Unit 8 Interwar and WWII

Impact of the Great Depression on the World

  • Trade Collapse:

    • The United States, being the main importer, significantly reduced its purchasing from other countries.

    • Countries dependent on exports to the US saw a drastic drop in demand for their goods.

    • Consequences: Businesses suffered, leading to widespread job losses and declining economies.

  • Financial Crisis Spread:

    • US banks had provided loans and investments to various foreign nations.

    • During the Depression, these countries began demanding repayment, leading to further economic turmoil abroad.

  • Rise of Protectionism:

    • High tariffs on imported goods were implemented by the US to protect domestic businesses.

    • Result: This approach was largely ineffective, exacerbating the economic situation.

  • Social and Political Unrest:

    • Widespread economic hardship fueled unemployment and poverty, which in turn spurred social unrest.

    • Increased support for extremist movements, including fascism in Europe and militarism in Japan, as people sought stability under strong leadership.

  • Impact on Colonial Economies:

    • Colonial regions experienced significant economic downturns, which helped to ignite nationalist movements as the local populations sought greater autonomy and independence.

Interwar Period: Country Specific Events

  • Spain:

    • Information not detailed.

  • Japan:

    • Militaristic expansionism and increased aggression led to events like the invasion of Manchuria.

  • Italy:

    • Rise of fascism under Benito Mussolini, with aggression towards Ethiopia.

  • Soviet Union:

    • Stalin's rise to power and the implementation of Five-Year Plans aimed at rapid industrialization.

  • Germany:

    • Adolf Hitler's rise through the Nazi Party amid economic turmoil post-WWI.

Events Leading to Hitler's Appointment as Chancellor

  • Post WWI Aftermath and Treaty of Versailles:

    • Germany’s defeat led to a harsh treaty with heavy reparations, loss of territory, and military restrictions, resulting in economic distress and national humiliation.

  • Rise of the Nazi Party:

    • Economic struggles allowed for the Nazi Party to gain popularity by promising restoration of national pride and recovery from economic hardship.

Road to WWII and Nazi Expansion

  1. Germany Withdraws from League of Nations:

    • Sign of defiance against the international community and rearmament ambitions.

  2. Rearmament:

    • Germany begins rebuilding its military in violation of the Treaty of Versailles.

  3. Mussolini's Invasion of Ethiopia:

    • Demonstrated aggressive expansionism, highlighting a growing axis between Germany and Italy.

  4. German Reoccupation of Rhineland:

    • Bold move challenging the post-WWI order, further asserting Nazi power.

  5. Anschluss:

    • The annexation of Austria into Germany, demonstrating Hitler's ambitions for expansion.

  6. Sudetenland:

    • The Munich Agreement permitted German occupation, demonstrating the policy of appeasement.

Key Events in WWII and Important Terms

  • Define Appeasement:

    • Policy of making concessions to dictatorial powers to maintain peace; notably used by Britain and France towards Hitler.

  • Munich Conference (Munich Pact):

    • Agreement allowing Nazi Germany to annex the Sudetenland in hopes of avoiding war.

  • Hitler’s Seizure of Czechoslovakia:

    • Broke the Munich Pact and showcased his expansionist goals.

  • Nazi-Soviet Pact:

    • Non-aggression treaty between Germany and the Soviet Union leading to the division of Poland.

  • Invasion of Poland:

    • Marked the beginning of WWII as Britain and France declared war on Germany.

  • Blitzkrieg:

    • A military tactic meaning "lightning war" characterized by swift, sudden attacks, primarily used by Germany during early WWII.

Major Military Events and Turning Points

France’s Invasion

  • Dunkirk:

    • Evacuation of Allied troops from the beaches of Dunkirk, pivotal in preserving British military strength.

Battle for Britain**:

  • Major air campaign waged by the German Luftwaffe against the UK, ultimately failing to gain air superiority.

Russia**:

  • Involvement in the Eastern Front against Germany.

Pearl Harbor**:

  • Japanese attack leading to the US entering WWII, with consequent internment of Japanese Americans.

Turning Points of the War

  • Pacific:

    • Midway (June 1942):

    • Turning point in the Pacific, where the US Naval forces decisively defeated Japan.

  • North Africa:

    • El Alamein (Oct 1942):

    • Allied victory marking the beginning of the end for Axis powers in North Africa.

  • Russia:

    • Stalingrad (Feb 1943):

    • Major Soviet victory that turned the tide on the Eastern Front.

  • Europe:

    • D-Day (June 6th 1944):

    • Allied invasion of Normandy, crucial for liberating Western Europe from Nazi control.

Conclusion of WWII

  • Identify Major Events Ending the War:

    • European Theater:

    • Pacific Theater:

Holocaust Overview

  • How Did It Start?:

    • Emerged from a history of anti-Semitism and Nazi ideology promoting the superiority of the Aryan race.

  • Nuremberg Laws:

    • Laws that institutionalized anti-Semitic principles in Germany, stripping Jews of citizenship rights.

  • Kristallnacht:

    • A coordinated attack on Jewish businesses and synagogues in November 1938, signaling increased violence.

  • Ghettos vs Concentration Camps:

    • Ghettos were segregated Jewish areas; concentration camps were places of forced labor and mass murder.

  • Final Solution:

    • Nazi plan to exterminate the Jewish population in Europe, leading to the genocide known as the Holocaust.

  • Nuremberg Trials:

    • Post-war trials to bring Nazi war criminals to justice, establishing principles of accountability for human rights violations.