CHAPTER 24 SUMMARY
THE CRISIS DEEPENS: WWII
The outcomes of WWI left Germany in economic despair, as Japan yearned for more
power and an economic change. The leading factors to WWII would be the rise of dictatorial
regimes in Germany, Japan and Italy. These same countries would later become axis powers in
the war. After a failed uprising in Germany by Hitler, he was sentenced to prison where he
wrote a book called Mein Kampf (My Struggle). Through this book Hitler would soon win the
hearts of Germany and her people leading to another world war and mass genocide of Jews,
including Gypsies, homosexuals and the Chinese by Japan. Fascism was overtaking Italy by
Mussolini and in Japan, the desire to bring back traditions of the Bushido warrior turned Japan
into a militarist regime and eventually emerged the kamikazes (divine wind) or suicide missions.
In Germany, the small Nazi party grew through Hitler. The party’s declaration was to rid
Germany of Jews and create a country of the Aryan race; as well as expand the borders of
Germany into the East towards Russia. Hitler delivered many powerful speeches within
Germany and won the support of the majority of the German civilians, whose were easily won
over due to the major devastating losses suffered by Germany after WWI. The path to war began
with the invasion of Czechoslovakia and soon thereafter with Poland. Britain and France then
declared war with Germany.
Japan at this point continues to invade and take control of parts of China. Japan also
began moving towards the Southeast Asian countries for resources. By falsely declaring to the
Southeast Asian countries that Japan sought to bring together the Asian nations and take back the
original form of independence from the European colonialists. Japan began to exploit the
available resources of these countries for herself. Through a series of Blitzkrieg, Germany is
able to invade Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and France. The next target was Britain;
however Germany failed to successfully invade Britain. Unfortunately for Britain as well, it was
not a battle easily fought and she suffered critical losses before Hitler finally delayed the attacks
on Britain. Desperate to defeat Britain, Hitler determined that if the Soviet Union was taken
down, then Britain could be taken down. Hitler invades the Soviet Union in June of 1942 into
November, when the cold weather of Russia and an unexpected resistance of the Russian soldiers
stopped the German troops in their tracks.
The United States experienced a surprise attack on December 7, 1941 by Japan. Despite
intelligence warning of the air raid on Pearl Harbor, the United States was oblivious to the
Japanese aircrafts headed towards Pearl Harbor. This attack on the U.S. would launch the United
States into WWII and create the Grand Alliance with Britain and the Soviet Union. Once
Germany declares war on the United States, President Roosevelt encouraged the country to go to
war with Germany and her allies, especially Japan. The majority of the U.S. troops fought in the
Pacifics. Another surprise attack from the Japanese on the Americans at Midway Island failed
miserably and as the U.S. sank three of Japan’s carrier ships with limited arms and supply, this
event proved to be a vital turning point for the U.S. as Japan began to fall behind.
Back at home for the women and children of WWII, roles changed while some were
confined even more. Nazi Germany encouraged the women to stay home and produce children
for the future army of Germany. In Soviet Russia, women actually were encouraged to fight
within the military. Many women began working in factories making ammunition for the war.
There was a considerably huge mass of propaganda to motivate and extend the morale of women
at home to help out with the war efforts. Back in the United States, women were working in
factories as well and taking over jobs left behind by men who had gone off to fight in the war.
The increase in job opportunities in the North, created an influx of rural civilians to the cities
looking for jobs. Many African-Americans also migrated north in hopes of better job
opportunities. However, the racial tensions were fierce and many racial problems surfaced.
Within the U.S. military, there was outrage from African Americans who had signed up to fight
and yet were still being segregated and treated unfairly. Other racial discriminations that took
place in the U.S. came after the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. Singled out, Japanese
Americans, many of whom were born in the U.S. as well, were gathered from every town and
sent to internment camps for security reasons. The internment camps put the majority of
Japanese business owners out of business and many lost their homes. Even though there were
Italians and Germans living in the U.S. as well, the singling out of the Japanese proved to be a
racial issue.
WWII was a grave for millions. The genocide of the millions of Jews in Europe by Nazi
Germany opened up death camps and inhumane murder systems. Competent in his desire to rid
Germany and the world of Jews, Hitler opened up death camps, the biggest known as AuschwitzBirkenau contained gas chambers where women, children and the elderly who could not perform
work duties were rounded up and gassed to death then cremated in the huge ovens. Jewish
prisoners of the death camps were also used for science experiments. By the end of the war over
five million Jews had been murdered, three million of which in the death camps. A drastic
ninety percent of the Jewish population in Poland, Germany and the Baltic countries were killed.
Bombings of cities began its way to devastating the morale of the civilians. Britain
experienced bombings of her cities by Germany and vice versa. Meanwhile the biggest bombs to
be dropped would be over Japan by the United States. As a warning to Japan, the U.S. dropped
the first atomic bomb of two on Hiroshima. The U.S. threatened to drop a second atomic bomb
on Japan if they did not respond to the U.S.’s request for them to surrender. Unfortunately, no
reply came from Japan and three days later the second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.
The catastrophe the atomic bombs could cause was unsure to the U.S. as they did not know the
maximum capabilities of the bombs. Japan surrenders after the bombing of Nagasaki. Hitler
commits suicide in April of 1945.
The end of WWII would only be the beginning to the Cold War. Communist Russia and
the United States would become the new world superpowers. The Cold War was ignited by the
military, political and ideological differences between these two new superpowers, unveiled at
the allied war conferences. The United Nations was also established after WWII and Germany
once again would have to deal with reparations set at $20 billion. Though the war had finally
ended, the differences between the allied countries would soon resurface as the focus of taking
down Nazi Germany was over. The U.S. had concerns about Russia and saw her as a conspiracy
for communism, and Russia saw the U.S. as capitalistic and economically imperialistic.