SECOND WORLD WAR
SHORT-LONG TERM CAUSES WWII
LEGACY WWI
WWI supposed to be last war but didn’t solve all problems that caused it.
Germany/FR hatred each other and the damage caused in FR after German
invasion only increased it.
After war Germans treated unfairly (Treaty of Versailles), Germany had to
accept blame for war, lost territories, high reparations (destroyed German
economy) -> Anger in Germany (Hitler)
THE GREAT DEPRESSION
Wall street crisis -> great depression. Helped dictatorships come to power
(Hitler). Other countries too weak/distracted to confront them.
FAILURE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
Created by Woodrow Wilson. Believed that with Collective Security, it would
stop another war. USA was left out of LoN, without Wilson and power of USA
-> lack of direction.
1920s: succeeding (keeping peace, international atmosphere had hope),
maybe because no serious threat/war with big powers. 1930s: some strong
powers rejected authority of LoN, revealing its weakness. Japan first to
leave.
1931, Japanese troops stationed in Manchuria, claimed that they were
attacked and took control of the province, declaring it a separate country
from China called Manchukuo. Japan then began moving into the rest of
China, despite condemnation from the LoN, left in 1933.
1933: Hitler Chancellor: began rearming/expanding and left LoN. 1935:
annexed the Saar through a plebiscite. 1936: Occupy Rhineland, (German
territory demilitarized by Treaty of Versailles).
1935: Italy invaded Abyssinia (expand colonial territory). LoN put economic
sanctions, but Italy continued its occupation. 1936: completed conquest,
declaring it part of Italian Empire. Italy left LoN 1937.
ALLIANCES TOTALITARIAN STATES AND HITLERS FOREIGN POLICIY
Mid 1930s: Japan, Italy, Germany did whatever they wanted, best for them
(using force if needed).
Italy-Germany (Rome-Berlin axis 1936) fought Spanish civil war helping
Franco.
Anti-Comitern axis: Germany-Japan, year later also Italy, to oppose
communism.
BREAKDOWN APPEASEMENT POLICY
Things going well expansion of territory, justified expansion saying
German speakers lived in those lands and wanted to be Germany. Allies
accepted national unity/freedom of choice.
Main European powers accepted its demands to avoid war (policy of
appeasement).
, Invasion Austria 1938, then Sudetenland, had a lot of German population, it
should be part of Germany. Czechs denied (needed it for security), they
asked FR/GB for help. Chamberlain (GB prime minister) conference at
Munich (Germany, FR, Italy, GB). Decided Sudetenland should be German.
Hitler had no more territorial demands in Europe.
March 1939: invaded Czechoslovakia. April 1939: Mussolini sent troops into
Albania.
NAZI-SOVIET PACT. START OF CONFLICT -> INVASION POLAND
After invasion Czechoslovakia, Poland next. GB alliance with Poland (support
if invaded). FR already had that alliance. Hitler didn’t fear them, only
country that could interfere in his plan -> USSR. So he signed a non-
aggressive agreement (1939), division of Poland, Finland/Baltic countries for
USSR.
September 1939 Germany invades Poland. GB/FR stood by its alliance ->
declared war to Germany. WW2 started. 2 sides: Axis powers (Germany,
Italy and Japan) and the Allies (GB and FR).
THE SECOND WORLD WAR
GERMAN OFFENSIVE: THE LIGHTING WAR (1939-1941)
1939: Hitler's armies -> new method of warfare (blitzkrieg) to defeat Poland:
close cooperation between army, tanks, airplanes. End of September,
Germany/Russia had occupied Poland. April 1940: occupied
Denmark/Norway. May: attacks on Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, FR, soon
defeated. June: Mussolini declared war just before fall of FR, Stalin used this
opportunity to force Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania to become USSR.
GB alone. Chamberlain resigned and Winston Churchill Prime Minister.
British Royal navy too strong, Hitler tried invading GB from air (Battle of GB
1940). Failed to destroy Royal air force or paralyse British cities by bombing.
GB withstood Hitlers attacks because he couldn’t invade by sea if he didn’t
have control of air. Mussolini was invading Egypt, Greece with help of
Germans. Summer 1941 Hitler master of Europe.
SPREAD OF CONFLICT (1941-1942)
Become world-wide conflict, reasons:
- Hitler confident victory against GB, wanted invade USSR (Operation
Barbarossa June 1941), breaking non-aggression pact. Stalin
surprised. Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria Hitler’s allies.
- Summer 1941: Japan sent troops French Indochina -> USA cut trad
with Japan. This affected oil supplies (vital for Japan). Japan ->
surprise attack to destroy American fleet in Hawaii. Japan forced USA
into war attacking its naval base (Pearl Harbour DEC 1941)
- Axis powers seemed invincible.
ALLIED VICTORIES (1942-1945)
Allies make a common front against Axis power. Turning point 1942 (3
battles axis powers defeated):
- June: Americans repelled a Japanese attack on Midway Islands in
Pacific.
- October: Germans were stopped in their advance to Egypt (Battle of
El-Alamein)
