World War II Notes
 Terms that you should know
Militarism
Nationalism
Imperialism
France
Germany
Great Britain
Italy
United States
Japan
Russia
 New forms of governments formed after World War 1
 Totalitarian rule-Idea that a government exerts total
control over a nation.
 Fascism- Emphasizes the importance of the nation
or an ethnic group and the supreme authority of the
ruler. (ITALY)
 Nazism-The belief in Germany of the superiority of
an ethnic group or race
 Socialism- where everyone is created equal and the
nation is to provide for everything for everybody.
 New forms of governments formed after World War 1
Communism- A system of government in which
a nation is created where it has no individual
states, money is not important and that a class
system doesn’t exist. (Russia and today China)
Leader-Stalin
Comes to power in 1924 after Lenin’s Death
and has his own idea’s of Communism
Stalin’s Economic plans for Russia
Agriculture
 Combined family farms into huge collectives run by the
state. (Cooperatives)
 This led to terrible shortages of food and Stalin punished his
own people who resisted the changes. (Either killed them or
sent them to prison camps in Siberia.) pg 569
Industry
Took his people and assigned them to build industrial
centers to produce coal, iron, oil etc.
Guns versus butter-Stalin put all of the Soviet Unions
wealth and money into industry, there was a shortage
of housing, clothing and food.
 How did Stalin accomplish all of this in 10 years???
Purges-removing enemies and undesirable
people from power
Reign of Terror-Stalin removed anyone who
could threaten his power in the Communist
party by trials
By 19397 million arrested, 1 million executed and
millions more in forced labor camps.
Fascism Leader- Benito Mussolini
 Fought in world war 1, angry over the agreements of the
Versailles Treaty, started to speak up against the government
Formed the Fascist party and started to take
control by using gangs to gain power.
Named Prime Minister when Mussolini
threated to march on Rome, Italy.
Fascism Leader- Benito Mussolini
To end Italy's economic problems they
outlawed
Elections
Other political parties
Established a dictatorship with him in control.
 Nazism Leader-Adolf Hitler
Wounded in World War 1 also.
Had a profound hatred of the war-guilt cause,
which blamed Germany for the war.
Formed the Nazi party in response to what was
happening in Germany at this time
(Unemployment, Inflation, Starvation, etc.)
Great Public Speaker and attracted many followers
after the war.
The Nazi Party
November 1923-Hitler tried to overthrow the
German government and was sentenced to
prison for 5 years (9 months served)
Mein Kampf “My Struggle”
proposed anger over the Treaty of Versailles
Build up of Germany’s military-Militarism
Expanding Germany’s borders-Imperialism
Purifying the Aryan (German) race by removing
those who were considered undesirable.
 Prelude to war part 1
 Prelude to war part 2
 Prelude to war part 3
Wanted to avoid a long war
Germany's strategy was to defeat its
opponents in a series of short
campaigns
Strategy: "Blitzkrieg" (lightning war)
Tactic based on
speed surprise, coordination and
movement.
Designed to hit
hard and then
move on instantly
 Video
Required the
application of
offensive weapons
Tanks, planes, and
artillery (foot
soldiers)
Causes shock and
disorganization
among the enemy
defenses
 German air power prevented the enemy from
adequately resupplying or redeploying forces
and thereby from sending reinforcements to
seal breaches in the front. German forces
could in turn surround opposing troops and
force surrender.
 Hitler Unleashes Blitzkrieg
German’s invaded Poland September
1st 1939
Denmark and Norway-April 9th 1940
Defeated after 5 days
Belgium
Defeated in 3 weeks
Ultimately FranceJune 10th France Surrendered
Most of Europe was under German Control with
only Great Britain left to defend itself.
 Defense and evacuation of British
and allied forces in Europe from
26 May–4 June 1940s

Part of the Battle of France
 Operation Dynamo
 850 “Little Ships”
 2,000 troops per hour
 Nine days later, 338,226 trapped
people were rescued
 DURKIRK SPIRIT
 MIRACLE OF DELIVERANCE
 We saw these small specks popping about all over the
place, only when they got real close did we then
realize that they were small boats, small boats in
their hundreds going the other way. Then we saw
that all these craft were manned by civilians, some
even wearing trilby hats and smart jackets. They
waved to us as they passed and anyone would think
that they were on a Sunday cruise down to Windsor,
these fellows had no idea as to what was at the end of
their journey. A couple of fellows by the handrail gave
them a cheer, and suddenly just about every soldier
on our ship then gave three hearty cheers lifting their
hats at the same time.
Wanted space for the “superior race” – Nazi
Nationalists
The “inferior race” living on Nazi territory –
Gypsies and the Jews
Sent to concentration camps or ghettos for slave
labor or to be sent to death – RESETTLEMENT
The Nazis stripped away the Jews lives and their
identities in an effort to expand their own race at
the expense and mistreatment of the Jewish
race.
Immediately after the defeat of France, Adolf
Hitler ordered his generals to organize the
invasion of Britain.
