World War IIERUPTS

Describe the circumstances at home & abroad prior to U.S. involvement in WWII

Identify the significant military & political aspects of WWII

Analyze dimensions of the Holocaust & the Allies’ response to the Holocaust & war crimes

Evaluate the social, political, & economic impacts of WWII on the home front

Identify & evaluate the scientific & technological developments in America during & after WWII

I Can:

Europe after World War I

• World War I’s effects on Europe– Millions of deaths– Destruction of cities and farms– Economy in ruins– Many years to recover

Treaty of Versailles• Ended World

War I• Countries

dissatisfied – France—not

harsh enough on Germany

– Italy—wanted rewarded more territory

– Germany suffered the most

TREATY OF VERSAILLES

Effects on Germany Forced to give up land including industrial

areas Heavy reparation payments Humiliated its people & military Caused severe inflation in early 1920s

Inflation—rising prices By 1923 the German Mark was almost

worthless

HYPERINFLATION IN GERMANY

German children playing with currency

WEIMAR REPUBLIC

Germany’s new democratic government

Not a very strong government

Faced opposition from Communists & from the far right

The German military was also unhappy with its reduced state

RISE OF TOTALITARIAN LEADERS

Type of leader emerged in Europe: Demagogue a person, esp. an orator or political leader,

who gains power and popularity by arousing the emotions, passions, and prejudices of the people.

Reflected & expressed the people’s bitterness & anger

Promised a return to greatness for their nations Appealing to people willing to trade basic

freedoms for future glory

BENITO MUSSOLINI—ITALIAN DICTATOR Founded the National Fascist Party after

Treaty of Versailles Fascism—system of government that

stressed the glory of the state Became leader of Italy’s govt. in 1922 Established a dictatorship

Government by a leader or group that holds unchallenged power & authority

BENITO MUSSOLINI

Allowed no other political parties Ruthlessly crushed opponents His government controlled newspapers,

schools, & businesses All power flowed through him Italians called him Il Duce (il Doo chay)

The leader

ADOLF HITLER

Austrian-born Joined German army during World War I Anger over Treaty of Versailles led him

into politics Joined National Socialists party (Nazis)

Attracted many soldiers & others upset with treaty

Discovered he had a talent for speaking Arrested in 1923 for an attempted

revolt

ADOLF HITLER

While in prison wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle) Outlined his political ideas

Nationalism & devotion to the state Uniting all Germans of Europe in a great empire Belief in racial superiority of Germanic peoples—

Aryans Blamed Jews for many of Germany’s problems

After prison he gradually gained support through speeches

1933 Nazis most powerful party Hitler named Chancellor

ADOLF HITLER

Used political skills & violence to eliminate opponents

Became totalitarian dictator Continued myth of Aryan greatness &

German empire Made himself glorified above all

Germans Secretly built up German armed forces

OTHER REGIMES

Francisco Franco Fascist dictator of Spain

Joseph Stalin Communist dictator of the Soviet

Union Crushed political opponents Created myth of own greatness

Japanese military leaders Used violence to gain control over the

govt. Inspired by nationalistic dreams of

Japanese greatness

JAPAN

1920s wanted to expand for wealth & resources

1930s became unhappy with Japan’s govt

1931 Japanese army invaded Manchuria without govt approval

Govt ordered them to end the action; army refused

People supported the army & it gained more power

League of Nations criticized Japan’s actions; Japan withdrew from the League

1935 ITALY INVADES ETHIOPIA

Italy had tried to est. a colony there in late 1800s but was defeated

Mussolini rekindled bitter feelings towards Ethiopia Used border dispute between Ethiopia & Italian

colony as excuse to invade Ethiopia was unable to resist Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie appealed to

the League of Nations which did nothing The US (FDR) protested but unwilling to do more

SPANISH CIVIL WAR

1930s Spain divided between Communists & Fascists (Nationalists)

1936 civil war Republicans vs. Nationalists led by

Francisco Franco Italy & Germany helped the Nationalists USSR supported Republicans Volunteers from US fought for Republicans

Abraham Lincoln Brigade

Nationalists won & Spain led by Fascist dictator Francisco Franco

SPANISH CIVIL WAR

AMERICAN VOLUNTEERS ARRIVE IN BARCELONA, 1937

Lincoln Brigade volunteers salute.

