World War II The Greatest Generation Prelude

World War II The Greatest Generation

Prelude to Global War “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender. ”--Winston Churchill

Overview By the 1930 s, Italy had fallen to fascism, Germany to Nazism, and Imperial Japan was looking to expand. The ambitions of three leaders will bring the world to war.

Fascism and Nazism n Italy and Fascism • Benito Mussolini felt Italy was shortchanged in the Treaty of Versailles. • 1919 He and other war vets organized the Revolutionary Fascist Party • Called himself Il Duce =the leader • Used Fascist thugs called “Blackshirts” to terrorize opponents.

• 1922 Threatened to march on Rome and the Kind made him prime minister. • As PM he: Suspended elections n Outlawed other political parties n Established a dictatorship n Declared, “The Country is nothing without Conquest” n Oct. 1935 --Invaded Ethiopia n

n Germany and Nazism • Adolf Hitler Discontented Austrian Painter n 1919 Joined the National Socialist German Worker’s Party or the Nazi Party n 1923 Beer Hall Putsch--Tried to overthrow the Weimar Government n Wrote Mein Kampf =“My Struggle” during 9 mo. Prison term. n • Blamed the Jews for Germany’s loss in WWI • Proposed strengthening the military • Called for expanding territory • Called for purifying the “Aryan” race (blonde, blue eyed) by removing the Jews from Germany

• Conditions Germany was in Economic and Social ruin n High unemployment n Massive inflation n Shortages n Lawlessness n • Nazi Promise Order n Stabilization of the country n economic recovery n Restoring the Empire--The Third Reich n

• Nazi Rise Jan 1933 Nazis became the largest party in the Reichstag n Hitler was appointed Chancellor n After the Reichstag fire, Hitler was given emergency powers. n After President Von Hindenberg’s death, Hitler consolidated his control over the country and the military. n

Europe Goes to War n German Aggression • March 9, 1936 German troops reentered the Rhineland. • 1936 Germany and Italy signed an alliance and became the Axis Powers (later joined by Japan) • March 1938 Anschluss--Hitler approved the “voluntary” annexation of Austria.

• Sept. 1938 Munich Conference Hitler had demanded the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia (GR pop) be given to Germany n Appeasement n • Neville Chamberlain (UK) and Edouard Daladier (France) agreed to give the land to Hitler in exchange for his promise to not seek more territory. • “Britain and France had to choose between war and dishonor. . . They chose dishonor. They will have war. ”--Churchill

• March 1939 Hitler annexed the rest of Czechoslovakia. • Soon after Hitler signed a treaty of nonaggression with Russia

n War!! • September 1, 1939 Germany invaded Poland Used blitzkrieg tactic n UK and FR declared war 2 days later. n Mid September--Russians seized East Poland as per their agreement. n • April 9, 1940 GR attacked Denmark and Norway • May 10, 1940 GR attacked the Maginot Line and overwhelmed Belgium, the Netherlands and FR.

• Evacuation at Dunkirk As France fell, UK forces retreated to this coastal city n 900 UK vessels (tug boats, yachts, and other private craft) evacuated 340 K across the English channel to Britain. n Despite constant Luftwaffe attacks, the UK pulled off one of the greatest rescues in history. n

• The Battle of Britain After the fall of FR Hitler turned on Britain n 1, 000 Luftwaffe Planes bombed Britain daily n Royal Air Force (RAF) outnumbered, flew 6 -7 missions per day n Dec. 1940 “The Blitz”--The bombing of London started 1500 fires in the city. n June 1941 the bombing ended. Hitler’s effort to crush the UK had failed. n 30 K Londoners died 120 K injured. n

n The Empire of Japan • 1931 Japan seized the Manchuria region of China • By 1940 Japan controlled most of Eastern China • Sept 1940 Signed the Tripartite pact w/ GR and Italy. • April 1941 Signed a neutrality pact with Russia.

