UNIT 4 HISTORY TEST NOTES PDF

Unit 4 History Test Notes The Treaty of Versailles (see package) Almost five years after the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand at Sarajevo, government leaders met at Versailles, near Paris, to sign the peace treaty. Thirty-two victorious countries were represented, including Canada. Canada was n...

Unit 4 History Test Notes The Treaty of Versailles (see package) Almost five years after the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand at Sarajevo, government leaders met at Versailles, near Paris, to sign the peace treaty. Thirty-two victorious countries were represented, including Canada. Canada was not content just to be part of the British delegation. Borden demanded that Canada be represented as a separate nation at the meetings and the official signing of the treaty. He argued that Canada deserved a voice in peace talks because of its strong support for the war effort. The main decisions, however, were made by the leaders of the three countries - Britain, France, and the United States. These countries were referred to as the BIG THREE. Germany, a defeated country, was not invited to the peace talks and of course was not invited to these meetings. US’ WOODROW WILSON He argued that the defeated countries should be treated justly so that they would not try to get revenge in the future. Wanted to ensure everlasting peace WIlson suggested the FOURTEEN POINTS that included complete disarmament and free trade among nations. He suggested that a league of NAtions be set up to settle future disputes. The League of Nations would be an organization promoting international cooperation. FRANCE’S GEORGES CLEMENCEAU He was determined that Germany?????? bruh should pay for starting the war and for the damage that had been done. Twice in his lifetime, Clemencau had seen Germany invade his homeland so he wanted to assure Germany was weak and would never attack France again. He wanted to ensure that Germany should be too weak ever to attack France again. No league of nations. Disbandment of the German army so they could never attack France again. BRITISH’S LLYOD GEORGE (was friends with Hitler) Believed that all British people felt much the same way. His country had lost many citizens in the war. George was concerned that a harsh treaty might cause bitterness and lead Germany to see revenge in the future. He helped to work out many of the compromises that made the peace treaty possible. Tough enough to please vengeful people, but leaves Germany strong enough to trade The POLISH CORRIDOR? How might the creation of this corridor lead to problems with Germany later? The Polish Corridor was a strip of land created after the First World War to give Poland access to the Baltic Sea. It was established by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 and was taken from Germany. The creation of the Polish Corridor after World War I caused significant tension with Germany by separating East Prussia from the rest of the country and placing German-speaking populations under Polish control. Self determination meaning Every nation has the right to have its own state. Every state can sense its border. Self-determination is the principle that people have the right to choose their own political status and form of government without external influence. It allows nations or distinct groups to decide how they will be governed, whether by forming an independent state, joining another country, or choosing some other arrangement. The Ruhr Area The president of France ordered French troops to occupy the ruhr area of germany. The workers of the ruhr declared a strike of course. The French army treated the strikers harshly, arresting, deporting, and even sentencing some to death. Germany’s hyperinflation The ruhr situation caused more damage to the German money (marks). In 1923, it took four billion German marks to buy one US dollar. Germans were on the verge of bankruptcy and their savings became worthless. Many people starved and blamed it on the Weimar government and the treaty of versailles. Beer Hall Putsch Hitler orchestrated this with the intention of preempting the local government and taking the first step in taking control over the entire country, destroying the Weimar government who was doing really like really bad with inflation and the treaty of versailles. Hitler was arrested for treason where he was supposed to go for 5 years but got released in nine months. Even though this was a failure he was still seen as a hero for bringing change to Germany's absolutely terrible economic and political situation. 1925 - Hindenburg becomes the president of germany, US gives germany some aid, LOCARNO TREATY WAS SIGNED this allowed germany to enter into a system of european security that guaranteed germany its borders and said discussion was the way to solve disputes, 1926 - germany was allowed into league of nations 1929 - Germany demonstrated good faith with the rest of the world especially with France and England so they signed a KELLOGG BRIAND PACT which renounced war as a method of resolving disputes. The stock market crashed and bad things happened like factories closing and people losing jobs. Hitler used this as an opportunity to make Germany strong again and people actually believed him lol thats acc kinda funny. 1930 - 1932 - NAZIs spread their campaign about economic and political problems they would solve. 1932 - NAZIS form the largest party in REICHSTAG (german parliament) and Hidenburg asks for a coalition which Hitler denied and demanded a new election. 1933 - JAN 30 1933 is when hitler becomes Germany's leader. REICHSTAG fire was when the Nazis secretly set the German parliament on fire and blamed it on the communists who wanted to take over Germany. THE ENABLING ACT - was the end of democracy and the introduction to a fascist dictatorship. Many people didn't want this but supported it cause they would probably get killed by Hitler if not. 1934 - hitler violates treaty of versailles by expanding the army 1935 - Hitler begins ani jewish things and restores Saar. France does not react istg they're so done at this point with germany. 1936 - hitler occupies the Rhineland in violation of the treaty of versailles. Treaty of Versailles and the Weimar Gov elaboration - Additionally, the treaty of Versailles was very binding, especially once presented with the whopping amount of $33 billion US dollars as reparations in 1921. - The Germans protested that this was unreasonable and their currency began to decline - The German people weren’t taxed- instead, the republic printed money, causing hyperinflation. - This caused the currency to crash. In 1919 $1-4.5 marks/ in 1923 $1-4.2 billion marks. - Banknotes became worthless, and Germans struggled to pay off reparations. - German people were tense and inflation was uncontrolled (common to see numbers in trillions, life savings couldn’t even pay off bread) - Asked for a moratorium in 1922, were flatly rejected, esp by French. - The French got MAD, so they occupied the Rehr, an area full of factories. They took the output as payment. - They treated German citizens horribly, killing 130 during the occupation. Many were arrested, deported, and sentenced to death. - This damaged the already weak German economy and devalued the Mark. - Germans were furious about the French invasion of the Rehr, the Nazis tried to revolt. This was heavily inspired by Mussolinni in Italy the year before. Define the term “Reparations” and the “War Guilt Clause” The Terms of Peace: 2 ones you have to know ARTICLE 231: Germany must accept the blame for causing the loss and damage that the allies and their citizens have suffered (War Guilt Clause). ARTICLE: 232: The Allied governments require Germany to pay for all wartime damages to the civilian population and the property of Allied Powers (Reparations). In 1921 the allies had presented Germany with a bill for war reparations in 33 billion dollars. The Germans protested THAT THEY OBS can’t afford such a sum of money. The German currency had also begun to decline. How did the Treaty change the map of Europe? The treaty caused the creation of Czechoslovakia, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Yugoslavia (From Austro-Hungary) and Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania (Russia) but these independencies were not directly correlated to the treaty of versailles. 