WWII intro and leaders

World War IILeaders

Basic Facts...

55 million died worldwide (Both military & civilians)

$1 trillion, more than all other wars combined

61 countries involved (1.7 billion people)

War lasted from 1939-1945

U.S. Involvement from Dec. 1941 to Aug. 1945

Terms to Know...Dictator- A leader unrestricted by law

Fuhrer- German word for ‘leader’

Emperor- Male ruler of an empire (Japan)

Totalitarianism- When an individual’s needs are not as important as those of the country.

Fascism- ‘forcibly’ suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, and emphasizing aggressive nationalism and racism, militaristic gov’t.

Communism- A classless, moneyless, stateless social order in which there is common property.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Country: United States

Title: President

Political Party: Democrat

Outcome: Died before end of war, April 1945 of a stroke in Georgia

F.D.R.

Benito MussoliniCountry: Italy

Title: Prime Minister (1922-43), First Marshal of the Empire (1938-43), Duce of the Italian Social Republic (1943-45)

Political Party: Republican Fascist Party

Outcome: Executed in 1945 while trying to escape to Switzerland with his mistress. His Body was later hung upside down.

(‘Il Duce’)

Adolf HitlerCountry: Germany

Title: Chancellor (1933-45), Fuhrer (1934-45)

Political Party: National Socialist German Workers Party (nazi)

Outcome: Suicide in April 1945 with new wife Eva Braun.

Hirohito (Emperor Showa)Country: Japan

Title: Emperor (1926-89)

Government: Parliamentary, no political party

Outcome: Surrendered Aug. 1945, but remained in power until death in 1989.

hideki tojocountry: japan

title: Military Dictator of japan; prime minister of japan (1941-1944)

outcome: sentenced to death for war crimes; hung on dec. 23, 1948

Winston ChurchillCountry: Great Britain

Title: Prime Minister (1940-45, 1951-55)

Government: parliamentary

Outcome: Led Opposition Party after defeat in 1945, elected for second term as PM

charles de gaulle

country: france

title: general during WW II (1940-44); provisional president from 1944-46

government: republic

outcome: became president after w.w. II

Josef StalinCountry: Russia (Soviet Union)

Title/Party: General Chairman of the Communist Party (1922-1953)

Government: Communism

Outcome: Victory in WWII. Died in 1953 from stroke, possibly due to rat poison. (?)

Harry S. TrumanCountry: United States

Title: Vice President (until FDR’s death on April 12, 1945, then became President until 1953)

Government: Democracy

Outcome: Dropped atomic bomb, negotiated peace with Japan. Did not run for third term. Died in 1972 from pneumonia.