The Great Depression and WWII

1929 - 1945Ch. 31 (2,3,4)

Ch. 32

Concept Questions1. How did WWI bring about the Great

Depression?2. What were the responses of the U.S.,

Germany, and the Soviet Union to the Global Depression?

3. What factors allowed the rise of totalitarian dictators like Mussolini and Hitler?

4. What were the causes and effects of WWII?5. What were the causes and effects of new

technologies in WWII?

Europe After the WarOnly U.S. and Japan not in financial

crisisMost European monarchies replaced by

unstable democraciesMost required coalition govts. (joint rulers

of different political parties) to ruleGermany ruled by Weimar Republic

Signed Treaty of Versailles – blamed for problems

Inflation out of control, no history of democracy, large number of political parties

Dawes plan to recover (U.S. investments)

Causes of the Depression

Stock market crash, banks closed, little trade, loans called in, massive unemployment

International – Treaty of Versailles, Nationalist movements in colonies stopped raw materials shipments to Europe, Germany can’t repay

Political – high tariffs stopped most trade, govt. spending decreased, strong leaders demand absolute power

Economic – over speculation, over production

The Great DepressionWorld economy based on U.S.Downward spiral due to uneven

wealthStock Market Crash (1929)

Buying on marginSelling panicLoss of jobs, farms, banks closed

Global DepressionU.S. investors demanded foreign loans be

repaidHigh tariffs dropped world trade

World Response Britain

Protective tariffs, etc…brought about steady recovery while maintaining democracy

France Preserved democracy but had several political power changes

Soviet Union Stalin’s command economy Totalitarianism – propaganda, censorship, no religion, secret police,

rule through fear and intimidation Great Purge, gulags, Siberia, executions

U.S. New Deal – massive public works (govt. spending) and banking

reform Isolationism

Germany Weak leadership of the Weimar Republic & poor economy led to

the rise of Hitler and Nazism. Hitler used govt. agencies to create public works jobs and rebuilt the military

FascismFascist Beliefs

Loyalty to the state – extreme nationalismobedience to its leader

promised to revive economy, punish those responsible, restore national pride

Nation’s must struggle, peaceful nations will be conquered

Uniforms, salutes, rallies, strong militaryOne political party, one leaderDenial of individual rightsClass society – each has its place and

function (differs from communism with no classes)

FascismItaly & Benito Mussolini

Disappointment over WWIMussolini promises to rescue Italy from

inflation, unemploymentFascist black shirts lead terror campaignsLegally took power – became Il Duce (the

leader)Abolished democracyOutlawed all other political partiesUsed secret police to jail opponentsCensored radio, publications

Fascism

Hitler & GermanyWWI soldierNational Socialist German Worker’s Party – NaziBrown shirts – private armyGreat organizer/speaker became der Fuhrer (the

leader)Attempted to take over govt. – jailed for 9 months

(?)Wrote “Mein Kampf” (My struggle) in jail

outlined his plan for GermanyAryan race (incorrect), Non-aryans are subhumanGermany needs more land (lebensraum)

Hitler’s Germany

Named Chancellor – legal power Banned political partiesArrested opponents, many killedCreated the SS – loyal only to HitlerTerror tactics by the Gestapo (Nazi secret police)Put Germans to work (unemployed from 6 million

to 1.5 millionBuilt factories, weapons, highways (Autobahn), served in

militaryPropaganda, book burning, church controlNazi youth, League of German GirlsAnti-Semitism – Jews blamed for all Germany’s

problems1% of populationKristallnacht

Aggressors Japan

struggling democracy, becomes militaristic Invasions of Manchuria and China – violated League of Nations

Italy Invaded Ethiopia

Germany Violating Versailles – rebuilding the army Invaded Rhineland – appeasement by French/British

Alliances Rome-Berlin Axis (Germany & Italy) Become Axis Powers when they add Japan (Hideki Tojo)

League of Nation Protested these actions, but DID nothing Complete failure!

Western Democracies Fail to Halt Aggression

U.S. – isolationist, Neutrality Acts Germany

Annexed Austria (Anschluss)Demanded Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia

AppeasementMunich Conference – gave SudetenlandHitler promised he was doneHitler took all of CzechoslovakiaMussolini took AlbaniaHitler threatening Poland

Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression PactGermany & Soviets agree not to attack each

other

Hitler’s Lightning War

Soviets - promise to divide Poland, get Baltic countries and Finland (back)

PolandSept. 1, 1939 – start of WWIIBlitzkrieg – lightening war

Hitler’s Lightning War

France Germans take Holland, Belgium &

LuxembourgSurround the French French fall back to beaches of DunkirkRescued by British – amateur armadaItaly attacks southern FranceFrance divided

North occupied, South – puppet govt. (Vichy France)

Charles de Gaulle – govt. in exile, still fighting

Hitler’s Lightning War

Great Britain – Operation Sea LionPrime Minister – Winston ChurchillBattle of Britain – air bombings