1. Czechoslovakia – Formed from parts of Austria-Hungary, combining Czech and Slovak regions. 2. Yugoslavia – Created as the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes from former Austro-Hungarian and Balkan territories. 3. Poland – Reestablished after more than a century of partitions, gaining territory from Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia. 4. Austria and Hungary – Became separate, independent nations after the breakup of Austria-Hungary. 5. Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – Gained independence from the Russian Empire. 6. Turkey – Emerged as the successor state to the Ottoman Empire after significant territorial losses. Map of 1919 What was the Weimar Republic and what did it promise? The weimar republic was born when the Weimar constitution was ratified. The Weimar Republic was the republic pertaining to Germany after the war ended because the previous Kaiser Wilhiem had abdicated the throne. The weimar or german republic was to be a democratic republic that promised: - Democratic right to vote at twenty years of age - Equality of all people - Ability for every german to express their opinion freely - Personal freedom of belief, conscious and group association. In point form, list the problems of the Weimar Republic. The Weimar government was unstable and was disposed to factional infighting because many political parties ruled the government in the form of a coalition. As no single party had full control, a number of parties had to agree for the Weimar government to pass laws. Disagreements between parties became worse when disputes over details in the Treaty of Versailles arose. As Germany was trying to recover from collapse in the post world war one period, disagreements between parties made the government and ineffectual to adequately handle its numerous problems. The harsh and binding nature of the Treaty of Versailles did not help the viability of the Weimar government either. Also in 1919, a young and unknown individual named Adolf Hitler joined a small politically insignificant party called the German Workers Party. He was the seventh registered person. → they were able to do barely anything because they were always in disagreement. What were the beliefs of the German Workers’ Party? Twenty five points of the German Worker’s Party are drafted. These were the essential ideas of the political party, in which Hitler played a contributing role. Some of these points included: 1) Union of all Germans in a greater germany. All Germans united in a state. 2) Abrogation of the Treaty of Versailles. Rip up. 3) Strong power of the German government - authoritarian party. What is the N.S.D.A.P.? The NSDAP, previously known as german workers party, is an abbreviation that means The National Socialist German Workers Party. In English, it is known as NAZI which we all know today. This happened on APRIL 1 1920. What is the ORDNERTRUPPE? Is a group created by Hitler. It is a group of goons who would cause trouble at the meetings of other political parties. This group would later become the SA, a form of Nazi secret police. Hitler led this group which gave him a 3 month jail sentence lol. What is Fascism? In 1922, Benito Mussolini marched on Rome and became the leader of italy. Fascism is a political belief based in far-right (enforced inequality), authoritarian, ultranationalist ideologies which originated in WWI Italy. The word Fascism is derived from the word fascismo or fasci - bundle or collection. He introduces an ideological style of government known as fascism. It was a dictatorial system that required total loyalty to the state and leader. Hitler would later develop his own fascist ideas from the policies of Mussolini. He used such ideas in his eugenics and in his ideas on those not aryan. Through these fascist ideals he created Lebensraum, an ideology based on taking over as much European land to house his new perfect people. The basis of Hitler’s ideas in Mein Kampf (my struggle) when he wrote it when he was in jail: it outlines his plans for the future of great germany and how he would deal with enemies. A) The jews and communists were two entities that betrayed Germany and should be crushed. B) Hitler spoke about the need to preserve Aryan blood which he thought was superior to other races. He introduced the idea that only the germans possessed this superiority and therefore germans marrying other inferior races contaminated german’s purity. He stated that the building of the master German race had to be controlled using eugenics. C) democracy and communism were weak systems and should not be accepted. D) France is a total enemy that must be dealt with. This was called final reckoning. E) Hitler outlines his need for more land to accommodate for the growing German population. This is the idea called LEBENSRAUM (living space). Hitler saw German acquisition of land in eastern europe mostly like russia to attain this aspiration. He also demanded for the land taken from Germany after world war one which I assume to be taken from the treaty of versailles. Fascism = not much racism, protected jews Nazism = Hitler hated jews and used his power to get rid of them. Hitler was born in Austria where they were taught to hate jews. - Germany asks the allies during this time, Britain and France, to grant a MORATORIUM (a suspension) on reparation payments. This was flatly rejected particularly by France. What was the Rome-Berlin Axis? Established between Germany and Italy which ensured the cooperation between the two countries. Rome (Italy) and Berlin (Germany) formed a coalition in 1936 which would later result in the Axis powers, involving Japan. Who was N. Chamberlain and what was Appeasement? Neveille Chamberlain was elected as prime minister of the UK in 1937. He hoped that diplomacy or negotiation would keep the peace in Europe. He favoured the policy of appeasement and he favoured appeasement over action, which was accepting hitlers territorial needs. Appeasement was basically giving hitler what he wants so he doesn’t make the conflict worse. And also this backfired because lol hitler took what he asked for but kept asking more and more. He didn't stop his territory rampage. Explain Anschluss. ANSCHLUSS meaning the union of german peoples in austria and germany, was declared when hitlers army occupied austria in violation of the treaty of versailles. Austria did not resist or oppose because of appeasement nothing was done to stop him. Hitler also wanted a part of Czechoslovakia that was also heavily populated by Germans, being the sudetenland. What was the issue concerning the Sudetenland? Hitler demanded an area of Czechoslovakia that was heavily populated by germans. It was called sudetenland. Since hitler wanted a union of all germans through anschluss, he wanted basically all land that had germans in it. Britain and France, following the policy of appeasement, decided to give hitler just sudetenland if he didn’t demand anymore land. But hitler took czechoslovakia…like all of it. Explain the Munich Agreement. The agreement above was a treaty called The Munich Agreement. This treaty got immediately disregarded because Hitler decided that to achieve Lebensraum that he would need more territory, thus taking over all of Czechoslovakia. Hitler wrote in mein kampf that more living space was needed so he mostly wanted eastern europe, russia, to support this idea and german growing population. What was the Nazi-Soviet Pact 1939? Hitler now breaks the Munich agreement by taking over all of czechoslovakia. The allies now begin to realize that hitler is not serious about respecting peace in europe. They vow to stop hitlers next territorial request. Germany and the soviet union sign