Major Causes of WWII
❖Treaty of Versailles
❖Rise of Italian fascism
❖Rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party
❖Great Depression
❖Japanese expansionism
❖Anti-communism
❖Appeasement
❖Militarism
❖Nationalism
❖U.S. isolationism
❖Maps
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Treaty of
Versailles
Rise of
Hitler
Nationalism
Rise of
fascism in
Italy
Major Causes
of
World War II
Economic
depression
Militarism
Appeasement
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Japanese
expansionism
Anticommunism
Treaty of Versailles
After Germany lost WWI, the winning nations drafted a
treaty to address issues such as territorial adjustments,
reparations, armament restrictions, war guilt and the
League of Nations.
The treaty punished Germany and left bitter feelings.
Germany was forced to accept all the blame for the war
and pay millions in reparations to Britain and France.
Italy was disappointed that it was denied territory
promised by Britain and France.
British
Prime
Minister
George
1914
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1919
Italian
Prime
Minister
Orlando
French Prime
U.S. President
Minister
Wilson
Clemenceau
“Big Four”
The Rise of Fascism in Italy
Fascism is a totalitarian
form of government
which:
Glorifies the state
Has one leader and
one party
All aspects of society
are controlled by the
government
No opposition or
protests are tolerated
Propaganda and
censorship are widely
practiced
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Benito Mussolini came to power
in 1922 and helped found the
political ideology of fascism. He
sided with the Axis powers in
1940.
In Germany, depression, unemployment and
hard times led to a dramatic increase in votes
for Hitler and the Nazi Party.
Election date
Votes in
millions
Share
May 20, 1928
0.81
2.6%
September 14, 1930
6.41
18.3%
July 31, 1932
13.75
37.3%
November 6, 1932
11.74
33.1%
March 5, 1933
17.28
43.9%
Voting for Hitler’s party increased as
unemployment rates rose
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Worldwide Economic Depression
After WWI many European
economies were unstable.
The boom in the U.S.
throughout the 1920s helped
sustain worldwide trade.
The 1929 stock market crash
in the U.S. and the resulting
Great Depression spread
throughout the world. U.S.
restrictive tariff policies
worsened the depression.
As economies plummeted
and unemployment rose, many
people turned to powerful
leaders and governments who
promised success through
military buildup and the
conquest of territory.
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German breadlines
Japanese children eating
radish roots during famine
Japanese Expansionism
In 1931 Japan
invaded Manchuria for raw
materials.
The same year,
Japan began to attack
China, with full-scale war
breaking out in 1937 in
the Sino-Japanese War.
In 1938, war broke
out between Japan and
the Soviet Union in what
were known as the SovietJapanese Border Wars.
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Anti-Communism
Under communism, all
means of production are
controlled by the government,
as are property, the media,
and all other aspects of
society.
The 1930s saw the rise of
many totalitarian regimes;
but most people chose
fascism over communism.
Hitler exploited people’s
fear of a communist takeover
in Germany to rise to power
in 1933.
A Battle for Germany: Nazi anticommunist book from 1933
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Appeasement
Appeasement is the act of
giving in to an enemy’s
demands in hopes of
avoiding further conflict.
In 1938, Hitler demanded
that Czechoslovakia cede the
Sudetenland to Germany. He
claimed that the German
population living there was
being mistreated.
The British and French
prime ministers agreed to
Hitler’s demands without
consulting Czechoslovakian
leaders, in the hopes that
this would avoid a war in
Europe.
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Militarism
The glorification
of war, in which a nation
strengthens its military
and stockpiles weapons
in preparation for war.
An important
aspect of militarism is
that the glorification of
war is incorporated into
all levels of society,
including education of
the nation’s youth.
Hitler Youth group
Militaristic
societies have existed
throughout human
history.
Ancient Sparta is an example of a
militaristic society
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Nationalism
Nationalism is the
belief in the
superiority of one’s
own nation over all
others.
In the extreme, it
can lead to major
conflicts between
nations.
Hitler, Mussolini,
and Japan’s Tojo each
touted their nation’s
ability to dominate all
others in the years
leading up to WWII.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Nazi flag, Italian fascist logo,
Japanese flag
American Isolationism
The failure of peace
efforts such as the Kellogg
Briand Treaty during the
1920s disillusioned many
Americans about
international involvement.
The U.S. was in a
major depression
throughout the 1930s and
was mostly concerned with
its own problems.
Conflict in Europe
seemed distant, and the
U.S. tried to remain neutral.
This policy weakened the
European democracies.
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The Nye Committee held
congressional hearings in the
mid-1930s, concluding that the
U.S. was tricked into entering
WWI by arms manufacturers
and Allied propaganda.
