WW2 - OverSimplified

Blitzkrieg

"Lighting war", typed of fast-moving warfare used by German forces against Poland in 1939

What gave Japan and excuse to take over?

A bomb blew up a Japenese train in Manchuria

Wiston Churchill

British Prime Minister during WWII; "victory at all costs...for without victory there is no survival."; predicted the "iron curtain" of the Cold War He attacked Berlin while hitler attacked Britain, then hitler focused on London.

What does Benito Mussolini do after being kicked out of the socialist party?

Creates facism (unity under nationality). Italy won WWI, but they felt cheated, had a bad economy, and weak governments. Mussolini, in 1992, he made himself prime minister with the support of his facist followers. Established a dictatorship "IL DUCE"", first dictator in Europe.

Germany (2nd fascist dictator)

Germany had been on the losers' side, and were destroyed by the Treaty of Versailles. They lost territory, had to demilitarize the Rhineland, reduce their army to 100,000 men, couldn't have an air-force, had to pay the allies a huge amount of money. Bad economy and weak governments

What did hitler start? What did he do in 1923? What happened in 1933?

He helped start a new political party, and in 1923, attempted a march on Munich. In 1933, the President made him Chancellor, establishing a dictatorship around himself.

What did mussolini do?

He took over Abyssinia, and wanted to control the entrance to the Adriatic sea, so they occupied Albania.

lebensraum

Hitler's expansionist theory based on a drive to acquire "living space" for the German people

What did Hitler do in order to start WW2?

In complete violation of the treaty, the first Luftwaffe squadrons were set up, conscription was introduced, and he increased his army. He sent his army back into the demilitarized rhineland. He wanted to increase the Aryan population, but he needed lebensraum. The allies implemented appeasement. Hitler took over (1938) and took over Austria, next he demanded Sudentenland (area of Czechoslovakia) and promised he wouldn't invade the rest of Czechoslovkia (Chamberlain) to avert war. Hitler and Stalin both invade Poland (1st of September 1939), so Britain and France declared war.

The Germans were in Moscow, but then something happened.

It got cold, winter. Hitler had not given his men winter clothing and supplies. Stalin called in troops from the Siberian front, who were trained to fight in the cold.

Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbor?

Japan wanted to keep expanding their sphere of influence and planned to move southward. The South was dominated by the US and the Japanese navy stood no chance against the US, so they bombed pearl harbor. Also attacked British colonies. US and Churchill declared war on Japan, and Germany declared war on the US.

What did Japan do to Russia?

Japan went to war with Russia, and won, then they fully annexed Korea. In WWI, they took Germany's colonies and islands in Asia

Pact of steel

May 1939 - Italy and Germany; turned the Rome-Beline axis into a full scale military and political alliance, an aggressive agreement

Benito Mussolini (1902)

Moves from Italy to Switzerland to avoid military service. Big into socialism, worked for trade unions, wrote for socialist newspapers, advocating a violet overthrow of European monarchies. Arrested, completes military service, works as an elementary school teacher, returns to be a socialist. He was anti war, rioted against Italy colonizing Libya. He supported WWI to bring about the social climate needed to overthrow European monarchies.

What is the current situation?

Nazi Germany, fascist Italy, and Japan, all believe they are racially superior. All feel hostility towards the Allies, and want to militarize and take over more stuff.

appeasement

Satisfying the demands of dissatisfied powers in an effort to maintain peace and stability.

Tripartite Pact

Signed between the Axis powers in 1940 (Italy, Germany and Japan) where they pledged to help the others in the event of an attack by the US

Why did Japan go to war with China?

The western powers imposed a bunch of "unequal treaties" meaning Japan's economy was bust, they had no natural resources, and wanted to gain a sphere of influence over Korea.

The phony war

was a phase in early World War II marked by few military operations in Continental Europe, in the months following the German invasion of Poland and preceding the Battle of France. Although the great powers of Europe had declared war on one another, neither side had yet committed to launching a significant attack, and there was relatively little fighting on the ground

What did Hitler launch?

with 3 million troops, he launched the largest ground invasion in history and stalin was far from ready. Churchill and Roosevelt had warned him of an impending attack, but he didn't listen.

Similarities between National socialism (Hitler) and Italian Fascism

-Radical Nationalism -Totalitarianism -Violence and militarism -Anti Democratic -Anti Socialist -extremely racist

What did hitler take over?

Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Austria France fell as well