the nazi soviet pact. In this agreement, the two countries agree not to go to war with each other and secretly divide Poland between themselves. - The communist leader Stalin figured that the fascist nazis and the democratic western european nations would fight a long and harsh war that would weaken both sides. In the meantime, he thought the Soviets could build up their forces and possess a superior military position if they entered the war. - Hitler who was planning on conquering much of Europe, did not want a conflict with the powerful soviet union cause they russians would be able to stop his territorial ambitions. The nazi soviet pact stopped the russians from entering the war short term allowing germany to take over western europe. When did World War Two begin and what country was invaded? World war two began when hitler invaded Poland on September 1 1939. What is a Blitzkrieg? When hitler invaded Poland, a new fighting technique was introduced. BLITZKRIEG, meaning lightning war, was essentially an extremely quick and powerful military attack designed to surprise the enemy. Blitzkrieg is a word used to describe a combined arms surprise attack, using a rapid, overwhelming force. The german wehmart/army was so powerful that it had overrun poland in approximately one month. What is a phony war - Sitzkierg? A period during a war in which both sides change positions very slowly or not at all. For approximately seven months there was a bizarre calm in Europe. Although countries were technically at war, no visible fighting occurred. This is called phony war or sitzkrieg. The phony war ended abruptly in April 1940 when the German blitzkrieg continued its conquest. Which countries fell to the Nazis in 1940? The nazi’s conquered: - Denmark in one day - Norway in two days - Belgium in eighteen days - France in six weeks What happened at Dunkirk? With the sudden collapse of France, they needed to evacuate the soldiers from France to Britain quickly, or they would be captured by the ensuing German army. So, as such, a British volunteer fleet of fishermen, ferry captains, and other boat owners set sail for DUNKIRK to save the soldiers, in which they saved 350 000 men. Describe the Battle of Britain. On July 10 1940, the german air force “THE LUFTWARE” set out to eliminate the Allied forces from European soil. Their key aim was to destroy the British air force (THE RAF) which was about half its size. At the outset, Germany was successful in its strategy. However, the RAF began to bomb German cities such as Berlin (the capital). Hitler retaliated by Bombing London, therefore taking aim away from military targets. Help from Canada and the US allowed the RAF to repel the German attack and win the Battle of Britain. Video Notes: - The German army took British and French soldiers and were brought back to Dunkirk. Many troops were saved, but if they tried to leave, they would be captured and killed. - When Britain prepared for the war, families sent their children overseas and evacuated to the countryside. This only stopped when Germans sank a boat carrying children. - Canada's army was important because they were the only trained army at the time. - Britain placed signs over beaches to guide the nazi’s to the wrong direction and the nazi’s actually believed that bruh they’re stupid. - Some things are built in factories: guns. Bullets, munitions, anti tanks - The British government requested pots and plans as propaganda. It should be taken seriously that hitler was not a good guy. During the Battle of Britain, the British government requested pots and pans to collect scrap metal, primarily aluminum, for building aircraft and supporting the war effort. What was operation sealion? The German attack plan for Britain involved water as a marine attack that came across the English channel. But hitler did not like marine attacks and did not want to attack Britain as he relied on blitzkrieg which was on land. The English in his eyes were technically germans as british are germans and english is a german language. The German air fleets failed to gain air superiority over the sea lanes and landing areas and could not prevent the RAF bombing the assembling invasion barges. THE OPERATION DID NOT COMMENCE AS The Luftwaffe's failure to achieve air supremacy in the Battle of Britain Forced Hitler to postpone Operation Sealion indefinitely. The operation was never formally cancelled. - The British invention of the radar was very important. The radar could detect German aircraft. Germans did not know what the radar was so they were confused when the British saw their planes lol. - The German planes had limited range. The amount of fuel and German technology was limited. Range of planes was half an hour. - The president during this time was Winston Churchill. What happened on September 7 1940 to London? Fires and bombing from the Nazis. London was a target as Germany wanted to take down British cities after the British attacked German cities. What were the night raids that occurred in London in September 1940? Nazis bombed industrial sites. They bombed London as British cities were attacking German cities. What was the US position on world war two during the battle of Britain? They were neutral and wanted to profit from the war by allowing Europe to fall. Britain was the world power and this war was draining them so this could give a chance for the US to take over. Overall what happened to Britain: The Blitz on London from September 1940 to May 1941 and the V1 flying bomb and V2 rocket attacks in 1944 caused a massive amount of damage. It is estimated that more than 12,000 metric tons of bombs were dropped on London and nearly 30,000 civilians were killed by enemy action. What Famous church was damaged and managed to survive? The St. Paul protestant church that was almost the same size as St Peter catholic church. What did Hitler mean by part two of the Battle of britain? He believed the British should have joined hitler or germany. If Hitler was able to win the battle of britain…would he have been able to win the war? If Hitler had won the Battle of Britain, he might have been able to invade and occupy the UK, weakening Allied resistance and delaying U.S. involvement in Europe. However, Germany's lack of naval strength, the vast challenges of invading the Soviet Union, and eventual American entry into the war suggest a victory was still far from certain. Many people believe this was one of Hitler’s mistakes. Why did the Germans lose the Battle of Britain? Its lack of heavy bombers made it difficult to inflict strategically significant damage on British targets. Describe Operation Barbarossa in Russia. On 22 June 1941 Hitler launched Operation 'Barbarossa', the invasion of the Soviet Union. It was the beginning of a campaign that would ultimately decide the Second World War. Hitler regarded the Soviet Union as his natural enemy. He aimed to destroy its armies, capture its vast economic resources and enslave its populations, providing the Lebensraum (or 'living space') that Hitler believed Germany needed in the East. German forces attacked towards Leningrad in the north, Moscow in the centre and Ukraine in the south. Hitler expected a rapid victory. The Soviet Army was large, but poorly trained and badly led. Its senior commanders feared the Soviet dictator, Joseph Stalin, as much as the enemy now crashing through their defences. German troops occupy a burning Russian village during Operation Barbarossa, summer 1941. Hitler intended the campaign to be a ‘war of annihilation’. Civilians suffered at the hands of the German Army, and none more so than Soviet Jews whose persecution began almost immediately. At first, the Germans enjoyed stunning success. The armoured – or 'panzer' – divisions forged ahead and hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers were killed or captured in huge encirclement battles. The Luftwaffe ruled the skies. But the immense distances and difficult terrain soon caused logistical problems. Russian troop numbers had been underestimated and, despite terrible