WORLD WAR II1939-1945

Causes of World War II•Political instability and economic devastation

in Europe resulting from World War I

4 CAUSES :

1.Worldwide depression

2.High war debt owed by Germany

3. High inflation.4. Massive unemployment

-German money became worthless.

Children played with stacks of money while housewives burned it

for fuel.

To help you remember the

4 CAUSES That Led to WWII : War

Has Hurt Millions

Fascism is political philosophy in which total power is given

to a dictator and individual freedoms

are denied and nationalism and, often, racism are

emphasized.

Rise of Fascism:

Fascist dictators included:

• Adolf Hitler (Germany) • Benito Mussolini (Italy)

• Hideki Tojo (Japan)

Hitler TojoMussolini

These dictators led

the countries

that became

known as the Axis Powers.

Dictator Country

Political Party/Politi

cal Philosophy

Threats to Peace

Adolf Hitler Germany Nazi Party

Fascism

1. Racist government.2. Blamed Jews for problems in

Germany.3. Suppressed opposing views and

controlled peoples’ lives.4. Built up military.5. Expanded territory.6. Formed an alliance with Italy.

Benito Mussolini Italy Fascism

1. Banned all political parties.2. Ended freedom of the press.3. Ended all civil liberties.4. Invaded Ethiopia and Albania.

Joseph Stalin

Soviet Union

Communism

1. Used force to demand obedience.2. Sent people to labor camps/killed

opposition.3. Forced people to work on

government owned farms.

Hideki Tojo Japan

Military-controlled

governmentFascism

1. Attacked Manchuria.2. Formed an alliance with Italy and

Germany called the Axis Powers.

•Democratic Nations: The United States (at end of 1941, Great Britain, Canada, France were known as the Allies.

•The Soviet Union joined the Allies after being

invaded by Germany in June 1941.

The Allies

Allied Leaders Included:• Franklin D.

Roosevelt later Harry S. Truman (US)

• Winston Churchill (Great Britain)• Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union)

Start of WW II•Germany invaded Poland, setting off war in Europe.•Great Britain and France then declared war on Germany.•The Soviet Union also invaded Poland & the Baltic nations.

• Germany invaded France and captured

Paris.

• Germany bombed

London, and the Battle of

Britain began.

Gradual change in American Policy … from neutrality to Direct Involvement:

At first, the United

States was neutral and isolationists.

Isolationism Philosophy was Due To:

• Great Depression (problems in our own country).

• Legacy of World War I (we became involved in a European war once before).

• Economic Aid to Allies.

Great Britain needed help from

the U.S.

Change to Economic Involvement:

What is this cartoonist saying the

U.S. trade policy with England will

lead to?

• Destroyers for Bases (1940) The U.S. gave Britain war supplies & old naval warships in return for military bases in Bermuda and the Caribbean.

•Lend - Lease (1941) The U. S. gave Britain war supplies and old naval warships in return for military bases in Bermuda and the Caribbean.

United States Direct Involvement:Rising tension developed between the U.S. &

Japan because of Japanese aggression in East Asia.

The “Rape of Nanking”

Analyzing Political

Cartoons:

1. Discuss with your partner: What do see?

2. What is the cartoonist trying to say about the U.S.’s ability to “stay neutral” during WWII by halting trade with countries like Japan?

Although the U.S. tried to remain an “Isolationist” nation during the

beginning of WWII, did our country truly remain neutral?

•On December 7, 1941 Japan attacked

the U.S. at Pearl Harbor without

warning.

“A date which will live in infamy.” ~

F.D.R.

War is Declared•The United States declared war on Japan.

•Germany declared war on the United States.