Objective was to land 160,000 German
soldiers along a forty-mile coastal stretch of
south-east England.
video
Luftwaffe: Germany’s large
number of fighter planes
 Royal Air Force (RAF): Britain's
fighter planes
 German fighters could only
stay over England for about
half an hour before flying back
to their home bases.
 Britain had a radar system
12th August,
1940, the German air force
 On the
began its mass bomber
attacks on British radar
stations, aircraft factories and
fighter airfields
The climax of the Battle of Britain came on the
30th-31st August
British lost 50 aircraft compared to the
Germany's 41.
 The RAF were close to defeat but Adolf Hitler
then changed his tactics and ordered the
Luftwaffe to switch its attack from British
airfields, factories and docks to civilian targets.
This decision was the result of a bombing attack
on Berlin
Damage in London
 London was bombed by the Germans = The Blitz
 During the conflict the Royal Air Force lost 792
planes and the Luftwaffe 1,389. There were 2,353
men from Great Britain and 574 from overseas who
were members of the air crews that took part in the
Battle of Britain.
 An estimated 544 were killed and a further 791 lost
their lives in the course of their duties before the war
came to an end.
Put your feet in the life of a European teen your
age during this time period. You can choose to
write about being in the shoes of a soldier
during a battle, a civilian caught in a battle, or
a prisoner in a concentration camp. I expect
you to sincerely reflect with the knowledge you
learned about the Nazi’s tactics and the morale
the underdogs held. Highlight tactics, concepts,
and battles we discussed in class.
1-2 paragraphs No grammar/spelling errors. Due in
the beginning of class tomorrow. – 10 points… 2
minutes of writing time.
 Japan as a modern power
 Fought wars versus china (1894) and Russia (1904) (Defeated them
both)
 Early 1920s, A series of Recessions in the Japanese Economy
 Went into a depression as a result of the Great Depression in the United
States
 Nationalism
 Manchurian Incident – Start of Japanese involvement in the pacific
 Japan Needed resources to feed its people and to power its industry.
Feb 1932
Pg 583 Japan’s imperialism
 Military slowly took control by a series of
assassinations after the Manchurian incident
 China
Sino-Japanese war Japan invades China in 1937
Video
Burma Road
Britain's attempt to help the Chinese by
sending supplies down a highway that
linked Myanmar to China
 By annexing the neighboring countries and a build up
of its’ military forces, Japan became a world power at
this time
Neutrality acts1935-Banned U.S. for selling weapons to
nations at war
1936-Banned loans to nations at war
1937-Permitted trade in non-military goods as
long as they paid cash and transported the
goods themselves (CASH AND CARRY)
ALL EXAMPLES OF ISOLATIONISM
Fireside chats
America’s Role in World Politics
FDR wanted to be more involved but the
Great Depression keep Roosevelt focused
on Domestic matters.
America’s economy was recovering slowly
America’s opinions were to support Britain
and go against Germany and Italy (Axis
Powers)
America’s Role in World Politics
Exchange of old Navy Destroyers for military
bases in the Western Hemisphere
Thought that the exchange would lead the
United States into war
America First Committee-Group that wanted
to prevent further aid to Britain, saying that
any more involvement would plunge the nation
into war.
Lend Lease-Lending Britain money and
supplies instead of charging them cash.
Pearl Harbor
Dec 7th 1941
Japan attacks the United States
VIDEO
VIDEO 2
President’s speech
America prepares for war
Fireside Chat
America out of the great depression creates
industries geared to production of war products
(Guns, ammo, ships, etc) GUNS VS. BUTTER
The American public goes through a series of
steps for rationing products
Rationing-limiting the supply of goods sent to the
people of a country during a time of crisis.
Steps to rationing
Office of War Mobilization-
VIDEO
Victory gardenBlack MarketRation CardRation Stamps-
Victory garden-
Ration Card-
Ration Stamps-
Black Market-
 With the United States now into the war, the Allies and
the Axis Powers are now defined as enemies.
 The United States focuses all its might and energy into
helping Great Britain defeat Nazi Germany and help in
Europe.
 Atlantic Charter Video
 The first action for the allies was in North Africa to gain a
toehold into Europe
 Wolf Packs- German Submarines who wreaked havoc on
shipping in the North Atlantic,. They tried to cut off all
supplies to the British Island which almost singlehandedly won the war for Germany
 Video
 The Eastern Front-Germany invades Russia during June
1941
 Germany is halted by the brutal Russian winter at
Stalingrad 1942
 Eventually they are beaten back after heavy losses of
both men and machine.
 Video
 Carpet bombing- The use of heavy bombers to reduce a
city to rubble to force a country into submission
 Video
 The bombing campaign while effective was not a solution
to make Germany surrender so an invasion of the
European continent was planned
 D-Day-Operation Overlord
 The 5 beaches at Normandy France
 Sword, Omaha, Juno, Utah and gold
 Saving Private Ryan
 Lead by Dwight D. Eisenhower, would later become
president
 Largest Amphibious operation of its kind to retake
Europe
 Battle of the Bulge
 Last German offensive of the war, tried to create a gap in
the Allied lines to force a retreat to drag out the war.
