World War II

What other causes led to the start of WWII?

Mentioned on the causes slide already

What year did WWII start?

September 1, 1939.

WII EASTERN FRONT

Some of the war's most savage fighting occurred on the Eastern Front, where the Axis powers had set out to conquer the Balkan Peninsula and the immense reaches of the Soviet Union. More combatants were killed on the Eastern Front than in all other theaters of World War II combined. These bitterly contested, racial battles (Adolf Hitler had vowed to exterminate the eastern Slavs) prevented Germany from mounting a more resolute defense against Allied armies in Normandy, and later, on the Reich's western borders. As early as 1923, when Hitler authored Mein Kampf, he believed Germany's destiny lay in defeating its historic enemy, France, and pushing eastward into the Soviet Union, exterminating both communism and the Slavic peoples. But he didn't want to fight both countries at the same time, especially if Great Britain came to the defense of France. Accordingly, in August 1939, Hitler signed a nonaggression pact with the Soviet Union. The treaty also included a secret agreement to divide Poland, the Baltic States (Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania), Finland, and Romania into German and Soviet spheres of influence. Neither country fully trusted the other, but the agreement achieved short-term goals for both parties. Germany was free to attack Poland and France without worrying about a Soviet invasion, and the Soviets could take control over parts of eastern Europe without fear of German retaliation. After Germany invaded Poland in September 1939, Soviet troops moved into parts of eastern Europe, occupying 286,000 square miles of territory containing 20 million people. This action was permitted under the terms of the nonaggression pact, but it endangered Hitler's plans for expansion eastward. "The sooner Russia is smashed the better," he told his generals. On June 22, 1941, Hitler took his greatest gamble, unleashing Operation Barbarossa, a three million-man invasion of the Soviet Union. The invasion was spectacularly effective in its early stages. By September, the Red Army had sustained some 2.5 million casualties. But it turned out to be a fatal mistake. The Soviet Union was one of only two countries (the other was the United States) Germany could not defeat. The Red Army was the largest in the world, comprising over 250 divisions, and the Soviet Union was the world's largest country by area, with vast natural resources. Undaunted, Hitler was confident the Soviet Union would fall to his armies in a matter of months. Its military equipment was outmoded, its generals were inept, and it had great difficulty defeating tiny Finland the previous year. There was also strong opposition to Joseph Stalin's repressive regime in the Ukraine and other Soviet provinces. "We have only to kick in the door," Hitler said, "and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down." The United States and Great Britain were barely on speaking terms with Stalin's communist regime but both eventually joined forces with the "Reds" because they shared a common enemy. "Any man or state who fights on against Nazism will have our aid," Winston Churchill told the British people in a radio address. The fighting on the Eastern Front was terrible and incessant, brutal beyond belief. Both sides fought with demonic fury—the Germans to crush the hated Slavs, and the Soviets to defend the sacred soil of Mother Russia. Atrocities including beheadings and mass rapes occurred daily. Millions of captured soldiers died of exposure and maltreatment. The Germans besieged Leningrad and tried to subdue it by starving its entrapped people.

What year did WWII end?

September 2, 1945, when Japan officially surrendered.

Pearl Harbor attack, 1941

Surprise, preemptive military strike by the empire of Japan on a then neutral United States led to the immediate declaration of war by the United States on Japan and became known as "day that will live in infamy" . The attack Permanently ended American neutrality and led to an era of interventionism(favoring intervention).

D-Day/Battle of Normandy (June 6, 1944)

Allied invasion of Normandy by air and sea; Battle of Normandy, which lasted from June 1944 to August 1944, resulted in the Allied liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany's control. Codenamed Operation Overlord (also known as D-Day) the battle began on June 6, 1944, when some 156,000 American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily fortified coast of France's Normandy region. The invasion was one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history and required extensive planning. Prior to D-Day, the Allies conducted a large-scale deception campaign designed to mislead the Germans about the intended invasion target. By late August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated, and by the following spring the Allies had defeated the Germans. The Normandy landings have been called the beginning of the end of war in Europe.

Why and when did the U.S. join the war (the bombing of a U.S. naval base)?

Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, ended the debate over American intervention in both the Pacific and European theaters of World War II. The day after the attack, Congress declared war on Imperial Japan with only a single dissenting vote.

