The Road to War 1931-1941. The Rise of Dictators The world of the 1930s was a very unstable place,...
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Transcript of The Road to War 1931-1941. The Rise of Dictators The world of the 1930s was a very unstable place,...
The Road to War
1931-1941
The Rise of Dictators• The world of the 1930s was a very
unstable place, due to economic crisis and a slow recovery from WWI
• Several leaders in European nations catapulted to power on this shaky foundation, including Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, and Benito Mussolini
• These leaders used bitterness and discontent to achieve total power
Totalitarianism and Fascism• These leaders, in the 1920s and 1930s,
establish totalitarian governments in Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union – total control over a nation by using terror to suppress individual rights and by silencing all forms of opposition
• Fascism, adopted in Italy and Germany, stressed nationalism and the supreme authority of the leader
Stalin’s Soviet Union• To stem the economic failures of
communism, the Soviet dictator Josef Stalin tried to modernize agriculture and industry by placing all farms under state control – collectivization
• Stalin seized most of the food farmers produced and millions died from starvation, while millions more fled to the cities – farming production falls and Stalin begins rationing of food
The Great Purges• Stalin also punished those that
resisted and conducted a series of purges – killing or imprisoning enemies and opposition – to hold TOTAL power (paranoia)
• By 1939, had arrested more than 7 million people and also sent about 5 million peasants to labor camps in Siberia (Gulags)
Fascism in Italy• Fascism, as with Nazism and
communism, arose from the failures of WW I to solve problems
• Benito Mussolini, calling himself “Il Duce”, [the leader] began organizing those dissatisfied, while consolidating his own power
• He promised an end to riots and rationing and began to forcibly gain power
Adolf Hitler• In Germany, Adolf Hitler, a
discontented WWI vet, rose to power through the Nazi party, whose philosophy, Nazism, included fanatical ideas of nationalism and German racial superiority (Aryan)
• This charismatic leader began to promise an end to unemployment and problems from WWI
Mein Kampf• In Hitler’s autobiography, he outlined
his plan for the nation• Germany had been weakened by certain
groups (Jews, Mentally/Physically Handicapped/Homosexuals) – which he blamed for Germany’s defeat in WWI
• Hitler proposed strengthening the military, expanding Germany’s borders, and purifying the “Aryan race” – mass genocide
Fascism – Italy and Germany• Both fascist leaders used force to
silence opposition, and each blamed his country’s problems after WWI on “undesirables” in society – Mussolini blamed communists, while Hitler blamed whom???
• Both agreed that WAR might be necessary to right the wrongs they felt had been done by the Treaty of Versailles
Adolf Hitler• As depression hit Germany, Hitler
vowed to rebuild the economy and restore lands lost after WW I
• In defiance of the Treaty of Versailles, Hitler and the Nazis began rearming Germany, while suspending freedom of speech and press (Brownshirts – “storm troopers”)
Der Führer• In 1934, Hitler becomes both
chancellor and president of Germany, he gives himself the title Der Führer (the leader)
• Hitler keeps his promise of work, putting all to work on massive building projects (autobahn), but begins to look outward (expansion) as a way to bolster national pride
Hitler’s Goals and Dreams• Hitler’s main goal for Germany
becomes the conquest of eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, but he needed to assert power within his own borders and those former German areas – does this by re-arming!!
• Neither Britain nor France tried to stop Hitler from rearming, they had not forgotten the costs of WWI and were reluctant to challenge Hitler
The Axis Power• Hitler also signs an alliance with
Mussolini (Italy) in 1936 – their agreement established an “axis” between Rome and Berlin – the Axis Powers (later Japan joins)
• Hitler turns to Austria and invades in March 1938, Britain and France protest, but do nothing
Appeasement• The response of UK and France was
APPEASEMENT – policy of giving aggressor nations what they want in order to avoid war – UK and FR wanted PEACE, not WAR
• Appeasement reached peak at Munich Conference in 1938 when UK and FR leaders allowed Hitler to annex part of Czechoslovakia in return for his promise to make NO further demands for lands
• Upon his return in Sept 1938, Neville Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister, promised that appeasement meant “peace for our time”
Winston Churchill• New Prime Minister, Winston
Churchill, disagreed with the policy of appeasement
• “Britain and France had to choose between war and dishonor. They chose dishonor. They WILL have war.”
