Causes of world war ii presentation a e embed version

WWII

ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS:

Political and economic conditions in

Europe following World War I, led to the

rise of fascism and World War II.

The rise of fascism threatened peace in

Europe and Asia.

As conflict grew in Europe and Asia,

American foreign policy evolved from

neutrality to direct involvement.

WORLDWIDE

ECONOMIC

DEPRESSIO

N

German Family

Soup Kitchen in Germany

German Woman

Germany was severely

punished by the Treaty

of Versailles: 1. War Guilt Clause

2. Military was reduced to almost nothing

3. Loss of Rhineland and other territories

4. Germany was forbidden from reuniting with Austria

5. War Reparations

$33 Billion Dollars Roughly $400 Billion Dollars Today

LEGACY OF THE TREATY OF

VERSAILLES:

GERMAN ECONOMY = HYPERINFLATION

“Germany was so far in debt, that they

began to print excessive amounts of

paper money in order to purchase gold

marks from foreign lenders. Those

gold marks were then used pay the

war reparations to France…at least

what they could afford to pay!”

Click here to understand

Germany’s hyperinflation

PBS: Slideshow

of Hyperinflation

MASSIVE UNEMPLOYMENT

Unemployed men gather in London

Bread Line in Paris

1. Political instability and economic devastation in

Europe resulting from WWI:

• Worldwide Depression

• High war debt owed by Germany

• High Inflation

• Massive Unemployment

A. CAUSES OF WORLD WAR II

NOTES:

1. What is Fascism?

• A political philosophy in which TOTAL

power is given to a dictator

• Individual freedoms are denied and

nationalism, often along with racism,

are emphasized

B. POLITICAL INSTABILITY LED TO

THE RISE OF FASCISM

NOTES:

B. FASCIST DICTATORS:

Benito Mussolini

Italy

Adolf Hitler

Germany

Hideki Tojo

Japan

=AXIS

POWERS

These fascist dictators lead countries

which made up the AXIS Powers.

C. DEMOCRATIC NATIONS =

The United States

Great Britain

Canada

Soviet Union… not democratic, but joined Allies

after being invaded by Germany

The Allies

ALLIED LEADERS

Joseph Stalin FDR Winston Churchill

ALLIED LEADERS

Joseph Stalin Truman Winston Churchill

Harry Truman

…after the death

of FDR in 1945

As conflict grew in Europe and Asia, American

foreign policy evolved from neutrality to direct

involvement.

D. American Involvement in WWII

Isolationism:

U. S. Neutrality

Stage 1:

Economic Aid to Allies:

Lend-Lease Act

U.S. sent war supplies to Great Britain

Stage 2:

Direct Involvement

in the War

Stage 3:

• There was a gradual change in American

policy from neutrality to direct involvement.

• America had unofficial policy of

ISOLATIONISM, meaning, they did not want

to get involved in European affairs. There

was even an “America First” movement to

prevent the U.S. from entering WWII.

• The legacy of WWI was still fresh in American

minds, plus the country was still dealing with

the economic devastation of the Great

Depression.

STAGE 1: AMERICAN NEUTRALITY…NOT

READY FOR ANOTHER WAR

FDR isolationist speech: http://www.history.com/speeches/franklin-

d-roosevelts-stab-in-the-back-speech#franklin-d-roosevelts-stab-in-

the-back-speech

AMERICA’S ISOLATIONISM POLICY

Stage 1:

AMERICAN ISOLATIONISM:

• President Roosevelt signed the Lend-Lease Act

which provided economic aid to Great Britain.

• The U.S. sent war supplies and agricultural

products to the Allies.

STAGE 2: AMERICA WAS READY HELP WITH WAR SUPPLIES…AGAIN

LEND-LEASE:

STAGE 3: DIRECT INVOLVEMENT –

THE UNITED STATES DECLARES WAR

December 7, 1941…Attack on Pearl Harbor

PEARL HARBOR:

WAR IN THE

PACIFIC

• Japan had been rapidly

industrializing.

• As a small island, they

quickly ran out of the

resources and raw

materials to sustain their

industrial growth

• They needed more land,

more workers, and more

materials!

RISING TENSIONS IN THE PACIFIC:

• Japan had also been undergoing a period of militarization.

• Japan became an empire by using its army to conquer neighboring countries in the Pacific

• They used brutal means to occupy the Philippines, Korea, Manchuria, Taiwan, and other parts of China.

RISING TENSIONS

IN THE PACIFIC:

RISING TENSIONS BETWEEN THE

UNITED STATES AND JAPAN:

• By 1940, Japan had…

Waged war with China

Withdrawn from the

League of Nations

Increased their military

Allied themselves with

Germany and Italy

Japanese Propaganda Poster

HOW DID AMERICA REACT? • U.S. placed an embargo on Japan, a diplomatic

measure to stop trade and prevent Japan from having

access to…

Metal

Copper

Oil

Rubber

• They closed the Panama Canal to Japanese ships

• They even froze Japanese bank accounts and assets

being held in the U. S.

DECEMBER 7, 1941:JAPANESE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR

Intended to knock out the entire United States Naval Fleet stationed in Hawaii

“I fear all we have done is to

awaken a sleeping giant and

fill him with a terrible resolve.”

- Japanese Admiral, Isoroku Yamamoto

“A day which will live in infamy…”

E. AMERICA NOW

FIGHTING A WAR ON

TWO FRONTS:

Rising tensions between the U.S. and

Japan because of Japanese aggression

in East Asia.

December 7, 1941:

• Japan attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor without warning

December 8, 1941:

• The United States declares war on Japan

December 11, 1941:

• Germany declares war on the United States

Hours later….

• The United States declares war on Germany

WWII

War in

Europe

War in the

Pacific

DIGITAL RESOURCESThe Century: America’s Time

Stormy Weather (2 of 3)

Start @ 5:15

End @ 9:50

Worldwide Global Depression & the start of Nazi Germany

The Century: America’s Time

Over the Edge (1 of 3)

Start @ 9:10 – End

Nazi Propaganda Films, “Triumph of the Will”, book burnings, Mein Kempf

The Century: America’s Time*

Over the Edge (3 of 3)

Start @ 8:50 – End

Germany invades Poland; England/France declares war on Germany (Official start of WWII)

Germany’s Blitzkrieg of Western Europe, France falls to Germany, Lend Lease Program

The Century: America’s Time*

Civilians at War (1 of 5)

Start @ beginning

End @ 4:00

“The Blitz” bombing of London, Civilian targets/casualties

The Century: America’s Time*

Homefront (3 of 3)Start – D-Day, Invasion of Normandy, liberation of Paris

3:03 – FDR 4th presidential campaign, FDR death/funeral

7:00 – Harry Truman, Germany Surrenders

7:40 – Ending the war in the Pacific, limiting American casualties,

Atomic Bomb, (1st hand accounts from soldiers who were saved)

11:18 – 14:00 Japan surrenders, victory parades, return of veterans

*Included on the

WWII Major Events

and Turning Points

Presentation too.