Luftwaffe vs. R.A.F. Plan - knock out British air force then land

troopsEnigma (German coding machine)

Radar – electronic tracking system1st successful defense against Hitler

Hitler’s Lightning War North Africa – Italians attack

Attack Egypt for control of Suez Canal Hitler sends help – General Erwin Rommel (the

desert fox)

BalkansHitler needed staging ground Allied with some, conquered the rest

Soviet Union – Operation Barbarossa Burn as they retreatSiege of LeningradGermans not allowed to retreatWinter costs 500,000 lives

U.S. Aids Allies

Lend-Lease Act sell or lend arms to any country vital to

the defense of the U.S. Must carry arms in their shipsGerman subs told to sink any cargo ship Atlantic Charter – upheld free trade,

basis for WWII peace planU.S. destroyer attacked by sub, we fight

back, In undeclared naval war

JapanSeeking a Pacific Empire

Plan for Southeast Asia revealed in broken code

Threat to U.S. colonies (Philippines, Guam)

U.S. send aid to China, cut off oil shipments to Japan

Pearl Harbor – Dec. 7, 1941“A date which will live in infamy”18 ships, 2400 deadUSS ArizonaPlanned by Isoroku Yamamoto

Japan

VictoriesGuamWakePhilippines – Bataan Death MarchCorregidorMalayaEast IndonesiaBurma – Burma Road, supply route to

China

Allies Strike Back

Doolittle’s Raid Bomb Japanese cites – morale boost Battle of Coral Sea

1st aircraft sea battleU.S. lose more ships, BUT stop Japanese

advancement for the 1st time Midway

Cracked codeU.S. ambush Japanese fleet, destroy aircraft

carriersTurning point of war in the Pacific

Allies Strike Back

General Douglas MacArthurIsland Hopping

Skip strongholdsAttack closer to Japan, cut off supplies

Battle of GuadalcanalHell6 months to winJapan loses 23,000 out of 36,000

(commitment?)

Allied VictoryPlan for Victory

Open a western front to relieve the Soviets

North African CampaignGeneral Montgomery (Br.) attacked

Rommel at El Alamein in AfricaOperation Torch – trapped Germans

between Montgomery and General Eisenhower (U.S.)

Allied Victory

Battle of StalingradGermans conquer 90%Soviets not allowed to retreat, surround city

and cut off supplies to GermansGermans not allowed to retreat or surrenderWinter – 90,000 Germans surrender from force

of 330,000Puts Germans on the defensive

ItalyMussolini caught and killedAllies get help from resistance fighters

Home Front

Total WarPropagandaRationingWomen at work

Japanese AmericansSeen as threatsMost were citizens and were born in the

U.S.Internment campsLost property and rights

Victory in Europe D-Day – June 6, 1944

Dummy armyNormandy InvasionLed to liberation of France, Belgium,

Luxembourg & Netherlands Battle of the Bulge

Last offensive of Germans Germany Surrenders

Soviets surround cityHitler commits suicideMay 8, 1945 – VE Day Roosevelt had died, Truman now U.S. President

Victory in the Pacific Japanese retreat

Battle of Leyte Gulf (Philippines)Destroyed Japanese fleet_

Iwo Jima (picture)Okinawa – bloodiest land battle

Atomic bombsManhattan Project Japanese warned – no replyHiroshima, NagasakiFat Man, Little BoyEnola Gay – Paul Tibbets

Japan Surrenders – Sept. 2, 1945 – VJ Day

Devastation

Europe in RuinsMillions displacedNowhere to live, workNo food, electricityCities, countryside destroyedThousands starving to death every day

Devastation

Postwar GovernmentsCommunists promise change –

membership risingAnti-Communists afraid of violent strikes

Nuremberg TrialsWar crimes trials against Nazi leadersFew expressed any remorse

U.S. Occupation of Japan

MacArthur in charge of occupationDemilitarized JapanRestructured govt. – parliamentary

democracyEmperor must declare he is not a god

– became a constitutional monarchyParliament (Diet)

Bill of rightsVoting rightsCould not make war, only defend if

attacked

Holocaust Beginnings

European history of Anti-Semitism Persecution became government policy Nuremburg laws – denied citizenship, jobs, yellow star Later, Nazis were tried here for their war crimes

Kristallnacht – Night of Broken Glass Destroy businesses, revenge for murder of German

embassy employee Refugees

emigration is solution to Jewish problem Few countries want them

Isolation Ghettos Goal – starve them all or let disease kill them Some resistance Jews tried to continue life

Holocaust Final Solution – genocide

Jews, gypsies, Poles, Russians, homosexuals, insane, disabled, incurably ill

Mass killingsKilling squadsConcentration camps

Mass Extermination6 Death camps, most famous was AuschwitzSeparated weak for immediate deathGas chambers, crematoriums

SurvivorsFew survived the campsHiding, escaping to neutral countries

Raoul Wallenberg, Oscar Schindler, Danish people