WWII Part 1 Ms. Hoffman, Feb. 2014
World War II- Story Setting: Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Axis and Allied Powers Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan Allied Powers: Great Britain, France, Soviet Union, and US
Important People: Axis Powers: German Dictator: Adolf Hitler Italian Dictator: Benito Mussolini Japan leader: Emperor Hirohito Allied Powers: British Leader: Winston Churchill Soviet Union Dictator: Josef Stalin US President: Franklin D. Roosevelt US Vice-President/future president: Harry S. Truman French Leader: Charles de Gaulle
Important Vocabulary Dictatorship- a form of government in which a person or a small group rules with almost unlimited power Imperialism- Taking over the land of other countries Nationalism- love for your country Campaign- to compete for office or a position (Example: campaign to be president) Theater- an area or place where important military events happen Island-hopping- used by the Allied Powers to gain military bases and secure the many small islands in the Pacific.
The Story: A. The main events for the United States involvement in World War II 1. The rise of European dictators such as Benito Mussolini in Italy and Adolf Hitler in Germany were a result of the worldwide depression. 2. Dictators used military violence against the rest of Europe to get what they wanted 3. Although Josef Stalin was also a dictator, he was opposed to Hitler. 4. The Japanese were seeking to expand its nation s power.
B. European Leaders joining the war/the Battle of Britain: 1. At first, the European leaders tried to avoid war and Hitler with the policy of appeasement, giving in to his demands. 2. When Germany invaded Poland, the allies Britain and France declared war on Germany. 3. Soon Germany defeated France and was bombing Great Britain in an effort to break the spirit of the last undefeated European country. 4. These air raids were known as the Battle of Britain and were the first time where Hitler s plans of takeover were stopped.
5. Germany also invaded the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). 6. The Congress of the United States passed laws that required President Roosevelt to maintain a policy of neutrality- or uninvolved in the war. 7. President Roosevelt tried to help British leader, Winston Churchill; the leader of the Free French, Charles de Gaulle; and the leader of the Soviet Union, Josef Stalin with supplies.
C. Germany 1. Adolf Hitler believed that the German people were a superior race. 2. He and many German people, thought that the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I was unfair and the economic sanctions placed on Germany after World War I were unrealistic. 3. Hitler s goal was for Germany to avenge itself for this treaty by taking over the at least the rest of Europe, if not the world. 4. With extreme nationalism, or love for your country, Hitler was able to use his influence to successfully invade other areas of Europe such as Poland and France.
D. The United States joins the War- The Bombing of Pearl Harbor 1. The goal of the Japanese was to establish control of the Far East in order to have economic wealth for the Japanese people. 2. After the Japanese bombing of the United States Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt asked the United States Congress to declare war on Japan. Germany and Italy then declared war on the United States in order to support their ally, Japan, thereby becoming the Axis Powers.
E. The Allied Powers- The Invasion of Normandy 1. The United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union became known as the Allied Powers or the Allies. 2. The goal of the Allies was to stop the Axis Powers so that they could not invade other countries again. 3. Strategies: heavy bombing raids on Germany 4. The Allied landing in North Africa (Operation Torch) was to free the Mediterranean Sea from German control, protect the oil fields of the Middle East, and to take some of the pressure off of the USSR who was taking heavy losses as it was being invaded by Germany.
5. The USSR began defeating Germany on the eastern front. 6. The Allies brought the surrender of the Italians but German forces continued to fight on the Italian peninsula. 7. The Invasion of Normandy on D-Day was a deadly victory for the Allied Powers. The invasion of Normandy led to the eventual surrender of the Axis Powers in Europe, but the Allied powers continued to struggle against a Japanese army that was determined to fight until all was lost.
F. Invasion of Japan 1. Island-hopping strategy- was used in the Pacific theater to take Japanese-held islands so they could bomb Japan 2. The Americans had many casualties as they fought to take Japanese islands because of the Japanese unwillingness to accept defeat. 3. President Roosevelt died and Vice-President Harry S. Truman was sworn in as President. 4. Scientists successfully tested the world s first atomic bomb. 5. The decision of whether to risk more American lives with an invasion of Japan or to use the atomic bombs fell to President Truman. 6. The United States dropped two bombs, one on Hiroshima and a second on Nagasaki, which led to the surrender of the Japanese and brought about the end of World War II.