Buildup to World War II
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Transcript Buildup to World War II
Buildup to World War II
Mrs. Housenick
US History
2/25/10
Germany Faces Economic Collapse
(1920s)
Germany on verge of economic collapse
Had been punished harshly by Treaty of Versailles
Forced to reduce military, admit guilt for war, pay 32 billion
dollars in reparations!
Desperate, government prints money
INFLATION!!!
Democratic government—Weimar Republic—too weak to
do anything to fix problems.
Germany Faces Economic Collapse
(1920s) ctnd.
US REPONSE:
US goes back to isolationism, doesn’t want to get involved in European
affairs
US tries to mend relationship with Latin America by withdrawing troops
from Haiti and Panama “Good Neighbor Policy”
Same time, US insists allies pay us back ALL the money owed, couldn’t since
Germany wasn’t paying them
Dawes Plan—US lent money to Germany, to pay allies, to pay US (really just
circling money around)
London Economic Conference—US wants to continue own inflationary
policy, not cooperate to stabilize currency
Did increase trade with Reciprocal Trade Agreements—decrease tariff
The Rise of Hitler (1934)
Austrian, high school drop-out, served in German army in
WWI, angry at Treaty of Versailles
Joins National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party)
in 1921
Led an attempted uprising against government, thrown in jail
Writes Mein Kampf (“My Struggle)
Racist ideas of Aryan superiority, destroying inferior races
Blamed Jews for Germany’s economic problems
The Rise of Hitler ctnd. (1934)
After jail, rebuilds Nazi party, wins majority in German congress
German president asked Hitler to become chancellor
1934: Hitler declares himself Fuhrer (dictator) of Germany,
establishes a fascist state
Passes Nuremberg Laws against Jews
Had to move to ghettos, couldn’t practice law or medicine, had to
register with government and wear yellow star.
Kristallnacht—(Night of Broken Glass)—Germans attacked Jewish
part of town, 100s killed, 30,000 arrested or sent to camps
The Rise of Hitler ctnd. (1934)
US RESPONSE
US focused on Depression and New Deal here at home
Encouraged allies to agree to disarmament
US decreases size of its military
Washington Naval Treaty—creates ratio for battleships
Signed Kellog-Briand Pact—62 nations condemn war, not
a way to solve problems
Fascism in Italy (1935)
Italy also faced economic and political problems
Mussolini rises to power after WWI
Established fascist state—all about building Italy’s strength
and military
Made it a goal to take over other countries
1935 Italy invades Ethiopia and makes it an Italian colony.
Wants more
Fascism in Italy (1935) ctnd.
US RESPONSE:
Neutrality Acts (1930s)—US won’t sell weapons or supplies
to any countries engaged in conflict
Nye Commission—concludes WWII prompted by US
bankers and war manufacturers who want to make profit
Roosevelt does call for a moral embargo against Italy
Encourages American businesses not to trade with Italy until it
gives up land
Not enforced or required!
The Spanish Civil War (1936-39)
Fascist party led by Francisco Franco vs. Republicans
Mussolini and Hitler helped Franco
Franco wins, Spain becomes fascist dictatorship (until
1970s!)
Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis forms (alliance between Italy,
Germany and Japan)
The Spanish Civil War (1936-39) ctnd.
US RESPONSE:
US government takes no official position
3,000 US citizens volunteered and helped Spanish army
against Franco Abraham Lincoln Brigade
The Rise of Militarism in Japan (193141)
Worldwide Depression brought Japan economic disaster
People desperate, so group of military leaders took power
promising stability
Broke treaty by constructing more battleships, quit League of
Nations
Promise to expand Japan’s power through imperialism
1931 Japan invades Manchuria—part of China
The Rise of Militarism in Japan (193141) ctnd.
US REPONSE:
Stimson Doctrine—US won’t recognize any land Japan
takes by force
Roosevelt makes Quarantine Speech—argued that US and
other countries should put economic embargo on Japan
No action to accompany speech
Still US withdraws from Asia
Tydings McDuffie Act gives Phillipines independence in 12
years
US does nothing when ship Panay hit by Japanese
Violation and Appeasement (1936-38)
Hitler invades Rhineland, violating Treaty of Versailles
Invades Austria, declares it part of Germany
Next, turns his eyes on Sudetenland, part of Czechoslovakia
MUNICH AGREEMENT: Britain and France agree to let
Hitler take the Sudetenland, if he promises not to any more
land
APPEASEMENT!
Violation and Appeasement (1936-38)
US REPONSE:
US supports Munich Pact, continues to stay neutral
The Invasion of Czechoslovakia (1939)
Six months after Munich, Hitler breaks promise and invades
all of Czech.
Announces he now wants Poland
Britain promises will go to war if Hitler tries to take Poland
Germany and Russia sign Nazi-Soviet Pact—neither
country will attack the other
Hitler now has a clear path into Poland!
The Invasion of Czechoslovakia (1939)
ctnd.
US REPONSE:
Roosevelt urged European leaders to negotiate for peace
World War II Begins (1939)
Hitler invades Poland
Britain and France declare war on Germany
Poland collapses to Germany
After this, next six month of war proceeded slowly
“Phony war”
World War II Begins (1939)
US RESPONSE:
America First Committee forms—to encourage government
to stay out of war
Government realizes we do have to assist Britain and France
in some way
Begin cash and carry—Allies can buy supplies and
weapons from US as long as pay cash and transport
themselves.
US Support of Britain (1941)
By 1940, Hitler had taken over almost all of Europe, except
Britain
Britain is isolated and alone in fighting the Nazis
Bombed constantly
US Support of Britain (1941)
US RESPONSE:
Increase US military budget and institue a draft to prepare for war
Atlantic Charter—US and Britain sign this to agree on war
aims. Both say they aren’t interested in gaining territory. Lay out
plans for UN
Lend-Lease Act/Destroyers for Bases Deal
US agreed to lend military supplies to Britain and transport them
In exchange Britain gave us military bases
Deal extended to Soviets as well
US ships started to be attacked by Germans again
Bombing of Pearl Harbor (1941)
Japan saw US as a threat to their desire to control the Pacific
US had begun embargo against Japan in 1940
Froze Japanese assets in US, stopped shipments of gasoline
Japanese planned secret attack on US military base at Pearl
Harbor to crush American naval and air power in Pacific—
December 7, 1941
2,300 Americans were killed
Bombing of Pearl Harbor (1941) ctnd.
Congress declares war on Japan
Germany and Italy declare war on US