Winston Churchill – British Prime Minister
Spanish Civil War• In Spain, the military was waging a
brutal war against a new republican govt
• General Francisco Franco overthrew the govt and established a fascist state in Spain that lasted until 1975
• Germany and Italy provide weapons and men – a “practice run” for soldiers
Polish Promise• Munich agreement failed to appease
Hitler – in Mar 1939 took rest of Czech and demanded Poland – UK and FR pledged to defend Poland – asked Soviets to join alliance
• Hitler was willing to go to war with UK and FR, but not Soviets
• He did not think UK and FR would defend
Non-Aggression Pact• To prevent such an attack, Hitler
signed the NON-Aggression Pact with Stalin in Aug 1939 – this pact promised that Stalin would not invade from the east in exchange for lands in newly conquered areas
• This pact opened the way for Hitler to invade Poland (Sept 1, 1939)
Blitzkrieg and Poland• On Sept 1, 1939, Germany invaded
Poland in a blitzkrieg attack – “lightning-quick” – land and air assault that conquered Poland in less than a month
• UK and FR declare war on Germany, and France prepared defenses along the Maginot Line, a massive string of fortifications along France’s border with Germany
Maginot Line• However, France was open to attack
through Belgium, and in April 1940, Hitler launched another blitzkrieg, conquering Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium
• He then attacked France from behind the Maginot Line, and pushed UK and FR troops all the way to the English Channel
Battle of Dunkirk• UK and FR troops were thoroughly
defeated by superior German troops and were trapped in the city of Dunkirk, where 340,000 troops were rescued by a makeshift armada of boats that carried them to Britain
• Europe was now in the hands of Hitler and Mussolini
Vichy France• Germany conquered nearly all of
France by June 1940, leaving only an area in the south under French supervision
• Called Vichy France, this French govt entered into collaboration – close cooperation – with Germany
• Many French continue to fight back against the Germans through underground Resistance movements
Battle of Britain• Until the summer of 1940, Hitler had
experienced nothing but success, but that changed when he turned his attention to the island of Britain and launched a series of bombings and air attacks to prepare for an invasion
• Called the Battle for Britain, the people remained steadfast, often sleeping in the subways and going without electricity, food, and water – thousands killed
“To the Rescue”• “We shall defend our island, whatever
the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches…the landing grounds…on the fields and in the streets…We shall never surrender….until, in God’s good time, the New World (?), with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and liberation of the Old.” - WC
Courageous Defense• Hitler’s Luftwaffe (air-force) was
unable to defeat Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) even though the RAF was outnumbered and outgunned
• Britain’s new PM Winston Churchill praised the courage shown by the RAF pilots: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”
Japanese Expansionism• The US and Europe weren’t the only
nations affected by WW I and the Great Depression
• In Asia, Japan emerged from isolationism in the 1920s only to be hit hard by the GD – massive layoffs, strikes, and political discontent
• Radical nationalistic groups formed and assassinated several key people in hopes of gaining power
Japanese Expansionism• Japanese expansion was seen as a way
of securing new markets for trade and new sources of raw materials
• During WWI, Japan had helped the Allies, but only to GET something – only to lose those possessions in the Treaty of Versailles
• From this anger, the military began to look for solutions to their problems
Manchurian Incident• The problem was that most of the
young military officers supported these terrorists and used these events to gain more power for the military
• In 1931, in the Manchurian Incident, the Japanese army seized Manchuria from Chinese troops and set up a puppet state – controlled by Tokyo
Japanese Aggression• Although Europe and the US
protested the Manchurian Incident, nothing was done, and Japan’s military continued to gain power
• Manchuria became a base for Japanese expansion, and in 1937 Japan resumed its war against China
• The Japanese army occupied major cities thru superior weapons
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
• With European countries caught up in the war, Japan announced it would free Asia from European colonizers
• In 1940, Japan named itself leader of a Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere – an area that Japan would control in order to secure new areas for markets and new raw materials
Looking Beyond China• The GEAC-PS immediately set its
sights on colonies such as the Dutch East Indies and French Indochina (Vietnam)
• Later in 1940, Japan allied itself with Germany and Italy in the Tripartite Pact, moving troops into French Indochina
• In 1941, Japan signed a neutrality pact with the Soviet Union
Setting the Stage• All of these Japanese events would set
the stage for Japan to challenge the Europeans and Americans for supremacy in Asia and for all of the Pacific
Isolationism in America• During the 1930s the US was focused
on solving domestic problems ??• The govt did NOT want to get
involved in foreign affairs, even when Germany, Italy and Japan threatened world peace
• Under FDR, the US maintained its neutrality through a series of Neutrality Acts
Neutrality Acts• To prevent being drawn into war,
Congress passed Neutrality Acts in 1935, 1936, and 1937 – These laws barred the transportation or sale of arms to warring nations and banned loans to nations at war outside the Western Hemisphere
• Did NOT please FDR – felt would drag us into war, NOT keep us out
Cash and Carry• One of the Neutrality Acts (1937),
permitted trade with fighting nations in non-military goods as long as those nations paid cash and transported the cargo themselves – Cash and Carry
• FDR believe these laws actually encouraged aggression by not fighting the “good fight”
FDR and Neutrality• FDR felt these acts gave him little
power to decide between “good nations” and bad ones – called for abandonment of isolationism – American people forced him to drop that idea
• “It’s a terrible thing to look over your shoulder when you’re trying to lead – and find no one there.” – FDR
American Public Opinion• However, American opinion changed as
German aggression increase, and after the fall of Poland/France, public opinion favored increasing aid to Europe (not involvement, just aid)
• Congress responds by giving Britain 50 old destroyers in exchange for permission to build military bases on British soil in the Western Hemisphere
America First Committee• This move prompted a group of
isolationists to form the America First Committee
• This group lobbied to block any aid to Britain
• Despite this opposition, FDR proposed “lending” war supplies to Britain, and he persuaded Congress to pass the Lend-Lease Act in 1941
Lend-Lease Act• This law gave the President the
authority to aid any nation whose defense he believed was vital to the security of the US
• The result of Lend-Lease was that Germany began sinking American merchant ships – led to the arming of US trade ships and virtual war by 1941
FDR Response to Japan• Japan’s aggression in the Pacific left
only one obstacle to total domination – the USA
• In response to Japan’s alliance with the Axis Powers, FDR restricted trade with Japan (scrap metal)
• As Japan continued its aggression, FDR extended embargo to other war-type materials (OIL)
• And when Japan refused to abandon Pacific conquests, FDR, in July 1941, cut off all trade with Japan and ordered US forces to prepare for war
• Just as Japanese and American diplomats met in Washington to try to avoid war, Japan’s military struck
• On December 7, 1941, a massive Japanese air attack on the US Navy base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii killed 2,400 and wounded 1,200
• Nearly 200 airplanes were destroyed; 18 warships were sunk or damaged, including 8 of the 9 battleships – Japan had lost only 29 planes
• Japan had wanted to deal a decisive blow to the US ability to interfere in Asia, what they had not counted on was the American peoples’ responses as FDR proclaimed December 7, 1941, “a date which will live in infamy”