WWII Begins

Causes of WWII

• Nationalism
• Italian, Japanese, and German Aggression (Axis Powers
• Failures of the League of Nations
• Appeasement
• Isolationism and Pacifism

Hitler, Mussolini, and Tojo all encouraged fierce Nationalism, which led to a desire to become great empires, and a hatred of "others"

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Aggression/Expansion

After WWI, most nations developed policies of Pacifism and Isolationism; which allowed Germany, Italy, and Japan to expand without contest

Italian Expansion

• October 1935 invades, conquers and Annexes Ethiopia
• April 1939: Albania annexed
• Desire to re-establish Roman Empire and resources

Japanese Expansion

• Sept 1931: invades Manchuria and Korea
• April 1935: Invades China

German Expansion

• Hitler called for the unification of German-speaking peoples
• March 1938: Annex of Austria (Anschluss)
• September 1938: Hitlers turns to annex Sudetenland after revolts in Czecelovakia

These expansions were illegal under the Treaty of Versailles, but the League of Nations had no way to enforce punishment

September 1938 Munich Pact

• Hitler, Mussolini and British PM Neville Chamberlain meet
• Gives Germany Sudetanland in the name of peace.
• Chamberlain hoped policy of Appeasement would mean "Peace for our Time
• Appeasement: making concessions in hopes of avoiding war

Except, Hitler then invades the rest of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 (6 months later)

In August 1939, Hitler signs a Non-Aggression Pact with Stalin: Both agree to not take military action against one another for 10 years

Major Events of WWII

Hitler continues his invasions with Poland in September 1939 (allied nation)

Following the attack on the Allied nation of Poland, Britain and France declare war on Germany two days later. WWII begins.

By May 1940, Hitler has invaded Norway, Denmark,Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg by using "Blitzkrieg"

Fall of France

• France built Maginot Line following WWI; no match for Blitzkrieg
• Considered one of the greatest military failures in history
• France surrenders very quickly: June 1940
• Germans now turn to take over Britain

Battle of Britain

• Winston Churchill appointed British PM May 1940 Summer 1940: Fought entirely by British and German (uftwaffe) Air Forces
• Germans sustained long period of bombing campaigns
• First German defeat

United States enters the War

The United States had a policy of isolationism leading up to the war; very few wanted to get involved in another European War

However, President FDR could not maintain complete neutrality

Lend-Lease Act

• Churchill desperately peitioned US for war support
• US passed laws making it illegal to sell anyone weapons
• FDR passes the "Lend-Lease" Act to "Lend" war materials to Britain and China

FDR also cuts off oil trade to Japan as they continued expansion into china

Pearl Harbor

• December 7, 1941 "A day which will live in infamy"
• Japanese launch aerial attack on US Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (additional forces stationed there)
• CASUALTIES : 2,400 dead, 1,000+ Wounded
• US officially declares war on December 8th

General George C. Marshall (chief of staff) substantially increased the size and power of the US military to fight Axis Powers

The United States fought with the Allies on both Eastern and Western fronts

General Douglas MacArthur led US forces in the Pacific (Philippians)

General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Ike) was Supreme Allied Commander of Europe

USSR becomes an Ally

Operation Barbarossa

• Germany needs raw materials/food; still hate communists breaks Non-Aggression Treaty; invades USSR in 1942
• Hitler breaks Non-Aggression Treaty; invades USSR in 1942
• Attack stretched 1800 miles (Scorched Earth)
• Germans initially capture 2 million Russians, but were stopped

Battle of Stalingrad

• June 1942-Feb 1943
• Over 2 million casualities
• Germans surrender at Stalingrad Feb 1943
• Major turning point of the war

In the west, US forces initially focus on fighting the Italians in Africa

September 1943: Italy officially surrenders to Allies

D-Day

• Invasion of Normandy, France June 6 1944 (Operation Overload)
• Allies launch enormous invasion by sea and air
• Opened up western Front to Allies
• 2 months later: 2 million Allied troops, and over 500,000 vehicles enter Europe
• Led to a push on Berlin and an Allied victory

Battle of the Bulge

• BeginsDecember 1944
• Last major German offensive campaign
• General George S. Patton declares Ally victory one month later

April 12 1945:
Harry S. Truman becomes President after FDR passes away

Shortly after, President Truman learns of the Manhattan Project: A US secret plan to develop the Atomic Bomb

Ally powers begin discussing post-war plans at Yalta Conference

April 28 1945: Mussolini is captured, and executed

April 30 1945: Hitler commits suicide; Germany surrenders five days later

V-E Day (Victory In Europe) Declared
May 8, 1945

Japan refused to surrender to the Allies despite losing major battles in the Pacific

Atomic Bombs

• Truman makes decision to drop A-bombs on Japan to force surrender
• August 6: "Little Boy" (U-Bomb dropped on Hiroshima; over 140,000 dead
• August 8: "Fat Man" (Pu-Bomb; more powerful) dropped on Nagasaki; over 74,000 dead
• Hirohito Surrenders August 15, 194

V-J Day (Victory in Japan):
August 15, 1945