World War II
WWII Introduction
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Most destructive human endeavor in history
Battles were fought on every continent
More than 60 countries were involved
Three quarters of the world population was impacted
At least 57 million people were killed
• More than half of them were civilians
WWII Introduction
• Everything about the war was on a grand scale
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Villains, were more evil than most: Hitler, Eichmann
Heroism was truly extraordinary: Murphy
Atrocities were more heinous: Rape of Nanking, Death camps
Destruction was more devastating: Dresden, Hiroshima
Causes of World
War II
Although there is no definitive cause of WWII, three
principal trains of events can be found as being
influential
Political
• Terms of the Treaty of Versailles
• Punished Germany: financially and territorially
• Humiliation of the German people
• Each of these allowed Adolf Hitler to build popular
support for himself and the Nazi Party
Economic Crisis of the
20s and 30s
• 1921: 75 German Marks = 1 U.S. Dollar
• January 1923: 18,000 Marks = 1 U.S. Dollar
• November 1923: 4 Billion Marks = 1 U.S. Dollar
• Germany’s Middle Class lost everything
• Hitler saw FDRs New Deal galvanize the American Isolationist
Lobby.
• This led Hitler to believe the U.S. would not get involved again in
European affairs
Rise of Fascism
1. Rise of Communism
2. Treaty of Versailles
3. Great Depression
• Fascism is a political system with
A strong dictator
Extreme nationalism
Nation > individual
Racism & no tolerance of opposition
3 Causes of Fascism
• Bolshevik Revolution spreads idea of
communism throughout Europe
• A political system with state ownership
of the economy & equal distribution of
wealth
• Joseph Stalin practices totalitarianism
in U.S.S.R.
• The state holds total authority &
controls all aspects of life
• Fascism created to counter
communism
Rise of Communism
Treaty of Versailles
• Terms of treaty punish losers
of WWI
• Germany has to pay &
give up land
• German people humiliated
reparations &
Great Depression
• GD causes inflation in Europe
• November 1923: 4 Billion German Marks = 1
U.S. Dollar
• Germany’s middle class lost everything
• Benito Mussolini (“Il Duce”)
seizes power in 1922
• First fascist takeover
Italy
Tojo
• Hideki Tojo & military have
real power, not Emperor
Hirohito
• Japan needed access to raw
materials
• Japanese army invaded
Manchuria (northern China)
in 1931
• Violated Open Door Policy
• League of Nations did
nothing, U.S. refuses to
recognize forceful territorial
change
Japan
Hirohito
Adolf Hitler
• Born April 20, 1889
• Braunau am Inn, Austria
• Poor student
• Dropped out at 16
• Failed 2x to get accepted to Vienna Academy of Art
Adolf Hitler
• Influenced in Vienna by
1. Karl Lueger
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Socialist mayor
Showed Hitler that the public would forego freedom to
get economic security
2. Georg von Schoenerer
• Blamed Jews for all of the world’s evils
Adolf Hitler
• World War I
• Refused to fight for Austria
• Didn’t want to fight alongside Jews and Slavs
• Volunteered for Bavarian Infantry Regiment
• Decorated 2x for bravery
• Wounded 2x
• Blamed the Marxists and Jews for Germany’s defeat and
suffering following the war
Adolf Hitler
• 1919 Hitler joins the German Workers’ Party
• Becoming the 7th active member
• 1921 party becomes known as National Socialist German Workers’
Party, which becomes known as the Nazi Party
• Creates the SA, his own personal army
• Become known as the Brown Shirts
Adolf Hitler
• Beer hall Putsch (revolt)
• November 8, 1923
• Attempt to take control of Bavarian Government
• Revolt Fails
• Hitler arrested
• Sentenced to 5 years in prison
• Writes book title Mein Kampf (My Struggle)
• Book lays out Hitler’s views on Jews, Aryan purity, Communism, and the need
to rebuild Germany
• Hitler released after 9 months in prison
Adolf Hitler
• 1925 Hitler establishes himself as Fuhrer of the Nazi
Party
• Creates the SS to control and protect the party
• January 30, 1933 Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany
• First speech as Chancellor
• When released, increases
popularity & takes control of
Nazi Party, which adopts
Swastika as symbol (ancient
religious emblem)
• Creates SS to control &
protect the party
• In Jan. 1933, Hitler becomes
Chancellor of Germany
• First speech as chancellor
Germany