World War II Study Guide Notes

A Neutral America and A Rising Threat

• Emergence of Aggressive Totalitarian Regimes in the 1930s:
  • The Great Depression caused widespread economic instability and suffering.
  • Extremist ideologies became more appealing.
  • Fascist leaders (e.g., Hitler, Mussolini) promised national revival and scapegoated minorities.
• Axis Powers:
  • The Soviet Union was not an Axis Power.
  • Initially, the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact with Germany.
  • Later, the Soviet Union joined the Allies after being invaded by Germany.
• Hitler's Secret Military Rebuilding:
  • Hitler aimed to restore Germany's power and expand its territory.
  • He disguised weapons production as civilian industry.
  • Infrastructure projects (e.g., the autobahn) masked rearmament.
• Japanese Invasion of China (1937):
  • Japan invaded China, specifically Manchuria.
  • General Hideki Tojo was a leading figure in Japanese aggression.
• Hitler's Act of Aggression in 1936:
  • Hitler remilitarized the Rhineland.
  • This violated the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Pact.
• Interventionists vs. Isolationists in the U.S.:
  • Interventionists: Believed in aiding Allied nations to stop fascism.
  • Isolationists: Wanted the U.S. to avoid involvement in foreign wars.
• Roosevelt's 1937 Quarantine Speech:
  • Suggested that peaceful nations should isolate or