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The Beginning of the Second World War

The Beginning of the Second World War. Breakdown of Collective Security. Departures from the League of Nations: Japan – 1932 Germany – 1933 Italy – 1937 Formation of the Axis Germany & Japan sign the Anti-Comintern Pact, 1936. Italy joins in 1937 All three sign Tri-Partite Pact, 1940.

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The Beginning of the Second World War

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  1. The Beginning of theSecond World War

  2. Breakdown of Collective Security • Departures from the League of Nations: • Japan – 1932 • Germany – 1933 • Italy – 1937 • Formation of the Axis • Germany & Japan sign the Anti-Comintern Pact, 1936. • Italy joins in 1937 • All three sign Tri-Partite Pact, 1940.

  3. Two Regional Wars • The Great Pacific War: 1937-45. • The European War: 1939-45. • The two conflicts merge into one in December 1941.

  4. Origins of the Pacific War • 1931: Invasion of Manchuria. • Japanese interests in Asia. • Increasing Japanese militarism, lack of civilian control over country’s armed forces. • Chinese civil wars ending.

  5. “The China Incident”: July 7, 1937 • Becomes pre-text for Japanese invasion of China. • Full-scale fighting after clashes between Japanese and Chinese in Shanghai.

  6. The Rape of Nanking • Chinese capital falls on Dec. 13, 1937. • Cruelties inflicted on civilian population for next eight weeks.

  7. Other conflicts of the 1930’s: • Italian invasion of Ethiopia: 1935-36 • Spanish Civil War, 1936-39

  8. German Aggression • Re-militarization of the Rhineland: March 1936 • The Anschluss: March 1938 • The Sudetenland: September 1938 • Munich Conference • Invasion of Czechoslovakia: March 1939 • German military rearms during 1930’s.

  9. The Nazi-Soviet Pact,August 24, 1939

  10. September 1, 1939 • German invasion of Poland. • Poland falls by the end of the month. • Begins WWII in Europe. • France & Britain declare war on September 3.

  11. Next Target:Scandinavia • Germany conquers Denmark & Norway, April-May, 1940. • Meanwhile, the Soviet Union attacked Finland. • Winter War of Dec. 1939 - March 1940.

  12. Germany attacks West:Fall Gelb (Case Yellow) • May 10: Wehrmacht attacks Holland Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, and France. • All will be conquered by June 22. • Includes the Battle of Dunkirk. • Battle of Britain begins in the summer of 1940.

  13. Battle of Britain, 1940-41

  14. Meanwhile, back in the U.S.A…. • The Neutrality Acts of the 1930’s • 1939 Act allowed belligerents to purchase U.S. arms. • Focus on “Hemispheric” defense, 1938-40: • development of RAINBOW war plans. • Steps to ready U.S. military: • regular Army and National Guard increased. • corps & army-size maneuvers, spring 1940.

  15. Military preparations after June 1940 • Navy & Air Corps expansion. • Pacific Fleet moved to Pearl Harbor • Selective Service & Training Act of 1940 • First peacetime draft in U.S. history. • National Guard mobilized • Reserves called to duty • Summer 1941: The Army of the United States has 1.2 million men.

  16. Keeping Britain in the War • Arms transfers just prior to France’s fall. • Destroyers for bases deal. • FDR shares U.S. aircraft production with Britain. • Lend Lease Act, March 1941.

  17. Early Joint War Planning • U.S. and British military planners meet from January – March, 1941. • Produce “ABC-1” Agreement: • “Germany First: Germany was the greatest threat, and its defeat would be the top priority if U.S. entered the war. • Sept. 1941: U.S. “Victory” program • Army predicted a need for 8.7 million soldiers

  18. June 22, 1941: German invades the U.S.S.R.

  19. Increased U.S. activity in the Atlantic • Summer 1941: U.S. troops relieve British garrison in Iceland. • Fall 1941: U.S. forces participating in the Battle of the Atlantic: • Navy escorts convoys through Western Atlantic. • Navy and Army planes patrol for U-boats.

  20. Efforts to deter Japan • After Fall of France, enhanced fear for European colonial empires. • June 1940: FDR orders Pacific Fleet to Pearl Harbor. • U.S. imposes some economic sanctions

  21. Summer 1941: Japan occupies French Indochina • FDR: • freezes Japanese assets in U.S. • imposes oil embargo. • orders Philippines reinforced.

  22. Pearl Harbor?

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