The Gathering Storm and the American Response

An Interactive Internet Activity

The objective This Power Point takes you through a timeline of

events in the 1930s that lay out the road to America’s direct involvement in WWII. Read each slide carefully, and whenever you get to a blank slide with a question or a task to perform labeled in RED, minimize this file, go to the web, and dig up the necessary information. Then, condense, paraphrase, and put it into your own words.

May I suggest you use the Media Center Databases (newspaper headlines from Newsbank might impress us) and www.digitalhistory.uh.edu

1933 in the world

Adolf Hitler appointed Chancellor on January 30

Massive fire at the Reichstag (Parliament) building, February 28, 1933

Enabling Act passed on March 23, 1933

What happened as a result of the Reichstag fire? (Also: paste a photo of the fire here).

Why was the Enabling Act passed, and what power did it give Hitler?

1933 in America

March 4: Franklin D. Roosevelt sworn in as President of the United States

“We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”

1934 in the world

Hitler begins a massive arms build-up, in violation of the Treaty of Versailles

October 3: Italy invades Ethiopia for oil and empire in Africa; it takes them nine months to conquer it!

The League of Nations condemns this action, but does nothing to stop oil shipments to Italy through Suez Canal

Hitler and Mussolini believe that the democracies are weak and powerless to stop them.

1934 in America

A special committee led by Senator Gerald Nye begins Senate hearings into the involvement of banks and corporations in financing WWI and supplying arms to Allies; hearings continue for 3 years

The majority of Americans begin to believe that weapons makers and bankers were primarily responsible for getting the U.S. into WWI: weapons makers are called “merchants of death”

Widespread isolationist sentiment develops

1935 in the World

• Hitler announces a plan to build a 500,000 man army, in violation of the Treaty of Versailles

• Hitler and the Nazis announce the Nuremberg Laws

What were the Nuremberg Laws?

1935 in America

FDR reluctantly signs the first Neutrality Act, preventing U.S. companies and banks from selling arms or loaning money to warring nations, forbid American travel to belligerent nations

Best-selling book in U.S.: The Road to War, 1914-1917; first in a long line of books arguing that the U.S. was dragged into WWI by banks and corporations

1936 in the world

May 7: Germany remilitarizes the Rhineland, which borders France

Berlin-Rome Axis created: alliance between Germany and Italy

Spanish Civil War begins-“Dress rehearsal for World War II”

Germany hosts the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin: African American runner Jesse Owens wins four gold medals!

Find a photo of Jesse Owens from the 1936 Olympics and paste it here.

Rome-Berlin Axis: Hitler and Mussolini

More on the Spanish Civil War…

Mussolini and Hitler send troops, weapons, and money to Fascist Francisco Franco

Massive bombing of civilian populations Loyalists supporting the democratic

government receive no help from U.S. due to Neutrality Act!

What were the “Abraham Lincoln Brigades” in the Spanish Civil War?

Francisco Franco

Famous Spanish painter Pablo Picasso’s most famous painting was called Guernica. Here it is! Why did Picasso make this painting, and what connection does it have to this era of history?

1937 in the world

Japan invades China, murdering 300,000 in The Rape of Nanking. The U.S. sends loans to China but does not get militarily involved.

Hitler declares his desire for lebensraum, or living space for his “master race.” He announces his intention to get it through territorial expansion.

Find at least two photos of the Rape of Nanking, and summarize some important facts about this brutal time period.

1937 in America

70% of Americans polled believed that the U.S. should have stayed out of WWI and felt it was a mistake.

FDR signs the 1937 Neutrality Act, which allows arms sales to warring countries on a “cash and carry” basis

FDR gives is famous “quarantine speech”

What did FDR mean by “cash and carry” and “quarantine?” Why couldn’t he openly aid our friends?

1938 in the world

Mar. 28: Germany annexes Austria peacefully in the Anschluss (union) without a single shot fired!

