Japanese and Italian Expansionism in the 1930s

• World War II is seen by some as a second part to World War 1
• The Second World War was fought over ideologies unlike World War 1

Key Events and Factors Contributing to WWII Outbreak:

• By the 1930s, the signs that a war was about to begin were clear

Japanese Expansionism

• Japan was isolated at the beginning of the 19th century
• By the mid-19th century however, Japan was essentially forced to open up
• American "black ships" appeared in 1853, demanding that Japan open its ports for restocking and trade
• The Japanese were shocked by this Western technology.
• Japan embraced imperialism to spread its culture and protect itself
• The Japanese seizure of Manchuria in 1931 is seen as the first step towards WWII.
• In September 1931, Japanese forces invaded Northeast China (Manchuria).
• The U.S. refused to recognize Japan's gains and condemned the invasion.
• The League of Nations also condemned Japan, but did not take further action.
• Japan withdrew from the League of Nations in 1933, marking the first formal breach of the League.

German Rearmament and Aggression

• Hitler disregarded the Treaty of Versailles and started to re-arm to restore German greatness
• Hitler left the League of Nations in 1933
• Germany introduced conscription and publicly announced plans to rearm in 1935
• Germany secretly rearmed, sending troops to the USSR for training.
• The "Reoccupation" of the Rhineland occurred in 1936.
• Hitler's next action was to reoccupy the Rhineland.
• The French and British did nothing, even though it was a risky decision for Hitler.

Italian Expansionism

• Italy conquered Ethiopia in 1935.
• Mussolini wanted to restore Roman grandeur by taking Ethiopia.
• Despite condemnation, other nations did very little
• Italy withdrew from the League.
• Mussolini expands into Albania.

Spanish Civil War (1936–1939)

• It was a rehearsal for the larger war, as Germany tested it's military
• Spanish Civil War, a long and bloody battle that ended with a fascist government taking power
• Spain had been a poor, weak constitutional Monarchy after remaining neutral during WWI, leading to an economic upturn/boom
• Post-war economic difficulties heightened social unrest.
• Leading to the Spanish Civil War, mutinous troops invaded mainland Spain in 1936 to overthrow the government.
• The conflict was essentially between the right (fascists, monarchists) and the left (communists, socialists, liberals, anarchists)
• Italy and Germany aided the fascists, while Britain and France did not help the Republicans via foreign intervention.
• The bombing of Guernica was the first deliberate bombardment of a civilian population.

Marco Polo Bridge Incident (1937)

• Marco Polo Bridge Incident 1937 was a catalyst for war
• A skirmish led to the second Sino-Japanese War between Japanese and Chinese troops at the Marco Polo Bridge
• Japanese forces seized Beijing and Shanghai, with the Nanking Massacre resulting in numerous atrocities.

The Anschluss (1938)

• Austria and Germany become one country
• The Anschluss was a sentiment for union between Austria and Germany after WWI.
• Austrian Premier Engelbert Dollfuss dissolved parliament in 1933 to avoid annexation by Germany, but Austrian Nazis later murdered him.
• Hitler initiated a violent propaganda campaign and threatened Austria's Chancellor in 1938, making him sign over Austria to the Nazi Party.
• Hitler integrated Austria into Germany, making Anschluss a reality.

Dismemberment of Czechoslovakia

• Czechoslovakia was the only state in Central or Eastern Europe where parliamentary democracy succeeded.
• However, the country had a good balance between industry and agriculture. The neighbors were unstable and contained a mix of Czechs, Slovaks, and Germans, which lead it to fail
• The Sudeten Germans, supported by Nazi agitation, wanted to be part of Germany.
• The Munich Agreement in September 1938 led to the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia, with the Sudeten borderlands claimed by Germany.
• Hitler summoned the Czech president in 1939 and took over the rest of Czech land against no resistance.

Appeasement Policy

• The policy sought to avoid war at all costs
• The British pursued a policy of appeasement, trying to avoid war due to economic constraints and the memory of World War I.
• Some in Britain felt the Treaty of Versailles was unfair and that Germany had the right to rearm.
• Hitler was seen as a strongman against communism

Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (1939)

• Hitler wanted to avoid a two-front war and was concerned about the Soviet Union's reaction to invading Poland.
• The Soviets saw Nazi Germany as a potential ally and distrusted the British.
• Included a secret clause to carve up Europe into spheres of influence, it was a non-aggression pact between Germany and the Soviet Union.

Invasion of Poland (1939)

• There was something of a land bridge and way to get to Germany so they wanted it
• Poland Comtained the Polish Corridor, this basically divided East Prussia from the remainder of Germany
• To justify the invasion, Hitler initiated Operation Himmler, creating false evidence of a Polish attack on Germany.
• Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, leading Britain and France to declare war on Germany.

WWII (1939-1942)

• Germany was prepared for war due to the four-year plan, whereas the Allies were not
• Because of Germany's pact with the Soviet Union, they didn't have to fight on two fronts.
• There was a risk of a three-front war for France with Germany, Italy and Spain

Key events and strategies used during the war

• The German strategy was based on quick victory; this was known as the Blitzkrieg (lightning war strategy)
• The Luftwaffe bombed strategic points, followed by tanks (Panzers) and infantry.
• Poland was swiftly defeated.