What were the event(s) that actually led to the start of WWII (German actions)?

Once Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany, WWII really started to take place. He was elected since he said he'd abolish the Treaty of Versailles. Almost immediately he began secretly building up Germany's army and weapons. In 1934 he increased the size of the army, began building warships and created a German airforce. Compulsory military service was also introduced Although Britain and France were aware of Hitler's actions, they were also concerned about the rise of Communism and believed that a stronger Germany might help to prevent the spread of Communism to the West. In 1936 Hitler ordered German troops to enter the Rhineland. At this point the German army was not very strong and could have been easily defeated. Yet neither France nor Britain was prepared to start another war. Hitler also made two important alliances during 1936. The first was called the Rome-Berlin Axis Pact and allied Hitler's Germany with Mussolini's Italy. The second was called the Anti-Comitern Pact and allied Germany with Japan. Hitler's next step was to begin taking back the land that had been taken away from Germany. In March 1938, German troops marched into Austria. The Austrian leader was forced to hold a vote asking the people whether they wanted to be part of Germany. To avoid unionizing with Germany, Austria asked Britain, France, and Italy for aid. Hitler promised that Ansohluss was the end of his expansionist aims and not wanting to risk war, other countries did nothing. Hitler did not keep his word and six months later demanded that the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia be handed over to Germany. Neville Chamberlain, Prime Minister of Britain, met with Hitler three times during September 1938 to try to reach an agreement that would prevent war. "The Munich Agreement stated that Hitler could have the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia & provided that he promised not to invade the rest of Czechoslovakia. Hitler was not a man of his word and in March 1939 invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia. Despite calls for help from the Czechoslovak government, neither Britain nor France was prepared to take military action against Hitler. However, some action was now necessary and believing that Poland would be Hitler's next target, both Britain and France promised that they would take military action against-Hitter if he invaded Poland. Chamberlain believed that, faced with the prospect of war against Britain and France, Hitler would stop his aggression. Chamberlain was wrong. German troops invaded Poland on 1st September 1939.

Battle of the Bulge (Dec. 16 1944-Jan 1945)

The Battle of the Bulge was in the Ardennes region of Belgium, it was Adolf Hitler's last major offensive in World War II against the Western Front. Hitler's aim was to split the Allies in their drive toward Germany. The German troops' failure to divide Britain, France and America with the Ardennes offensive paved the way to victory for the allies. Lasting six brutal weeks, December 16, 1944-January 25, 1945, the assault, also called the Battle of the Ardennes, took place during frigid weather conditions, with some 30 German divisions attacking battle-fatigued American troops across 85 miles of the densely wooded Ardennes Forest. As the Germans drove into the Ardennes, the Allied line took on the appearance of a large bulge, giving rise to the battle's name. The battle proved to be the costliest ever fought by the U.S. Army, which suffered over 100,000 casualties. The formerly serene, wooded region of Ardennes was hacked into chaos by fighting as the Americans dug in against the German advance at St.-Vith, Elsenborn Ridge, Houffalize and, later, Bastogne, which was defended by the 101st Airborne Division.

