Section 1 : Aggression, Appeasement, and War
During the 1920s, the western democracies tried to strengthen the
framework of
_Peace_ as _Dictators_ challenged peace with ambitious goals for empires.
Japan on the Move
One of the earliest tests had been posed by _Japan_ as military leaders and
_Ultranationalists_ fought for an empire equal to those of _Western_ powers.
In pursuit of this goal, Japan seized _Manchuria_ in 1931, and when the League of
_Nations_
condemned the aggression, Japan withdrew from the organization.
Japan’s success strengthened the _Militarists_ and in 1937, Japanese armies overran
much of eastern _China_. Western protests had no effect on the conquerors.
Italy Invades Ethiopia
In Italy, _Mussolini_ used his new, modern military to pursue his own imperialist
ambitions
and invaded _Ethiopia_ in 1935. (why Ethiopia ?)
The Ethiopian King, Haile _Selassie_ appealed to the League of Nations for help and
they voted for _Sanctions_, or penalties, against Italy for violating international law.
Hitler’s Challenge
Mussolini and _Hitler_ viewed the desire for peace by the western democracies as
weakness. By 1936, Hitler too will test their will and find it _weak_.
First, he built up the German _military_ in defiance of the _Versailles_ treaty.
Then Hitler sent troops into the “_Demilitarized_” Rhineland bordering France – another
_treaty_ violation.
His successful challenges won him greater popularity at home – as the western
democracies denounced his move but took no real _action_.
Appeasement and Neutrality
The western policy of _appeasement_, or giving into the demands of an _aggressor_ to
keep the peace, developed for a number of reasons.
France was _demoralized_, suffering from political divisions and could not move against
Hitler without _British_ support, who had no desire to confront the German dictator.
In both France and Britain, many saw _Hitler_ and Fascism as a defense against a worse
_evil_ - the spread of Soviet _Communism__.
Furthermore, the Great _Depression_ sapped the energy and _Pacifism_ pushed many
governments to seek peace at any _price_.
As war clouds gathered over Europe in the 1930s, the United States passed a series of
Rome – Berlin – Tokyo Axis
In the face of the democracies’ apparent _weakness_, Germany, Italy, and
_Japan_ formed what became known as the _Axis_ powers.
This alliance agreed to fight Soviet _Communism_, not to interfere with
one another’s plans for _expansion_, and cleared the way for even bolder
moves.
The Spanish Civil War
In 1936, _Spain_ plunged into civil war and soon drew other European
powers.
Conservative general Francisco _Franco_ led the forces he called the
_Nationalists_ as Fascists and right-wing supporters rallied behind Franco.
As Hitler and _Mussolini_ sent arms and forces to help Franco, the Soviet
Union fought alongside the _Loyalists_ against Fascism – as Britain,
France, and the United States remained _Neutral_.
Both sides committed horrible _atrocities_, by 1939, Franco had
German Aggression Continues
Hitler continued to pursue his goal of bringing all German – speaking or Aryan people into the Third Reich or empire.
Hitler thought that Germany had a right to conquer the inferior slavs to the east.
“Nature is cruel – so we may be cruel too, and remove millions of an inferior race that breed like vermin.” – Hitler
From the beginning, Nazi propaganda had found fertile ground in Austria.
By 1938, Hitler was ready to engineer the Anschluss, or union of Austria and Germany. He sent the German army to “preserve order” which violated the Versailles treaty and created a brief war scare.
Germany’s next victim was Czechoslovakia. First the demand was Autonomy for the three million Germans in the Sudetenland – a region in the west. As Britain and France searched for a peaceful solution, Hitler increased his demands.
The Sudetenland, he said, must e Annexed to Germany.
At the Munich Conference in September 1938, British and French leaders again caved to Hitler’s demands and chose appeasement asked the Czechs to surrender the land with a fight. Hitler assured them – he had no further plans or demands for expansion.
Returning from Munich, British Prime Minister Chamblain told cheering crowds he had achieved “Peace for out Time” and saved Europe from Armageddon.
Europe Plunges Toward
War
The democracies finally accepted that
appeasement had failed and promised
to protect Poland, the next target of
Hitler’s expansion.
In August 1939, Hitler stunned the
world by announcing a Non-Aggression
pact with his great enemy – Joseph
Stalin, the Soviet Dictator.
Invasion of Poland
On September 1, 1939, a week after the
Nazi-Soviet Pact, German forces invaded
Poland. Two days later, Britain and
France declare war on Germany.
