World War II

1
World War II

• 1933-1939

2
Hitler

• Master politician and superb judge of character.
• Manipulated situations to get his way.
• The British and French continually backed away
  from confrontation.
• Most nations agreed that an economically strong
  Germany helped all European nations- checked
  Communism.

3
Steps to War

• Hitler demanded Lebensraum Living Space
  (Expansion of Germany)
• In 1935 he began to rearm Germany in violation of
  the Versailles Treaty
• The army was limited to 100,000. Hitler ignored
  this.

4
Steps to War

• March 7, 1939 Hitler Reoccupies the Rhineland
  (Buffer between France and Germany)
• Violation of the Locarno Treaty.
• The British and French thought about action since
  Germany was still relatively weak, but did
  nothing.

5
Allies

• Rome-Berlin Axis was created in 1936- an alliance
  between Mussolini and Hitler.
• Hitler supported Mussolinis aggression in
  Ethiopia.
• Japan also joined the alliance.
• Germany and Italy became involved in the Spanish
  Civil War- Were able to test their new weapons

6
Aggression

• In March, 1938 Hitler moved his army into Austria
  adding 6 million Germans into the Reich.
• He was welcomed as a hero.
• He turned his eyes to Czechoslovakia- A country
  who had alliances with France , the Soviet Union,
  Romania, and Yugoslavia

7
Aggression

• Hitler demanded the German speaking area of
  Czechoslovakia called the Sudetenland.
• The Czechs mobilized their small army.
• The Soviets were prepared to help but Britain and
  France was not.

8
Munich Conference

• In September 1938, Chamberlain met with Hitler
  twice.
• Germany, Italy, France, and Britain attended.
• Britain and France agreed to allow Germany to
  take the Sudetenland- averting war.
• Clearly, Germany was the power in Europe.

9
Appeasement

• Why did the British refuse war?
• People were still tired of war
• British felt guilt toward Germany
• More afraid of Communism

10
More Aggression

• In March of 1939, Germany takes all of
  Czechoslovakia.
• Britain and France agree to act if Hitler moves
  towards Poland.

11
Non-Aggression Pact

• Hitler and Stalin cut a deal in August 1939.
• 10 year non-aggression with each other.
• Germany and the Soviet Union would divide up
  Poland.
• Soviets would remain neutral if Germany went to
  war with the Western Powers.
• On September 1, 1939 Hitler invades Poland.
• September 3, France and Britain declare war on
  Germany.

12
World War II

• 1939 - 1942

13
Blitzkrieg

• Over 1 Million German Soldier marched into
  Poland, supported by the Luftwaffe.
• Hitler crushed Poland in 4 weeks.
• Germany took the Western part, Soviets got the
  East.
• Soviet Union also invaded Finland, thus they were
  expelled from the League of Nations

14
France

• France waited for an attack that did not come
  until Spring 1940.
• Germany occupied Denmark, Norway, and Holland
  First.
• When they finally attacked France it took 6 weeks
  to defeat them.

15
France

• Marshal Petan of France accepted defeat
• He set up a new government called the Vichy
  Government that was a puppet to Hitler.
• If the Allies would have attacked Germany as soon
  as it invaded Poland they probably would have won.

16
Battle of Britain

• Hitler continually bombed Britain with his
  Luftwaffe.
• The RAF fought valiantly.
• Winston Churchill asked for US assistance.
• FDR did not want to get involved in Europe again

17
Hitlers Mistake

• In June 1941, Hitler invaded Russia.
• He had a lot of success at first and the Soviets
  were totally surprised.
• Just as the Germans were nearing victory in
  Russia.

18
Winter Came

• Hitler was unable to take Moscow and moved south
  to get supplies (Oil)
• The Soviets put up a huge defense at the Battle
  of Stalingrad, trapping 300,000 German soldiers.
• Hitler now had a war on two fronts.

19
Final Solution

• Himmlers SS began to answer the question to the
  Jewish Question- What to do with the Jews in the
  areas of German occupation.
• The answer was to systematically kill every Jew.
• By 1945, 6 Million Jews were murdered.

20
The Grand Alliance

• After Pearl Harbor, the US helped the allies.
• The allies met together to answer key Questions
• Tehran (1943), Yalta (1945), Potsdam (1945)
• Demanded Unconditional Surrender by Germany and
  Japan

21
Grand Alliance

• Tired of War, the Italians deposed Mussolini and
  surrendered in 1943.
• Germany invaded Italy to protect its Southern
  Border.
• June 6, 1944 the British and American troops
  invaded the European Continent at Normandy,
  France.
• German control began to crumble.

22
Declining Nazis

• In January 1945, the Russians met the Americans
  at the Elbe River.
• In March of 1945, the Americans crossed the Rhine
  and entered Germany.
• On May 7, 1945 Hitler committed suicide.
• The war officially ended after the US dropped 2
  atomic bombs on Japan.