Pacific Asian Theatre

The European Theater (Western/Eastern Front) and the Pacific Theater, in particular, saw some of the most intense fighting of World War II and involved some of the most significant events of the war, including: the Holocaust, the use of atomic weapons and end of famous dictators. The war in the Pacific saw the Allied power of the United States face off against the Axis power of Japan. The war in the Pacific did not begin until 1941, when the Empire of Japan surprise attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor. On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the American fleet at the Hawaii naval base of Pearl Harbor. While the attack was a surprise, it was intended to knock the United States out of World War II. Instead, the attack created a resolve in the United States for victory as war was declared on Dec. 8, 1941 bringing the Americans into the conflict against Japan and its ally, Germany. As a result of the Pearl Harbor attack, American soldiers would play a vital role in the war in the Pacific and major events in Europe, including: D-Day, Battle of the Bulge and the Allied invasion of Italy. After the Pearl Harbor attack the American quickly mobilized their aircraft carriers in the war in the Pacific and used them to carry out their island-hopping strategy throughout the rest of the war campaign. The next major conflict between the United States and Japan in the Pacific was the Battle of Midway. The Battle of Midway occurred from June 3rd to the 7th in 1942 and was a major naval battle fought between Japan and the United States near the Midway Atoll in the Northern Pacific Ocean. Just as in its earlier attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan went into the Battle of Midway with the goal of destroying the United States' Pacific Fleet and removing the United States as a threat in the war in the Pacific. The Japanese believed that they were going to carry out a surprise attack against the American Pacific Fleet but instead the United States decoded the Japanese plans and ordered their own surprise attack against the Japanese Imperial Navy. The effective American attack at Midway devastated the Japanese fleet in the Pacific. Many historians now view the Battle of Midway as the turning point of the war because the American victory was so decisive. Japan suffered huge losses and was ultimately unable to rebuild its fleet to counter the United States as they pushed their way towards to Japanese home islands. Later, at the Battle of Okinawa, it was one of the bloodiest in the Pacific Theater of World War II and included the largest amphibious assault of World War II in the Pacific. The Battle of Okinawa was a brutal battle for both sides, and its outcome would come to play a major role in the United States' decision to use the atomic bombs to end World War II in the Pacific. For example, the Japanese defenders suffered over 75,000 casualties in the Battle of Okinawa while the United States suffered over 65,000 casualties and 14,000 dead. The number of casualties on both sides would convince American President Harry S. Truman that a full-scale American assault of the Japanese home land islands would cause a massive amount of American and Japanese casualties. Some historians now argue that this led to him being in favor of the use of the atomic bombs to end the war. The Manhattan Project was the codename of the secret American program to create the first atomic weapon during the end of World War II. The project was overseen by Robert Oppenheimer, an American physicist who was the head of the Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico where the first atomic bombs were designed. Eventually, the Manhattan Project would lead the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, to end World War II.

Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Front

The Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre was a major theatre of operations during the Second World War. The vast size of the Mediterranean and Middle East theatre saw interconnected naval, land, and air campaigns which fought for control of the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Middle East and Southern Europe. The fighting in this theatre lasted from 10 June 1940, when Italy entered the war on the side of Germany, until 2 May 1945 when all Axis forces in Italy surrendered. However, fighting would continue in Greece - where British troops had been dispatched to aid the Greek government - during the early stages of the Greek Civil War.

Know the level of military success/failure of various combatants during WWII

The allied powers had more military success than the Axis.

How did WWII involve and affect civilians in the countries involved?

With 39 million deaths in Europe, large amounts of physical capital were also destroyed through six years of ground battles and bombing. Many individuals were forced to abandon or give up their property without compensation and to move on to new lands. Periods of hunger became more common even in relatively prosperous Western Europe. Families were separated for long periods of time, and many children lost their fathers. Many, including young children, would personally witness the horrors of war as battles and bombing took place in the very areas where they lived. Horrendous crimes against humanity were committed. Due to WWII, political and economic systems in many countries would be permanently altered.

What world economic, political, and social situations contributed to the start of WWII?

-Treaty of Versailles: Following World War I, the victorious Allied Powers met to decide Germany's future. Germany would be forced to sign the Treaty of Versailles. Germany had to accept guilt for the war and to pay reparations. Germany lost territory and was prohibited from having a large military. -Economic Depression: The whole world was hit by an economic depression in the late 1920s. In a depression, economies shrink, trade is re- duced, businesses close, prices fall, banks fail, and unemployment rises. Sometimes during a depression, people look for a strong political leader to resolve their problems. In 1933, Adolf Hitler became the leader of Germany by promising to restore German wealth and power, he also promised to abolish the Treaty of Versailles.. -Germany's Militarism: Hitler immediately began secretly building up Germany's army and weapons. Although Britain and France knew of Hitler's actions, they thought a stronger Germany would stop the spread of Communism from Russia. In 1936 Hitler ordered German troops to enter the German-speaking areas of the Rhineland (France), Austria, and Czechoslovakia. At this point neither France nor Britain was prepared to go to war. In 1936, Hitler made alliances with Italy and Japan. The military alliance of Germany, Italy, and Japan was called the Axis Powers. -Failure of Appeasement: Appeasement meant agreeing to the demands of another nation in order to avoid conflict. During the 1930s, politicians in Britain and France began to believe that the Treaty of Versailles was unfair to Germany and that Hitler's actions were understandable and justifiable. This belief, adopted by Britain, was the Policy of Appeasement. An example of appeasement was the Munich Agreement of September 1938. In the Agreement, Britain and France allowed Germany to annex areas in Czechoslovakia where German-speakers lived. Germany agreed not to invade the rest of Czechoslovakia or any other country. In March 1939, Germany broke its promise and invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia. Neither Britain nor France was prepared to take military action. Then, on September 1, 1939, German troops invaded Poland. Britain and France immediately declared war on Germany. World War II had begun in Europe. -Failure of the League of Nations: The League of Nations was an international organization set up in 1919 to keep world peace. It was intended that all countries would be members and that if there were disputes between countries, they could be settled by negotiation rather than by force. The League of Nations was a good idea, but ultimately a failure. Not all countries joined the league and the League had no army to prevent military aggression such as Italy's invasion of Ethiopia in Africa or Japan's invasion of Manchuria in China. -Japan's Militarism: In 1931, Japan was hit badly by the economic depression. Japanese people lost faith in the government. They turned to the army in order to find a solution to their economic problems. In order to produce more goods, Japan needed natural resources for its factories. The Japanese army invaded China, an area rich in minerals and resources. China asked for help from the League of Nations. Japan ignored the League of Nations and continued to occupy China and Korea. As Japan invaded other areas of South East Asia including Vietnam, the United States grew concerned about its territories in Asia, such as the Philippines and Guam. Japan felt that its expansion could be threatened by the United States military and attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in December 1941. World War II had begun in Asia.