Theaters of War: Where WWII Was Fought
Europe
North
Africa
Atlantic
Ocean
Asia
Pacific
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HITLER’S
WWII
PARTNERS
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India
Brazil
THE ALLIED
POWERS IN
WWII
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Hitler’s Foreign Policy Aims
○
Hitler sought to unite the German people
●
○
In 1935, Hitler declared that Germany was no longer
bound by the Versailles treaty and began to rearm, and
used the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39 as a training
ground for the new troops.
●
○
○
“protecting the 10 million Germans living outside the Reich”
Germany and Italy supplied Franco and the Soviet Union
supplied the Spanish republic
In 1936, Hitler reoccupied the Rhineland, taking away the
buffer zone between Germany and France.
In 1938 he annexed Austria bringing about Anschluss or
union.
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Where Were the Allied
Powers?
○
○
○
The U.S. had rejected the Peace of Paris and was
caught up in the Depression; Russia was consolidating
its revolution; Britain was caught up in the Depression;
France alone was left to hold Germany down.
Also, Nazi propaganda in the U.S. and Britain portrayed
Hitler as the best check on Communist Russia.
The British and French feared a new war and went to
great lengths to avoid confrontation. France built
immense fortifications, called the Maginot Line, but
lacked the mobile strike force necessary to counter an
aggressive Germany.
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Appeasement
○
As a result, Britain came up with the policy of
appeasement:
●
●
○
Giving in to Germany in the hope that a satisfied Hitler
would not drag Europe through another world war.
They thought Hitler simply wanted a peaceful revision of
the Versailles Treaty and that he could be contained
through concessions.
Czechoslovakia
●
●
A little over 3 million ethnic Germans lived in the
Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia.
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain agreed to meet
with Hitler to discuss the matter.
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Czechoslovakia: The Apex of
Appeasement
○
At the Munich Conference of 1938, Britain and France
(not Czechoslovakia) agreed to the German
occupation of the Sudetenland.
●
○
○
Deprived of the Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia could not
defend against a German attack. Hitler took
Czechoslovakia in March 1939.
The take-over of Czechoslovakia was different than
the other conquests. This was not about German selfdetermination it was about hegemony or control of
Europe.
With the end of Czech independence, Hitler’s intent to
dominate Europe was apparent.
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Poland: The Final Crisis
○
○
○
Hitler next turned his attention to Poland. He
demanded the return of the city of Danzig and use of
the Polish corridor. Poland refused and France and
Great Britain warned that they would support Poland
if attacked.
On May 22, 1939, Hitler and Mussolini entered into a
pact, promising mutual aid in the event of war.
On August 23, 1939, Germany and Russia signed
a nonaggression pact, giving Hitler the greenlight to invade Poland.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
The Nazi Blitzkrieg
○
Poland
●
●
●
○
○
On September 1, 1939, German troops invaded Poland.
Britain and France declared war two days later.
On September 17, Soviet troops invaded Poland from
the east.
In less than a month, the Nazi blitzkrieg (lightning
war) had captured Poland, which surrendered on
September 27.
For Hitler, the conquest of Poland was only the
beginning. He then captured Denmark and Norway.
In May of 1940, German troops invaded Belgium,
Holland, and Luxembourg and marched into France.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
“Blitzkrieg”
• In German blitzkrieg means “lightning war”.
• Hitler used blitzkrieg during his invasion of Poland.
• Blitzkrieg included surprise attacks, rapid advances
into enemy territory, and massive air attacks that
struck and shocked the enemy.
• Germany achieved most of its victories in World War
II with the Blitzkrieg tactic.
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Blitzkrieg
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“Phony War”
• Britain sent troops to wait with the French down behind the
Maginot Line.
• Reporters called this quiet time of not much action the “phony
war”
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Maginot Line
• The Maginot Line was a defensive for France against
an invasion of Germany.
• The Maginot Line was established after World War I.
• The line showed to be little use in 1940 when Germany
invaded France for the third time.
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Maginot Line
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“Blitzkrieg: German soldiers being parachuted into
Holland - May 10, 1940”
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Early Axis Triumphs
• In April 1940 the quiet time of the war exploded into
action.
• Hitler launched a series of blitzkrieg.
• Norway and and Denmark both fell.
• Germany had overrun the Netherlands and Belgium.
• Germany along with Italy forced France to surrender.
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World War II in 1939/1942
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Fall of France
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Hitler’s Major Blunder
• The Germans invaded France in May 1940.
• Retreating Allied forces made it to Dunkirk and found
themselves trapped between the advancing Nazis and
the English Channel. The British sent every boat they
could get across the English Channel to pick up troops
off the beaches of Dunkirk.
