Transcript World War II A True World War Prelude to The War        Nov.

World War II
A True World War
Prelude to The War
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Nov. 11, 1918: World War I ends.
Jan. 16, 1920-29: league of nations is founded (precursor of the U.N.),
Stalin rises to power in Russia, Mussolini takes power in Italy, U.S. Stock
Market crashes and Great Depression begins.
Sep. 18, 1931-34: Japan invades Manchuria, F.D.R. elected president,
Hitler becomes Fuhrer of Germany under the Nazi party, creating a fascists
totalitarian government.
Oct. 3, 1935: Italy invades Abyssinia.
Mar. 7, 1936: Hitler occupies the Rhineland in an attempt to bring the Arian
Race to power and create a Third Reich, or Kingdom, centered in Germany
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Jul. 7 1937-38 Japan invades China, Germany annexes Austria, Munich
pact, Germany occupies the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia and agrees to
stop taking land on threat of war from England and France.
Nov. 9, 1938: “Kristallnacht” or The Night of Breaking Glass.
Prelude to The War (II)
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May 22, 1939 Nazi Germany and Italy sign
“Pact of Steel”
 Aug. 23, 1939 Germany and Soviet Union sign
Non-Aggression pact.
The War Begins
• On September 1st of 1939, Nazi Germany
invades Poland, crossing the agreed to line
in the Munich conference. The Nazi forces
attack in a blitzkrieg (lighting war) and soon
have Poland.
• Immediate following the attack France and
England join forces and declare war on
Germany.
U.S. Maintains Neutrality
• When the war begins the U.S. reaffirms its
Neutrality however in November of 1939
F.D.R. institutes the “cash and carry” policy to
aid the allies.
Quick Victories
• In the months to come Hitler’s troops will take Norway, Denmark,
Holland, Luxembourg, Belgium, and in the end occupy France.
• These victories leave Britain to stand alone against the Nazi army.
• In May of 1940 an aging Neville Chamberlain steps down from his
position as Prime Minister of Great Britain, largely for the mistake of
letting Hitler occupy the Studentenland, he is succeeded by Winston
Churchill.
• From May 26- June 4th 1940 the allies lose the battle for France
culminating at Dunkirk. They proceeded to retreat across the English
Channel using more than 860 ships, most private yachts, smaller boats
and the like, to safely carry the men back to England.
The Battle of Britain
• Hitler now controlled the land from Russia to the
coast of France, and his eyes turned to the last
opposing power, Britain.
• From July 10th through October 31st 1940 the
Luftwaffe (the German air force) bombarded
Britain with wave after wave of bombers to
destroy London and other major cities.
• However the R.A.F. (Royal Air Force) soon gains
the upper hand and Hitler abandons his dreams of
taking England.
Japan joins the Axis of Power
► In
September of 1940 Japan signs the Tripartite Pact
and officially becomes part of the Axis of Power along
with Nazi Germany and Italy.
► Due to this latest development the U.S. imposes a trade
embargo on Japan, cutting off any war supplies to the
string of islands.
► In March of 1941 the U.S. passed the Lend-Lease Act,
at this point their support of the allies is apparent and
Japan begins to formulate its plan to attack.
► Soon after the Axis of Power takes Yugoslavia and
Greece.
The War in Africa
• One of Hitler's next steps in creating a Third
Reich is to take Africa, and he has left Erwin
Rommel (a.k.a. “The Desert Fox”) to lead his
panzer division the Afrika Korps to do so.
• However Rommel’s progress is halted by a
band of Australian troops in the port city of
Tobruk.
Six Months and Four Major Events
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In June of 1941 Hitler orders a blitzkrieg attack on Russia
breaking the Non-Aggression Pact. His progress in the country
is halted at Stalingrad, this will be one of the last major
advances made by the Nazis for the remainder of the war
Oct. 1941: Auschwitz work camp and Birkenau death camp
open in Poland.
“Dec. 7th, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United
States was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the empire of
Japan.” – Franklin Delano Roosevelt after the attack on Pearl
Harbor.
Dec. 8th, 1941: the U.S. declares war on the Axis Powers.
1942
• Mar 18th 1942: Japanese-American concentration camps open
in the U.S.
• Apr 9th 1942: The U.S. surrender to Japanese at Bataan.
• Jun. 4th 1942: Japanese attempt a surprise attack on Midway,
however they lose the battle (due to a failed desalination
pump). This is considered one of the greatest naval victories in
history.
• Aug. 7th 1942: American marines invade the island of
Guadalcanal to take a Japanese airbase.
• British troops defeat Rommel at El Almein Egypt.
• Nov 8th 1942: Operation Torch first American assault of the
war, used as a pincer mover to corner Rommel’s troops and
end the African front.
1943
12th 1943: the Nazi Troops are finally driven
out of Stalingrad.
► Jul 10th 1943: Allied invasion of Sicily.
► Nov. 20th 1943: American troops invade Island
of Tarawa and lose 2500 marines to take the well
fortified island. 4000 Japanese soldiers die and
only 17 are taken captive.
► Dec. 12th 1943: the race has begun for the most
destructive weapon of all time, the atom bomb.
► Jan.
D-Day: the Invasion of
Normandy
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Operation Overlord, commonly
known as D-day, was the code
name given to the allied invasion
of Normandy France which took
place on June 6th 1944.
During the early hours of the
morning planes dropped allied
paratroopers, including the 101st
airborne, behind enemy lines. On
the morning of the 6th the coast of
France was assaulted by allied
soldiers. most made little enemy
contact for several miles inland
however Utah and Omaha beaches
suffered heavy causalities.
The mission was a success and
was hoped to end of the war by
Christmas.
Operation MARKET-GARDEN
► A bold
assault using the
101st Airborne, and once
again dropping them
behind enemy lines to
seize key bridges in
Holland for a straight
shot to Germany.
► Needless to say it failed
and cost 5,000
paratroopers their lives.
Battle of Leyte Gulf
• October 23rd-26th 1944: General
Macarthur returns to the
Philippines to drive out the
Japanese as he promised when
his men were forced to retreat at
the battle of Bataan.
• The Japanese lose 4 aircraft
carriers, 3 battleships, 6
cruisers, and 14 destroyers and
ultimately lose the battle.
• This is the first wide usage of
the Kamikaze (meaning the
divine wind) suicide attacks by
the Japanese.
The Battle of the Bulge
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Dec. 16th 1944- Jan. 28th 1945:
After six months of driving the
Nazis back, the allies find them
selves stuck against stiff resistance
and heavy artillery. The 101
becomes cut off in the woods just
out side of the town of Bastogne.
With little ammo, food, clothing,
and men, the paratroopers hold out
for a month.
The paratroopers where rescued by
General Patton, however to this day
none of them will ever admit they
needed to be rescued.
Their stint in the forest earned them
the name “The Battered Bastards of
Bastogne.”
Jan 26th 1945- the end.
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Jan. 26th 1945: Auschwitz work camp and
Birkenau death camp are liberated.
Feb.19th 1945: the Battle of Iwo Jima.
Apr 12th 1945: F.D.R. dies.
May 8th 1945: Hitler commits suicide with
wife and dog in a stronghold under
bombardment from Russian forces. V-E
day (Victory in Europe Day.)
Aug. 6th 1945: The U.S. drops the Atomic
bombs Fat Man, and Little Boy, on Japan
in the cities of Hiroshima, and three days
later Nagasaki, for the failure to send
peace terms.
Aug 14th 1945: V-J Day (Victory in Japan)
this signals the end of the greatest and
bloodiest war the world has ever seen, and
the end of “civilized combat.”
Ushering in the atomic age and the Cold
War.