The Second World War: Guide

FAILURE OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS, CAUSES OF THE

WAR

Japan, Italy and Germany: Militaristic, nationalistic and expansionistic powers.

All of them want to expand to other areas in search of raw materials (economic
depression).

Japan: wants to get rid of western influence in the Far East, needs raw materials for its
growing population, wants to expand its Empire. Military leaders often dictate
government policy.

Italy: Wants to expand, Italy needs lands and minerals, Mussolini (Prime Minister since
1922), dreams of a great Italy and the Glory of the Roman Empire.

Germany: Hitler also wants to expand in search of raw materials, dreams of a Third
Reich (Empire) and wants to take revenge for the humiliating treaty Germany has been
forced to sign. Argument: He is only asking for what is rightfully German.

THEREFORE: Japan invades Manchuria (China). (1931, again in 1937)

Italy invades Abyssinia (Ethiopia) (1935)
Hitler goes step by step: 1936: Occupation of the Rhineland. In 1936
he also signs agreements with Mussolini (Rome- Berlin Axis) and Japan (Anti.
Comintern Pact) to prevent Communism from advancing
March 1938: Annexation of Austria
September 1938: The Sudetenland
(Czhecoslovakia,area where there are many Germans): Munich Agreement (France &
Britain give way once more).
March 1939: Bohemia & Moravia become
German Protectorates.

Stalin`s offer to help rejected by Britain & France. They distrust him. Britain &
France: Policy of “appeasement”: they aren`t ready to fight another war and they fear
Communism. Hitler acts as a buffer to stop Communism from advancing.

May, 1939: Italy & Germany sign Pact of Steel (to help each other in case of war).
August, 1939: Germany & the USSR sign Non- Aggression Pact. Agree to divide
Poland between the Reich and the USSR.

September 1, 1939: Hitler invades Poland (the Polish Corridor): Beginning of

WWII.

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS FAILS TO TAKE EFFECTIVE ACTION DURING

THIS PERIOD (see reasons in A Modern World History, p 254).
 DEVELOPMENT OF THE WAR

After invasion of Poland: “phoney war” for 6 months. Then Hitler invades Denmark &
Norway, later France. Paris falls on June 14. Mussolini declares war on Allies. Italy
invades Greece & Yugoslavia. Axis forces attack in Northern Africa

BETWEEN 1939 6 1941 AXIS POWERS, CONTROL MOST OF EUROPE. ONLY

BRITAIN HOLDS OUT (ATTEMPT TO DESTROY THE RAF (Royal Air Force) BY
LUFTWAFFE (German Air Force) FAILS IN THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN).

1941: Axis Powers make two fatal mistakes: Hitler invades USSR (Operation
Barbarossa) & Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, American naval base in Hawaii.
Consequence: The USA & the USSR enter the war on the Allied side.

By the end of 1942, beginning of 1943, the tide starts to turn: Battle of El Alamein in
Egypt won by Montgomery in October 1942, Stalingrad relieved from siege in January
1943. From then onwards, the Allies are on the advance, the Axis Powers on the retreat.

Several conferences held by Allied leaders( Churchill& Roosevelt, later also

Stalin).Plan of action decided to make a pincer movement to destroy Germany:
Russians advance from the East, Allied soldiers cross over from N. Africa into Italy, D-
day attack on Normandy is decided.

Mussolini flees to Northern Italy as Allies advance. Italy changes sides and joins the
Allies. By April 1945 Allied armies are inside Germany. The Russians and Americans
enter Berlin. Mussolini is killed by Italian partisans on April 28, 1945. Hitler commits
suicide on April 30.

Japan goes on fighting in the Pacific. War end when atom bombs are dropped on
Hiroshima (August 6) and Nagasaki (August 9).Japan surrenders.