Soviet Actions

• The Soviets invaded Poland from the east.
• They invaded Finland in November 1939, but faced resistance during the Winter War.
• By March 1940, the Soviets annexed lands closest to Leningrad.

The Phony War

• There were no major offenses for the first seven months in Western Europe, this period was called "Phony War" or Der Sitzkrieg.
• Hitler hoped Britain and France would back down, but they would only negotiate if he withdrew from Poland.
• The British launched a naval blockade, and the Germans responded with U-boats.

Invasion of Denmark and Norway

• Germany invaded Denmark and Norway to secure the northern flank and prevent Britain from blocking food and fuel.
• Denmark was taken easily, but Norway was more challenging.
• Germany installed a puppet government in Norway under a Norwegian fascist named Quisling.

Churchill Replaces Chamberlain

• Churchill, coming of aristocracy, replaced Chamberlain and became Prime Minister when Chamberlain's government fell.

Invasion of the Netherlands and France

• Germany invaded the Netherlands to bypass the Maginot Line.
• The lack of coordination between the British, Belgians, Dutch, and French lead to success for the German
• To inspire terror and leading to a quick surrender, the Germans bombed Rotterdam.
• The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was trapped in Northern France as tanks rolled through the Ardennes Forest.

Dunkirk Evacuation

• Allied troops were evacuated from Dunkirk using civilian vessels between May 27th to June 24th.
• Hitler decided not to destroy the trapped British and French army

Fall of France

• Mussolini joined the war on June 10, 1940.
• The French declared Paris an open city on June 13th, evacuating without fighting.
• France was lost by mid-June 1940.
• Marshal Philippe Pétain became the French premier seeking peace at any price, signing an armistice with Germany
• France was divided. With Germany occupying the Atlantic and Channel coasts, a puppet regime was established in Vichy

The Free French

• Led by Charles de Gaulle with British Aid, the Free French Forces focused strongly on rearment, intelligence and propaganda
• A small but determined French resistance movement emerged.

Battle of Britain

• Hitler believed Britain would seek peace after France fell, but the British were not interested.
• Germany counted on U-boats to severe British supplies, which meant the battle had to be won.
• A plan to invade Britain was launched called "Operation Sea Lion"; it required air inferiority for The British to be invaded
• From September 1940 to May 1941, London was subjected to the Blitz, constant bombardment from the air.
• Churchill ordered bombing raids on Berlin to demoralize the Germans and divert their attacks.
• Civilian morale in Britain remained intact, and the RAF was able to muster large responses.

War at Sea

• Germany aimed to blockade Britain with U-boats.
• Then Britain responded with the convey system
• German U-boats attacked in groups called wolf packs.
• The sinking of a U.S. ship by a U-boat in 1941 turned the tide of American opinion
• The British captured a German U-boat (U-110) and obtained the Enigma machine, allowing them to decode German messages.

Italy's Invasion of Greece

• Without informing Hitler, Mussolini invaded Greece through Albania, but the Greeks were able to push back
• Germany had to aid the Italians, and the Axis powers ended up conquering the Greek mainland.

Operation Barbarossa

• Soviet Unions were seen by Hitler as weak and wanted them for agricultural and oil resources
• He planned Operation Barbarossa regardless of risking a two front war, this operation was the invasion of the Soviet Union
• The invasion began in June 1941, with advances towards major Soviet cities
• The Germans faced a harsh Russian winter and a scorched-earth policy.

Lend Lease Act

• With the American public against Hitler, the U.S. created and implemented The Lend-Lease Act.
• The U.S. sent food and arms to Great Britain and the Soviet Union

Axis Powers Pact

• Germany and Japan created an anti-communist pact.
• Japan, Germany, and Italy agreed to the Tripartite Pact to formally announce their alliance

Japanese Expansion in Asia

• Japan expanded into French Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia).
• The U.S. was against this, halting access to raw materials.

Attack on Pearl Harbor

• The Japanese struck Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941.
• Roosevelt declared war on Japan, with almost unanimous support in the U.S.

WWII (1942-1945)

• The situation was dire for all Allies at the beginning of 1942.
• Japan's empire was expanding in Asia, and Hitler had conquered the majority mainland Europe.

Key Events and Turning Points During this Period:

• The Battle of the Coral Sea was the first Naval action in the pacific
• The Battle of Midway in June 1942; U.S. carrier planes caught the Japanese fleet off guard. This action marked a turning point in the Pacific War.

North African Campaign

• The Nazi's controlled North Africa, under the "Desert fox" of Erwin Rommel and the Allies sought to open a front
• The British stopped Rommel (Nazis) at El Alamein, the first engagement in the war in which the Germans were both stopped and pushed back
• Mass deployment of U.S. troops took place with Operation Torch, which was the Allied invasion of French North Africa

Battle of Stalingrad

• Was another turning point in the war for the Russians due to the soviet defense
• The goal of the Germans was the oil rich regions. In pursuit of this goal they pushed deep into the Soviet Union where their offensive stalled
• The Soviets cutting off supplies and surrounding led the city to be taken and turned it from the front into a large attack against the occupying German forces
• The German army surrendered in 1943; restoring the sun to Stalingrad

Battle of the Atlantic

• Reached its peak in 1942 Allies were able to use intelligence and tactical skills to control the Atlantic through
• Convoy system, deciphering German U-boat codes
• Hunter/killer task forces.

