SECOND GLOBAL CONFLICT AND THE END OF EUROPEAN WORLD ORDER

WORLD WAR II

World War II – Big Picture In contrast to the disorganized beginning of World War I, World

War II was provoked by deliberate aggressions of Germany, Japan, and Italy.

The failures of the Western policy of appeasement encouraged the Axis Powers’ militaristic expansions.

The most deadly conflict in history, World War II, resulted in the rise of the United States and the Soviet Union to world supremacy and competition.

Western European hegemony came to an end.

Independence movements in Africa and Asia succeeded in the decades after the war.

WWII Era Timeline

Causes of World War II Officially started in 1939 after decade of aggression Grievances from World War I’s aftermath

Economic havoc resulted in militarist responses from Japan, Germany and Italy.

Japan attacked Manchuria (Mukden Incident) in 1931; little response from politicians in the West Japan had gradual militarism while Germany’s was

abrupt○ Adolf Hitler promised to restore Germany’s once-

impressive economic and military place in Europe and to eliminate the Communist threat within its borders.

In alliance with Italy, Germany assisted the fascist takeover of Spain

Old and New Causes of WWIIChina vs. Japan China looking stronger - Chiang Kai-shek uniting/defeating warlords

Nationalist (Guomindang) party pose a threat to Japan’s ambitions Afraid Chinese would retake Manchuria

By the late 1930s interaction between the new totalitarian states of Germany, Italy, and Japan and Western democracies. Unchecked aggression led to yet more aggression.

○ This lesson was taught most clearly at Munich.

Aggression of Axis powers went unchecked – appeasement why? Failure to unite… Nationalism plus Red Scare of Soviets prevented early alliance Each government disagreement on how to respond Some actually felt guilty about Versailles

League of Nations a failure Italy & Japan merely left the League after censured Axis/Fascist leaders laughed at treaties Methods of delaying intervention of enemy

Old and New Causes of WWIIGermany - Weimar Republic weak - blamed for

Versailles Great Depression made life look worse

Adolf Hitler takes advantage through the political and ideological leader of the National Socialist Party.

Nazis made a ton of promises○ Put German people back to work○ Ignore orders of Versailles○ Turn back Communist push○ Enslave Slavic peoples

Unchecked Aggression in Europe & Pacific

US, Britain, France appeasement

of Hitler Sacrifice small nations to protect themselvesFear of another world war Want to focus on welfare states, not military states

Japan first to attack - invaded China from ManchukuoJapanese moderate political leaders silenced

○ Fear of assassination from military officersRape of Nanjing(Nanking) - horrific treatment of Chinese

civilians - 1937○ Symbolic beginning of horrific war of suffering

Japan and China in war for Asia far before 1941

Unchecked Aggression in Europe & Pacific

Japan, Germany, Italy did not coordinate attacks

Germany needs to attack Soviet Union – wrote in Mein Kampf “lebensraum” - living spaceSigns Non-Aggression Agreement with

Soviets○ Buys time, splits Poland,

Later invades USSR from Poland

British/France declare war once Poland is attackedPrepared for another trench warfare,

unfortunately Hitler doesn't play fair

Main Theaters of World War II

Blitzkrieg, Hitler’s Strategy Hitler's victories stunningly fast West's reluctance to arm/react decisively

War shifts once Germans get stuck in Russian winter Anglo-American, Soviet alliance has more #s, industry, technology

Nazi Blitzkrieg, Stalemate, and the Long Retreat Blitzkrieg - lightning fast war Coordinate tanks, mechanized troop carriers, fighter aircraft/bombers Penetrate deep into nation - hit capital hard Severely punished civilian population that didn't surrender In months, French defeated, British pushed back across the Channel

○ Phony War before France….Sitzkrieg Sep 39-May 40

Why did France lose so quickly? Gov't couldn't agree on what to do - left vs. right argued Weapons painfully outdated Civilian population demoralized

Only the French capital of Vichy in South exists – A puppet government of the Nazisʹ regime

Philippe Petain

The Conduct of a Second Global War

Battle of Britain - holds off HitlerStrong leadership of Churchill/war cabinetRadar detection discovered Nazi flight plansBravery of Britain's Royal FamilyHigh morale of citizensEfficient use of their Air Force

Land invasion called off, can't fight off British NavyBut Germany had taken over W. Europe,

Scandinavia, Mediterranean, N. Africa Conquered areas must provide

○ War materials, soldiers, slave labor

Hitler turns on USSRSoviets easily pushed out of Finland, Poland,

Baltic states, but then winter Soviets don’t surrender – “body for bullet?”