What were the lasting social effects of WWII

New families were created as women married servicemen of other nations and moved overseas; children were born in fatherless homes as a result of demobilised troops leaving the UK to return to the US or Canada or due to a death as a result of the war; and the divorce rate spiked as many families struggled to re-adjust to a world at peace. Many were looking for new nations. Commonwealth troops emigrated to Britain; Jewish survivors of the Holocaust looked east and west for a new home; Polish soldiers made Britain their permanent home; and new social policies were to change nations across the world.

Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943)

Unsuccessful German attack on the city of Stalingrad during World War II from 1942 to 1943, that was the furthest extent of German advance into the Soviet Union. Each side sustained hundreds of thousands of casualties; Germany's defeat marked turning point in the war.

What type of weapons were introduced in WWII?

Atomic bombs were introduced in WWII.

What were the alliances in World War II?

Axis Powers: Germany, Italy & Japan. Allied Powers: France, Great Britain, Russia, and the United States (the US officially entered in 1941 with the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, China was slightly involved as well)

How'd the Treaty of Versailles contribute the start of WWII?

By placing the burden of war guilt entirely on Germany, imposing harsh reparations payments and creating an increasingly unstable collection of smaller nations in Europe, the treaty would ultimately fail to resolve the underlying issues that caused war to break out in 1914, and help pave the way for another massive global conflict 20 years later. World War I had brought up painful memories of that conflict—which ended in German unification and its seizure of the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine from France—and now France intended to make Germany pay. The unfairness of the treaty was really the start of WWII.

What were key battles

D-Day: Battle of the Bulge: Pearl Harbor: Battle of Stalingrad: Battle of Okinawa Dunkirk Evacuation: Battle of Moscow: all mentioned on later slides

Describe the U.S.'s use of extremely destructive bombs against Japan and its immediate and future impact on geopolitical affairs

Less than two weeks after being sworn in as president, Harry S. Truman received a long report from Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson. "Within four months," it began, "we shall in all probability have completed the most terrible weapon ever known in human history." Truman's decision to use the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki resulted from the interplay of his temperament and several other factors, including his perspective on the war objectives defined by his predecessor, Franklin D. Roosevelt, the expectations of the American public, an assessment of the possibilities of achieving a quick victory by other means, and the complex American relationship with the Soviet Union. Although in later decades there was considerable debate about whether the bombings were ethically justified, virtually all of America's political and military leadership, as well as most of those involved in the atomic bomb project, believed at the time that Truman's decision was correct. In the years that followed, many survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki would face leukemia, cancer, or other terrible side effects from the radiation. The first phase was the United States' roughly seven-year occupation of Japan, which began following the surrender. When Japan got a new constitution, which took effect on May 3, 1947, its terms came largely courtesy of American influence, specifically that of U.S. General Douglas MacArthur and his staff. For example, while the new constitution democratized the political structure of Japan, it also kept Emperor Hirohito as the nation's symbolic leader, per MacArthur's wishes.

