The end of a 20 year truce!. Aggression by the totalitarian powers Nationalism Failures of the Treaty of Versailles Weakness of the League of.

WORLD WAR II – 1939-1945The end of a 20 year truce!

ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CAUSES OF WWII

Aggression by the totalitarian powers Nationalism Failures of the Treaty of Versailles Weakness of the League of Nations Tendencies towards isolationism and

pacifism in Europe and the U.S. Appeasement

MAJOR EVENTS OF THE WAR

German invasion of Poland Fall of France Battle of Britain German invasion of the Soviet Union Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor D-Day (Allied invasion of Europe) Atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima

and Nagasaki

MAJOR LEADERS OF THE WAR

United States*FDR – U.S. President*Harry Truman – U.S. President following death of FDR*Dwight D. Eisenhower – allied commander in Europe*Douglas MacArthur – General - Allies in the Pacific*George Marshall - general

Britain*Winston Churchill – prime minister

Soviet Union*Joseph Stalin – dictator

Germany*Adolf Hitler – dictator

Japan*Hideki Tojo – general*Hirohito – emperor

LET’S REVIEW…

Italy, Germany, and Japan have formed the Axis Powers

Italy has taken Ethiopia (parts of it…) League of Nations did nothing

Germany has taken the Sudetenland, Austria, and the Rhineland British and French following policy of

appeasement What next?

THE INVASION OF POLAND

September 1, 1939 – Germany invaded Poland Accomplished by the use of the “blitzkrieg”

tactic “lightning war” Planes rain bombs down at the same time as

slower troops and tanks cross the border—the goal was to take the enemy by surprise

Even though France and England declare war against Germany on September 3, 1939 Poland falls within 3 weeks

“One People, One Reich, One Führer!”

SOVIETS MAKE THEIR MOVE

The “secret” part of the nonaggressive pact was that the Soviet Union could occupy the eastern half of Poland.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WERE THE POLITICAL REASONS BEHIND STALIN’S ACTIONS IN EUROPE AT THE BEGINNING OF WWII???

INVASION OF FRANCE

May 1940 – Germany began its attack toward France

France held its defenses along the Maginot Line a line of defenses built by the French along

their border to keep the Germans out

WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS NEXT…???

What do you see wrong with this picture???

FRANCE FALLS

Germany kept the Allies’ attention along the Maginot Line while sneaking his army through the Ardennes.

Italy declared war on France & Britain by June 10th

June 14 – Paris falls to the Germans France is taken over in 6 weeks!

GERMANY ATTACKS GREAT BRITAIN

After the fall of France, Britain remained the only country left to face Germany

Winston Churchill – Prime Minister – declared Britain would never surrender!

Operation Sea Lion – Germany’s plan to knock out the Royal Air Force (RAF) Bombing by day and night continues until May,

when Hitler, surprised by the resistance, calls off the attacks

Battle of Britain continued until May 10, 1940 when Hitler turned his sights to Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean

EASTERN FRONT & THE MEDITERRANEAN 1st objective – North Africa – mainly due to

Mussolini To gain access to oil, Mussolini sought to

control British occupied Egypt in Sept 1940 Hitler gets involved to aid Mussolini as the

British begun to push the Italian troops further back

Erwin Rommel “Desert Fox” sent in to achieve a victory for Germany – he is successful

OPERATION BARBAROSSA

Hitler’s plan to attack the Soviet Union Soviet Union was not prepared for this

attack – why??? As the Russians retreat they use a

scorched earth policy – what is this??? September 8th – Hitler attempted to

starve the city of Stalingrad into surrendering but the people refuse

Turned his sights to Moscow – the capital and heart of the Soviet Union

UNITED STATES AIDS ITS ALLIES

What was the U.S. position at the beginning of the war???

March 1941 – Lend-Lease Act – the president could lend or lease arms and other supplies to any country vital to the U.S.

Secret meetings between FDR and Churchill Undeclared naval war between Germany

and the U.S. What does this mean???

EVENTS FOR YOUR TIMELINE - HW

France falls Hitler decides to expand Hitler invades Poland Hitler marches to Austria Munich Conference – giving Sudetenland

over Battle of Britain RAF vs. German

Luftwaffe Hitler claims Baltic States, Scandinavia

and Belgium