WORLD WAR II – THE EARLY YEARS

PRE 1930S DIPLOMACYPortsmouth Conference and Gentleman’s Agreement with Japan.

Washington ConferenceReduced Navies ratios : US-5, Brit-5, Jap-3, Italy–1.75, Fra-1.75

How did this actually help Japan?

Kellogg Briand Pact - Signed by 62 nations to outlaw war

Dawes Plan – Cycle of money. What happens when it stops?

Good Neighbor Policy – Positive relations with Latin America. How will that help in WWII?

EARLY 1930S TIMELINE1931 – Japan invades Manchuria. What happens?

U.S. issues Stimson Doctrine which says Japan claim is illegitimate

1932 – World Disarmament Conference – failure

1933 – Hitler becomes Chancellor

FDR allows dollar to drop (helps U.S., hurts Europe)

1935 – Italy invades Ethiopia. What happens?

Italy’s Fascist leader – Benito Mussolini

U.S. passes first Neutrality Act (no arm sales to belligerents)

1936Spanish Civil War – seen as ideological between Fascism and Democracy

What does U.S. do? Germany? France? Italy? Britain?

Guess who wins? Fascist leader – Francisco Franco

Germany moves into the Rhineland

How does France and Britain react?

U.S. issues 2nd Neutrality Act (no loans to belligerents)

1937Japan invades more of China

FDR give “Quarantine” speech

Japan sinks USS Panay, but apologizes

What does the U.S. do?

U.S. issues 3rd Neutrality Act (no shipment of arms to Spain)

1938Anschluss between Germany and __________

Hitler wrote about this in Mein Kampf (__ ________)

Munich ConferenceHitler demands Sudetenland, promises last place he wants

What is significant about that area?

British leader Neville Chamberlain allows it.

Criticized by Winston Churchill. Calls it Appeasement

1939St. Louis – ship with 900 Jewish refugees arrived. What did the U.S. do?

March- Germany takes over rest of Czechoslovakia. But Hitler promised…

Aug – Non-aggression Pact between Germany and USSR

Even through Hitler and Soviet leader Josef Stalin dislike each other.

Sept 1st – Germany invades Poland with blitzkrieg attack.

Sept 3rd – Britain declares war on Germany (France and others follow)

Fall – USSR invades Baltic States and Finland

Fall – “Phony War” on French/German border

U.S. issues Neutrality Act, but allows for Cash-and-Carry of Weapons

EARLY HOLOCAUSTWhere did Hitler write of his views for Germany?

Why were Jews the scapegoats?

How were Jews treated in the U.S.?

What other groups were targeted?

Nuremberg Laws – 1935 legislation which restricted the rights of Jews in Germany.

What did the Germans do once they entered Poland and other areas?

How did the persecution of Jews help the U.S. war effort later on?

1940 – SPRING AND SUMMERAfter months of “phony war” Germany attacks. But who first?

Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, and then France.

(Italy also attacks southern France)

Vichy France set up. (______ gov’t of who?)

Tripartite Pact between Axis powers Germany and Italy with _____. Why?

1940 – FALLFDR wins 1940 election against Wendell Willkie

U.S. place embargo of oil and steel to Japan. What does that do?

U.S. passes Selective Service Act. Are we in the war?

Battle of Britain begins – What type fighting was it?

How will Britain survive?

U.S. passes Lend-Lease Act which helps those “vital to the defense of the U.S.”

Seen as the end of official neutrality, Isolationists oppose it

America First Committee

ARE WE THERE YET?Bases-for-Destroyers Deal (“Land-Lease”) – How does this help Britain double?

Atlantic Charter – April, 1941. Secret meeting between U.S. (FDR) and Britain (Churchill). Made peace objectives for after war.

Battle of Britain continues and Germany also invades USSR.

Hitler double-crosses Stalin.

Japan takes over former French colonies in Indochina.

Shoot-on-Sight order by FDR – Convoys to shoot German wolfpack subs.

USS Reuben James sunk by German sub. How do the U.S. people react?

DECEMBER 7, 1941“Day of Infamy” at Pearl Harbor

Over 2,400 Americans killed and Pacific Fleet damaged

People stunned, but was it really a surprise?

Japan’s Leader – Gen. Hideki Tojo

Dec 8th after FDR’s Infamy speech, U.S. declares war on Japan.

Three days later Germany and Italy declare war on U.S. Why?