World War II had begun!
When it comes it will be more
World War II and Its Aftermath
The Global Conflict: Axis Advances
Why War Came
Today historians often see the war as an effort to revise the 1919
peace settlement - __
Versailles
_ treaty – which divided the world
into two camps, those who were satisfied and those who were
__
NOT
__.
Satisfied –
Not Satisfied –
Early Axis Gains
On September 1, _
1939
_, Nazi forces stormed into __
Poland
__,
revealing the enormous power of Hitler’s __
Blitzkrieg
__ or “lighting
war.”
First German _
Planes
_ bombed airfields, factories, and _
Cities
_
firing on both troops and __
Civilians
__ as _
tanks
_ and troops roared
into the country. As Polish troops fought back _
unsuccessfully
_.
While German forces attacked from the west, __
Stalin’s
__ forces
invaded from the _
East
_, grabbing lands promised to them under the
_
Nazi
_ - Soviet Pact – within a month __
Poland
_ ceased to exist.
As Hitler passed the first winter without much action, Stalin’s armies
World War
II
THE PHONY WAR
AFRICA AND THE BALKANS
During that first winter the _French_ hunkered down as Britainsent troops to wait with them - April 1940 - war exploded into action.
Hitler launched a blitzkrieg against Norway and __Denmark_,
both which soon fell. Next, his forces slammed into the _Netherlands__ and Belgium.
By May, German forces were pouring into _France_ soon
trapping British forces between the advancing Nazis and the waters of the _English_ Channel
In a desperate gamble, the British sent all available naval
vessels, merchant ships, even fishing and _Pleasure_ boats across the channel to pluck stranded troops off the beaches of __Dunkirk_ and Ostend.
Despite German air attacks, the heroic rescue, dubbed the
“miracle of Dunkirk” ferried more than _300,000_ troops from the German forces.
Meanwhile, German forces headed south toward _Paris_ -
_Italy_ declared war on France and attacked from the south.
On June 22, _1940_, the __overrun_ and demoralized France
surrendered. Hitler forced the French to sign the surrender document in the same __Railroad__ car in which Germany had signed the _Armistice_ ending World War I.
Axis armies also pushed into North Africa and
the __Balkans_. In September 1940,
__Mussolini__ ordered forces to invade Egypt and in October _1940_ forces invaded
_Greece__.
With German troops providing
_reinforcements__ Greece and _Yugoslavia_
were added to the growing __Axis__ powers.
Meanwhile, both __Bulgaria___ and Hungary
The Technology of Modern
Warfare
The whirlwind
_Nazi
_ advances revealed the awesome power of
modern war.
__
Technology
_ created a war machine with even greater destructive
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN
OPERATION
BARBAROSSA
With the fall of __France__, Britain stood alone in
Western Europe.
Hitler was sure the British would sue for __Peace_, but
_Churchill_ the British Prime Minister had other plans - rallied the British to _Fight_
“We shall defend our island, whatever the cost… we shall never surrender.”
Beginning on _August_12, 1940, German bombers
began a daily bombardment of _England’s_ southern coast. After a month, the Germans changed their tactics, turning their attention to the __Blitz_, bombing cities.
Starting late on September 7 – German bombers
appeared over London and the showering of high explosives and fire bombs continued _57_ nights.
Although _15,000_ people lost their lives, the British
__Morale_ was not destroyed – so Hitler turned to a new target – The _Soviet Union_
The decision to invade __Russia__ helped save Britain
and would prove to be one of Hitler’s costliest _mistakes__.
In June 1941, Hitler embarked on Operation
__Barbarossa__ - the conquest of the Soviet Union with _3_ million Germans pouring in caught __Stalin_
unprepared.
The Russians lost two and a half _Million_ soldiers
trying to fend off the invaders. *** Burned Earth Policy ***
By Autumn, the Nazis had smashed deep into Russia
and were poised to take _Moscow_ and Leningrad – however Hitler’s forces stalled.
Like __Napoleon's__ grand army of 1812, Hitler’s
forces were not prepared for the fury of Russia’s “General _Winter_.”(-4 degrees)
In September 1941, the two and a half year siege of
_Leningrad_ began which would kill more than a million as the desperate
Leningraders ate almost anything to survive. Stalin urged _Britain_ to open a second front in
American Involvement Grows
When the war began in 1939, the United States
declared its _neutrality_.