HITLER TAKES ACTION

Hitler openly stated plan to re-arm Germany Violation of Treaty of Versailles Britain & France tolerated Hitler’s actions

Hitler claimed it was to resist spread of communism

1936, Hitler sent troops into the Rhineland Violation of Versailles Treaty France alarmed, but unwilling to fight Britain unwilling to fight Germany as well Hitler grew bolder

HITLER OCCUPIES THE RHINELAND

THE ANSCHLUSS

1938 Hitler tried to get Austria to agree to Anschluss Union with Germany

Austria refused Hitler sent troops into Austria

Violation of Versailles Treaty Anschluss popular with Austrian people Germany’s neighbors protested but did

nothing

CHEERING CROWDS GREET THE GERMANS IN VIENNA

THE SUDETENLAND

Hitler’s success in Austria gave him more confidence no one would stop him

Began planning control of German-speaking portion of Czechoslovakia—Sudetenland Encouraged Germans in Sudetenland to

protest Czech rule Then threatened military attack

MUNICH AGREEMENT

British prime minister Neville Chamberlain & French premier met with Hitler Agreed to allow Hitler to annex

Sudetenland Czechoslovakia had no representatives

there Protested the agreement

Chamberlain—we have achieved “peace for our time”

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: CHAMBERLAIN, DALADIER, HITLER, MUSSOLINI, AND CIANO PICTURED BEFORE SIGNING THE MUNICH AGREEMENT.

HITLER OCCUPIES THE SUDETENLAND

1930S-ERA SOVIET POSTER BY KUKRYNIKSY SHOWING WESTERN POWERS GIVING HITLER CZECHOSLOVAKIA ON A DISH. INSCRIPTION ON THE FLAG: "ON TOWARDS THE EAST!"

NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN HOLDING THE PAPER CONTAINING THE RESOLUTION TO COMMIT TO PEACEFUL METHODS SIGNED BY BOTH HITLER AND HIMSELF ON HIS RETURN FROM MUNICH. HE IS SHOWING THE PIECE OF PAPER TO A CROWD AT HESTON AERODROME ON 30 SEPTEMBER 1938.

APPEASEMENT

Giving in to aggressive demands to maintain peace

British PM Chamberlain believed using this policy towards Hitler had prevented a needless war

Critics believed Hitler would not keep his promise of stopping at the Sudetenland Winston Churchill condemned Chamberlain’s

actions as cowardly & would lead to war later

A woman in the Sudetenland greets incoming German troops with tears and a Nazi salute.

WINSTON CHURCHILLChamberlain With Mussolini at the Munich Conference

HITLER’S EARLY MOVES

March 1939 Hitler’s troops captured the rest of Czechoslovakia

Hitler then formed alliances Pact with Italy Nonaggression pact with the USSR

Hitler promised not to attack the USSR if they wouldn’t interfere with German aggression

Europeans were shocked; they believed the USSR would be a check on Hitler’s aggression

Angry Czechs watch German troops enter Prague after Czechoslovakia capitulates, March 15, 1939.

Hitler attacks Poland

Within days of the Nazi-Soviet agreement—Hitler was ready to invade Poland

Disguised a German criminal in a Polish army uniform & shot him at the border

September 1, 1939—Germany claimed Poland had attacked & used the dead criminal as proof

Germany began massive invasion of Poland

German “Lightning war”

Overwhelming combination of air attack and fast-moving armored strikes to drive deep into enemy territory

Nazis used it to devastating effect in PolandPolish army was no match against NazisPolish cavalry on horseback Poland was in German hands by the end of

the month

Blitzkrieg

September 3, 1939

Great Britain & France declared war on Germany Became known as the Allies

Could do little to stop Hitler in PolandAllies strategy was to wait for Hitler’s next

moveHoped that Hitler would attempt to invade

France’s strong defense line Maginot Line—string of bunkers & fortresses that

lined part of the French-German border

Map of the principal fortified

section of the Maginot line

Pill Box on Maginot Line

Sitzkrieg

Allied leaders were surprised when Germany did not attack during the winter of 1939-1940

Known as the sitzkrieg or phony warHitler was actually making plans to attack

France, & other countriesApril 1940—Operation Weserübung

Hitler invaded Denmark & Norway to improve Germany’s access to Atlantic Ocean

Surprised Allies could not stop him Hitler turned to France

The German landing sites

during the initial phase of

Operation Weserübung.

France

May 1940—Hitler invaded FranceGermans avoided the Maginot Line &

attacked through the Ardennes Forest French believed the forest was too dense for an army

to pass throughBy June hundreds of thousands of Allied

forces were trapped at French port of Dunkirk Allied ships & civilian boats heroically rescued about

340,000 troops from there & carried them to Britain

British fisherman giving a hand to an Allied soldier while a Stuka's bomb explodes a few meters ahead.

