World War II. Learning Targets 1. Describe how post World War I conditions contributed to the rise of antidemocratic governments in Europe 2. Explain.

World War II

Learning Targets1. Describe how post World War

I conditions contributed to the rise of antidemocratic governments in Europe

2. Explain why many Americans supported a policy of isolationism in the 1930’s

World War IIMore than

100 million military personnel  involved

Deadliest conflict in history; 50 to 70 million killed

Total War, participants placed their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities at the service of the war effort

1939-1945Only use of atomic

weapons in combat

Roots of WW IIThe causes of WWII

stem from the end of WWI, specifically the Treaty of Versailles

1. Germany is solely responsible

2. German army is limited to 100,000 men

3. Advanced weapons are restricted or prohibited

4. Loss of Territory5. Must pay

reparations 132 billion Marks

($385 billion today)

Hyperinflation in Germany 1923

Germany Loses Territory

Europe Between the Wars

Benito Mussolini took over Italy in 1922

Led Italy’s Fascist Party

Fascism is a kind of aggressive nationalism, and is strongly anti-communist

Joseph Stalin Took over the USSR in 1926 after Vladimir Lenin died.

Stalin tried to modernize the economy

He was paranoid of anyone who might overthrow him

Killed millions during the Great Purge in the 1930’s

Adolph HitlerJoined German

Workers Party in 1919. Later renamed the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party)

Quickly rose to power, good at giving speeches

Appealed to German nationalism, blamed WWI loss on Jews

Used a private army called the SA (storm troopers or brownshirts) to attack political foes

Hitler & Ernst Röhm, leader of the SA

The Rise To Power…1923-1933Led the Beer Hall

Putsch (coup) in 1923 but failed and was sent to jail

In jail he wrote Mein Kampf (my struggle) in which he laid out his plans; including ridding Europe of Jews and creating more Lebensraum (living space) for Germans

After jail, he focused more on politics

The Nazi party slowly gained power in the Reichstag (German Parliament)

The Nazi party was aided when the Great Depression occurred and by the weak central government

Rise to PowerIn 1933, Hitler

became Chancellor of Germany

He quickly moved to give himself dictatorial powers and declared himself Führer (leader) in 1934

He then set out to rearm Germany, in violation of the Treaty of Versailles

The Road To War: Japan Japan needed raw

materials to supply its growing economy

In 1931, the Japanese army invaded Manchuria and threw out the Chinese.  

The Japanese felt that acquiring resource-rich territories would establish economic self-sufficiency and independence

The US Turns InwardThe US pursued a

policy of neutrality & isolationism

Isolationist ideas became popular for two reasons:Many European

nations who owed money to the US for WWI said they wouldn’t pay

The Nye Committee showed that arms manufacturers made huge profits during WWI, prompting many to believe that they tricked the US into the war

The isolationist faction was led by Charles Lindbergh and the American First Committee

Roosevelt & InternationalismRoosevelt

supported internationalism, the idea that trade between nations created prosperity and helps prevent war

When Japan invaded China in 1937, Roosevelt authorized arms sales to China

The Neutrality Acts of 1935 & 1937 made it illegal to sell arms to a country at war

Roosevelt believed that the Act did not apply because neither country declared war