Although, in early 1941, President __
Roosevelt
_
persuaded Congress to pass the Lend-__
Lease
__ Act
– which allowed him to sell or lend war materials to
any country whose defense is vital to the defense of
the United States. We became the “_
Arsenal
__ of
democracy.”
In August 1941, Roosevelt and __
Churchill
__ met
secretly on a warship in the Atlantic and issued the
__
Atlantic
__ charter – which set goals for the war
and postwar. (3 main goals)
“ 1. The final destruction of the __
Nazi
__ tyranny.
Japan Attacks
In 1940, __
Japan
_ advanced into
__French
__ Indochina and the Dutch
East Indies. To stop Japanese aggression, the
_United States_
banned
the sale to Japan _
war
_ materials – which angered the Japanese.
With the United States interfering with their plans of seizing lands in
Asia and the __
Pacific
__ the two powers held talks to ease the tension.
With talks at a standstill, orders were made for a surprise attack on the
American Fleet at _
Pearl
_ Harbor, Hawaii.
Early on December 7, 1941, Japanese airplanes damaged or destroyed
_
19
_ ships, bombed American planes on the ground killed more than
__
2400
__.
The next day, President Roosevelt told the nation that December 7 was
a date “which will live in _
Infamy
_” and asked congress to declare war.
On December 11, Germany and __
Italy
_, as Japan’s allies, declared war
on the United States
In the long run, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor would be a serious
_
mistake
_ but the months after showed no such hint. Instead,
Allied Successes -
Occupied
While the Germans rampaged across Europe and the _Japanese_ conquered an empire in Asia and the
Pacific – each built a _New_ order in the occupied lands.
Hitler’s new order grew out of his _Racial_ obsession for providing _living_ space for _Aryans_ and related
ideal “races” – Germans.
To the Nazis, occupied lands were an _economic_ resource to be plundered and _looted_ as Hitler had
conquered nations stripped of works of _art_, factories, and resources, sending thousands to work as _slave_ laborers in German war industries.
The most savage of Hitler’s policies was his program to _kill_ all people he judged ‘Racially _Inferior_,’
particularly _Jews_ (Slavs, Gypsies, mentally ill)
First the Nazis forced Jews to live in ghettos and __Concentration__ camps, but by 1941, German leaders
had implemented the “_Final__ solution of the Jewish problem” – the _Genocide__, or deliberate murder, of all European Jews.
To accomplish this goal, Hitler had special “_Death_ camps” built in Poland, at places like _Auschwitz_,
shipping Jews from all occupied lands efficiently killing millions of men, women, and _Children_.
As Jews reached the camps, they were stripped of their clothes and __valuables__.
Their heads were shaved as guards separated men from _women_ and children from their __parents__.
Young, old, and _sick_ were targeted for immediate _killing_.
Within a few days, they were herded into “_shower__ rooms” and gassed – while others were worked to
death or used for perverse “_medical_” experiments.
By 1945, the Nazis had massacred some _6_ million Jews and almost as many “_undesirable_” people in
what became known as the _Holocaust_.
Some Jews resisted the Nazis and in some cases friends, neighbors, or _strangers_ protected Jews, while
East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
As Japan expanded across _Asia_ and the Pacific, it did so under the slogan “Asia for
_Asians_,” and created the Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere.
Japan’s self-proclaimed mission was to help Asians escape _Western_ colonial rule,
while in fact, its real goal was a _Japanese_ empire in Asia.
Whatever welcome the Japanese had at first as “_Liberators_” soon turned to hatred
The Allied War Effort:
After the _United_ States entered the war, the Allied leaders met periodically to
hammer out their strategy – Although the Big _Three_ leaders distrusted one
another, in 1942, Roosevelt, Churchill, and __Stalin_, agreed to finish the war in
Europe before turning their attention to __Asia__.
TOTAL WAR
TURNING POINT
Like the _Axis_ powers, the Allies were
committed to _Total_ war as governments
increased political power and directed
_Economic_ resources into the war effort.
Although the war brought hardships and
_shortages_, it did end the
_unemployment_ of the Great
_Depression_.
Under pressure of war, even _Democratic__
governments limited the rights of citizens,
censored the _press_, and used
_propaganda_ to win support.
In the United States many citizens of
_Japanese_ descent lost their jobs,
property, and rights while some were even
forced into _Internment_ camps.
During 1942 and 1943, the Allies won
several victories that would turn the
tide of battle and push back the _Axis_
powers. The first of these came in
North _Africa_ and Italy under General
Dwight _Eisenhower__.