By avoiding the Maginot Line, Hitler’s army moved quickly through France

By end of June, France surrendered to Germany & Italy (who had joined the war)

Vichy France—unoccupied parts of France that were under the control of French officials who cooperated with the Nazis July 1940-August 1944 General Charles de Gaulle & other French leaders fled

to Great Britain Organized a resistance movement against Vichy France &

the Nazis

Vichy France

Hitler shakes hands with Marshall Petain the Prime Minister of Vichy France

Marshall Petain Adolf Hitler

Great Britain now stood alone against Germany

Winston Churchill was now Prime Minister “We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France,

we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender…”

Hitler makes plans to invade Great Britain

Battle of Britain

1st Phase: Destroy the British Royal Air Force (RAF) Germans failed RAF used radar (new technology) to detect German planes

& inflicted heavy damage on themGerman air force—Luftwaffe then began bombing

London To terrorize the public & take their will to fight Thousands died in the raids, but Britain did not surrender

Americans followed the Battle of Britain Radio reports of Edward R. Murrow

Late 1940, Battle of Britain was over

Battle of Britain

Aircraft spotter on the roof of a building in London

St. Paul's Cathedral is pictured during the great fire raid of Sunday December 29th."

1940.

Total war knows no bounds. Almshouse bombed Feb. 10, Newbury, Berks., England." Naccarata, February

11, 1943.

"Children of an eastern suburb of London, who have been made homeless by the random bombs of the Nazi night raiders, waiting

outside the wreckage of what was their home."

Tensions in East Asia 1934-Japan began expanding naval

forces 1936-Japan signed anticommunism

pact with Germany 1937-Japan began war against China

› Brutal—200,000 – 300,000 Chinese massacred at Nanjing

1940 –Japan formed military alliance with Germany & Italy› Axis powers

Tensions in East Asia 1941-Japan took control of French

Indochina with agreement of Vichy France

French Indochina

Tensions in East Asia

Japan’s takeover of French Indochina was seen as a threat to US interests in the region

FDR placed economic sanctions against Japan & cut off oil supplies

Representatives from Japan were meeting with the US to resolve differences

Tensions in East Asia

Japanese Minister of War Hideki Tojo› Pushed Japanese government not to

accept compromise› Strong nationalist› Willing to go to war to build Japanese

empire October 1941-Tojo forced Japan’s

government to resign & he took control of the country

Hideki Tojo

American IsolationismAmericans questioned what involvement

in WWI had actually achievedIsolationism—desire to avoid

involvement in foreign wars◦Not all isolationists were pacifists

Pacifists—people who do not believe in the use of military force

Neutrality Acts, 1935-1939—a series of laws passed by Congress to keep the US from being dragged into war in Europe

American IsolationismIsolationists wanted the US to

remain neutral◦Neutral—not sending aid to either

side of a conflictCharles Lindbergh

◦Spoke out for isolationism◦ Believed that helping the Allies

would end up costing Americans many lives

Quarantine Speech

FDR was not isolationist He could do little because of

isolationist public opinion 1937 after Japan invaded China FDR

gave Quarantine Speech Urged US to work with other countries to

quarantine aggressive nations & prevent spread of war

Hitler’s actions strengthened FDR’s position

Cash and Carry

When Germany invaded Poland in 1939 FDR got Congress to change Neutrality Act Cash and Carry—countries at war were

allowed to purchase American goods as long as they paid cash & picked up their orders in US ports▪ FDR hoped it would help Allies▪ Hitler was not slowed down

FDR traded 50 US warships for 8 British bases

1940 Election

FDR decided to seek a third term as president

He defeated Republican opponent Wendell Wilkie

First time US president elected for 3rd term

FDRWendell Wilkie

Arsenal of democracy

After reelection FDR pushed to aid Allies more

Wanted the US to be the “arsenal of democracy”

March 1941, Lend-Lease Act—allowed the US to send to weapons to Great Britain regardless of its ability to pay

Atlantic CharterAugust 1941FDR & Churchill

secretly met on a ship off the coast of Canada

Atlantic Charter—proclaimed the shared goals of the US & Britain in opposing Hitler & the Axis Powers

FDR & Churchill attend church services on board the HMS Prince of Wales

Isolationists oppose FDRSpoke out against FDR’s actionsAmerica First Committee

Charles LindberghUS was already involved in armed conflict

German U-boats attacking US ships delivering goods to Britain USS Kearny

11 Americans killed USS Reuben James

Over 100 sailors killed

Pearl Harbor

Fall of 1941-American leaders convinced there would be war between US & Japan How & Where?

Philippines ? US continued to negotiate to prevent

war Japanese military leaders planned

the attack on Pearl Harbor for months

Captured Japanese photograph taken aboard a Japanese carrier before the attack on Pearl Harbor

Pearl HarborSunday, December 7, 19418:00 a.m.

