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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