CHAPTER 26 WORLD WAR II

Section 1 The War Begins

Totalitarianism

People were willing to give up their individual rights to leaders who delivered prosperity and glory. Political system in which the government controls every aspect of citizens lives.

Italy

After WWI, people of Italy suffered through economic depression, unemployment, strikes, and riots. Leader Benito Mussolini
Gained

complete control in 1922 Based on fascism

State/government

more important than individuals. Typically militaristic with strong leaders.

Germany

Also suffering from global depression. Furious about the Treaty of Versailles
Caused

Germany to pay debts for WWI.

Adolf Hitler (1933)

Inspired

huge audiences by vowing to restore Germany to prosperity and power. Blamed Jews of causing Germany to lose in WWI.

Hitlers National Socialist Party

Soviet Union

1928 Joseph Stalin

Dictator
Terrorized

those he saw as political enemies, killing or imprisoning millions of Soviet citizens.

Japan

Not one single dictator. 1931

Japan

invaded and conquered a region in northern China At least 360,000 Chinese were killed

United States protested the invasion.

Hitler

Began to rebuild the German military. Formed an alliance with Mussolini

Axis

Powers Japan & Austria later joined.

Wanted control of Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia.

Approaching War

Czech leaders looked to their allies in France and Great Britain for help. 1938 Munich Conference
An

appeasement Germany was given Sudetenland under the promise that no more land be demanded.

Winston Churchill
The

government had to choose between shame and war. They have chosen shame. They will get war.

Approaching War

March 1939, the rest of Czechoslovakia was seized. Began demanding territory from Poland.
Help

from France and Great Britain.

Nonaggression Pact

Start of WWII

Hitler and the German troops stormed into Poland. Britain and France declared war on Germany
Allied

Powers

German forces used blitzkrieg (lightning war) German attacked Poland from the West, and Soviets attacked from the East. Within 1 month, Poland was seized.

Moving West

Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. As Germany approached France, Italy also declared war on the Allied Powers. France surrendered to Germany June 22, 1940.

Battle of Britain

RAF = British Royal Air Force Luftwaffe = German Air Force Using new technology of radar, the RAF was able to detect and destroy Luftwaffes aircraft.
Hitler

backed off.

The United States

President Roosevelt
Your

boys are not going to be sent into any foreign wars. Lend-Lease Act

Helping the Allies

1941
Allows

the President to aid any nation believed vital to U.S. defense.

1941

Hitler violates the nonaggression pact with Stalin & Soviet Union. Soviets join the Allies

Japan & Pearl Harbor

Japan captured French Indochina

Roosevelt

protested. U.S. froze Japanese funds in its banks and cut off exports to Japan.

7:55 A.M., Sunday December 7, 1941

Japanese

airplanes attacked Pearl Harbor Sank or damaged all the battleships anchored at Pearl Harbor. More than 2,400 Americans were killed. A date which will live in infamy.

WWII

Congress voted to declare war on Japan. Germany declared war on the United States. United States new member of the Allies.