Japanese aircraft carriers approached Hawaii from the north

Japanese planes loaded with bombs & torpedoes attacked from the carriers intention of destroying American ships &

planes Complete surprise attack

Few US planes got off of the ground

Pearl Harbor

U. S. Forces Japanese Forces   9 Battleships  10   3 Carriers   10 13 Heavy Cruisers   18 11 Light Cruisers   17 80 Destroyers 111 55 Submarines   64 Source:  Comparative fleet strengths

(Pacific & Asiatic Fleets), December 1, 1941.

Pearl Harbor

Attack lasted about two hours All 8 US battleships were damaged

Four were sunk Nearly 200 aircraft completely

destroyed 2400 Americans were killed Japan losses were light

Fewer than 30 aircraft Handful of submarines

American Reaction

Americans reacted with anger & fearRumors that Japan would invade California

Barb wire on California beachesFDR expected a Japanese attack but with a

formal declaration of warJapanese officials delivered the war message

after the attack had begun

American Reaction

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan…Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this..., the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.”

FDR on December 8, 1941to Congress

Mobilizing for War

• The US had increased military spending in 1940– ended the Great Depression

• Draft was also reinstated in 1940– Millions volunteered

• General George C. Marshall– Led mobilization effort– Worked closely with FDR– Also played important role in developing US strategy

Army Chief of Staff, General

George C. Marshall

Women & the Armed Forces• Not permitted in combat roles– Filled positions that allowed more men in combat

Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services (WAVES)

Navy

WAVES

Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs)

• Tested & delivered aircraft

• Nearly 40 lost their lives

WASPs

Women’s Army Corps (WAC)

• Largest women’s unit: 150,000 served

• Worked with army– Repaired equipment,

electricians, etc.– Led by Oveta Culp

Hobby who was given rank of colonel

NEW MILITARY BASES

Millions of new soldiers required new bases

Military preferred rural areas California more bases than any state Florida good location for training bases

Camp Blanding 55,000 soldiers 4th largest city 1.2 million trained in Texas

Fort Hood Randolph Air Force Base

MOBILIZING INDUSTRY & SCIENCE American industry converted for mobilization

Henry Ford—Willow Run US spent tens of billions on weapons & supplies

American ships targeted by German submarines

US factories built 5500 ships during war Henry Kaiser built “liberty ships”

Oregon Governor Charles Sprague, Henry Kaiser & FDR attending the launch of the first Liberty ship built in just 10 days.

NEW GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

Regulated what products factories produced, prices, & raw materials

Office of Production Management William Kaudsen Sidney Hillman

War Production Board Donald Nelson

ROSIE THE RIVETER

ROSIE THE RIVETER

Rosie the Riveter was most closely associated with a real woman, Rose Will Monroe, who was born in Pulaski County, Kentucky in 1920 and moved to Michigan during World War II. She worked as a riveter at the Willow Run Aircraft Factory in Ypsilanti, Michigan, building B-29 and B-24 bombers for the U.S. Army Air Forces

ROSIE THE RIVETER

Women filled the factory jobs left vacant by men joining the military

6.5 million industrial jobs that had never been open to women before

A REAL-LIFE "ROSIE" WORKING ON THE A-31 VENGEANCE BOMBER IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE (1943)

LABOR IN WORLD WAR II

Millions of jobs created by WWII Government concerned strikes might

hamper war effort National War Labor Board

Help settle labor disputes Smith-Connally Act

Gave president power to take over vital industries in the event of strikes

Helped reduce labor disputes during the war

MANHATTAN PROJECT

Top secret American program to build an atomic bomb Powerful weapon that used energy released

by the splitting of atoms Laboratories in Los Alamos, New Mexico Research began in 1939

Albert Einstein warned that Hitler was working on developing an atomic bomb

Led by J. Robert Oppenheimer

NUCLEAR PHYSICIST ROBERT OPPENHEIMER, LEFT, WITH MAJOR GENERAL LESLIE GROVES, BY THE REMAINS OF THE TOWER FROM WHICH AN ATOM TEST BOMB WAS IGNITED.

African Americans in the military

Hundreds of thousands served First black marines First black commissioned naval officers Discrimination still existed

› Forced to serve in segregated units› None received Medal of Honor

7 received it 50 years later

African Americans in the workforce

Filled the factory jobs that opened Often forced to take the lowest-paying

jobs A. Phillip Randolph

› Head of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters

› Called for a march on Washington to protest

› FDR ordered discrimination to cease in government & defense jobs

Hispanic Americans

Bracero Program› Established in 1942 by US & Mexican

governments› Because of demand for farm labor› Gave some Mexican workers the chance to

work temporarily in the US Increased ethnic tensions Zoot suit riots

› June 1943, white sailors fought with Mexican youths in L.A.

› Lasted about a week

Sailors with wooden clubs during the 1943 "zoot suit" riots in Los Angeles.