Chapter 12: The Second World War

Chapter 12: The Second World War

AP World History: Modern
Mr. James Towle
George Washington High School

The Rise of Nazi Germany

  • The Weimar Republic

    • Establishment: In 1919, Germany drafted a constitution in the city of Weimar.
    • Government Type: It created a democracy.

  • Political Turmoil

    • The Weimar Republic faced severe problems from the start.
    • It was politically weak due to the presence of many political parties.

  • Economic Hardship

    • Germany faced economic turmoil following the Depression.
    • France occupied the Ruhr Valley, a region that was previously rich in coal.
    • Hyperinflation: Prices for groceries and mandatory consumer products sharply increased.
    • Employment salaries rose, but not at pace with the prices, leading to the erosion of middle-class savings.

  • Adolf Hitler's Rise

    • During this tumultuous period, WWI veteran Adolf Hitler gained prominence within the National Socialist party, known as the Nazis.
    • The term "Nazi" translates to "national socialist" party.
    • Initially, the Nazis were merely a group of thugs (mostly German workers), engaging in street violence against political enemies.

Hitler's Ideology and Political Maneuvering

  • Mein Kampf

    • Translation: Mein Kampf means "my struggle".
    • Content: Written while in prison, it called for:
    • Extreme nationalism
    • Racism
    • Anti-Semitism
    • Anti-Treaty of Versailles
    • Armed restoration of the Reich.

  • Political Strategy

    • Hitler campaigned primarily targeting German WWI veterans, workers, and lower-middle-class citizens.
    • Promises: He pledged to lower reparations mandated by the Treaty of Versailles.
    • Parliamentary Success: He secured a seat in the German Parliament, but the Communist Party also won many seats.
    • Following fears of a communist coup, conservative politicians sought Hitler's assistance, leading to his appointment as Chancellor.
    • He swiftly transitioned to dictatorial power, suspending civil rights, eliminating the Communists, and disbanding other political parties.

Totalitarian State and Policies

  • Establishing a Totalitarian State

    • Hitler organized a brutal system of terror to achieve his goals.
    • Gestapo: A secret police force was created to enforce policies.

  • Anti-Semitism and Legislative Actions

    • Based on Hitler's ideology, Jews were considered the primary problem facing Germany.
    • In 1935, the Nazis instituted the Nuremberg Laws:
    • Deprived Jews of German citizenship.
    • Imposed various restrictions on their lives.

  • Expansionist Aggression

    • German-Austrian Reunification: Following European appeasement of Hitler, he sought to annex Austria, threatening invasion if they did not comply.
    • Czechoslovakia: In 1938, Hitler aimed to seize the Sudetenland, predominantly inhabited by German speakers.
    • The Munich Agreement allowed him to annex this territory in exchange for a promise not to expand further into Czech lands.

The Outbreak of War

  • Poland

    • Hitler had ambitions for the Polish port of Danzig but sought justification for invasion.
    • The appeasement policy had ended, and Europe sought an alliance with the Soviet Union against Germany.
    • German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact (1939): Stalin and Hitler agreed not to invade each other's territories.

  • Japan’s Imperial Expansion

    • Japan’s aggressive moves against China and Korea had been ongoing for 50 years.
    • Invasions:
    • 1931: Japan invaded Manchuria.
    • 1937: Launched a full-scale invasion of China amid civil unrest.
    • New Order in East Asia: Japan was unable to invade Soviet-held Siberia due to the Nonaggression Pact.
    • Japan and Germany formed an axis, but U.S. economic sanctions resulted from Japan’s occupation of China.
    • Seeking revenge, Japan aimed to retaliate against U.S. interests, believing it could force negotiations.

Germany's Military Strategy and Early Victories

  • Blitzkrieg Strategy

    • Translated to "lightning war," this strategy involved rapid tank divisions supported by aerial attacks, contributing to Germany's early successes.

  • Invasions of Denmark and Norway

    • In 1940, Germany's foothold in Poland led to invasions of Denmark and Norway.

  • Attacks on the Netherlands, France, and Belgium

    • In May 1940, Germany invaded these three nations, causing the French government to flee to Bordeaux.
    • The Nazi regime established a puppet government in Vichy, France.

  • Formation of Allied Powers

    • Britain, fearing invasion, sought support from the U.S.
    • The Destroyers-for-Bases Agreement: In 1940, the U.S. agreed to deliver 50 destroyers in exchange for eight British air and naval bases.
    • The Lend-Lease Act of 1941 furthered military aid to Britain, marking the erosion of U.S. neutrality.
    • These agreements laid the groundwork for the Atlantic Charter, outlining post-war goals.