DURIG WAR.: New weapons and technology in gral developed (see RADAR,
ULTRA, ENIGMA, SQUID LAUNCHERS, JET ENGINE). Air force plays much more
important role than in WWI, tanks too.). Resistance movements all over Europe do
much to stop Axis Powers. Decisions to organize a new world order are taken by Allied
leaders in several conferences. Bombings take place over Britain (1940 & 1944), and
German cities (day and night).BOTHS SIDES DEVELOP NEW DEADLY
WEAPONS: THE GERMANS THE VI & VII (a rocket with an explosive head). THE
AMERICANS THE ATOM BOMB.BOTH SIDES WORK TOWARDS THE
DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
IN GERMANY AND OCCUPIED TERRITORIES, AXIS POWERS EXECUTE
THOUSANDS OF JEWS AND OTHER PRISONERS IN CONCENTRATION
CAMPS (THIS IS KNOWN AS THE HOLOCAUST).
CONSEQUENCES OF THE WAR

- Germany is divided into 4 occupation zones, each under the rule of one of the
Allied Powers: Britain, France, the USA and the USSR. So is Berlin, the
capital, well within the Soviet zone.
- It is soon clear that there are two blocks: the Western Powers, led by the USA,
and the Communist or pro- Soviet block, led by the USSR. The USSR makes
sure the countries of Eastern Europe (liberated by the USSR) choose Communist
or pro- Soviet governments. The countries under Soviet influence guard their
frontiers jealously and exercise strict control over foreigners entering the country
or their own citizens trying to leave. Churchill refers to the situation with a
famous phrase “”from Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron
curtain has descended across the continent”.
- Within a few years, the 3 western zones merge into one, so Germany is divided
into two.
- After the Berlin Blockade (1948-1949) (see Key Themes of the twentieth
Century), The German Federal Republic and the German Democratic Republic
are created. As a result of the blockade, two organizations are created: NATO
(Western Powers) (1949) & The Warsaw Pact (USSR & allies) (1955).Both are
defensive alliances. Europe is divided between the two sides, the front line of the
so called”Cold War” running through the middle of Germany. The Cold War
will last for almost 50 years.
- One of the characteristics of the Cold War is that the two superpowers never
fight directly. They take part in conflicts like The Korean War, the Cuban
Missile Crisis & the Vietnam War, by providing weapons, advisers, sometimes
troops.
- Both superpowers engage in an arms race to develop more and better weapons,
even compete to be first in space. (First man in space Soviet, first man on the
moon American).
- New organizations are created: The United Nations replaces The League of
Nations. Headquarters in New York (see organization of the UNO, permanent
members, Security Council, aims, number of members nowadays). Official
beginning October 24 1945.Other organizations: NATO, The Warsaw Pact,
The ECSC (European Coal and Steel Community), later renamed EEC
(European Economic Community), EC (European Community and EU
(European Union). Its functions were enlarged and measures taken at different
stages to make it what it is today. Number of members also increased( check
number today).
- Marshall Plan: The USA devises a plan of economic aid to its allies. The aim is
to prevent the development of a situation similar to the one after WWI.
Devastation and economic chaos make people ready to turn to extremes
(Communism or Fascism).
- All the countries involved in the war have suffered great losses: countries are
devastated and millions of people have died. Rebuilding starts.
- Many people,especially the young, join movements that express rejection of the
values of their elders, which have led the world to that terrible war. The
 “Beatniks” in the 50s, the Hippie movement in the 60s.Stars like Elvis Presley,
The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and others become famous and represent the
young generations. “Make love, not War” is a famous phrase that dates from the
60s.The possibility of a Nuclear War shapes the lives of these generations.

Possible situations for the Final Exam

- Social situation in Britain at the beginning of the Century. New ideas, The
Liberal reforms, groups they benefited, opposition.
- Women`s struggle to win the right to vote: Suffragettes & Suffragists.
- Britain in the 20s. Problem with the coal mines. The General Strike
- Effects of the Wall Street Crash. Economic depresion in the USA and Britain
- The USA between the Wars: how the lives of common people were affected.
Republican policies. Difference between Roosevelt and Republican
governments. Some measure taken as part of the New Deal.
- Germany: Hitler`s rise to power, Nazi policies. Reasons why common people
might have supported him.
- Tsarist Russia (main characteristics). Lenin, Stalin: Explain how they reached
power, the main ideas of Communism. War Communism, The NEP, Stalin`s 5-
year plans and Collectivisation.
- Sources of conflict among European countries that led to WWI & WWII
- Development of technology during WWI and WWII.
- How WWI and WWII affected the lives of common people in Britain.
- Consequences of WWI and WWII.
- The 50s and 60s. Black Americans in the 50s and 60s. The changing role of
women. Youth movements: Hippies and Beatniks
- Organizations created after each war, their aims, members and bodies (choose
2).
- Why and how The Berlin Wall fell. When Germany was reunified (just a brief
reference.
- The end of the Cold War (when).