Germany
Italy
Red =Height of Axis
Territory
Japan
Alliances During World War II
I can explain how aggressive Axis expansion led to World War II.


Italy and Germany formed a pact to oppose communism. [1936]

Then Japan and Germany created another pact against the Soviet
Union.

In 1937, the three powers signed an agreement of friendship and alliance.

Axis Powers

Called the Axis powers, they united against communism and democracy.

Partner Question


 NONAGGRESSION PACT : AUGUST 1939, AN
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE USSR AND
GERMANY IN WHICH THEY PROMISED
NOT TO ATTACK EACH OTHER.
 THIS CAME AS A SHOCK BECAUSE
HITLER HATED COMMUNISM AND
STALIN HATED NAZISM.
 THIS PACT FREED HITLER TO ATTACK
POLAND AND RISK A WAR WITH THE
ALLIES (UK AND FRANCE).

Partner Questions

2. Who is the nonaggression pact between?

3. What is the nonaggression pact?

4. Why would Hitler risk a war with the U.K. and France, but not the Soviet Union? [Think
Geography]

Isolationism

Isolationism


ISOLATIONISM : MAJORITY OF AMERICANS
WANTED TO STAY OUT OF THE WAR. THIS WAS
A CONTINUATION OF THE U.S. ISOLATIONISM
TRADITION WHICH PREVENTED THE U.S. FROM
HELPING THE WESTERN DEMOCRACIES IN THEIR
STRUGGLE AGAINST HITLER.
NEUTRAL : WHAT THE MAJORITY OF AMERICAN
PEOPLE WANTED TO MAINTAIN AT THE START
OF WW II. MEANS NOT JOINING EITHER SIDE,
STAYING OUT OF THE FIGHTING.

Partner Question

5. Explain U.S. isolationism.



In 1939, German forces attacked Poland.
Allies
France and Great Britain, allies that had guaranteed Polish independence, declared war on Germany.
Change on the horizon with the idea of isolationism in the U.S.

Lend Lease Act

LEND LEASE ACT : MARCH 1941,
ALLOWED THE PRESIDENT TO SELL,
LEND OR LEASE WAR MATERIALS TO
ANY NATION WHOSE DEFENSE WAS
VITAL TO U.S. SECURITY.

IN REALITY THE U.S. GAVE WEAPONS
ONLY TO THE UK AND ABANDONED
NEUTRALITY.

ARSENAL OF DEMOCRACY : CONCEPT THAT THE U.S. WOULD
SUPPLY THE WEAPONS FOR THOSE FIGHTING AGAINST HITLER
AND JAPAN WHILE KEEPING ITS MEN OUT OF THE ACTUAL
FIGHTING.

Partner Questions

6. What is the lend-lease act?

7. Does the U.S. practice neutrality with regards to the lend-lease act? Explain.

Allies

The next year, the German army swept across
France, soon forcing the French to surrender.
Look at the expression of their faces.
French Reaction

Allies
Evacuation of the Children-London


The British now stood alone against Hitler, who tried to bomb them into submission.
Britain’s air defense of its skies, called the Battle of
Britain, prevented Hitler from moving ahead with plans for an invasion.

Allies



In 1941, Germany attacked the Soviet Union—an action that resulted in the Soviets and British becoming allies.
Japanese forces bombed the U.S. base in Pearl Harbor.
Soon the Allies (Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United
States) were all fighting against the Axis powers and their allies.
Soviet
Union
United
States

Partner Questions

8. Who violated the nonaggression pact?

9. Who becomes allies because of the violation of the nonaggression pact?

10. What is the final straw to pull the
U.S. into World War II?

11. What 3 countries comprise the
Allied Powers?

Journal Entry

Entry #20

5/4/15

Imagine you are at Pearl Harbor when the surprise attack by the Japanese is taking place. How would you adapt to the unknown situation on the morning of
December 7th, 1941?