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Miracle at Dunkirk
• The event at Dunkirk is called a miracle because the
retreating allies had lost hope and then the British
pulled through for them and rescued 338,000 men.
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June 22, 1940
• On June 22, 1940 France signs an armistice with Germany
in occupied France.
• An armistice is a cease fire or a truce.
• The Franco-German Armistice divided France into two
zones. One zone was under German military occupation and
the other was under French control.
• In 1942 Germans occupied all of France
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June 22, 1940
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Japanese Expansion
○
○
○
○
Japan is expanding in the Pacific in search of
raw materials.
Problems:
● U.S. insisted of Japan’s withdrawal from
China
● Japan’s alliance with Germany and Italy
(Tripartite Pact)
Negotiations over commercial treaty
U.S. had broken Japanese diplomatic codes
● Japan wanted Indochina
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Oil Embargo
○
○
U.S. freezes Japanese assets and starts embargo
● U.S. cuts off sale of airplane fuel to Japan and cuts
back on other natural resources.
● Great Britain and the Dutch East Indies also participate
in the embargo.
Japan cut off from its major source of oil
●
●
○
66.4 percent of imports came from Anglo-Americans
Over 80 percent of its oil came from U.S.
Japanese Navy’s oil reserves (2 years)
● Planned for war after August 1, 1941
● The longer Japan waited the worse its economic and
military situation would become.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Decision for War
○
○
○
“Hull Note” delivered on Nov. 26, 1941
● Basically restated U.S. demands
● Prime Minister Tōjō sees note as ultimatum and
and proof that further diplomacy was futile.
● Japanese public opinion was firmly behind the
decision for war.
Late Nov., 1941 – U.S. learns Japanese Armada
leaves Japan / lost track of and thought they
were headed to attack the Philippines
Dec. 6, Japan breaks off negotiations, refusing to
leave China
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December 7, 1941
○
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor in Hawaii
●
●
●
○
U.S. fleet caught unprepared
2400 sailors died, 1200 wounded,18 ships sunk,
and 160 aircraft damaged and 200 destroyed.
Only the aircraft carriers, by chance on maneuvers,
escaped the worst naval defeat in American history.
Later the same day, Japan attacks the Philippines,
Guam, and Midway and attacks British forces in
Hong Kong and the Malay Peninsula (Singapore)
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Global War
○
○
○
○
○
FDR – “a date that will live in infamy.”
Dec. 8, 1941 - U.S. declares war on Japan
Germany and Italy declare war on U.S.
With the Japanese attack on the U.S.,
World War II became a global war.
The U.S. would enter the war against the
Axis powers and concentrate on Europe.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
End of WWII: V-E Day
▪
V-E Day (Victory in
Europe day) was May 7
and 8 1945. These are the
two days that the
unconditional surrender of
the Axis Powers in Europe
were accepted and signed.
▪
The War in Europe was
officially over.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
End of WWII: V-E Day
▪
V-E Day (Victory in
Europe day) was May 7
and 8 1945. These are the
two days that the
unconditional surrender of
the Axis Powers in Europe
were accepted and signed.
▪
The War in Europe was
officially over.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
End of WWII: V-E Day
▪
V-E Day (Victory in
Europe day) was May 7
and 8 1945. These are the
two days that the
unconditional surrender of
the Axis Powers in Europe
were accepted and signed.
▪
The War in Europe was
officially over.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
End of WWII: Nuclear War
■
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New technology was
used by the U.S.A. as a
show of force to end the
war with Japan in the
Pacific.
End of WWII: Nuclear War
■
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
New technology was
used by the U.S.A. as a
show of force to end the
war with Japan in the
Pacific.
End of WWII: Nuclear War
■
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
New technology was
used by the U.S.A. as a
show of force to end the
war with Japan in the
Pacific.
End of WWII: Nuclear War
■
In order to bring the war to an end quickly,
President Harry S. Truman, decided that a show of
extreme force would end the fighting.
■
On August 6, 1945, “Little Boy” was dropped
on Hiroshima.
■
The U.S.A. then gave Japan an ultimatum,
unconditional surrender by the Japanese or there
would be a second nuclear attack.
■
On August 9, 1945, with Japan failing to
surrender, a second nuclear bomb called “Fat
Man” was dropped on Nagasaki.
On August 15, 1945, Japan surrendered to
the Allies.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
■
End of WWII: Hiroshima
Hiroshima Model Before Bombing
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Hiroshima Model After Bombing
End of WWII: Hiroshima
The ruins of Hiroshima one day after the atomic bomb called
“Little Boy” was dropped on August 6, 1945.
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End of WWII: Hiroshima
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End of WWII: Nagasaki
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End of WWII: Nagasaki
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