Essential QuestionEssential Question

What were the causes What were the causes of WWII?of WWII?

The Causes of World War IIThe Causes of World War II

ItalyItaly

Benito Benito Mussolini Mussolini founded founded Italy’s Italy’s Fascist Fascist PartyParty

Took power Took power in 1922 as in 1922 as Il Il DuceDuce

Joseph StalinJoseph Stalin

Took control after Took control after Lenin diedLenin died

Murdered 8 to 10 Murdered 8 to 10 million peasants million peasants who did not who did not support support Communist Communist policiespolicies

GermanyGermany Angry with the Angry with the

loss of World War loss of World War I and the I and the Versailles TreatyVersailles Treaty

Country in Country in political and political and economic chaoseconomic chaos

Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler

Wrote Wrote Mein Mein KampfKampf while in while in prisonprison

Hitler’s IdeasHitler’s Ideas Germans belonged to the master race of Germans belonged to the master race of

AryansAryans

Germans needed more living space (land)Germans needed more living space (land)

Slavic peoples were inferior and should Slavic peoples were inferior and should be enslaved by the Germansbe enslaved by the Germans

Jewish people were responsible for the Jewish people were responsible for the world’s problemsworld’s problems

Hitler as Hitler as LeaderLeader

Reichstag Reichstag voted to give voted to give Hitler powers Hitler powers of a dictatorof a dictator

Took the title Took the title of of FuhrerFuhrer or or LeaderLeader

JapanJapan Difficult Difficult economic timeseconomic times

Military took Military took control of the control of the governmentgovernment

Invaded Invaded Manchuria Manchuria (northern (northern China) for its China) for its resourcesresources

World War II BeginsWorld War II Begins

Rising German StrengthRising German Strength

Rebuilt army, Rebuilt army, navy, air forcenavy, air force

Took military Took military positions in the positions in the Rhineland Rhineland (former (former demilitarized demilitarized zone)zone)

Response of EuropeResponse of Europe

Gave in to Gave in to Hitler’s demands Hitler’s demands in order to keep in order to keep peacepeace

Hoped to avoid Hoped to avoid another waranother war

The Austrian AnschlussThe Austrian Anschluss

March 1938 – March 1938 – Hitler sent Hitler sent troops into troops into Austria Austria

Announced the Announced the unification unification ((anschluss)anschluss) of of Germany and Germany and AustriaAustria

CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia

Germany claimed Germany claimed the Sudetenland the Sudetenland (part of (part of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia that had a large that had a large German-speaking German-speaking population)population)

Czechs resistedCzechs resisted

Munich ConferenceMunich Conference

Representatives Representatives of Britain, of Britain, France, Italy, France, Italy, and Germany and Germany met to decide met to decide Czechoslovakia’Czechoslovakia’s fates fate

Sept. 29, 1938Sept. 29, 1938

Munich ConferenceMunich Conference

Britain and Britain and France agreed to France agreed to Hitler’s demandsHitler’s demands

Policy of Policy of appeasement = appeasement = giving giving concessions in concessions in exchange for exchange for peacepeace

CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia

March 1939March 1939

Germany sent Germany sent troops into troops into Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia and broke up the and broke up the countrycountry

Danzig, PolandDanzig, Poland

Oct. 1938 – Oct. 1938 – Hitler Hitler demanded the demanded the return of the return of the city of Danzig city of Danzig (part of Poland) (part of Poland) to Germanyto Germany

Important Important Baltic Sea portBaltic Sea port

Response of EuropeResponse of Europe

Realized Realized appeasement appeasement had failedhad failed

If Poland went to If Poland went to war to defend its war to defend its territory, Britain territory, Britain and France and France would come to would come to its aidits aid

Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression PactPact

August 23, 1939August 23, 1939

Treaty between Treaty between Germany and the Germany and the USSR USSR

Secret deal to Secret deal to divide Poland divide Poland between the twobetween the two

Beginning of World War IIBeginning of World War II

Sept. 1, 1939Sept. 1, 1939

Germany Germany invaded Poland invaded Poland from the westfrom the west

Soon after, the Soon after, the USSR invaded USSR invaded Poland from the Poland from the easteast

Beginning of World War IIBeginning of World War II

Sept. 3, 1939Sept. 3, 1939

France and France and Britain Britain declared war declared war on Germanyon Germany

U.S. ResponseU.S. Response

Population Population supported supported isolationism = isolationism = belief that the belief that the U.S. should avoid U.S. should avoid international international commitments commitments that could drag that could drag them into warthem into war

Neutrality Act of 1935Neutrality Act of 1935

Made it illegal Made it illegal for Americans for Americans to sell arms to to sell arms to any country at any country at warwar

America First CommitteeAmerica First Committee

Group of Group of Americans who Americans who opposed any opposed any intervention or intervention or aid for the Alliesaid for the Allies

IsolationistIsolationist

Roosevelt’s PerspectiveRoosevelt’s Perspective

Favored Favored internationalism internationalism = trade between = trade between nations creates nations creates prosperity and prosperity and helps to prevent helps to prevent warwar

Election of 1940Election of 1940

Roosevelt ran for Roosevelt ran for a third term (first a third term (first president to do president to do so)so)

Voters preferred Voters preferred staying with FDR staying with FDR in time of warin time of war