WORLD WAR II

Australian InvolvementU.S InvolvementJapanese InvolvementNazi Germany

Why did Australia get involved in WWII?Australia went to war with Germany alongside Britain their close ally with the expectation that should Japan invade Australia, Britain would help protect them. When Hitler planned to invade Poland and Britain would no longer tolerate this, Australia joined them and it was declared on Sunday 3rd of September 1939 at 9pm that Australia and Britain were officially at war with Germany.

Australian Military Involvement (Numbers )

Approximately one million Australians (both male and female) served in WW2

Australian Losses

On 19 February 1942 Darwin’s harbour and two airfields were attacked by Japanese aircraft and heavy losses were inflicted to the town and many civilians were killed and injured.

Australian VictoriesOn the 8th of May 1945 Germany surrendered to the Allies. Prisoners of war in camps throughout Europe were freed and Australian soldiers started the journey home.Japan then surrendered to the Allies on 2nd of September 1945 and many thousands of Australians military personal and prisoners of war were liberated and the war was over.

How was Australia affected after WWII?

After WWII Australia was confronted with various issues as there was a widespread fear in western countries of the threat of communism. Australia developed close ties with the US during WW2 and this resulted in the participation of other overseas wars. The strain of such overseas wars and the fear of communism created much tension within Australian society and formed an era of protest amongst various social groups.

Why did the U.S get involved in WWII?

The U.S were relatively neutral in WWII for the first 2 years, up until the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941 which led to their entry into the war.

U.S Military Involvement (Numbers )

During the war over 16 million Americans served in the U.S Military.

U.S Losses

On December 7, 1941 the U.S Naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was attacked by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The U.S suffered heavy losses with many war ships and aircraft damaged or destroyed. There was 2,402 Americans killed and 1,282 wounded in the attack.

U.S Victories

The U.S military dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 which destroyed the city and killed tens of thousands of people.A second atomic bomb was dropped on the town of Nagasaki three days later on August 9, 1945 causing many more deaths and causing mass destruction.The Japanese Emperor surrendered to the U.S six days after the bombing of Nagasaki and this signalled the end of world war II.

How was the U.S affected after WWII?

The U.S and the Soviet Union arose from the war as rival superpowers. They helped form the United Nations to prevent future conflicts and to foster international co-operation.Although there was no physical damage to the American mainland, after the war American society was affected in many ways as it had brought new ideas and changes to American life. There was increased industry and change in the workplace and a strong economy. America’s own prejudices and shortcomings were recognized after the war and this prompted change in society.

Why did Japan get involved in WWIIJapan entered WWII in an attempt to gain control of the pacific and East Asia. Japan aspired to become a world leader however, because of their relatively small geographical size and lack of natural resources, Japans leaders believed they needed to gain more land by taking over other countries.

Imperial Japanese Army

The official name for the armed forces for the Empire of Japan during WWII was the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA).

At the beginning of the war the IJA had 51 divisions with a variety of special purposed artillery, cavalry, anti-aircraft and armored units totaling 1,700,000 men. By 1945, there was 5.5 million men serving the Empire of Japan.

IJA VictoriesSoutheast Asia was quickly dominated by Japan and they were well on their way to dominance by 1942.

IJA LossesThe atomic bombings carried out by the United States on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki occurred in 1945. This is the only time in history to date where nuclear weapons have been used. The bombing of Hiroshima resulted in 135,000 casualties with 66,000 deceased and 69,000 left injured. Nagasaki was faced with 64,000 casualties with 39,000 deceased and 25,000 injured.

How was Japan effected after WWIIFollowing WWII, Japan was occupied by the Allied Powers until 1952. During the occupation, Japan went through a state of reform whereby they became democratic state. Furthermore, the Empire of Japan was terminated through the enforcement of the Constitution of Japan on May the 3rd 1947.

Why did Germany get involved in WWIIWWII began to unravel when Germany invaded Poland on the 1st of September 1939. France and Britain declared war on Germany but two days after the invasion of Poland.