losses, the Soviet will to fight remained strong. German casualties mounted. Many of these Czech-built light tanks were used by the Germans during Barbarossa. The armoured divisions were well trained and led, but lacked the resources and reserves for a sustained campaign. Hitler disagreed with his generals on strategy. He delayed the thrust on Moscow to reinforce his troops in the north and south. It was a fateful decision. The Soviets had time to defend their capital. As the brutal Russian winter took hold the German advance ground to a halt just short of the city. Soviet forces then counterattacked, forcing the Germans onto the defensive. It was Hitler’s first defeat of the war. CLASS NOTES: - Before hitler attacked Russia, he brought the balkan countries under his control. To some extent, he was forced to do this as a result of the inept activities of his ally Mussolini. The italian dictator had envied hitlers success and this has led him to declare war on the allies just before the battle of britain ended on June 1940. - Seeking an easy military victory, he sent his troops into Greece during October but the Greeks repulsed the italians. - When he asked hitler for help, hitler realized that Mussolini's plight gave him a chance to make German power in Europe spread. - He forced bulgaria, hungary, and romania to become his allies: then in 1941, his troops overran yugoslavia and greece, - Within 3 weeks Greeks surrendered and in may hitler rounded off balkan campaigns by using an airborne assault on the island of Crete. HITLERS HOPES - By the summer of 1941, Germany was supreme in europe. - Under his command, they had nearly three million troops to fight the USSR. - Why did he even want to attack the USSR? - Ever since he published mein kampf, he had made no secret of his desire to carve out more living space in russia. - To him, Russian slavs were subhumans only to be slaves of German colonists. - Moreover, the expanding german reich needed the wetlands of ukraine and the oilfields of the Caucasus. All of this could be his, he wanted by 1941. - A MISTAKE OF HIS INSTEAD OF ATTACKING MOSCOW FIRST, he focused on Kiev ukraine. OPERATION BARBAROSSA: Beginning on 22 june 1941, the blitzkrieg tactics were very successful. The PANZERS (nazi tanks), swarmed all over western russia and by september they captured Keive and were besieged Lenigrad. Moscow was not too far away. And millions of Russians were prisoners. During this operation the Wehrmacht had omitted to provide it with adequate winter equipment. In november, there was russian winter. Many German soldiers died from frostbite. But still, they charged towards moscow. The Germans pushed them back, leaving hitler needing to revise his plans. THE END OF HITLERRRRRR On Dec 7 1941, aircraft of the Japanese navy attacked the american pacific base at pearl harbour. A few days later htitler declared war on the us so that when the year ended, the unlikely allies great britain america and russia were united with a common cause. This was the destruction of hitlers germany. Why did Operation Barbarossa fail? Operation Barbarossa failed due to the German Army underestimating the Soviet Union's vast resources, harsh winter conditions, and strong resistance, combined with logistical challenges and overextended supply lines. Additionally, Hitler's strategic mistakes, such as dividing his forces and delaying critical advances, allowed the Soviets to regroup and launch counter offensives like the Battle of Moscow. Video Notes 1. Hitler had triumphed over france. Stalin thought this would be a long war called war of attrition. 2. Concerning Russian territory, hitler wrote in mein kampf he wanted lebensraum, more room for the German population. Population increased as women had more kids. 3. Salin did not expect for the allied forces to fall so easily. 4. While hitler was fighting the battle of Britain, THE SOVIET UNION WAS INVADING BALTIC COUNTRIES, PARTS OF ROMANIA, AND POLAD. Why did hitler tell Molotov that the war with Finland was out of the question? Strategic Importance of Finnish Resources: Finland was a critical supplier of nickel and other resources essential for the German war effort. Germany depended heavily on these materials, particularly from Finnish mines in Petsamo, for military production. A war with Finland would disrupt these resource flows. 5. Hitler mentioned in mein kampf that fighting a battle on two fronts was not a workable strategy, but he did it in operation barbarossa. Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa despite warning against a two-front war in Mein Kampf due to his ideological hatred of communism, desire for Lebensraum (living space), and belief that the Soviet Union could be quickly defeated. Overconfidence from early victories and a desire to preemptively strike before Stalin could attack also drove his decision. This miscalculation led to prolonged conflict and ultimately weakened Germany’s position. 6. Instead of taking over Moscow immediately, hitler said that the drive against Moscow be delayed in favor of focusing on Ukraine to the south. Kiev, Ukraine. What did Hitler think about the soviet red army? Kick in the door and the structure will fall upon itself. When most of Europe fell under nazi influence, which eastern European country sided with the allies? Yugoslavia. Operation Retribution was the codename for Germany's swift air campaign against Yugoslavia in April 1941 during World War II. It was launched in retaliation for a coup in Yugoslavia that overthrew the pro-Axis government and replaced it with one less willing to cooperate with Germany. Hitler delayed operation barbarossa by five weeks because of this operation retribution. What happened to Russia's mighty air force and their army in the early stages of operation barbarossa? Their air force was destroyed on the ground and easily attacked. AN IMPORTANT FACT TO KNOW - Nazis treated russian prisoners so badly that out of hundred only 3 survived. The Russian landscapes were endless with no roads. In October 1941, what problems did Germany have with Russian terrain? It started to snow, making terrains muddy and later freezing. Even the tanks started to freeze and soldiers were untrained for this weather. The german army had even died from frostbite as they had no winter clothing. Hitler thought soldiers asking for winter clothing was ridiculous, he laughed. Why did Stalin not use his Siberian divisions in the early stages of Barbarossa? He expected the Japanese to attack so he had his troops set up there. Siberian divisions were critical for defending against a potential Japanese invasion. Stalin didn’t release the Siberian divisions until his intelligence, particularly from Soviet spy Richard Sorge, confirmed that Japan was planning to expand southward (toward Southeast Asia) rather than attack the Soviet Union. But by the time zhukov released the siberian divisions, the german army was already 15 miles away from moscow. Zhukov: Georgy Zhukov (1896–1974) was a top Soviet general during World War II and key to defeating Nazi Germany. He led victories in pivotal battles like Moscow, Stalingrad, Kursk, and the Battle of Berlin. Known for his strategic brilliance, he played a major role in halting German advances and leading the Soviet counteroffensive. After the war, he became a national hero but faced political tension with Stalin due to his popularity. Know the map of Operation Barbarossa distributed in class. Some mistakes germany made during the war: Adolf Hitler made several critical mistakes during World War II, which significantly contributed to Germany's defeat. Here are some of his major errors: 1. Invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa, 1941) Why it was a mistake: Hitler underestimated the Soviet Union's ability to resist and recover. The Germans were unprepared for the harsh winter, logistical challenges, and the vastness of Soviet territory. The campaign stretched German resources thin, turning the war into a two-front struggle after the Soviet counteroffensive. Impact: The prolonged conflict in the East drained manpower, equipment, and resources, ultimately leading to the loss of critical battles like Stalingrad (1942–43) and Kursk (1943). 