Who were the significant people/groups in WWII?

Significant people were the leaders of the countries: Winston Churchill (United Kingdom); Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union); Charles de Gaulle (France); Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman (United States). The Axis powers were led by Adolf Hitler (Germany), Benito Mussolini (Italy), and Hideki Tojo (Japan). Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Croatia joined the Axis Powers in their group which was also significant.

Battle of Okinawa (April 1st, 1945)

The Battle of Okinawa was the last major battle of World War II, and one of the bloodiest. On April 1, 1945—Easter Sunday—the Navy's Fifth Fleet and more than 180,000 U.S. Army and Marine Corps troops descended on the Pacific island of Okinawa for a final push towards Japan. The invasion was part of Operation Iceberg, a complex plan to invade and occupy the Ryukyu Islands, including Okinawa. Though it resulted in an Allied victory, kamikaze fighters, rainy weather and fierce fighting on land, sea and air led to a large death toll on both sides. By the time American troops landed on Okinawa, World War II on the European front was nearing its end. Allied and Soviet Union troops had liberated much of Nazi-occupied Europe and were just weeks away from forcing Germany's unconditional surrender. In the Pacific theater, however, American forces were still painstakingly conquering Japan's Home Islands, one after another. After obliterating Japanese troops in the brutal Battle of Iwo Jima, they set their sights on the isolated island of Okinawa, their last stop before reaching Japan. Okinawa's 466 square miles of dense foliage, hills and trees made it the perfect location for the Japanese High Command's last stand to protect their motherland. They knew if Okinawa fell, so would Japan. The Americans knew securing Okinawa's airbases was critical to launching a successful Japanese invasion. Okinawa's 466 square miles of dense foliage, hills and trees made it the perfect location for the Japanese High Command's last stand to protect their motherland. They knew if Okinawa fell, so would Japan. The Americans knew securing Okinawa's airbases was critical to launching a successful Japanese invasion. One the allied forces won, winning the Battle of Okinawa put Allied forces within striking distance of Japan. But wanting to bring the war to a swift end, and knowing over 2 million Japanese troops were awaiting battle-weary American soldiers, President Harry S. Truman chose to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6. Japan didn't give in immediately, so Truman ordered the bombing of Nagasaki on August 9. Finally, Japan had had enough. On August, 14, 1945, Emperor Hirohito announced Japan's surrender, marking the end of World War II.

Which individual countries participated in world war II?

The main combatants were the Axis powers (Germany, Italy yet, again, and Japan) and the Allies (France, Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and, to a lesser extent, China).

Wehrmacht

The term used for regular German army.

WWII Western Front

WESTERN FRONT: German losses on the Western Front were almost irreplaceable, because most of Germany's resources were being allocated to the Eastern Front. This meant that very few reinforcements were being sent to stop the advance of the Western Allies. The Western Front of the European Theater of World War II encompassed Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and West Germany. The Western Front was marked by three phases of large-scale combat operations. The first phase saw the capitulation of the Low Countries and France during May-June, 1940. The second phase consisted of an air war between Germany and Britain that climaxed during the Battle of Britain, July-October, 1940. The third phase consisted of large-scale ground combat, which began in June 1944 with the Allied landings in Normandy and continued until the defeat of Germany in May 1945.

What were the outcomes of WWII (who won, who lost, what were the terms that ended the war-Yalta Conference, etc.)?

World War 2 ended with the unconditional surrender of the Axis powers. On 8 May 1945, the Allies accepted Germany's surrender, about a week after Adolf Hitler had committed suicide. But that didn't mark the end of the war, at least not until Japan surrendered. Japan, did not surrender at the same time as Germany. It was able to hold out for another few months. Atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9 respectively (idk how that can be respectful but-). After that the Imperial government sought the Emperor's personal authority to surrender which he granted. He made a personal radio address announcing the decision; In addition to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan came under increasing pressure when the Soviet Union formally declared war on August 8 and invaded Japanese-occupied Manchuria in northeastern China. With his Imperial Council deadlocked, Japan's Emperor Hirohito broke the tie and decided that his country must surrender. At noon on August 15 (Japanese time), the emperor announced Japan's surrender in his first-ever radio broadcast.