n The American Response • Most Americans favored neutrality and isolationism. • Early Neutrality Acts US would w/hold weapons and loans from all nations at war. n Required that all non military goods be paid for w/ cash and transported by the purchaser-- “cash and carry” n • Neutrality Act of 1939 --permitted UK and FR to buy weapons on a cash and carry basis

• Increased Involvement n 1940 FDR proposed providing war supplies to the UK w/o payment: • “If your neighbor’s house is on fire, you don’t sell him a hose. You lend it to him and take it back after the fire is out. ” n March 1941 --congress passed the Lend. Lease Act which authorized the President to aid any nation whose defense was vital to US interests

Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941 “A date which shall live in infamy. ” n n Mid 1941 --Japan took French Indo. China FDR responded by freezing Japanese assets in the US and cutting off trade with Japan For weeks the US and Japan negotiated to avoid war. Japan’s leaders decided that they could not conquer Asia with the US Pacific fleet in Hawaii.

n n n Dec 7, 1941 --Japanese attacked the US Naval base at Pearl Harbor. <2 hrs. 2, 400 Americans died and 1, 200 wounded; 300 planes damaged or destroyed; 18 warships sunk Japan lost 29 planes Dec 8, 1941 FDR asked Congress to declare war. Dec. 11 Germany and Italy declared war on the US.

The Road to Victory in Europe

American Mobilization n Thousands volunteered after Pearl Harbor The draft began immediately The Force • 16. 1 Million Served Majority--white, male Americans n 300 K Mex-Amer n 300 Navajos as Code Talkers n 17 K Japanese-Amer n 1 Million African Americans n 275 K Women (volunteers) n

Atlantic War n n US ships had to travel in convoys Germans used “Wolf Packs” (sub groups of 30) to systematically attack convoys

North Africa n n n Germans under the command of FM Erwin Rommel (Desert Fox) had been very successful. 1942 Turning Point--UK Gen. Bernard Montgomery won a decisive victory at El Alamein Egypt May 1943 American Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and Gen. Montgomery trapped Rommel’s forces in Tunisia.

n Rommel escaped to Europe and Africa was under Allied control.

Italy n n n July 1943 American General George s. Patton attacked Sicily. It fell in 38 days. Mussolini was overthrown and the New Italian gov’t surrendered. German forces stiffly defended Italy.

n Turning Point--Anzio • Jan 1944 American troops landed behind GR lines at Anzio (just S. of Rome) • Fighting to advance was slow, but the Allies won in May 1944. • 72 K American casualties n n n The Allies quickly took Rome April 1945 German forces in Italy surrendered. 190 K American casualties in the Italian Campaign

Germany and the Soviet Union n June 1941 --3. 6 million German and Axis troops attacked the USSR The 3 millions Russians were overwhelmed and their air force quickly destroyed The soviets burned everything as the retreated.

n Turning Point--Stalingrad • The Red Army chose to take a stand • Fighting was house to house • The Russian winter wet in and in mid November the Red Army counterattacked and surrounded the Germans. • Jan 31, 1943 --A final assault resulted in the German force surrendering • 90 K Germans had survived n Fighting would continue

Allied Invasion of Western Europe n Air War • Allied bombers began to soften GR for the attack • Methods such as carpet bombing were used daily. • US bombed by day; the RAF by night (3 K planes per day).

n Preparation • Allies amassed troops, weapons and warships in UK • Germans under Rommel strengthened the Atlantic Wall

n D-Day June 6, 1944 • Largest landing by sea in history • 4, 600 invasion craft and warships • 23 K UK and US Airborne dropped behind lines the night before. • Warships pounded the coast • 2 K planes (1 K at a time) bombed the GR lines • 150 K Allied troops landed on 60 mi. of coast • Hitler failed to order an immediate counterattack. • GR resistance was fierce and

• By late July the Allies had 2 million troops in FR • August 1944 --Americans liberated Paris

n Battle of the Bulge • Dec. 1944 GR launched a fierce counter attack. • Allied forces were thrown back and the line almost broke • W/ reinforcement, the Americans held and stopped the GR advance. • Casualties--80 K US 100 K GR