2. Declaring War on the United States (1941) Why it was a mistake: After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Hitler declared war on the U.S., despite the U.S. focusing on Japan initially. This brought a powerful industrialized nation fully into the European theater. Impact: The United States provided significant manpower, resources, and advanced military equipment to the Allies, tipping the balance of power. 3. Failure to Defeat Britain Early (Battle of Britain, 1940) Why it was a mistake: After initial success in France, Hitler shifted his focus to bombing British cities (the Blitz) instead of targeting military and industrial infrastructure. This gave the Royal Air Force (RAF) time to recover and eventually repel the Luftwaffe.  Impact: Britain's survival allowed it to become a staging ground for the Allied invasion of Europe (D-Day) and maintain pressure on Germany through air raid 4. Delay in Barbarossa: The operation delayed Operation Barbarossa, Germany’s planned invasion of the Soviet Union. This lost time was crucial, as the Germans were not able to strike before the harsh Russian winter set in, which contributed to their failure to capture key Soviet cities like Moscow. Describe the Battles of Dieppe, Ortona and Normandy. Battle of Dieppe (August 19, 1942): The Battle of Dieppe was an amphibious assault by the Allies, primarily Canadian troops, on the French port city of Dieppe, located on the northern coast of France. The operation was intended to test the feasibility of amphibious assaults on Nazi-occupied Europe, gather intelligence, and divert German forces from other fronts. The assault was poorly planned and executed, resulting in heavy losses for the Allies. Of the approximately 6,000 troops involved, around 3,600 were either killed, wounded, or captured, including nearly all of the Canadian troops. The battle highlighted the need for better planning and more appropriate support for amphibious landings, lessons that would be applied to future operations, notably D-Day. Battle of Ortona (December 20–28, 1943): The Battle of Ortona was part of the Italian Campaign and involved the Canadian Army fighting to capture the town of Ortona, located on the Adriatic coast. After the Allies successfully landed in Sicily and southern Italy, they advanced northward, facing stiff German resistance. Ortona was heavily fortified, and the battle became one of the most intense urban combat engagements of the war. The Canadians, under General Bernard Montgomery, fought house-to-house in close-quarters combat, using flamethrowers, explosives, and other tactics to clear out entrenched German forces. The battle resulted in significant casualties, with about 1,375 Canadians killed or wounded, but the town was eventually captured. It was a costly victory that demonstrated the high price of urban warfare. Normandy Invasion (D-Day, June 6, 1944): The Normandy Invasion, known as D-Day, was the largest amphibious invasion in history and a turning point in the European theater of World War II. It began on June 6, 1944, with Allied forces, including American, British, Canadian, and other troops, landing on five beaches along the Normandy coast of France. The goal was to establish a foothold in Nazi-occupied Europe and begin the liberation of Western Europe. The landing was preceded by a massive aerial and naval bombardment to weaken German defenses. While the Allies faced stiff resistance from German forces, the operation succeeded in establishing beachheads, and by the end of the day, over 156,000 troops had landed. The battle for Normandy continued for several weeks, but the successful landings set the stage for the liberation of France and the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. Each of these battles played a crucial role in the Allied efforts to liberate Europe, with the lessons learned in the failures of Dieppe influencing the success of later operations like Normandy. CLASS NOTES - Battle of dieppe - france: - Germans were deep into Russia and allied forces contributed to face the Germans across the English channel. - Plans were already being prepared for operation overload (normandy) a full scale invasion of europe. - They decided in the meantime to mount a major raid on the French port of dieppe happen to alleviate the burden faced by the russians on the eastern front. - Original palms for the attack was supposed to be in July 1942 but bad weather forced the mission to be aborted. - Although they urged that the entire mission be abandoned, it was quickly revived and named operation jubilee. - Approximately 6000 troops were involved and 5000 troops were canadians. - Troops were to attack five points along the coastline just before dawn. - Landing crafts for the eastern sections of the beach encountered a German convoy. - Unfortunately, a battle ensued and the noise alerted Germans of the approaching attack, leaving the allies less chance for success. - As troops began to reach the beaches, many delayed and they were overwhelmed. What happened on D-Day/NORMANDY INVASION? In the spring of 1944, the allies were ready for a major attack on fortress europe, the strongest point near the coast of france. Fortress Europe refers to the heavily fortified defensive system created by Nazi Germany along the coasts of continental Europe during World War II to resist Allied invasions.  It primarily included the Atlantic Wall, a network of bunkers, minefields, and artillery stretching from Norway to France's western coast, designed to repel any attacks from the sea. June 6 1944, just two days after the capture of time, the allies launched an invasion on the coast of normandy france. The invasion was the largest military campaign ever. A combination of size, military tactics like the use of aeroplane bombers, land soldiers, paratroopers, and naval operations) and the failed Dieppe raid contributed to the success of the Normandy invasion. The allies successfully forced the retreat of the german forces and finally obtained a military position in france. The Nazis were now fighting a war on three fronts, the Soviet Union, Italy, and france. This would force the german wehrmacht to spread its military resources and significantly weaken its ability to resist the advancing allied army. By the end of march 1945, the allied forces had invaded up to the Rhine river in western germany. By April 30 1945 soviet troops had reached Berlin, Germany's capital city. Hitler aware that germany would soon be defeated, opted to commit suicide rather than face capture by the allied forces. On May 8 1945 Germany officially surrendered and this day is known as v-e- day (victory in Europe). What happened in Russia that contributed to the German loss of the war? In Russia, the German attack had ground to a halt at stalingrad. Although the city was ruined, the Germans never captured it. By january 1943, the russians had surrounded the german forces and the germans surrendered in february. Soon the Russian army was pushing the enemy back toward Germany all along the western front. What happened in Italy that contributed to the German loss of the war? - September 3 1943, the Italian government surrendered. Mussolini's government surrendered. Mussolini's government was quickly overthrown and he was eventually murdered by his own people. Germany quickly moved in and seized control of italy. - It was the job of the canadian first division to capture the town of ortona. - Canadian troops had invaded Sicily and began to move northward. - Canadian troops faced rain mountains and German resistance. - Germany held on to northern and central Italy, even though the allies gained control of southern italy. - Some of the bitterest fighting of the war took place in the push for the allies to secure the ortona of the adriatic coast. - Ortono was guarded by the Germans and was one step in the process for the allies to secure rome. - Fighting between the allies and German troops often included hand to hand combat.  - By the fall of 1943, the germans retreated from ortono and the allied troops entered rome. Victory in Italy was achieved. - After this, Canadian efforts in ortona made our forces known as experts in house to house warfare. How did the Nazi’s lose World War Two? List at least three main reasons. 1. Strategic Mistakes Operation Barbarossa (1941): The invasion of the Soviet Union was one of the Nazis' biggest mistakes. They underestimated Soviet resilience and the harsh winter, leading to significant losses in men, equipment, and morale. Declaration of War on the United States (1941): Germany declared war on the U.S. after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, bringing a powerful industrial and military force into the war against them. Failure to Secure Britain: After the defeat in the Battle of Britain (1940), Germany could not neutralize the British Isles, which became a base for Allied operations. 2. Overextension of Resources Fighting on multiple fronts (Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North Africa, and later Italy) stretched German resources thin. The vast distances in the Soviet Union further strained their supply lines. Overcommitting to technologically advanced weapons, such as the V-2 rocket, diverted resources from more practical military needs. 3. Allied Cooperation and Superior Resources United States' Industrial Power: The U.S. provided enormous quantities of supplies, vehicles, and troops to the Allies through programs like Lend-Lease. Soviet Manpower and Industry: Despite initial setbacks, the USSR's ability to outproduce Germany in tanks, planes, and ammunition contributed heavily to turning the tide on the Eastern Front. Coordination of the Allies: The Allies' ability to coordinate offensives (e.g., D-Day, Operation Overlord in 1944) overwhelmed German defenses. 4. Economic and Industrial Limitations Germany’s economy was not fully mobilized for war until late in the conflict, and even then, it could not match the production capabilities of the Allies. The Allied bombing campaigns (e.g., the destruction of factories and transportation networks) further crippled Germany’s ability to sustain the war effort. 5. Resistance Movements Resistance within occupied territories disrupted supply lines, sabotaged infrastructure, and provided intelligence to the Allies. 6. Loss of Key Battles Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943): The defeat at Stalingrad marked a turning point on the Eastern Front. Battle of Normandy (D-Day, 1944): The successful Allied invasion of Western Europe opened a new front against Germany. Battle of the Bulge (1944-1945): Germany’s last major offensive in the West failed, depleting their reserves. What is V-E Day? Victory in Europe Day May 8 1945 is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces. Describe the war in the Pacific. The Japanese attack on the US fleet at pearl harbor in 1941 had caught the US by surprise. The US fleet had been crippled. By 1943 however, the Americans had rebuilt their pacific fleet. Over the next two years, US forces took back the jungle islands which Japan had invaded early in the war. By 1945, the US was preparing to invade japan. As we have seen on May 7 1945, Germany had surrendered. The US wanted to end the war in the Pacific as quickly as possible. However, Japan refused to surrender. Its military leaders seemed willing to fight even if millions of lives were lost. The Japanese were not aware that a team of allied scientists, including Canadians, had developed a new weapon called the atomic bomb. It took a lot of time and money to make. By the summer of 1945, it was ready for use and the Americans could use the bomb. Unknown to the Japanese, US president Truman, who was once the vice president but was then president when Roosevelt had polio, was launching the bomb to 2 cities. Hiroshima and Nagasaki. First hiroshima on august 6 1945 and two days later Nagasaki was hit. The Japanese surrendered the next day as they did not know how many bombs they had. On what Japanese cities was the nuclear bomb dropped? Hiroshima and nagasaki Explain the reasons for dropping the bomb on Japan. 1. A million American soldiers would die if the US had to invade japan. 2. Russia had entered the pacific war and russians would have reached japan first. America wanted to occupy Japan first. 3. Billions of dollars worth of military equipment would be lost. 4. The development of the bomb had cost over two billion dollars. 5. Millions of Japanese lives would be lost if the war continued. 6. Us airplanes were already dropping hundreds of fire bombs on Japan each day, destroying Japanese cities. 7. July 27 1945, the allies sent “if you do not surrender you will be destroyed”. The Japanese had no reply. 8. Only three bombs had been produced at this time. If one were wasted in a test, only two would remain. What if one was a dud? THE END OF GERMANYYYY: Although the Germans tried to launch a counterattack in 1944, they did not have the men or equipment like the allies. In 1945, the Russian armies were on the outskirts of berlin. The allied forces were closing in from the west and the allies had bombed most of german cities. Hitler hiding in his underground bunker, committed suicide on aprul 30 1945 and on may 7 1945, germany surrendered. HITLERS TOP HENCHMEN Who is Herman Goering? - He had joined the army and was the number two nazi and a drug addict. - He was a well known pilot and hero of world war one and used his old war fame to become elected president of the reichstag. From this position, he decided to destroy democracy from within.  - In the nazi state, Goering created the Gestapo or secret police who hunted down Germans opposed to hitler. To punish these enemies, he directed concentration camps using this experience, Goering became the head of the Luffwaffe or German air force during WW2. However, this air force chief BECAME SO FAT HE COULDN'T EVEN FIT INTO THE COCKPIT OF AN AIRPLANE. Not only did he enjoy food, he helped himself to a fortune’s worth of priceless paintings stolen by his nazis from the jewish people from the holocaust. - He thinks hitler is his conscience. Who is Rudolf Hess? - A big man with thick bushy eyebrows was hitlers third in command until 1941. - He was so mentally unbalanced that he was called MAD RUDI. He suffered from hallucinations and amnesia. - He WORSHIPED hitler. - Once to please his fuehrer, Hess took off from germany for england in an open cockpit (MESSERSCHMITT - a german airplane). He planned to ask prime minister Churchill if he would like to join the Germans to fight the russians. He left on a plane in the middle of bombing raids between the Germans and english. - His flight crashed in a field in Scotland and he was captured by a farmer. - Hitler was furious when he heard about Hess’ actions and kept him in jail until the war ended. - Who is Josef Goebbels? - Hitlers propaganda chief held the college degree of a doctor in philosophy. - But he could never keep a job until he became a nazi. - He was so small like a dwarf and handicapped. - Hitler’s master of the big lies: he made sure that germans read books only read nazi books. - He burned all jews books. - On May 10 he called for book burning ceremonies. - In Berlin alone 20 000 books were drenched with gasoline and went up in smoke. - AFTER HITLERS DEATH IN 1945, GOEBBELS proved his loyalty by saying he couldn't live without hitler. He poisoned his kids and commited suicide wth his wife. Who is Alfred Rosenberg? - The “brains” of hitlers mob. - He was educated as an architect in Moscow before he emigrated to Germany in 1918 and joined the party. - Hitler looked up to rosenberg who gave him scientific evidence that germans were superior to jews.  - Rosenberg’ also brought hitler a fake paper from Russia that proved the jews were tryna take over the world. The paper, the protocols of the elders of zion, was supposedly the minutes of an international meeting of jewish leaders who gathered in a cemetery in Prague to discuss their plans to blow up all cities. Who is Heinrich Himmler? - Hitler’s SS chief was the most feared and dreaded nazi of them all. - He had a receding chin and sunken chest, THIS ONE TIME CHICKEN FARMER HAD BEEN ARRESTED FOR KILLING HIS GIRLFRIEND but was released for the lack of evidence. - As hitler’s man in charge of the jewish slaughter during the holocaust, he proved his capacity of murder. - He commanded death camps or concentration camps, checking gas chambers. - He ordered Nazi doctors to use camp prisoners in medical experiments. - Believed jewish children were just animals. Describe Hitler’s S.S. Hitler's S.S. (Schutzstaffel) was a paramilitary organization established in 1925 as his personal bodyguard but later became a key instrument of Nazi terror and control. Under Heinrich Himmler's leadership, it expanded into two main branches: the Waffen-SS, an elite military force, and the Gestapo and concentration camp system, responsible for enforcing Nazi racial policies and orchestrating the Holocaust. The S.S. symbolized loyalty to Hitler and operated with near-total authority, instilling fear across Nazi-occupied Europe. What was the Night of Broken Glass? The proclaimed objective of the nazi regime was jewish emigration. In november 1938, following the assasination of a german diplomat in paris by a young jew, all synagogues in germany were set on fire windows of jewish shops and were smashed, and thousands of jews were arrested. This night was a signal to jews in Germany and Austria to leave as soon as possible. Several thousand people were able to find a refuge in other countries but people who were old and poor had to deal with this uncertain fate. → basically an attack against all jews in austria and germany by destroying all their property and stuff. What was the Final Solution? - A month after the beginning of mobile operations in the occupied USSR, the second in command of Hazi Herman Goering sent a directive to the chief of the Reich security main office. - Reinhard Heydrich, charging him with the task of organizing a final solution to the jewish question in all of german dominated europe, - By September 1941, the jews of Germany were marked with a yellow star and tens of thousands were deported during the following months to ghettos in Poland and to cities wrested from the USSR. - Even as that movement was under way, the stage was set for another innovation: death camp. - Camps equipped with facilities for gassing people were being erected on the soil of occupied poland. Most prospective victims were to be deported to these killing centers from ghettos nearby. - From the Warsaw ghetto alone, more than 300 000 were removed. - The first transports were usually filled with women, children or older men who could not work. - Jews capable of labor were being retained in shops or plants, but they were killed at the end anyway. - The deviest deportations occurred in the summer and fall of 1942. The destinations of the transports were not disclosed to the jewish communities, but reports of mass deaths eventually reached the surviving jews, as well as the governments of the United States and Great britain. - In april 1943, the 65000 remaining jews of Warsaw offered resistance to the german police who entered the ghetto in a final roundup. THE BATTLE WAS FOUGHT FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS. DEPORTATIONS: - Throughout Europe, the deportations generated a host of political and administrative problems. - In Germany itself, extensive discussions were held about the MISCHLINGE – Mischlinge (German for "mixed-blood" or "mongrel") was a term used by Nazi Germany to describe people of partial Jewish ancestry – and eventually they were exempted. In countries allied with Germany, diplomatic negotiations were conducted to bring about deportations. - The italian fascist government refused to cooperate with nazi germany until after italy was occupied by german forces in september 1943 and the hungarian government was similarly reluctant to give up its jews until after german troops entered hungary in march. - Although the Romanian government had been responsible for several massacres of jews, they declined delivery of jews to the germans. - In occupied Denmark, Danes from all walks of life resolved to save that country;s jews from certain death, ferrying thousands of them in small boats to neutral sweden. - Wherever possible, Germans collected the beginning of the deportees. In Germany, bank accounts and the contents of apartments were confiscated, and from occupied  France, Belgium, and Holland furniture was shipped to Germany for distribution to bombed out persons. - Transportation of victims to the death camps was generally by rail, and the police had to pay the German state railways a one way third class passenger fare for each deportee. - Much as 1000 persons were loaded on a train, a group rate that was half the normal tariff was allowed. - The trains, consisting of freight cars, moved slowly on special schedules to their destinations. Often the elderly died en route. Describe the conditions in the Jewish Ghetto. Conditions in Jewish ghettos during World War II were horrific and inhumane, designed to oppress and isolate Jewish communities. Ghettos were overcrowded, with families crammed into small, unsanitary spaces. Basic necessities like food, water, and medical care were scarce, leading to starvation and disease outbreaks. Jews were often forced to do hard labor, and many died from exhaustion or illness. The ghettos were sealed off with walls or barbed wire, leaving residents in constant fear of deportation to concentration or extermination camps. These ghettos symbolized Nazi dehumanization and were a step in the plan to annihilate Jewish populations. What were the Jewish Death Camps? Jewish Death Camps were extermination camps established by Nazi Germany during World War II as part of the Final Solution, aimed at the systematic genocide of Jews. Located primarily in occupied Poland, these camps, such as Auschwitz-Birkenau, Treblinka, Sobibor, and Belzec, were designed solely for mass murder, primarily using gas chambers. Victims, including Jews, Roma, and others, were deported in cramped trains, stripped of belongings, and either immediately killed or subjected to forced labor under brutal conditions. These camps resulted in the deaths of Jews, making them a central component of the Holocaust. - The arrival points in poland were Kulmhof (Chelmo), Belzec, Sobibor, Treblinka, Lubin (Maydanek), and Aushwitz (O weicin). - Kulmhof was supplied with gas vans 150 000. - Belzec was with has chambers 600 000. - Sobibor was gas chambers 250 000. - Treblinkas was 700 000 - 800 000. - Lublin had gas and shooting - 50 000. AUSCHWITZ: killed more than 1 billion jews and was the alrgest death camp. Unlike the others, it utlized quizk working hydrogen cynacide for the gassings. The victims of aushwitz came from all europe. A large inmate population, jewish and non-jewish, were employed by industry. Some prisoners were ubjected to medical experiments, particulary sterilizations. Although jews and gypsis were gassed routinely, several hundred thousand other Aushwitz inmates died from starvation, disease, or shooting. To erase the traces of destruction, large crematories were constructed so that the bodies of the gassed could be incinerated. In 1944, the camp was photographed by allied reconnaissance aircraft in search of industrial targets: its factories, but not its chambers, were bombed. Name at least two and describe what was done to the Jews there. Concentration camps: BY 1941, ANY jewish individual, living in german controlled europe, was living in either the ghetto or sent to a slave labour or concentration camp. If the individual was physically fit they would either work for the Nazis or be used in medical experiments. Either way, conditions were so bad that life expectancy was only three months. By that time, any individual still alive would be gassed. Anyone in these camps knew it was - life in the morning, aches