WWII- 1940’s (Europe)



WWII- 1940’s (Europe)

In America President Roosevelt’s 1st inauguration was happening and in Europe Germany was giving Hitler absolute power.

Background:

The German people were angry- they were humiliated about the terms of the Treaty of Versailles (stripped of territory and arms and required to pay heavy restitution for WWI)

In order to pay back that restitution they printed large amounts of paper money which lead to inflation ( huge economic problems)

As a result Germany was looking for a leader that would solve their problems.

Hitler

Adolf Hitler proclaimed that he was the “savior” they were looking for and said that he would deal with the undesirable elements such as:

Treaty

Depression

Communists and Jews

Thus the National Socialist German Workers’ Party or the Nazi’s were born

His title Fuhrer (tyrant)

The regime (gov’t) Third Reich

Hitler used all kinds of tactics (propaganda, charismatic speeches, his own military and secret police called the Gestapo) to take hold a nation that lasted for 12 years

Mussolini

Dictator of Italy also known as Il Duce

He used the same tactics as Hitler to disassemble the democratic gov’t of Italy

He took over Ethiopia when he was prompted by visions of a “new” Roman Empire that would dominate the land around the Mediterranean.

Nationalistic Italian movement called fascism (a way of organizing a society in which a government ruled by a dictator controls the lives of the people and in which people are not allowed to disagree with the government)

Hirohito

Emperor of Japan- military dictatorship

He convinced the people that they were a superior race destined to rule others.

Japan attacked nearly all of its Asian neighbors, allied itself with Nazi Germany and launched a surprise assault on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor

Franco

Dictator of Spain

With the help of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, his Nationalist forces overthrew the Spanish government.

Though he sympathized with the Axis powers, Franco largely stayed out of World War II (1939-45) but did send nearly 50,000 volunteers to fight alongside the Germans on the Soviet front

Axis Powers

Italy, Japan, and Germany established an alliance that they believed could overpower most countries and would help them take over the nations of the world.

Isolationism

At this point the U.S. is trying to stay out and has tried to pass a series of neutrality acts so that we would not help the enemy- but it also made it impossible to help the friendly nations if they were attacked.

Roosevelt opposed the acts

Hitlers moves to create a Greater Germany:

Rhineland

Demilitarized zone established in the Treaty of Ver

Germany forbidden to put troops there- Hilter broke treaty

France was in an election and so did not act to stop this action

Annex of Austria

Without any challenge Hitler united Austria with Germany which became known as Anschluss.

Sudetenland

Part of Czechoslovakia that was predominately German in population

Given to Hitler at the Munich Conference by British Prime Minister and French Premier in the hopes that it would end his aggression

Hitler did not keep his promise and seized the rest of Czech

Nonaggression Pact

Signed this pact with Russian dictator Joseph Stalin

Hitler invades Poland

With the agreement from Russia that they would not attack eachother

They also had a secret promise to split Poland

Hitler now had clearance to invade Poland

Britain and France give him 48 hrs to withdraw (he doesn’t)

They declare war on Germany

This was the beginning of WWII!

Blitzkrieg

After Germany defeated Poland, Hitler used this type of attack to overwhelm the surrounding nations

Britain

Hitler thought that because Britain no longer had support that they would be forced to surrender

Britain under the control of Winston Churchill was in for a long war

RAF

Royal Air Force

Hitler knew that this Air Force would have to be neutralized in order to carry out a successful invasion

He tried with daily missions to bomb both naval and airforce bases.... without success

Remember the nonaggression pact with Russia- well

The Nazi bombers withdrew from Britain and prepared to attack the Soviet Union. He did not keep his promise here either

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