End of the War in Europe n The American Advance • March 1945 Allies continued to bomb GR n American forces crossed the Rhine River n n The Soviet Advance • Heavy losses 13. 6 million soviet and 3 million GR had died in fighting n Soviet civilian and military deaths totaled 27 million n

• Soviets wanted to capture Berlin and the US allowed it. • April 25, 1945 --Soviet and US forces met at the Elbe River

n German Surrender • May 1, 1945 --GR announced Hitler had committed suicide • VE DAY--May 8, 1945, Germany surrendered. n Yalta Conference • The Big 3 met--FDR, Churchill, and Stalin • Agreed to split Germany into occupation zones. • Berlin (in the Soviet zone) would also be divided. • Stalin promised to allow elections in

The War in the Pacific

Overview When Japan attacked Pearl harbor, they simultaneously attacked several other American bases in the Pacific. The American Pacific outlook was grim.

The Japanese Advance n Philippines • US and Filipino forces fought valiantly and managed to hold the Bataan Peninsula for 4 mos. • Gen. Douglas Mac. Arthur was ordered to leave the islands and his troops behind. “I shall return. ” • May 6, 1942 --the last of the US and filipino forces surrendered.

• Bataan Death March 76 K US and Filipinos became POWs n They were forcibly marched 60 miles to a railway and shipped to work camps n 10 K died during the 12 day march. n

n The Sea War • The Japanese had been steadily advancing in the Pacific and hoped to take Australia. • Battle of the Coral Sea May 1942 n 1 st Naval combat carried out entirely by aircraft. n The ships never saw each other. n Militarily--a draw Strategically--stopped the Japanese advance on Australia. n

Turning the Tide n Battle of Midway • Midway Island was vital to the protection of Hawaii • Japanese under Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto hoped to lure the US into battle and destroy the remainder of the Pacific fleet. • Admiral Chester Nimitz caught the Japanese at a vulnerable time (loading bombs) and attacked • Fought entirely from the air.

n Battle of Guadalcanal • Located in the Solomon Islands • Intense jungle warfare • Captured by Feb 1943 • Casualties US 6 K of 60 K n Japan 24 K of 36 K n

n Island-Hopping Strategy • US began to attack islands strategically • Some were bypassed • Goal was to get close enough to attack the main Island of Japan • Casualties were staggering

n Philippines • Oct. 1944 --160 K US troops invaded the island of Leyte. • Mac. Arthur “People of the Philippines, I have returned. ” • Simultaneously--3 day naval Battle of Leyte Gulf Greatest naval battle in history n Japan threw all their ships into it. n Japan used Kamikaze attacks n Japan was badly beaten and their navy destroyed n • June 1945 --The Philippines were completely liberated.

Iwo Jima Nov. 1944 n n For 74 days US planes and warships poured 7 K tons of bombs and 20 K shells into the island Feb 1945 --Marines stormed the beaches and fought 3 days to gain 700 yds. 110 K US vs. 25 K Japanese 25 K US casualties; 216 Japanese surrendered.

Battle of Okinawa April - June 1945 n n n 100 K Japanese defended the Island US--1300 warships; 180 K combat troops Japanese used Kamikaze attacks and Bonzai charges to inflict maximum casualties. 7, 200 Japanese surrendered 50 K US casualties

The Manhattan Project n n 1939 --Jewish physicist Albert Einstein wrote FDR suggesting the possibility of a new weapon---the Atomic Bomb Einstein knew the Germans were already working on it. FDR authorized the work. July 16, 1945, US detonated the first atomic bomb in the New Mexico desert.

Dropping the Bomb n n April 1945 --FDR died Harry S. Truman had to make the decision. Estimated 1 million US deaths to conquer main island Japan. August 6, 1945 --1 st bomb dropped on Hiroshima. • 135 K casualties • 90% of the infrastructure destroyed

n August 9 --2 nd bomb dropped on Nagasaki • 64 K casualties

V-J Day n n On August 14, 1945, the Japanese surrendered. WWII was over, but the US and the world would never be the same.