Road to World War II: Key Figures and Events

• Study notes on key events, people, and concepts related to the lead-up to and early years of World War II

Treaty of Versailles (1919)

• Ended World War I, imposing heavy reparations and territorial losses on Germany.
• Contributed to economic hardship and political instability in Germany.
• Fostered resentment, contributing to the rise of Adolf Hitler and the onset of World War II.

Joseph Stalin

• Leader of the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s to 1953.
• Transformed the USSR into a totalitarian state.
• Played a crucial role in the Allied victory over Nazi Germany during World War II.

Benito Mussolini (Il Duce)

• Fascist leader of Italy from 1922 to 1943.
• Aimed to create a new Roman Empire.
• Led Italy into aggressive military campaigns and aligned with Nazi Germany during World War II.

Fascism

• Far-right political ideology characterized by dictatorial power, extreme nationalism, and suppression of opposition.
• Regimes pursued aggressive expansionist policies, contributing to the outbreak of World War II.

Adolf Hitler

• Leader of the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazi Party).
• Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945.
• Sought to establish a totalitarian regime, expand German territory, and promote Aryan supremacy.
• Actions led to World War II and the Holocaust.

Militarists in Japan

• Gained significant influence during the 1930s.
• Advocated for imperial expansion to secure resources and territory.
• Led to invasions in Asia and alignment with Axis powers during World War II.

Hirohito

• Emperor of Japan from 1926 to 1989.
• Considered a divine figurehead during World War II, with military leaders making key decisions.
• Post-war, Hirohito's role became symbolic under the new constitution.

Winston Churchill

• Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during most of World War II.
• Known for his leadership and oratory skills.
• Pivotal in rallying Allied resistance against Nazi Germany.

Munich Conference (1938)

• Involved Germany, the UK, France, and Italy.
• Agreement allowed Nazi Germany to annex the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia.
• Policy of appeasement that failed to prevent further aggression.

Appeasement

• A diplomatic policy aimed at avoiding conflict by making concessions to aggressive powers.
• European nations used appeasement in dealings with Hitler, which ultimately emboldened further aggression.

Non-Aggression Pact (1939)

• Agreement between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union promising not to attack each other.
• Secret protocols divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence.
• Pact was broken when Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941.

Blitzkrieg

• Meaning "lightning war," this military tactic involved rapid, coordinated attacks.
• Utilized infantry, tanks, and air power to quickly overwhelm opponents.
• Germany employed blitzkrieg effectively during early World War II campaigns.

Invasion of Poland

• On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, marking the start of World War II.
• This act prompted Britain and France to declare war on Germany.

Fall of France

• In May 1940, Germany launched an offensive against France.
• By June, France had been defeated and occupied, leading to the establishment of the Vichy government.

Battle of Britain

• Military campaign in 1940 where the Royal Air Force defended the UK against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's air force, the Luftwaffe.
• The successful defense marked a turning point in the war.

Holocaust

• Systematic genocide perpetrated by Nazi Germany.
• Resulted in the murder of six million Jews and millions of others, including Romani people, disabled individuals, and political dissidents.

Nuremberg Laws (1935)

• Anti-Semitic laws enacted in Nazi Germany.
• Stripped Jews of citizenship and imposed various discriminatory practices.
• Laid the groundwork for further persecution.

Kristallnacht

• Also known as the "Night of Broken Glass."
• Pogrom occurred on November 9-10, 1938, where Jewish businesses, synagogues, and homes were attacked throughout Germany and Austria.

The St. Louis

• A German ocean liner that, in 1939, carried Jewish refugees seeking asylum from Nazi persecution.
• Denied entry by multiple countries, including the United States.
• Many passengers were forced to return to Europe, where they faced the Holocaust.

Final Solution

• The Nazi plan for the extermination of the Jewish people.
• Implemented through mass shootings, gas chambers, and other methods in concentration and extermination camps.

Groups Targeted by Nazis

• Targeted Romani people, disabled individuals, Polish and Soviet civilians, political prisoners, LGBTQ+ individuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, and others deemed "undesirable."

Concentration Camps

• Detention centers where millions were imprisoned, subjected to forced labor, medical experiments, and mass murder.
• Notable camps include Auschwitz, Dachau, and Treblinka.

FDR

• Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States.
• Led the nation through the Great Depression and most of World War II.
• Advocated for support to Allied nations before and after entering the war.

Isolationism

• A policy wherein a nation seeks to avoid involvement in international affairs.
• Prior to World War II, the U.S. largely adhered to isolationism, aiming to stay out of European conflicts.

Neutrality Acts

• A series of laws enacted by the U.S. Congress between 1935 and 1939.
• Aimed at preventing American involvement in foreign conflicts.
• Prohibited the export of arms and war materials to belligerent nations and restricted American citizens from traveling on their ships.

"Cash and Carry"

• Implemented as part of the Neutrality Act of 1939.
• Allowed belligerent nations to purchase non-military goods from the United States.
• Required they paid cash upfront and transported the goods on their own ships.
• Aimed to support Allied nations while keeping the U.S. out of direct involvement in the war.

Before the U.S. Enters the War

• Initially, the United States adopted an isolationist stance, aiming to avoid entanglement in European conflicts.
• As the war progressed, the U.S. provided increasing support to Allied nations.
• Support came through policies like "Cash and Carry" and later the Lend-Lease Act.
• Lent-Lease supplied arms and other war materials to countries deemed vital to U.S. security.

Axis Powers

• The coalition of nations led by Germany, Italy, and Japan.
• Opposed the Allied forces during World War II.

Lend-Lease Act (1941)

• A U.S. program that authorized the transfer of arms and other defense materials to Allied nations during World War II.
• Marked a significant shift from previous neutrality policies.
• Allowed the U.S. to support countries fighting the Axis powers without direct involvement in combat.

Allies

• The nations allied against the Axis Powers including the United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, and France.

The Big Three

• Refers to the principal leaders of the Allied powers: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin.
• Coordinated military strategies and post-war plans, focusing first on the defeat of Nazi Germany before turning full attention to Japan.

Pearl Harbor (1941)

• A surprise military attack by the Japanese Navy Air Service on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941.
• Led to the United States' formal entry into World War II.

Explore the key events and figures leading up to World War II, including the Treaty of Versailles, Joseph Stalin, and Benito Mussolini. Understand the impact of fascism and the aggressive expansionist policies that fueled the conflict. Learn about the critical factors that shaped this global event.