Just kept retreating eastwardNazi mass killings inspire guerilla warfare behind

front linesStopped at Moscow, Leningrad, Stalingrad

Fought most severe battles - Stalingrad Momentum shifts - Germany on the run1943 Soviets push west, 1944 on doorstep of Berlin

Sacrifices of Soviet soldiers/women/civilians led to victory

Operation Barbarossa

Hitler's War Against the JewsFirst years of war Hitler persecuted non-Aryans Gypsies, leftist politicians, homosexuals, Jews, Polish intellectuals,

communists, especially after invading Poland & Soviet Union

Once war seemed lost, and on defensive “Final solution" - Wannsee Conference - 1942 - extermination camps Resources from front used or transportation, imprisonment, mass murder Shipped from all over empire to the East

○ Physically fit > hard labor○ Women, children, ill - murdered immediately

Used for scientific experiments

Holocaust - 12 million killed, 6 million (50%) of them Jews Armenian genocide the root Horrific - premeditated, systematic, carried out by the state Essentially allowed by occupied countries

Only really Danish & Italians resisted in any degree Allied countries refused Jewish emigrants/refugees

○ Also didn't attack railway lines or extermination camps

Effect - creation of Zionist state in Israel Emigration to Palestine only option

Some even made deals with Nazis to take to Palestine

Anglo-American Offensives EuropeAmerican interaction Primarily supplies at first - US gov't hesitant, Roosevelt

sympathetic Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 - US enters Tank divisions and infantry join in Africa Next attacked Sicily, Italy Eventually Mussolini toppled, assassinated

June 1944, Western front - invasion of Normandy Moved East to Germany, Stopped only briefly Dec 1944, at the Hitler’s last ditch

effort at the “Battle of the Bulge” Hitler desperate attempt to force ending with V-1/V-2

Rockets By June 1945 US and Soviets divisive over how to

divide Germany Hitler kills himself - goes down believing he was

betrayed by German people

The Rise and Fall of the Japanese Empire in the Pacific

1/3 of Japanese forces fight in China throughout war After Pearl Harbor, Japan takes over Asia

Thailand becomes neutral, cooperates Australia and New Zealand provide support But...US on its own

Took over too much, angered all of the European Allies Colonial regimes worse than European Needed natural resources, raw materials Led to resistance movements - requires even more soldiers/resources

○ Guerrilla forces harassed Japanese○ Coordinated w/ Americans and British

Main theaters of conflict islands - "island hopping“ Victories at Battle of the Coral Sea and Midway Island Joint air, sea, land assaults against Japan 1944 America begins firebombing Japanese cities

○ Destroyed wooden homes, hundreds of thousands of civilians killed

Demanded unconditional surrender Atomic bombs - August 1945

○ Threat that Japanese would fight to the death

War's End & Emergence of the Superpower Standoff

Wanted to avoid failed peace treaties of World War I and the results of WWII: The most destructive war in history

22 million military 34 million civilians

Established United Nations More representative of world than League of Nations

○ U.S. participates Security Council made up of victors - US, France, Britain, China, USSR

Though China is really represented by Taiwan, communist gov't not acknowledged Colonies and defeated powers granted membership Europe retained control of post-war global policy through 3 votes on security council Forum for negotiating international disputes World Court of Justice Human Rights organizations - food, labor, women Unsuccessful at times - large and small nations resent role

○ But...played important role in humanitarian, refugee relief Sponsored conferences to deal with social issues Child labor, women's rights, environmental protection

Hot War to Cold WarUSSR vs. USA - no direct conflict, but tons of related

global conflicts Began with how to decide post-war Europe USSR wanted territorial gains - tired of getting invaded Tehran Conference - 1944

By setting up Western front in France, USSR takes over Eastern Europe

USSR doesn't pull out of many occupied lands - Iron Curtain

Doesn't allow nations to "self-determine" themselves Yalta Conference – Feb.1945 (Big 3, Churchill,

Roosevelt, & Stalin) Roosevelt dies April USSR gets Manchuria and northern Japanese islands Divide Germany into 4 spheres of influence Germany industry allowed to continue - needed to

control Soviets USSR wants friendly gov'ts in small European nations

West wants democratic gov'ts Stalin lies

Yalta: Churchill,Roosevelt,

& Stalin

Hot War to Cold WarProblems still after Potsdam Conference, July 1945 Austria divided, occupied then independent in 1956 Poland gain East Germany, but lost land to Russia USSR/USA sign separate treaties with Japan German peace treaty not even agreed upon ‘til 80s Korea divided between USSR and USA European colonies returned to Europeans

But...independence movements start right away China war starts Soviets aid communists US aids Nationalists Independence movements

Middle East, Africa, India want independence○ Europe fought nationalism during war, but had to revisit after

Soviet Union pushes boundaries West New independent nations created in 1918 gobbled up by USSR

US heavily influenced W. Europe Occupied troops, economic aid (Marshall Plan), policy manipulation

Two movements roots Occupied people push for independence/decolonization

World's allegiances divided between US and USSR

Clement Attlee, Harry Truman & Joseph Stalin

Nationalism & DecolonizationNo more illusions of European dominance Destroyed by Nazis and Japanese Japanese victories over Europeans destroyed myth

Pearl Harbor, Singapore, Philippines "death marches" of Europeans, Americans

Harsh rule of Japanese inspired nationalism - want to control own fate Harsh total war sapped European desire to maintain empires U.S. propagandizes notion of anti-colonialism (Guam?) Atlantic Charter of 1941

