
"My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has
returned from Germany bringing peace with honor. I believe it is peace for our time...
Go home and get a nice quiet sleep."
Peace For Our Time
http://library.byu.edu/~rdh/eurodocs/uk/peace.html
Hitler Emboldened
( 9:27 – 10:35 )
"The Circle of Modern War" and logo
© Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013
Man of the Year - 1938
January 2, 1939
Baron Rudolph Charles von Ripper
Click for source
Events
October 1, 1938
Germany acquires Sedetenland
March 10, 1939
Germany occupies Czechoslovakia
Hitler: Opportunist or Strategist?
Why did Hitler invade Czechoslovakia?
Remember This?
Hitler: Eye on Russia
Hitler: Opportunist or Strategist?
else
Why did Hitler invade Czechoslovakia?
⌃
LA Times, March 18, 1938
Hitler: Opportunist or Strategist?
else
Why did Hitler invade Czechoslovakia?
⌃
Skoda T-21 Tank
Skoda Works -Pilsen, Czechoslovakia
c 1938
War in Europe Erupts
(40:14 - 50:45)
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© Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013
Summary
Hitler’s Pre-War Expansion
March 7, 1936
Germany occupies Rhineland,
successfully challenging France
March 12, 1938
Germany annexes Austria (Anschluss)
Sept 29, 1938
Munich Conference
Sept 30, 1938
Chamberlain: “Peace for our time”
October 1, 1938
Germany acquires Sedetenland
March 10, 1939
Germany occupies Czechoslovakia
Events
August 23, 1939
Hitler negotiates non-aggression pact with
Soviet Union (Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact)
September 1, 1939
Germany invades Poland
Holocaust Encyclopedia
.. and the 20 year armistice was ended
Events
September 27, 1940
Axis Tripartite Pact
Previously….
In the Western Pacific
Japan had been at war in
China since 1931
Japanese Expansion
Empire of Japan - 1910
Conquest of Korea
1910
Second Sino-Japanese War
1937 - 1945
Japan had been at war with China since 1931
Conquest of Manchuria
September 1931
Second Sino-Japanese War
1937 - 1945
Japan had been t war with China since 1931
Japanese Conquest
1937-1941
Nanking Massacre
December 1937
“The Rape of Nanking”
Over 300,000 people butchered
Red Sun Rising
(10:47-20:37)
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© Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013
Background
Yangtze River Patrol
US Navy had a presence on Yangtze River 1856-1941
• Fallout from the “Unequal Treaties” negotiated by Western
powers after the Opium Wars (1839-1842 & 1856-1860)
Yangtze Patrol began 1922 as part of US Asiatic Squadron
• Protected US interests (shipping) along the river
Attack on USS Panay
December 12, 1937
USS Panay sinking - 12 Dec 1937
Attack on USS Panay
December 12, 1937
2:15
Preliminary Events
Attack on Ship
Sinking of Ship
Thesis
The grand scope of World War II was
determined by a battle you never heard of
fought before the war in Europe began.
Japan’s Next Step
After China
Two factions in Japanese government
• “Northern” Faction (Northern Strike Group)
• Led by Army
• Favored move north into USSR
• “Southern” Faction (Southern Strike Group)
• Led by Navy
• Favored move south into Dutch East Indies
Events
July-August 1939
Battle of Khalkin Gol (Nomonhan)
The most significant battle you’ve never heard
of!
A
Events
July-August 1939
Battle of Khalkin Gol (Nomonhan)
Soviet victory
Significance:
• Japan abandoned northern strategy
• Turned south
• Set up confrontation with US
• USSR able to divert resources
toward the west and Germany
• Established Gen. Georgi Zhukov
as armor commander
Reader’s Companion to Military History: Khalkin Gol
Japan’s Path to War
Increase in Militarism in Japanese society
Japan’s Path to War
Increase in Militarism in Japanese society
US moves Pacific Fleet to Hawaii (May 1940)
Great East-Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere declared (Aug 1940)
Move into northern French Indochina (Sep 1940)
Berlin-Rome-Tokyo Axis formed (Tripartite Pact, Sep 1940)
US embargos iron & steel exports to Japan (Sep 1940)
Vichy government accedes to Japanese request for bases in
southern Indochina (July 1941)
Japan Occupies
Indochina
Japan’sSouthern
Oil Lifeline
1941
Cam Ranh Bay
(major anchorage)
.
Japan’s Path to War
Increase in Militarism in Japanese society
US moves Pacific Fleet to Hawaii (May 1940)
Great East-Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere declared (Aug 1940)
Move into northern French Indochina (Sep 1940)
Berlin-Rome-Tokyo Axis formed (Tripartite Pact, Sep 1940)
US embargos iron & steel exports to Japan (Sep 1940)
Vichy government accedes to Japanese request for bases in
southern Indochina (July 1941)
US embargos shipments of oil to Japan (Jul 1941)
Events
December 7, 1941
US Pacific Fleet attacked at Pearl Harbor
Japanese Decision to War
Calculated risk?
or
Risky calculation?
Instruments of National Power
Diplomacy
Information
Military
Economic Power
Resolve
What did the Japanese miss?
Instruments of National Power
Economic Power
Allied and Axis GDP
http://www.onwar.com/articles/f0302.htm
Economic Power
Wikipedia
Instruments of National Power
Diplomacy
Information
Military
Economic Power
Resolve
What else did the Japanese miss?
Instruments of National Power
Diplomacy
Information
Military
Resolve
Economic Power
Resolve
What else did the Japanese miss?
Japanese Decision to War
"One can search military history in vain for
an operation more fatal to the aggressor."
Samuel Eliot Morison,
History of United States Naval Operations in World
War II, Vol. III, The Rising Sun in the Pacific
To be continued …
The Path to Global War
History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes.
Attributed to Samuel Clements (1835-1910)
(Remember this?)
Note the repetitive patterns in this lesson:
 “strife”
 “… and the Western allies [or League] did nothing … “
What patterns do we see here?
The Gathering Storm
Much of the video in this lecture is from
Episode 1: The Gathering Storm
"The Circle of Modern War" and logo
© Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013
Lesson 13
WW II – 1940:
Fall of France & Battle of Britain
Lesson Objectives
• Describe the sequence and implications of events from
the invasion of Poland to the fall of France.
• Be able to describe and analyze the German strategy in
the Battle of Britain.
• Describe the impact of new technology on the Battle of
Britain.
• Begin to understand the implications of strategic air
warfare in World War II.
End
Video Title
"The Circle of Modern War" and logo
© Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013