Sept. 29-30: Munich Conference: Great Britain, France, Italy, and Germany sign a pact allowing Hitler to annex the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia- Hitler promises that he will make no further demands for territory... Oops- big mistake.

Nov. 9-10: Kristallnacht

Why did Austria actually welcome Hitler? Find two photos of the “Anschluss” and paste them here.

Why was British Prime Minister Chamberlain blamed for “appeasement?” What does this word mean in reference to Munich?

British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Hitler at Munich

What was Kristallnacht? Write a summary and find two pictures.

1938 in America

Isolationist, anti-war organizations form: America First Committee, led by Charles Lindbergh

Congressman Louis Ludlow proposes a constitutional amendment requiring a national vote before war!

75% of Americans do not want to allow more Jewish exiles into the US

FDR asks Congress for $300 million in new military spending

FDR plans for annual production of 50,000 planes

Louis/Schmeling Rematch 1938

Who were Louis and Schmeling?What was the background to this fight? Who won? Was there any nationalistic significance?

Insert a picture(s) of Louis and Schmeling or the fight

Why was Charles Lindbergh America’s most famous celebrity? What were his beliefs about the war?

Who was Henry Ford, and what political views did he express during the 30s and 40s?

Please carefully examine each of the next 5 slides, which each have a photograph. Study them closely, and type in what you think is going on in each picture.

1939 in the world

Mar. 15: Hitler takes over the rest of Czechoslovakia, in violation of the Munich Pact

Aug.: Hitler and Stalin sign a non-aggression treaty, agreeing to divide up Poland

Sept. 1: Germany invades Poland; World War II begins.

Sept. 3: Great Britain and France declare war on Germany, fulfilling treaties

Sept. 17: Stalin marches into Poland from the east- he and Hitler divide it.

Find a photo from the invasion of Poland.

What is the message of this cartoon? Look at all the figures closely. Identify each “person.”

1939 in America

FDR submits a $1.3 billion defense budget; “Hitler and Mussolini were madmen who respected force and force alone”

Neutrality Act of 1939 passed: allowed sale of weapons to Britain, France, and China on a “cash and carry” basis

1940 in the world

May 10: German Blitzkrieg (lightning war) begins in Europe Winston Churchill becomes British Prime Minister Within ONE MONTH, Denmark, Norway, Holland, Belgium,

and Luxembourg all fall to Nazis. June 22: France surrenders to Hitler. July 10: Battle of Britain begins. “The Blitz” unleashed on

London and other major cities. Japan, Italy, and Germany sign Tripartite Pact, creating the

“Axis”

Hitler takes Paris

Sir Winston Churchill takes charge!

The Blitz in London

The Blitz Continues

The tubes

1940 in America

• July: FDR promises Americans that he will not send your boys to any foreign wars”

• July: “Destroyers for bases” deal gives 50 destroyers to Britain for eight bases

• Sept.: Selective Service Act passed: first peacetime draft ever; 16 million registered

• FDR wins reelection• Dec. 29: FDR calls upon Americans to become

“the arsenal of democracy”

1941 in the world

June 22: Germany invades the Soviet Union

Oct. 18: General Hideki Tojo becomes the Premier of Japan

German U-boat sinks U.S. destroyer Ruben James

Hideki Tojo

1941 in America

Mar.: Lend-Lease Act is passed: FDR given the power to sell or lease arms to Britain and Soviet Union; Germans use U-boats to attack ships

July 26: FDR freezes trade with Japan, including oil Aug.: FDR and Churchill create the Atlantic Charter: the

vision for the free world! Dec. 7: Japan bombs U.S. base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. U.S. and G.B. declare war on Japan, Germany and Italy

declare war on the U.S.

What were the “Four Freedoms” guaranteed in the Atlantic Charter written by FDR and Churchill?

Freedom of Freedom of Freedom from Freedom from

Pearl Harbor: Day of Infamy 12/7/41