WW II The Rise of Dictators Benito Mussolini: founder of the Fascist Party in Italy. Fascism is an intense form of nationalism, the nation before the individual. Anti-communist Blackshirts, fascist militia Threaten to march on Rome to protect the country from communist, there were no communist The King refused to resist, his cabinet resign, and he was pressured into appoint Mussolini as the permier Mussolini worked quickly to destroy democracy and setup a dictorship. Stalin in USSR Union of Soviet Socialist Republics After Lenin s death in 1924, Stalin will take over. He tolerated no opposition, anyone who resisted communist policy would be punished. Between 8 and 10 million would die under Stalin 1
Hitler in Germany Political and economic chaos in Germany after the war created an environment ripe for radicalism, many new parties were created including the Nazi Party. ( National Socialist German Workers Party). They did not represent workers, they were nationalistic and anti-communists. Hitler was an early follower. In 1923 they tried a coup, didn t work. Hitler was arrested. While in jail he wrote Mein Kampf( My Struggle) In this book he describes his views on race and ethnicity. Including his hatred of the Jews. *He believed the were responsible for Germany s defeat in WWI Once released from jail, he worked to take power legally. They worked to get Nazis elected to the Reichstag. By 1932 the Nazi party was the majority. Con t 1933 Hitler is named chancellor He called for new elections, had his Brownshirts(Strom Troopers) intimidate voter and attack the socialists and communists. 1934 Hitler becomes president, which gave him control of the army. Gave himself the title of fuhrer and started to rebuild the army. * violation of the treaty of Versailles Japan Poor economic conditions Lack of resources Unemployment Tariffs Militarists want to seize land to solve the problem. They targeted Manchuria. A group of officers decided to attack without permission. 1933 they invaded Manchuria. From this point on Militarists and expansionists would control the country. 2
Spain Francisco Franco: leader of the Spanish rebellion against the election of Socialist and Communist to the Spanish government He was fascist Spanish Civil War Hitler and Mussolini would unofficially help Franco Axis Powers Germany Italy Japan Connected in 1936, officially allies in 1940 American As these dictatorships started to pop up most Americans began to support the idea of isolationism or neutrality Nye Committee: documented huge profits from the sale of arms in WWI, they believed the businesses influenced the US to go to war Neutrality Act of 1935: the act made it illegal to sell arms to any country at war Cash and Carry : also required warring countries to pick-up any nonmilitary supplies. 3
Roosevelt Supported the idea of internationalism, the idea that trade between nations created wealth and prevent war Japan and China: Roosevelt decided to help China, claimed that because war was not declared that the Neutrality Acts did not apply European Conflict The steps to war Hitler wanted to unite all German speaking people Austria The Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia Munich Conference: policy of appeasement; Neville Chamberlain Hitler takes the rest of Czechoslovakia Hitler makes claims for Danzig in Poland GB and France agree to go to war with Poland if Germany invades Neville Chamberlain - Peace in our Time -YouTube Nazi-soviet Nonaggression Pact Secret deal to split up Poland 4
The War Begins September 1 st, 1939 Germany invades Poland The Blitzkrieg: the coordination of tanks and aircraft By October 5 th the Polish army had been defeated. France France, along with British soldiers, simply waited. They would set up their defensive position along the Maginot Line 5
Norway and Denmark Before moving on to France, Hitler decided to take Norway and Denmark Both Countries were defeated in less than a month Now he would turn his attention to France. Aware of the Maginot line Hitler decides to go around, attacking The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg The British responded and moved north to meet them in Belgium. While fighting in central Belgium, the Germans were able push there tanks through into Luxembourg. The British and French could not respond fast enough and were trapped in Belgium Video, British Pathé archive: Evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk World news guardian.co.uk France Falls Three weeks after Dunkirk on June 22 nd, 1940 France surrenders Germany will control the north of France and the Atlantic coastline, set up the Atlantic Wall The rest of France will be governed by the Vichy government Battle of Britain The attack on England Radar Winston Churchill Luftwaffe Battle of Britain Newsreels - YouTube 6
The Jewish Question The Nuremburg Laws: 1935 Took citizenship away from Jews Banned marriage between Jews and other Germans Defined who was a Jew Jews could not hold public office or vote Could not work as civil servants, journalists, teachers, actors, doctors, lawyers, and could not operate a business Kristallnacht night of broken glass A response to a Jewish refugee killing a German diplomat in France It was open violence against the Jews Jewish shops and synagogues were destroyed Kristallnacht» Video Gallery Jewish refugees try to leave About 350,000 made it out before the war started Many tried, unsuccessfully, to make it to America USS St. Louis No One Wanted Us -The Tragic Voyage of the SS St. Louis -YouTube 7
The Final Solution Wannsee Conf Previous method Shooting Death vans Wannsee Conf. suggested rounding up all Jews and sending them to concentration camps. The healthy ones would be used as labor, the old, infirm, etc would be sent to extermination camps Americans Enter the War Neutrality Act of 1939: extend cash and carry to arms Destroyers-for-Bases Deal: 50 destroyers for the right to build bases on British controlled land Lend-Lease Act: We could send weapons to the Allies as long as they agreed to return or pay rent for them after the war. End of the Nazi-Soviet pact, we support USSR 8
Atlantic Carter: agreement between Churchill and FDR to a postwar world of democracy, non-aggression, free trade, economic advancement, and freedom of the seas. It is also believed by some that FDR told Churchill that he would force the Germans into an incident that would allow him to open hostilities Greer and Reuben James: shot on sight American and Japan We place an embargo on Japan Scrap iron, steel, and oil We were discouraging them from attacking the British We also wanted them out of Indochina and to make peace with China Pearl Harbor Dec 7 th 1941 Pearl Harbor Day Attack YouTube Franklin Delano Roosevelt -Pearl Harbor Address - YouTube 9