World War II

Causes of World War II

-Resentment at the harsh
Political instability and peace of World War
economic devastation in One fuelled the rise of
Europe resulting from Adolf Hitler. Anxious to
WWI avoid war, Britain and
France chose to
Worldwide depression appease German
High war debt owed by territorial demands
Germany before finally 'drawing a
High Inflation line in the sand' over
Massive unemployment Poland.
 Fascism Dictator
Fascism is a A person who
political rules with total
philosophy in authority, often
which total in a cruel
power is given manner.
to a dictator and
individual
freedoms are
denied
 Rise of Fascism

Fascist dictators
included:
Adolph Hitler
(Germany)
Benito Mussolini (Italy)
 Hideki Tojo (Japan)

These dictators led the countries that

became known as the Axis Powers
Start of World War II
Germany and the
Soviet Union
signed a
nonaggression
pact agreeing to
never attack each
other.
 Germany invaded
Poland September 1,
1939. This marks
the beginning of
WWII.
 The Soviet Union also
invaded Poland and the
Baltic nations.
 German Advances

Germany
invaded France
and captured
Paris.
 Germany Bombed The British were able
London in the to turn away the
Battle of Britain. Germans due to the
invention of RADAR
 Gradual change in American policy from
neutrality to direct involvement

1. Isolationism
The U.S. refuses to
join the League of
Nations after WWI
The U.S. stays
isolated during the
Great Depression
 2. Lend-Lease Act
The United States gave
Britain war supplies and
old naval warships in
return for military bases
in Bermuda and the
Caribbean
 War in the Pacific
Rising tension developed between the U.S. and Japan
because of Japanese aggression in East Asia.
 Pearl Harbor
On Dec. 7, 1941, Japan
attacked the U.S. at
Pearl Harbor without
warning.
 3. Direct Involvement in the war

Japan declared war on the U.S., so the U.S.

declared war on Japan and Germany.
 The Allies
Democratic nations Allied leaders included:
(The United States,
Great Britain, Canada)
were known as the
Allies.
The Soviet Union joined
the Allies after being
invaded by Germany
Franklin D. Roosevelt
and later Harry S.
Truman U.S.
Winston Churchill
Great Britain
Joseph Stalin Soviet
Union
 Turning point in the Pacific
The Battle of Midway, fought over and near
the tiny U.S. mid-Pacific base at Midway atoll,
represents the strategic high water mark of
Japan's Pacific Ocean war.
Prior to this action, Japan possessed general
naval superiority over the United States and
could usually choose where and when to
attack. After Midway, the two opposing fleets
were essentially equals, and the United States
soon took the offensive.
 Turning point in Europe
In September 1943 a German army entered
the city of Stalingrad and began fighting for
the city. The main battle, The Battle of
Stalingrad was a fierce struggle. Soldiers
fought for each city block. In November 1942,
more Soviet troops arrived and surrounded
the German army. In late January 1943, with
supplies running low, the remaining German
troops in Stalingrad surrendered to the Soviet
Union.
 D Day
American and Allied
troops landed in
Normandy, France,
on D-Day to begin
the liberation of
Western Europe.
 End of War in Europe
Liberation of France (D-
Day)
Liberation of Western
Europe by the U.S.,
French, and British after
D-Day
Death of FDR April 12,
1945
Liberation of Eastern
Europe by the Soviets
Suicide of Adolph Hitler,
April 30, 1945
 End of War in The Pacific
Truman takes over as
president.
Truman decides to drop
the Atomic bomb on
Japan.
Atomic Bomb will save
American soldiers lives,
but will cost many
innocent women and
children theirs.
 Hiroshima
As many know, the atomic bomb has been used only twice in
warfare. The first was at Hiroshima. A uranium bomb nicknamed
"Little Boy" (despite weighing in at over four and a half tons) was
dropped on Hiroshima August 6, 1945.
The Aioi Bridge, one of 81 bridges connecting the seven-
branched delta of the Ota River, was the target; ground zero was
set at 1,980 feet. At 0815 hours, the bomb was dropped from
the Enola Gay. It missed by only 800 feet. At 0816 hours, in an
instant, 66,000 people were killed and 69,000 injured by a 10-
kiloton atomic explosion.
The area of total vaporization from the atomic bomb blast
measured one half mile in diameter; total destruction one mile
in diameter; severe blast damage as much as two miles in
diameter. Within a diameter of two and a half miles, everything
flammable burned. The remaining area of the blast zone was
riddled with serious blazes that stretched out to the final edge at
a little over three miles in diameter.
 Little Boy and Fat Man
After the Hiroshima
bombing, President
Truman announced, "If
they do not now accept
our terms, they may
expect a rain of ruin
from the air the likes of
which has never been
seen on this earth."
Japan still refused to
surrender.
 Nagasaki
On August 9, 1945, Nagasaki fell to the same treatment.
This time a Plutonium bomb nicknamed "Fat Man" was
dropped on the city. Though "Fat Man" missed its target by
over a mile and a half, it still leveled nearly half the city. In a
split second, Nagasaki's population dropped from 422,000
to 383,000. Over 25,000 people were injured.
Japan offered to surrender on August 10, 1945, ending
WWII.
NOTE: Physicists who have studied these two atomic
explosions estimate that the bombs utilized only 1/10th of
1 percent of their respective explosive capabilities.
Effects of Atomic Bombs
RayBurns
 WWII on the Home Front
American involvement -Thousands of American
in WWII brought an end women took jobs in defense
plants during the war (e.g.,
to the Great
Rosie the Riveter).
Depression. Factories
and workers were
needed to produce
goods to win the war.
 WWII Propaganda
What does this poster
mean?
It is asking Americans to
save gas by riding
together.
Those that ride alone
are helping the
Germans win the war,
by wasting fuel.
 Why did this woman
turn her bumpers into
the scrap heap?
So they could be turned
into weapons for the
war.
 Rationing
Americans at home
supported the war by
conserving and rationing
resources.
 http://www.u-s-
history.com/pages/h1674.html
 Racial Barriers
The need for workers
temporarily broke down
some racial barriers
(e.g., hiring in defense
plants) although
discrimination against
African Americans
continued.
Truman desegregated
the Armed Forces
 Internment Camps
While many Japanese
Americans served in the
armed forces, others were
treated with distrust and
prejudice, and many were
forced into internment camps.