Resistance to the Axis Powers

  • The Battle of Britain (July 1940)

    • Hitler aimed to invade Britain through an air campaign using the Luftwaffe.
    • Initially focused on military bases, the campaign shifted to major cities following British air raids on Berlin.
    • Britain’s resilience during this period was termed its "Finest Hour" by Winston Churchill.
    • Superior planes and radar systems contributed to the eventual postponement of the invasion by May 1941.

  • Hitler Turns East – Operation Barbarossa (June 1941)

    • Violating the Nonaggression Pact, Hitler invaded the Soviet Union to eliminate Bolshevism and to acquire Lebensraum (living space).
    • The invasion initially mirrored past successes with blitzkrieg tactics.
    • Germania encountered brutal Russian winters, stalling their progress.
    • The Siege of Leningrad exemplified Soviet resistance against German forces.

Japan’s Attack and the U.S. Ingress

  • Pearl Harbor: December 7th, 1941

    • Japan executed a surprise attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, prompting U.S. entry into WWII.
    • Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto famously remarked that they had “awoken the sleeping giant.”
    • The attack marked the official transformation of the conflict into a world war, consolidating U.S., British, and Soviet forces.

  • Initial Struggles

    • Allied forces faced adversity early in Europe and North Africa, with German General Erwin Rommel leading invasions in Egypt.
    • The Battle of El Alamein marked a turning point in North Africa.
    • In the Soviet Union, the counteroffensive at the Battle of Stalingrad decimated the German 6th Army, signaling a shift in the war's momentum against the Nazis.

Turning Points in the War

  • Pacific Theater

    • Battle of the Coral Sea: The Allies achieved their first victory against Japan, thwarting an invasion.
    • Battle of Midway: The Allies destroyed four Japanese aircraft carriers, crippling the Japanese navy and halting their advance.
    • Guadalcanal Campaign: Marked the first major offensive against Japan, culminating in victory in 1943.
    • Island-Hopping Strategy: Coined by General Douglas MacArthur, the approach focused on attacking the most vulnerable islands while minimizing losses.

  • European Theater

    • D-Day (June 6, 1944): Approximately 150,000 Allied forces launched a significant invasion at Normandy.
    • Despite heavy casualties, the Allies secured a foothold to advance towards Paris, liberating it by August.
    • Battle of the Bulge (Winter 1944): The last major German offensive resulted in significant losses but ultimately led to a successful Allied push past the Rhine by March 1945.
    • Battle of Kursk: The largest tank battle in history; the Soviets successfully counterattacked against German blitzkrieg tactics.

Victory for the Allies

  • V-E Day: May 1945

    • Adolf Hitler, by this time delusional, ended his life in a bunker.
    • Germany surrendered shortly thereafter.

  • V-J Day:

    • By 1945, Japan had not surrendered despite relentless U.S. air attacks (e.g., in Tokyo).
    • The island-hopping strategy was undermining military capability, but not forcing capitulation.
    • President Truman ordered the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, resulting in 146,000 civilian deaths.
    • Japan still refused to surrender; a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, killing an additional 80,000 civilians.
    • Japan officially surrendered on September 2, 1945.

Consequences of WWII

  • Civilian Losses

    • China: Estimated 15 million deaths and countless refugees due to resistance against Japanese invasion.
    • The Rape of Nanjing: Often referred to as the forgotten holocaust, resulted in the torture, mutilation, and deaths of around 300,000 Chinese civilians.
    • The ongoing denial of responsibility by Japan remains contentious.
    • Armenian Genocide in Turkey: Approximately 1.5 million Armenians murdered by the collapsing Ottoman Empire from 1915-1923.
    • Nazi Persecution: Heinrich Himmler enacting anti-Semitic policies led to the Nuremberg Laws targeting Jews, resulting in systematic removal of their rights and segregation into ghettos.
    • By 1942, campaigns led by the SS culminated in the Holocaust, which saw the calculated murders of about 12 million individuals including Jews, Roma, disabled persons, and others labeled undesirable.
    • Soviet Civilian Casualties: Roughly 16 million civilians died due to Stalin’s Order No. 227 (“not a step back”).

  • Spread of Communism

    • Chinese Revolution: Following Japan's defeat, their colonial outposts in Korea and Vietnam fell under Soviet control.
    • The Communist Party of China (CCP), led by Mao Zedong, claimed power in 1949.
    • Distinctively, Chinese communism emerged differently from Soviet models, taking roots in the peasant working class rather than through urban revolution.
    • The Guomindang faced off against the CCP, favoring capitalist modernity in urban centers but failing to penetrate the rural landscape which remained largely impoverished and under communist influence.
    • Mao's leadership during WWII positioned the CCP favorably, ultimately leading to the capture of Beijing in 1949.