World War II. The Treaty of Versailles was written and signed by Germany and France at the end of World War I. The Paris Peace Conference was dominated.

World War II

The Treaty of Versailles was written and signed by Germany and France at the end of World War I.

The Paris Peace Conference was dominated by three men:French Prime Minster: Georges ClemenceauAmerican President: Woodrow WilsonBritish Prime Minster: David Lloyd George

Clemenceau planned to make the Germans pay for the French lives and industries they had destroyed.

The Peace Treaty stated that Germany was entirely to blame for the war and it’s terrible results.

Germany had to pay up to 132 Billion Gold Marks to pay for damages they inflicted during the war.

March 12, 1938- Germany occupies Austria.

October 1, 1938 Nazi Troops occupy Sudetenland of the Czech Rep.

March ,1939 The Nazi troops occupy other areas of Czechoslovakia

In May, 1939 Germany and Italy signed a Military Alliance known as the Pact of Steel:The countries guaranteed to help defend each other in case of attack.

August, 1939 Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Nazi-Soviet Pact agreeing not to fight each other.

Europe begins to Form Alliances (soon to become the “Allies”) against the Germans

Britain – France – Holland

September 1, 1939 Nazi’s invade Poland

Britain and France declare war two days later.

April 9, 1940 Nazi’s invade Denmark and Norway

Hitler wanted to invade Norway to establish Naval and Air bases and

to secure the sea routes to Sweden.

The Madness ContinuesThe Madness ContinuesFall Gelb (Case Yellow)Fall Gelb (Case Yellow)

May 10, 1940 Germans invade Belgium, Holland, and Luxemburg.

May 14,1940 Belgians were forced to retreat and the Dutch (Holland) surrendered on.

Germans began their drive into France

Allies retreated to the Channel coast in England

On May 26, 1940 Operation, Dynamo, the evacuation of British, French and Belgium from the beaches of

Dunkirk (France) began.

10 days-340,000 soldiers ferried across the English Channel to safety.

Paris fell on June 14, 1940 and an Armistice was signed eight days later.

July 10, 1940 Luftwaffe (Germany’s Air Force) began to bomb towns and ships along England’s South Coast

The Battle of Britain had began.

The German’s aim was to seize control of British Air Space so that their ships could cross the Channel in safety.

The Luftwaffe made steady progress, but Hitler wanted quick results, so he identified a new target - London.

However, the Luftwaffe was unable to secure a victory against the RAF (Britain’s Royal Air Force), so “Sea Lion” was called off on September 17. Germany’s new goal was to wipe out Military bases and factories. The Blitz lasted till May 1941

Luftwaffe had dropped 35,000 tons of bombs on Britain and 19,000 of them on London.

The Battle of the Atlantic lasted from 1939-1945

It was a contest between Britain (US later on) and Germany for the control of the Atlantic Sea Routes The Atlantic Ocean became a battle zone after the fall of Norway and France.Now that Germany took over Norway and France German shipping could operate from more ports over a wider area.

U-Boats (submarines) attacked ships in “Wolf Pack” groups, and received support from German Aircraft.Britain fought back with more air support and better escort ships for convoys.

In March 1941- Lend-Lease act was issued.Arranged for the loan of money and equipment from the United States to it’s allies.Later on the US Navy began to escort shipping in the western Atlantic.

On the American east coast, during the first 6 months of 1942, the Germans sank 492 vessels.

The U-boats sank almost 300,000 tons of Allied Shipping.

German U-Boat An American Vessel

Italy did not declare war on the Allies until June 10, 1940

Before World War II Italy already had occupied several African Colonies including Libya. In 1935 Mussolini (Italian Leader) occupied Abyssinia (Now Ethiopia) in northern Africa. In 1940 the Italians invaded Egypt from Libya with a large number of troops (250,000 Soldiers)

However, Italians were forced to retreat after advancing just 50 miles (80km) after the British Infantry and tanks stormed them into Libya.

In February of 1941 Hitler sent the Afrika Korps, under the command of Erwin Rommel, to the aid of the Italians. Rommel began a counter attack, forcing British to back toward Egypt.

On October 23, 1942 General Montgomery and the British 8th Army attacked Rommel at El Alamein (Egypt). Rommel retreated 12 days later. Allies won their first major victory of the war against the Germans and Italians.

November 8,1942 Allies began Operation Torch, landing American and British troops in North Africa at Morocco and Algeria. By 1943 they were fighting Rommel's retreating groups and on May 13 the Axis powers in Africa surrendered.

June 22,1941 Germans start the invasion of Russia.Largest ground attack ever seen, involving 3,500,000

men. Germans were divided into 3 Groups.Army Group

NorthHeaded for Leningrad

Army Group Center

headed for Moscow.

Army Group South

headed for Kiev.

German attack on Stalingrad in southwestern Russia began August 19,1942Soviet counterstrike(Operation Uranus) tanks encircled Stalingrad and Luftwaffe could not fly in enough supplies.

300,000 Germans trapped in Stalingrad began to starve. Nazi’s withdrawal January 31,1943 This was one of the bloodiest battles in the history of warfare

Late 19th century Japan began a process of rapid modernization. Japan built up its empire, and started a period of aggressive expansion.

1904-1905 Japan defeated the Russians, forcing them out of Manchuria in northern China.

1910- Occupied Korea.

1931 Japan invaded and occupied all of Manchuria.

1933 left League of Nations

1936 signed cooperation treaty with Germany

After it’s success in China, Japan’s ambitions grew.U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt realized new problems were on the horizon and decided to stop Japans empire building by imposing economic sanctionsJuly 1941, Japan annexed all of IndochinaRoosevelt ended all trade with the Japanese and denied them access to oil money an possessions in the U.S

December 7,1941- Japanese bombers attacked the American fleet at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii•8 battle ships were sunk•More than 2,400 sailors killed.December 8 U.S. declared war on JapanDecember 11 Germany and Italy declare war on the U.S.

1945- Iwo Jima and Okinawa were taken in early Spring by the Americans

July 27-President Truman demanded surrender or threatening to use the Atomic Bomb-Message was ignored

August 6, 1945- The first Atomic Bomb was dropped on Hiroshima(80,000 were killed). The Japanese government did not surrender.

August 9,1945- Second Atomic Bomb was dropped on Nagasaki; emperor Hirohito announces Japan’s surrender.

Before After

Hiroshima

Before After

Nagasaki

Adolf Hitler commits suicide- April 30,1945

Berlin Surrenders to the Soviets on May 2,1945

Germans signed a full unconditional surrender on May 7,1945.

VE Day(Allies victorious in Europe)- May 8, 1945

VJ Day(Allies victorious in Japan)- Aug. 15, 1945

68,000,000-75,000,000 people were killed during World War II