WWIIBackgroundFeb. 2009

When did the world experience its most dramatic change in recent history?AFTER WORLD WAR II!

Germany, Italy, & Japan: The Axis PowersAll three adopted forms of dictatorship (such as National Socialism (NAZI) in Ger. & Fascism in It.) that:(1)made the nation supreme above the individual(2)called for expansion @ expense of neighboring countriesAnti-Communist (est. in Russian Revolution of 1917)

Axis Powers

Axis Powers gain powerNon-Axis democracies desired peace & reduced own militariesLeague of Nations could not promote disarmamentBelief that WWI really would end all warsAPPEASEMENTExamples:Japan taking Manchuria (1931-32)Italy taking Ethiopia (1935-36)Germany taking Czechoslovakia (1938)

Appeasement***important idea*** Associated with Neville Chamberlain of Great Britain prior to WWII

Mukden Incident

The Hitler YouthEducation was Nazi runTeacher, booksMilitary training in athleticsWomen raise strong AryansLiterature, journalism, radio, movies, painting, theater, music, art and sculptureBook Burnings

General WWII Overview IAxis Powers: Germany, Italy, & JapanAllied Powers: Almost everyone else!Russia will be friendly w/ Germany until Operation BarbarossaChina even stops their civil war to fight (at least the Nationalists do)

General WWII Overview II2 Major Theaters of WarPacific OceanEurope

Axis Powers 1942

2 Key Turning PointsAxis Powers very successful until (1) Pacific: Battle of Midway (June 1942)On Midway IslandU.S. severely cripples Japanese sea power(2) Europe: Battle of Stalingrad (Aug 1942-Feb 1943)Hitler invades Russia as part of Operation Barbarossa and is defeatedHitler loses many troops & supplies

http://www.maps101.com/Application/Catalog/Product.aspx?cid=352&pid=750European Theater

http://www.maps101.com/Application/Catalog/Product.aspx?cid=352&pid=741 Pacific Theater

European Theater

JUNE 6, 1944D-DAYhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/launch_ani_d_day.shtml

2 EndingsV-E Day (Victory in Europe): May 8, 1945Germany surrenders less than two weeks after Hitler commits suicide.

V-J Day (Victory in Japan): Aug. 14, 1945Japan surrenders after atomic bombs drop on Hiroshima (Aug. 6) & Nagasaki (Aug. 9).

World War II: A Costly WarFatalities* (not casualties)Russia: 25+ millionChina: 11 millionGermany: 7.1 millionPoland: 6.8 millionJapan: 1.8 millionYugoslavia, Romania, France, Hungary, Austria, Greece, Italy, Czechoslovakia, Great Britain: 1.7 million to 388,000United States: 295,000

War in the 20th Century

Post-War Optimism in the USA