The Causes of WWII& How the US Got Involved

The big idea: WWII came directly from the aftermath of WWI

Germany devastated by terms of Treaty of Versailles

U.S. Isolationist League of Nations weak Great Britain and France want to avoid

another ruinous war Some WWI allies wanted more:

Italy felt like it was left out of spoils of Treaty of Versailles - wanted territory

Japan still wanted China

The march towards WWII

German anger, Hitler, aggressionFascism in ItalySpanish Civil WarMilitarism in Japan

1. Germany Faces Economic CollapseGermany in debt $67 billion dollars after WWI So it prints more money which leads to

enormous inflation – 1914 $1 = 4.2 marks, 1923 $1= 1billion marks

These economic problems led to a depression - widespread unemployment and poverty

Germans were unhappy and blamed their problems on communists, Jews, and the new Wiemar Republic gov’t (b/c they signed the Treaty of Versailles)

Germans want revenge

U.S. Response to German Depression Isolation from European affairs Did send some relief/food to Germany

immediately after WWI Insisted Germany pay back the debt

– When it was suggested they didn’t have any money to pay with, Pres. Coolidge said “They hired the money, didn’t they?”

– In 1924 created the Dawes Plan which gave new loans to Germany so they could pay back the old ones

Worked briefly until the US couldn’t make the loans during the Great Depression

What signal did US action send to Germany?

2. Rise of Adolph Hitler Served in WWI - became an extreme nationalist Thought Germany was sold out by

Weimar gov’t b/c signed TofV Joined National Socialist German

Workers’ Party (Nazi Party) in 1921– Became a popular speaker– Imprisoned 1923 for leading an uprising

Wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle) in jail– Outlined ideas of supreme Aryan race– Blamed Jews - said inferior, too– Said USSR was an obstacle to German expansion

Hitler Becomes a Dictator After prison, Hitler worked on

increasing Nazi membership - gaining seats in the legislature (Reichstag)

1932 - Nazis were largest political party - chose Hitler to head the gov’t

Hitler increases his power 1933 - Reichstag fire blamed on

communists, Hitler suspends constitutional rights

1934 Hitler declares himself the “Fuhrer” (leader) and heads a fascist gov’t (authoritarian, nationalistic, conservative)

Hitler’s Policies Deprived Jews of jobs, civil

rights, made them wear stars for easy ID (Nuremburg Laws)

1938 Kristallnacht “night of the broken glass” in Germany/Austria– Destroyed 200 sysnagogues, 7,500

Jewish businesses, killed 100, arrested 30,000 and put in prison camps (115,000 emigrate from Germany)

Preached a platform of German expansion and economic recovery based on supremacy of Aryan race

U.S. Response

US focuses on domestic issues - dealing with the Great Depression– $ was spent on New Deal programs, not

US military in 1930s the US military was 15th largest in

the world - same size as Sweden’s)US hopes that arms control and

international peace agreements will work to stop war

What signal did the US response send to Hitler?

3. Fascism in Italy

Italy poor and politically unstable after the war, wanted more land under TofV

Fascism gains ground– Restore glory of Rome– Thought democracy destroyed unity and order– Hated communists & socialists– Appealing b/c people wanted stability and

improvement Benito Mussolini - WWI Vet, Fascist

Benito Mussolini Takes Over

1922 “March on Rome” succeeds in scaring King into making Mussolini Prime Minister

Mussolini increases his power - controls elections, censors media

Improved economy - modernized agriculture, industry, education

Imperialist foreign policy– Invaded Ethiopia Oct. 1935

US & Allied Response League of Nations did not help Ethiopia and did not

punish Italy US continues to be isolationist

– 1935: 90% Americans say they are isolationist FDR’s “moral embargo” against Italy

– Asked US businesses not to sell anything that might help Italy’s aggression

– US businessmen do not comply. Dow, “We do not inquire about the uses of the products. We are

interested in selling them.” US Neutrality Acts (1935-7)

– No sale of weapons to aggressive countries– No traveling on ships of countries at war– No loaning money to countries at war

What signal did that send Mussolini?

4. Spanish Civil War

1936-9, Francisco Franco leads the Nationalists in a civil war to defeat the Republicans (socialism & communism)

Germany & Italy sent troops & air force to aid Franco & Nationalists

Nationalists win & set up a fascist stateGermany, Italy, Spain set up a military

alliance “The Rome-Berlin Axis” – (beginning of the Axis powers)

US & Allied Response

America continues to be neutral– Does not supply weapons to the Republicans b/c

feared it could then turn into a larger conflict– FDR wanted to keep American isolationist voters

happy 3000 Americans go on their own to fight on

side of Republicans France, Britain do not do anything either

What signal did that response send the Axis powers?

5. Rise of Militarism in Japan

Japan endured the world’s depression, too. They also wanted to become more of a world power.

This led to a group of military leaders controlling the gov’t in the 1930s

Dissent with the gov’t was seen as harmful to the country’s power – Censorship, arrested critics, secret police

Japanese Imperialism

1931- invaded & occupied Manchuria (northern China) coal/iron– “We are only seeking room that will let us breathe.”