After the fed up Italians overthrew
_Mussolini_, the combined _British_ and
American army fought up the Italian
peninsula against _Hitler’s_ German
troops sent there to rescue _Il Duce_.
The _18_ month invasion was a
THE RED ARMY RESISTS
INVASION OF FRANCE
Another major turning point in the war occurred in the _Soviet_ Union after the triumphant
advance, the _Germans_ were stalled outside of _Moscow_ and Leningrad.
In 1942, Hitler launched a new _Offensive__ heading south for the rich _oil_ fields but would only get as far as the city of __Stalingrad__. (Stalin’s namesake city)
The Battle of Stalingrad was one of the costliest of the war as Germans surrounded the city, the
_Russians_ encircled their attackers and the bitter _winter_ set in.
The street by street and _house_ by house struggle raged and by early 1943 the German commanders without food and no hope of _rescue__ - surrendered.
After the Battle of _Stalingrad__, the _Red_
Army took the offensive and drove the invaders out of the Soviet Union and by 1944 they advanced into _Eastern_ Europe.
By 1944, the Allies were at last ready to open a second front in Europe – with the invasion of _France_ with _Eisenhower_ as the supreme Allied commander.
To prepare for the invasion, Allied bombers flew constant missions over _Germany_ destroying aircraft that may have been used against the __invading__ forces.
June _6_, 1944 – was chosen, __D-Day__ they called the invasion of France.
After midnight, Allied planes dropped
__paratroopers__ behind enemy lines and at dawn, thousands of ships ferried __176,000_ Allied troops to _Normandy_, France.
As other Allied forces sailed from _Italy_ to land in southern France and under pressure from all sides, the Germans retreated and on _August_ 25 – Allied forces entered _Paris_
With in a month, all of _France_ was free and
Section Four:
Toward Vicotry – War in the Pacific
At first, the _Japanese_ won an uninterrupted series of victories and controlled
much of Southeast Asia and many Pacific _Islands_, soon however, the tide
would change.
In May and June 1942, United States warships and _airplanes_ severely
damaged two Japanese fleets during the battles of the _Coral _ Sea and
_Midway_ Island.
On the offensive under General Douglas _MacArthur_ the United States
The Nazis Defeated
“If the war is to be lost, the Nation also will perish” - Adolf Hitler
After freeing _France_, Allied forces battled toward
Germany – advancing into Belgium in December 1944,
and Germany launched a massive _offensive_.
At the bloody battle of the _Bulge_, which lasted more
than a month, both sides took terrible loses but
_Germany_ was unable to break through and Hitler’s
support declined – this would be his last success.
After surviving one _Assassination_ attempt, Hitler and
Germany was reeling under round the clock bombing.
By March 1945, Allies has crossed the Rhine into
Germany.
As _Soviet_ troops closed in on Berlin – the Axis armies
began to _surrender_.
In Italy, _Mussolini_ was captured and _executed_.
Hitler knew the end was near and as Soviet troops
fought into the city – Hitler committed _suicide_.
After just _12_ years, Hitler’s “thousand year Reich”
Defeat of Japan
o
With war won in Europe, the Allies poured their resources into defeating
Japan as American officials estimated an _invasion_ of Japan would cost a
million or more lives.
o
Beginning in 1944, some Japanese chose to become _Kamikaze_ pilots
who undertook suicide missions to stop the Allies – saving their nation
from defeat.
o
President _Truman_, who had taken office after Roosevelt died
unexpectedly on April 12, after consulting with his advisers, decided to use
the new weapon of destruction against Japan – The _Atomic_ bomb.
“Surrender or face a rain of ruin from the air the likes of which has never been seen on this Earth…”
o
Truman and the Allied powers issued a warning to Japan to surrender or
face “Utter and complete _Destruction_.” The Japanese ignored the
deadline – the USA took action.
o
On August 6, 1945, an American plane dropped an Atomic bomb on the
mid-sized city of _Hiroshima_ - flattening four square miles and killing
_70,000_ people instantly.
o
On August 8, the Soviets declared war on Japan and the United States
dropped a second atomic bomb on _Nagasaki_ - killing more than 40,000
people.
o
On August 10, 1945 – The Emperor, Hirohito intervened and forced the
surrender.
o
On September 2, 1945 – on the American warship _Missouri_, the peace
treaty was signed.
o
With future peace at stake – how could they avoid the mistakes of _1919_
Section Five:
From World War to Cold War
Even as the Allies celebrated _Victory_, the appalling costs of the war began to add up – Europe 38 million, Soviet Union 22 million, and _75_ million people around the world.