Roosevelt and Stalin persuaded Churchill to sign clause○ Recognize "right of all people to choice the form of government"

The Winning of Independence in South and Southeast Asia Indian National Congress demands independence in exchange for fighting

Sir Stafford Cripps sent to India to get a deal, doesn't work Quit India movement - civil disobedience campaigns 1942

○ Gandhi, Nehru thrown in jail- 2years! British have backing of Communists and Muslim League

○ Muslim League - Muhammad Ali Jinnah - wartime support○ British like him, he wants separate Muslim India

Nehru & Gandhi

Changes after World War II

Churchill loses 1945 election Labor Party ready to deal

1945-1947 - what type of India?○ Muslims propagandize that Hindu dominated

India would persecute Muslims Created Pakistan in northwest and east India Communal rioting spreads across nation

To avoid civil war, Pakistan and India gain independence in 1947 Summer of violence - Hindu-Muslim and Muslim-Sikh violence

○ Led to massive refugee movement - moving to safe area

India and civil disobedience inspired independence movements across globe French and American empires start to fall

○ Filipino independence comes after help during WWII, 1946○ Dutch Indonesia 1949 (New Guinea 1962) ○ French fight to keep colonies, Vietnam 1954. (Most Africa 1960)

Liberation of Non-settler AfricaAfrica more dramatically affected by WWII Forced labor, Confiscation of crops/minerals

Inflation/controlled markets > less money for Africans More chances to kill Europeans with European weapons

Fight for freedom, return to oppression France controlled by Nazis and Vichy French (Confusion)

Change in colonial policy Industrialization created in colony

Rapid urbanization to take advantage of work○ But…few jobs…millions of angry people living together

Paths to independence Kwamee Nkrumah – radical African leader – British Gold Coast

Establishes Convention People’s Party○ Mass rallies, boycotts, strikes○ Doesn’t back down regardless of threats, imprisonment

By 1957, Ghana created – after decade of gradual concessions Peaceful devolution of power

○ Worked with French, tired of fighting, maintaining colonies○ France gradually pulls out and leaves moderate leaders in place

Belgian get out and run plan (1960 Congo [Zaire] & 1962 of Rwanda and Burundi)○ No western educated elite to lead – 16 college graduates/13 million chaos

Map

Exercise

The Struggle for the Settler ColoniesGradual withdrawal tough in settler colonies – Europeans live there Blocked nationalistic movements and concessions on part of

overlords Fought attempts to turn power over African leaders forced to turn to violent, revolutionary struggles

Kenya – Land Freedom Army – 1950s – guerilla warfare against British

British react with violence Kenyatta forms Kenya in 1963 – British tired of fighting

Algeria – French – National Liberation Front French fight back – make up for defeat in Vietnam After years of fighting Charles de Gaulle & France want to get out

Huge financial drain on country○ Secret Army Organization○ Eventually Parisian gov’t overthrown – end of 4th Republic

Settlers + Algerian sympathizers have to move to France○ Too much hatred violence between them

White Supremacy in South AfricaWhy did South Africa remain white dominated? Larger white settler population – Afrikaners + British Afrikaners have no nation to return to – two centuries in S. Africa White racist supremacy ideology

Afrikaner racism elaborate and explicit – written, detailed British made concessions to Afrikaners – felt guilty after Boer War

Gave political control to Afrikaners Afrikaner National Party

Independence from Britain Establish lasting white domination

Apartheid (separateness) 1948-1994 Thousands of laws to separate

Best jobs for whites Africans/colored denied vote/political representation Limited educational opportunities Vigilant/brutal police force to enforce Kept populations geographically separated

Nelson Mandela, anti-apartheid activist 27 years in prison until 1990 Became President of Democratic South Africa

Arabs, Israelis, and the Palestinians

Egypt, Syria, Iraq gained independence during Interwar Period Others all liberated by 1960s, but…

Palestine because… Zionist movement gains momentum due to Holocaust

International sympathy US/Britain reluctant to accept Jews Palestinian violence forces British to try and slow immigration

Jews/Zionists create military – Haganah to fight British too… Deadly stalemate

○ Zionists want independent Jewish nation○ Palestinians want multi-religious nation w/ Palestinians dominating○ Britain just wants to get out of unsolvable situation (1947)

United Nations suggests partition

May 14, 1948 – Israel recognized, but all out war starts next day 1948 Arab-Israeli War - Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq—attack

(Later: Sudan, Yemen and Saudi Arabia) Jews win – 1) better weapons, 2) better prepared Led to thousands of Palestinian Arab refugees

The Partition of Palestine After World War II

Global Connections Were there really revolutions?

Or merely transfer of power from one elite group to another w/ new nation name attached○ Western-educated African and Asian classes merely took

overBoth jobs and homes

○ For the most part big landholders kept land and didn’t redistributeExceptions – Algeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe

Culturally kept many Western ideas○ Western sciences now taught○ Administration often conducted in English

Western dominance of trade maintained○ One of criteria for independence was protection of existing

merchants/traders