Wehrmacht The unified armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945 was referred to as the Wehrmacht. An estimated 18.2 million total number of soldiers served in the Wehrmacht according to historian Rudiger Overmans. Recruitment was achieved through voluntary enlistment as well as the implementation of conscription.

German victoriesGermany quickly gained power over Luxembourge, the Netherlands and Belgium. France then surrendered on the 22 of June. The Wehrmacht also conquered Denmark, Yugoslavia, Greece, Norway and Western Poland.

German lossesThe estimated German casualties float around 5.5 to 6.9 million persons. Including 900,000 men that had been forcibly conscripted from outside of Germany's borders such as Austria. Civilian deaths due to Allied strategic bombing sit at an estimated 437,000 civilians. The Battle of Berlin took 22,000 German citizens.

How was Germany effected after the war?Close to one quarter of Germany’s pre-war borders was annexed by the allies; leaving roughly 10 million German citizens exiled from these areas or forbidden from returning. Germany was made to pay reparations to the UK, France and the Soviet Union, in forms of dismantled factories, forced labour and coal. These post war repercussions saw the German living standard reduce to its 1932 level.

References

• Australian Soldiers Wewak June (14 June 2008), Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Aust_soldiers_Wewak_June_1945.jpg• The Second World War Australia (n.d.), Retrieved from http://rslnsw.org.au/commemoration/heritage/the-second-world-war• Victory 8 May 1945/15 August 1945 (n.d), Retrieved from http://www.ww2australia.gov.au/vevp/• Silk, G. (25 December 1942), Buna, Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Buna.jpg• The Bombing of Darwin (3 January 2014), Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Darwin• Australian casualties of World War II (6 May 2012), Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_casualties_of_World_War_II• Returned Australian POWs (17 October 1945), Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Returned_Australian_POWs_Oct45.jpg• He's coming South (1942), Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:He's_coming_South.jpg• Why did Australia become involved? (n.d), Retrieved from http://www.skwirk.com/p-t_s-14_u-91_t-198• Flag of Australia, (3 Oct 2011), Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_Australia.svg• Levy .C, Atomic bombing of Japan, (2 Dec 2010), Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Atomic_bombing_of_Japan.jpg• The Atomic Bomb (n.d), Retrieved from http://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_ii/ww2_atomic_bomb.php• Flag of the United States (3 October 2011), Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_United_States.svg• Petruzelli T.Snr., Put me in your pocket (16 December 2009) Retrieved from

http://www.writeonnewjersey.com/2009/12/put-me-in-your-pocket/• American World War II senior military officials (circa 1945), Retrieved from

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File:War_flag_of_the_Imperial_Japanese_Army.svg• Troops of the 18th infantry (1937) Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:IJA-18th_Infantry_Regt-1937.jpg• Imperial Japanese history (2012) Retrieved from

http://imperialjapanesehistory.tumblr.com/post/15588609985/jn-special-naval-landing-forces-sailors-celebrate• Atomic Bombing of Japan (2010) Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Atomic_bombing_of_Japan.jpg• British FT in Japan (2012) Retrieved from http://limpehft.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/interview-british-ft-in-japan.html• Imperial Japanese Army (2014) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Army

References

• Nazi Germany (2012), Retrieved from http://historyonthenet.com/Nazi_Germany/nazigermanymain.htm• World War II Pictures in Detail (2012), Retrieved from

http://ww2images.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/a-column-of-german-wehrmacht-paraded-in.html• Nazi Occupied Europe Map (2013), retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/

File:Nazi_Occupied_Europe_September_1943_Map.png• Vivid new battle of the Bulge (2011), Retrieved from

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2075565/Vivid-new-Battle-Bulge-photos-offer-seen-look-war-weary-soldiers-braving-frigid-weather-fight-Nazi-Germanys-major-offensive-World-War-II.html

• Germany, Year Zero Retrieved from http://betonbabe.tumblr.com/post/1329107497/roberto-rossellini-germany-year-zero-1947• Nazi Germany (2014) Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germany