WWII

Revenge: Germany wanted revenge for

everything lost in the Treaty of Versailles at the end of WWI.

Appeasement: Great Britain and France gave Hitler

land without fighting for it.Nationalism & Racism: Hitler and the Nazis thought

Germany’s needs and wants came before the rest of the world.

Hitler was racist; he killed the Jews in the countries he invaded.

What caused WWII in Europe?

Economy was bad in EuropeWWI killed a lot of workers and customers

After years of humiliation and starvation, Germans looked for a strong leader.

Depression in 1920s Europe

NAZIs elected to power!Nazis promised

to build up Germany’s army and get revenge for WWI

This is Adolf Hitler when he came to power in 1933.

Germany late 1930s

Germany escaped the Depression by militarizing.

This is Berlin 1936

In direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles Germany:• Took over the Rhineland in 1936• Annexed Austria in March 1938• Occupied the Sudetenland (part of

Czechoslovakia) • Took over the rest of

Czechoslovakia in March 1939

Hitler’s Campaign for Lebensraum (space for living)

Hitler Annexes Austria

Appeasement Hitler wanted land, Britain and France let him have it to avoid war.

• Hitler surprised the world by signing a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union (Russia), Germany’s sworn enemy.• In this way, Hitler could continue his take over of Western Europe without the threat of Soviet intervention.

Covering his Bases

WWII started when Hitler invaded Poland September 1, 1939.

Britain and France had promised to support Poland if the Nazis attacked and declared war on Germany two days later.

German 'Blitzkrieg' Rolls into Poland 1939

Fortress EuropaIn no time,

Germany conquered most of Europe. The UK was the only country in Western Europe not under Nazi control.

Europe falls to Hitler

Poland conquered in 1 month

Denmark and the Netherlands conquered in a matter of days

Belgium conquered in 3 weeks

France conquered in 6 weeks

Hitler in Paris

Conquered People Weep

Frenchman weeps as Nazis march into Paris

Woman forced to heil Hitler

US Isolationism

Americans wanted to stay out of Europe’s wars.

FDR wanted to help Britain anyway

USA had 2 oceans to protect them (sort of).

Pacific Ocean

Atlantic Ocean

Lend Lease Act

FDR sent war materials to Britain and the USSR.

Sherman tank

Battle of BritainBattle of Britain

• Britain now stood alone against the Nazi onslaught. • Hitler had hoped he could bomb Britain into submission with his

Luftwaffe (air force).

Battle of Britain

Air Raid London after bombing raid

London Blitz

Reasons the English won the Battle of Britain

Winston Churchill, their charismatic prime minister

The efforts of the RAF (Royal Air Force)

The determination and resolve of the British people

Help from the US in the form of weapons and money, but not troops

English Channel protected England

Britain resisted German air force

Hitler's Frustration leads to Two Fronts

In June 1941 Hitler breaks his non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union and attacks.

German troops were only stopped at the gates of Moscow because of bad weather and Russian reinforcements.

Nazis Invade Russia

Tough cold winters killed many NAZI troops in USSR.

Russian people are tough! 21 million dead, yet no surrender!

Meanwhile in Asia…….Japan was

conquering lands in Asia the way Germany was in Europe.

The US was worried Japan was too much of a threat, and decided to cut off Japan’s supply of oil.

The USA Enters the WarTo get back at the

US, Japan attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, sinking many US ships and killing over 2,000 people

Attack on Pearl Harbor

World War II AlliancesGermany, Italy, and

Japan made a deal to help each other in case one was attacked.

Germany and Italy declared war on the US immediately after Pearl Harbor

Axis Powers

Germany

Italy Japan

World War II AlliancesAllies

USA

Great Britain

Soviet Union (Russia)

China

France

The Allies were the USA, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union (USSR). These are called the “big three.” China and France were also major allies.

In addition were the colonies and territories of these countries.These include Canada, Australia, Poland and others.

Allied Leaders during World War II

Winston ChurchillPrime Minister of England

Franklin RooseveltPresident of the US

Joseph StalinPremier of the Soviet Union

Russia wins the Bloodiest Battle in Human HistoryStalin’s policy of “Not

one step back,” brings victory for the Soviets at Stalingrad and begins the slow process of pushing the Germans out of Russia and across Eastern Europe toward Germany.

Casualties in this one battle are estimated to be between 1 and 2 million.

Battle for Stalingrad

Stalingrad Before Stalingrad Nazi Invasion destroyed

Major Turning PointsUS factories, in full war

production, help the allies take the offensive both in Europe and the Pacific

1942 the US defeats Japan in the Battle of Midway, destroying much of it’s naval and air power.

1943 British and Americans drive the Nazis out of North Africa and invade Italy.

Sept 1943 Italy is forced out the war and Mussolini is killed.

D-DayAfter a massive build-

up of troops, air power, and naval power, the allies storm the beaches of Normandy, France on June 6, 1944

They establish a foot-hold in mainland Europe and begin to push the Germans across Western Europe back toward Germany.

D-Day

Germany surrendersUS and British forces

continued to push the Germans east, while the Russians pushed them west.

The two sides met at Berlin, Germany’s capital.

Hitler cannot take defeat and kills himself.

Germany surrenders on May 7, 1945.

End of the Third Reich

With Germany out of the way, the allies could concentrate

on Japan

Meanwhile, in Asia. . .

Island Hopping – US fought its way across the Pacific to gradually reach Japan

Battle for Iwo Jima

Island hopping became a fact of the war with Japan.

Died: 6800 US 20000 Japanese.

This flag raising was a serious morale boost to soldiers on the island.

Kamikaze Attacks Battle for Iwo Jima

Kamikaze attacks

The US has a dangerous new weaponAfter the death of

President Roosevelt, Vice-President Harry Truman became president and had a big decision to make.

Should he use a deadly new weapon on the Japanese to end the war?

The Japanese had shown they would fight to the last man, woman and child.

The atomic bomb saved as many as 1 million U.S. lives, and possibly many Japanese.

Harry Truman said he dropped the bomb to end the war.

Why drop the Atomic Bomb?

This plane dropped an atom bomb on Hiroshima

Atomic bomb

Hiroshima and Nagasaki 1945

Victims in HiroshimaThe atomic bombs

killed nearly 120,000 people instantly.

In the months and years to follow, many more would die of radiation poisoning and leukemia.

Japan surrenders August 14, 1945

USSR 22 millionChina 11 millionGermany 7 millionPoland 7 millionU.S. 0.5 millionGreat Britain 0.3 millionJapan 1.5 millionJust as the end of WWI led to WWII, the end

ofWWII brought about the atomic age and a

Cold Warbetween two new world superpowers: The United States and Soviet Union.

World War II deaths