Invasion of Italy

• Started in July of 1943
• Italy knocked out of war relatively fast
• In an effort to get out of the war and switch sides, Top officers of the Italian army led a coup to overthrow Mussolini
• Italy switched sides signing an agreement with the Allies
• The Germans then occupied northern Italy, putting Mussolini in power (puppet) and Italy became the Italian Social Republic

Opening of the Second Front (D-Day)

• Occurred when the Big Three (Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt) agreed to open a second front at a conference in Tehran
• The Allies prepared for the invasion of Northern France, code named "Festung Europa (Fortress Europe)."
• Fake broadcasts and dummy equipment to decive the Germans became a campaign of disimformation
• Allied forces landed on five beaches on June 6, 1944 for the invasion of Normandy known as D-Day
• Allied forces broke through over a month after D-Day

Liberation of France

• After four years of German occupation, Paris was liberated in August 1944
• Charles de Gaulle marched down the Champs Élysées.

Battle of the Bulge

• In December 1944, Hitler launched Germany's last major offensive in the west, known as the Battle of the Bulge
• With the hopes of saving the German homeland, the Germans pushed forward, but the allies pushed back and prevailed

Strategic Bombing

• Launched by the Allies as bombing raids on both military targets/cities in Germany
• Firebombing techniques were used, with immense loses and massive fires for the targeted cities
• Thousands of civilians were killed and much of the city was destroyed via the firebombing of Dresden in 1945

Yalta Conference

• Occurred in Ukraine as Stalin, Churchill, and Roosevelt met at the Yalta Conference to plan the end of the war
• The Nazi German regime was to be de-nazified, and the country divided into occupation zones
• The Soviets were given the honor of taking Berlin.

Battle of Berlin

• The Siegfried Line in the west was broken through by the Western Allies, and the Soviets advanced from the east.
• May 2, 1945 the Soviet Union was able to take Berlin
• An awful battle. Red Army soldiers committed violent atrocities and went on a rampage
• Seeing no other way out of the war, Hitler committed suicide on April 30, 1945.
• The official surrender of Germany occurred on May 8, 1945, this marked V-Victory in Europe Day.

The War in the Pacific (1942-1945)

• With Germany defeated, the Americans and Russians focused on dealing with the Japanese.

Key Strategies and Events in this Phase

• Midway was advanced from by the American war ship, conquering multiple islands on the way towards Japan (the tactic = Island Hopping)
• Larger islands saw the cooperation of Australians and Americans: Philippines and Indonesia, Jungle fightig
• Americans were able to set up bases for B-29 bombers to strike Japan because of the the war campaign in the Solomon Island.

Atomic Bombing

• On August 6, 1945 the "Little Boy" atomic bomb dropped Hiroshima

• The bomb, "Little Boy," has a uranium-235 fission device and caused immense destruction and killing tens of thousands

• Two days later Soviets invaded Manchuria

• On Aug 9,1945 the "Fat Man" a plutonium fission bomb was dropped on Nagasaki

• Victory over Japan (V-J Day occurred when Emperor Hirohito surrendered Japanese forces

• Japan surrendered on the USS Missouri, renouncing warfare and accepting American military occupation

The Holocaust (1939-1945)

• Discovery of the atrocities

• Groups deemed inferior by Nazis

• Allies advanced into Germany, uncovered atrocities

• Those groups included, people with disabilities, gays, Roma, and Jews

Key Elements of the Holocaust

• Early: deporting all to Madagascar thought was too high cost
• Göring issued instructions to Heydrich on July 31, 1941. Called 'final solution' was Jewish problem and extermination
• "Bearers of Secrets" those in the know on extermination
• Einsatzgruppen (action squads) formed to find/shoot Jews in mass graves

Wannsee Conference

• January,1942 effort coordinated to find/deal with Jews
• "Final solution' was goal - Nazis control
• With new laws to make stateless, they gave Legal experts power to legislate away victim statue

Extermination Camps

• Death camp - Treblinka/Auschwitz- established in Poland
• Auschwitz- conc, death camp
• Jews - ghettos/ transported-extermination
• Forced councils of Jewish elders= info/help- deportations

Aftermath

• 60 million deaths- WW II/ civs -2/3s cas
• 2 superpowers- War left- Soviet U/ USA
• USA involved- Euro/ Asian affair.
• Soviet U dominated - E Eur lead repression
• Allies - held Potsdam - aftermath- Germany
• Divide of Germany
• Restore- dem-gov - Fr/Italy.

Examine the differing motivations behind Japan's expansion in Asia and Italy's in Africa. Contrast the international community's responses to Japan's invasion of Manchuria with Italy's conquest of Ethiopia and their impact on WWII.