by nightfall. Individuals were led through a long hall and told to strip and give away their valuables. From the hall, men women and children were taken to a room to take a shower. Those who hesitated were hit with rods and whips, inside with the door locked and lights off, their gassing began. In a couple of minutes, everyone was dead. The corpses were transferred to furnaces that burned bodies and gave off a strange smell. In total, 6 million jews were murdered just cause they were jewish. List in point form the injustices committed to the Japanese in Canada. The evacution of the japanese canadian (Nikkei Janadajin), from the pacific coast in the early months of 1942 was the greatest mass movement in the history of canada. By the eve of pearl habour, nearly 23 000 people of japanese descent made their home in canada, mainly in BC. three quarters of that number were naturalized or native born citizens. The Nikkei were foresters and fishermen, miners and merchants. Except for the cheap asian labor, much of white BC regarded the japanese canadians with suspicion if not rabid hostility. Over the years, the Nikkei had been targets of unremitting discrimination and occasional violence. When war was declared on Japan in december 1941, the cry to get rid of BC of the japanese menace was taking up in many quarters - in provincial and municipal government and in newspapers. Tensions mounted and early in 1942, the Ottawa government bowed to west coast pressure and began to relocate Japanese nationals and Canadian citizens alike. While this forced resettlement mirrored the wartime policy of the American government and in Canada there were some important differences. Unlike the US, where families were generally kept together, canada initially sent its male evacuees to road camps in BC interior to sugar beet projects on the prairies or to internment in a POW camp in ontario while women and children were moved to six inland BC towns created or revived to house the reloaded populace. The living conditions were so poor that the citizens of wartime japan even sent supplemental food shipments through the red cross. During the period of detention, the canadian government spent one third the capita expended by the US on japanese american evacues. NOT UNTIL 1949, FOUR YEARS AFTER JAPAN SURENDERED were the majority of Nikkei allowed to return to BC. by then most had chosen to begin a new life elsewhere in canada. Their property was all taken away and sold. Know the map of B.C. and where the Japanese concentration camps were located. List the various ways by which women contributed to the war effort. WOMEN AT WAR - Women were indispensable during the Canadian war effort. As they had in WW1 women contributed to the second world war too. - The government's wartime economy depends on women since homemakers were responsible for over 80 percent of retail purchases. - Women collected fats, paper, glass, metals, rubber, rages, and bones for recycling in war productions. - The government relied on women to support its rationing system and wartime savings programs and maintaining the nation’s nutritional standard. - Women planted victory gardens, knitted and sewed articles of clothing for troops, ran hospitality centers, organized blood banks, practiced civil defense procedures, and acted as spotters of enemy aircraft. WOMEN IN THE LABOUR FORCE - By 1944, more than 1 million women were working full time in canada's labour force 800 000 did farm work, - More than 250 000 were employed in war production, making guns, ammunitions, tanks, ships, and aircraft - War work paid well - Women made two third of the wages men doing identical jobs WOMEN VOLUNTEERS - Had a role of homemakers and volunteer workers - Homemakers had to cope with shortages and rationing of food - Donated time and skills to the red cross WOMEN IN UNIFORM - Women were recruited in armed forces - 50 000 women had been enlisted - Many women served overseas in the Canadian army, navy, and air force. - Main function of - Women were not allowed to engage in combat duty. WOMEN LIBERATION - Six years of wartime did not change the status of women in canada - Women were expected to surrender because husbands and brothers were returning to their workforces after the war. - Many women did not like that they had to return to their traditional roles. - In 1946, womens military services were disbanded from the armed forces. - What happened at Pearl Harbor? Pearl Harbor is an island of Oahu, Hawaii and is a naval base of the United states. Early in the morning of Dec 7, 1941, Japanese submarine and carrier based planes attacked the US pacific fleet at pearl harbor, nearby military and naval airfields were attacked by japanese planes. Eight American battleships and 10 other naval vessels were sunk, almost 200 American aircraft were destroyed and 300 naval and military personnel were killed or wounded. This attack was the entrance of Japan in WW2 on the side of Germany and Italy and of the US on the allied side. Soon after the attack, US president Roosevelt appointed a commission of inquiry to determine whether negligence had contributed to the success of the japanese raid on pearl harbour, the commissions report found the naval and army commanders of the hawaiian area, Kimmel and Short guilty of derelictions of duty and errors of judgment, the two men retired. The bipartisan congressional committee opened its investigation. The blame was put on Kimmel and Short. THEORY: Americans set up japan to do this as an opportunity for the americans to wake up. They wanted Americans to know this was serious even though Germany wasn’t attacking them. Know the map of Europe in 1939 THE DOOMED SHIP The Voyage of the St. Louis was a tragic event in 1939, during which the German ocean liner St. Louis carried over 900 Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution. The ship departed from Germany and sought asylum in Cuba, but most passengers were denied entry. After similar rejections from the United States and Canada, the ship was forced to return to Europe. Many of the passengers ended up in countries later occupied by the Nazis, and hundreds were ultimately killed in the Holocaust. The event symbolized global indifference to Jewish suffering during the early stages of World War II. Mein Kampf- The Nazi Creed (Hitlerism) 1. Men aren’t created equal. Germans are creators of culture, and the future of civilization depends on us. Aryan blood must be kept pure to not lose these qualities, marriages to inferior races are forbidden. Germans must create a pure master race to rule the world. 2. Jews are the most inferior race, and destroyers of culture. Deliberately invaded and drained all countries of money and power. The future of world power rests on Germany saving the world by ridding it of this Jewish poison. 3. Slavs, Blacks, and Mediterranean peoples rank only slightly above Jews, and are only fit to live as German slaves. 4. Germany will take as much Eastern land as it needs for Lebensraum. Political boundaries are nonsense. Germany will use arms and take land by force if necessary. 5. Democracy is stupid. The masses are ignorant sheep that must be led by a divinely appointed leader, Adolf Hitler, who will rule the world with a few chosen elite. The Third Reich will last a thousand years as a Nazi totalitarian state with total control of government and the lives of all citizens. 6. Propaganda must be used to gain support of the ignorant masses. Must be limited to a few repeated points as to not be forgotten. Not important that these ideas are true, as people believe anything- the bigger the lies, the better. 7. Force and fear keep the masses controlled. Reason and argument have no place. 8. Give all people a single enemy to blame for all troubles, so they don’t feel guilt but rather aim their frustration in one direction. Blame the Jews for everything evil. 9. No other God but Germany. Christianity is a Jewish scheme, and their values of love, mercy, and charity must be replaced by pride, willpower, defiance, and hate. Honor the Fatherland.