With investigations into __Atrocities__, postwar numbers alone do not tell the whole story.
Horrors of the Holocaust
During the war, the Allies were aware of Nazi _Concentration_ and death camps but not until the war’s end did they learn of the full extent of the _inhumanity_.
General _Eisenhower_ was stunned to come face to face with the Nazi __brutality__ and ruthless disregard of every sense of __decency__. Rudolf __Hoess__, Nazi commander at __Auschwitz__, would later admit
that he had supervised the killings of some two and a half _million__ people.
At wartime meetings, the _Allies_ had agreed that Axis leaders should be tried for “crimes against __Humanity__.” Allies held trials in
__Nuremberg__, Germany.
A total of _177_ Germans and Austrians were tried, and _142_ were found guilty – a handful received _Death_ sentences while others were imprisoned.
These trials and those that followed in _Japan_ and Italy showed that _Political_ and military leaders could be held accountable for
_actions__ in wartime.
These trials served the purpose of discrediting the Nazi, __Fascist__, and militarists ideologies that had led to _savagery__ and war.
World War
II
THE UNITED NATIONS
THE ALLIANCE BREAKS
APART
As in _1919_ , the World War II
Allies set up an _International_
organization to ensure _Peace_. In
1945, delegates from _50_ nations
met in San Francisco to draft a
charter for the _United_ Nations.
The UN would play a greater role
in world _affairs_ than did its
predecessor, the League of
_Nations_.
The UN’s work would also go far
beyond _Peace_ and help with
many other world problems –
disease, _Education_, famine,
refugees.
Although during the war, the
Soviet Union and the Nations of
the _West_ had cooperated, by
1945 the wartime alliance was
_crumbling_.
Conflicting _ideologies__ and
mutual distrust soon let to a
Origins of the Cold War
• Stalin had _two_ goals in _Eastern_ Europe – to spread _Communism_ intothe area and he wanted to create a _buffer_ zone as a defense against Germany.
• Roosevelt and _Churchill_ rejected Stalin’s view, making him promise
“_Free_ elections” but Stalin ignored that _pledge_ and by 1948, he had installed pro-Soviet communist _governments_ throughout Eastern
Europe.
• Churchill had long distrusted _Stalin_ and as early as 1946 he described
Soviet control of Eastern Europe as an “_Iron_ Curtain” dividing the continent.
• As the Iron Curtain became the west’s symbol for the _Cold_ War – the
fear of _Communism_ and a divided Europe spread. East - Soviet Union West – United States
• Like Churchill, President _Truman_ saw communism as an evil force
creeping across Europe and as Stalin showed his aggressive intentions – Truman took action.
• On March 12, _1947_, Truman outlined a new policy to _Congress_ - “
support free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.” – known as the Truman __Doctrines_.
• The Truman Doctrine was rooted in the idea of _Containment_, limiting
Marshall Plan & Berlin
Airlift
•
Postwar hunger and _poverty_ made
Western Europe fertile lands for
communist ideas so to strengthen
_Democratic_ governments the
United States offered a massive _Aid_
package called the _Marshall_ Plan.
•
Billions in American aid helped war –
shattered Europe recover _Rapidly_.
•
President Truman also offered aid to
the _Soviet_ Union and its _Satellites_
or dependent states but Stalin saw it
as a trick and forbade countries from
accepting it.
•
Defeated Germany became another
focus of the _Cold_ War and became a
divided nation. In West Germany
people regained self -_Government_
and in Eastern _Germany_, the Soviet
Union installed a _Communist_
government tied to Moscow.
Stalin’s resentment at western moves to rebuild
Germany as a _Democracy_ triggered a crisis over _Berlin_ - occupied by all four Allies but in Soviet zone.
In 1948, Stalin tried to force the western Allies
out of Berlin by sealing off all railroads and highways – but western powers responded with a round-the-clock _Airlift_ called “Operation _Vittles_.” ( and little vittles – candy)
As tension continued to _grow_ , in 1949, the
United States joined _ten_ other western
countries to form a new military alliance – the North Atlantic Treaty _Organization_ or NATO.
In 1955, the Soviet Union responded by forming
The Arms Race
Each side in the Cold War _Armed_ itself to withstand an attack by the other.
By 1949, both sides had atomic or _Nuclear_ power and for _four_ decades the
superpowers spent fantastic sums to improve “ _Delivery_ systems” for these
weapons of mass _Destruction_.