- Japanese politician– Brutal treatment of Chinese (denied today)

1933 resigns from League of Nations 1936 became part of the Axis

– Hitler wanted Japan to attack Russia and British colonies in Asia

– Japan wanted to gain territory & resources

US Response

1932 - Stimson Doctrine denounced Japan, did not recognize new land

1937 - US stops trade with Japan1937 - FDR’s “Quarantine Speech”

– Argued to quarantine fascist aggression– Met with a lot of criticism - people thought

it would lead to war – Didn’t act on it

What signal did that send Japan & Axis Powers?

6. Violation & Appeasement

Germany begins to expand - violating TofV– 1936, occupies Rhineland (had been given to

France in TovV– 1938, occupies Austria, declares is part of

Germany– 1938 Germany demands that the Germans in

Czechoslovakia have self gov’tBritain tries to avoid war and appeases Germany,

negotiating a deal to give them self gov’t– Hitler demands control of Czechoslovakia

Munich Pact - Britain is okay with letting Hitler have Sudetenland, Hitler promises to leave rest alone

British P.M. Neville Chamberlain declares “peace in our time”

U.S. & Allied Response

Appeasement (gave into demands of Hitler in order to avoid conflict)– FDR sent telegram to Chamberlain urging

him to reach a peaceful deal with HitlerFDR wrote to Hitler “The gov’t of the

US has no political involvements in Europe, and will assume no obligations in the conduct of the present negotiations.”

What signal did that send Hitler and the Axis Powers?

7. Germany Demands More Land

March 1939 -Germany invades Czech.– No resistance b/c Czech leader feared

widespread death, so did not resist Germany demands land in Poland August 1939 Nazi-Soviet Pact

– USSR/Stalin tried to form a military alliance with Britain & France

They didn’t want to b/c didn’t like communism, thought USSR was weak

– Stalin negotiates pact with Hitler - Hitler happy b/c USSR would not interfere with Poland plans

– Agreed to split lands in Poland/Eastern Europe

US & Allied Response

Nobody stopped Hitler’s invasion of Czechoslovakia

Britain and France sign alliances with Poland to protect it if invaded

FDR sent letters to Hitler & Pres. of Poland urging them to negotiate a peace– Ignored, naive

What signal did that send to Hitler & the Axis Powers?

8. WWII Beginsin Europe

Sept.1, 1939 Germany invades West Poland

Sept. 17, 1939, Soviet troops invade Eastern Poland

Sept. 3, 1939 France & Britain give Germany two days to withdraw, then declare war on Germany but do not send troops to Poland

Poland’s armies defeated in three weeks Germany regroups during the winter - no

fighting, then invades Denmark spring 1940 Meanwhile, USSR invades Finland Nov. 1939

US & Allied Response

Britain & France declare war on Germany but send no troops

FDR tries to end Neutrality Acts so he can send help to Britain & France– faced large public resistance but prevailed b/c

believed that if Britain & France lost, it would pose a direct threat to US

Cash & Carry - US sells arms, supplies to F & B as long as they pick them up here

Americans are divided over whether to get involved or remain neutral

What signal did this send to Hitler & the Axis Powers?

9. The War Continues

Late 1940 - Hitler controls Eastern Europe, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, & France

June 1941, Hitler invades Soviet Union– Knew he’d break earlier pact from the

start– Wanted to expand into W. USSR

Britain is the last hope

US Response Spring 1941 - FDR proposes Lend-Lease Act

– US would lend, lease, or give supplies to any country whose defense was considered vital to protecting US from threat (mostly give)

– Needed b/c Britain had no $ for supplies, so couldn’t do “Cash & Carry” anymore

– US started to ship goods in armored convoys to ship goods as far as Iceland

– End of isolationism Oct 1941 - German subs sink two US

destroyers– song Sinking of the Reuben James by Woody Guthrie– US population remained isolationist– FDR has Congress agree to let US convoys to go all the

way to British harbors

What signal did this send to Hitler & Axis Powers?

10. Japan Grabs Land

Japan is gaining territory in Asia as war rages in Europe

– Threatens US & British resources

Gen. Hideki Tojo becomes P.M. of Japan in 1941

he’s an expansionist

Japan & US Clash

Nov 1941, Tojo sends messenger to US to try to negotiate a deal with US:– Japan would withdraw from Indochina– US would resume economic relations with Japan

But back in Tokyo, Tojo plans to attack US– Believed war with US was unavoidable b/c US

was the naval power in the Pacific who might try to stop Japan from taking more land

Attack on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941 Japanese air attack of

US military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii– Goal was to destroy US naval power in the

Pacific Sank/damaged 8 battleships, 10 other ships,

destroyed 188 planes, killed 2300 Americans US Aircraft carriers were safe (not in harbor)

US Response

Early 1941 US moved Pacific Fleet from California to Hawaii to show power & readiness

US rejected Japan’s negotiations in Nov. 1941 - didn’t like appeasement

Dec. 8, 1941 FDR asks Congress to declare war on Japan following Pearl Harbor Attack– “A day that will live in infamy.” -FDR– Rest of Axis declares war on US days later and US

declares war back at them US is now one of the Allied Powers Attack on Pearl Harbor ended isolationism

What signal did that send to the Axis Powers?

FDR’s “Declaration of War” Speech - Dec. 8, 1941 Imagine you’re a member

of Congress listening to his speech.

What reasons does Roosevelt give for declaring war?

How would you vote? How would you explain

your vote to the constituents you represent?