 Video
 After the German defeat at the battle of the bulge, The allies
quickly pull into Germany and defeat is final on
 May 8th 1945 V-E Day; Victory in Europe
 Yalta conference: The allies met to divide Germany into four
zones and what to do in Europe afterwards
Japanese forces advance in the pacific war
Fall of the Philippines
 Bataan Death march
 U.S. Forces were captured and forced to march to a prisoner
camp over the span of 12 days
 10,000 died on the march and 15,000 more die at the prison.
 Geneva Convention
 Written in 1929 which defined treatment of prisoners of war
which the Japanese ignored
The war at sea
 Important battles
Battle of the Coral Sea-no one won the battle but
prevented the Japanese from invading Australia
Battle of Midway-Turning point of the war in the
pacific, the U.S. Navy destroyed most of the Japanese
carrier fleet
VIDEO
 The victory enabled the U.S. to go on the offensive
The war at sea
 Important battles
Battle of Guadalcanal-FEB 1943
1st victory of the U.S. on land which took territory
away from Japan
 Island Hopping-selectively attacking certain islands
held by Japan while bypassing others to cut off
supplies and reinforcements, enabled the U.S. to get
to the ultimate goal, Japan, faster.
Map of island hopping
Battle of the Leyte Gulf
Taking back the Philippines
Douglas MacArthur makes good on his promise to
return
Kamikaze
Japan, short on planes and warships, loaded their
airplanes with gas and explosives and they crashed
into American ships
Similar to suicide bombers of today
Douglas MacArthur
Iwo Jima and Okinawa
Most brutal fighting of the Pacific
war, these two islands were to provide
an air base to attack Japan directly
Iwo Jima 25,000 American casualties
Okinawa 50,000 died
VIDEO
VIDEO flag rising
Iwo Jima famous photograph
Okinawa and Iwo Jima
Okinawa and Iwo Jima
Japan is ready to be beaten but surrender is not
an option in their culture
President Roosevelt dies in office
April 12th 1945 a month before V-E
day
Harry S. Truman inherits the office
of the presidency and faces a
difficult decision in the Pacific war.
Get into groups of 2
You are the president of the
united states and these are
the four scenario’s that you
must choose from to end the
war in the pacific
What would you do as the new
president?
 1) Invade the main island of Japan and lose 1,000,000
American troops?
 2) use a new secret weapon being developed in the United
States unleashing a horrible new destructive technology but
it is unknown how powerful it is or the long term effects.
 3) blockade the island and starve Japan along with bombing
them into submission
 4) soften demands for an unconditional surrender
You must choose from one of the
four scenarios and give reasons why
your group chose the one you went
with, and also give at least 1 reason
of why the other reasons were
rejected. You have 10 minutes to
complete this project and be ready
to defend your decision in front of
the class
Manhattan project
To build the world’s first nuclear device
Tested at Los Alamos, New Mexico
Albert Einstein, a former German scientist worked
on the project
Created under the direction of Robert
Oppenheimer, who after witnessing the successful
test (called the Trinity Test) was quoted “Now I am
become Death, the destroyer of worlds.”
VIDEO
V-J Day August 15th 1945
Unconditional surrender aboard the
USS Missouri
Timeline
 Anti-Semitism-discrimination or hostility directed at the Jewish
population Mid 1800s in Germany
 Holocaust-term used to describe the persecution and
extermination of the Jewish people in Europe by Germany 19331945
 Concentration Camp-prison which contained anyone deemed
“undesirable” by the German state
 Kristallnacht-Night of Broken Glass, Nazis destroyed Jewish
stores and places of worship and shipped thousands of Jews to
the concentration camps after one night November 9th, 1938
Timeline
Warsaw Ghetto-1940
Germany houses the Jewish population
in the city to starve
Wannsee Conference-Nazi officials met and
decided on a “Final Solution” of the Jewish
question Jan 1942
Which meant the systematic extermination of
all Jews in Europe
Timeline
Genocide-deliberate destruction of an ethnic or
cultural group
Death Camps-camps designed with one purpose in
mind, to kill as many people as possible in the
shortest amount of time.
Nuremberg Trials-Nuremberg Germany where high
ranking German officials were put on trial for crimes
against humanity.
VIDEO
In the end over 6 million Jews
were exterminated during World
War 2
Holocaust MuseumAuschwitz Concentration Camp
 Internment-Forced relocation of Japanese citizens in
the Western United States to different locations
throughout the U.S.
 Nisei-Term used for Japanese Americans
 VIDEO
 The Japanese Americans were forced to leave their
homes, businesses, which were then taken by the
United States government
 In 1988, Congress authorized repayment of $20,000
dollars and an apology for the crimes committed by
the U.S. government against its’ own citizens