1 / 18

A Global Conflict

A Global Conflict. Mr. White’s World History. Objectives. After this section, we should be able to: Explain how the Soviet Union and the United States became involved in World War II. Part I: War in Europe.

renate
Download Presentation

A Global Conflict

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. A Global Conflict Mr. White’s World History

  2. Objectives • After this section, we should be able to: • Explain how the Soviet Union and the United States became involved in World War II

  3. Part I: War in Europe Defeated by Britain, Hitler turned his attention to conquering the Soviet Union, but was unprepared to fight a long war. The Nazis begin the systematic deportation and execution of Jews and other “undesirables”

  4. Operation Barbarossa • After the defeat of the German Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, Hitler turned to the Soviet Union for expansion • Hitler planned Operation Barbarossa • Short, decisive campaign to capture Leningrad, Moscow, and the Ukraine and oil fields in southern Russia • Hitler thought Russian resistance would collapse quickly, and this attitude shaped how his generals prepared for this

  5. German Surprise • The attack took the Soviets by tactical and strategic surprise • Soviet Red Army was basically unprepared • Many units lacked basic essentials for fighting – ammunition, plans for resupplying, communications • Stalin’s purges had removed capable military offices and replaced them with young, but loyal, officers • The German Wehrmacht (army) had rapid successes at the beginning of the attack

  6. Scorched Earth • In response, Stalin ordered a scorched-earth policy • As the army retreated, anything of use that couldn’t be removed should be destroyed – fuel, food, shelter, ammunition, other supplies and equipment • By November of 1941, German armies had pushed 600 miles into the Soviet Union and sat outside Moscow and Leningrad • Soviet soldiers held firm and refused to retreat any further

  7. Russian Resistance • The German army was completely unprepared for an extended war with the Soviets • Russian winter • Most German soldiers lacked proper winter clothing – hypothermia, frostbite • German equipment stopped functioning – guns didn’t fire, radios didn’t work, vehicle engine blocks froze • The Germans had also failed to adequately supply all of their units with what they needed • Didn’t have enough fuel for units to reach their objectives • Had planned to use Russian railways and roads, but these were not suitable for the purposes

  8. The New German Order • Hitler thought that by conquering the Soviet Union and Europe he could establish a New Order • Conquered untermenschen would work for the Nazi master race • These races could be disposed of later • As the Nazis occupied these countries, they seized the resources for themselves

  9. Untermenschen • As Nazis took over these lands, they began to persecute Jews and other untermenschen – sub-humans • Forced to wear badges branding them as undesirables • Sent to concentration camps such as Dachau • In Poland and the Soviet Union, Jews were forced into ghettos to contain them – Warsaw

  10. The Final Solution • In 1941, the Germans began to kill Jews as well as remove them from conquered areas • The Einsatzgruppen followed behind the German army and would round up and kill Jews • In 1942, the Germans instituted the “Final Solution,” and began to round up large numbers of Jews and shipped them to concentration and death camps

  11. Jewish Resistance • The Nazis tried to keep the killings and camps secret – even many European Jews were unaware of what was occurring • Jewish resistance groups in the ghettos were often outnumbered and defeated by the Germans • Resistance groups formed outside of the cities and had some success

  12. Local Support • Jewish resistance movements often didn’t have the support of the local population • Some local people even helped the Nazis round up Jews • Most peoples in these areas did nothing, thinking that it wasn’t their business, or fearing punishment • Denmark was the only nation to actively opposed the Nazi measures • News of the camps reached the outside world, but was not acted upon

  13. Part II: Japan and the United States Opposed by the United States, Japan expanded in the Pacific, and eventually attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor

  14. Japanese Expansion • After taking much of China, Japan turned its attention to European colonies of east Asia • Japan proposed to create a “Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere” – would help other Asian nations overthrow European colonizers • Japan took southern Indochina from the French • U.S. retaliated by placing an embargo on scrap iron to Japan • In response, Japan signed the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy – Axis Powers who would work together for expansion

  15. American Response • Upon Japan’s invasion of Indochina, FDR demanded that they should withdraw from there, and China as well • Congress placed an embargo on oil and froze all Japanese assets in the U.S. • Japan’s military believed that the U.S. stood in the way of Japanese expansion, and thus war was inevitable • Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto convinced the Japanese military to attack the American naval base at Hawaii

  16. Increased Tensions • Negotiations between the United States and Japan began to break down • FDR knew that Japan was poised to attack, but thought it would come in southeast Asia • The U.S moved all aircraft carriers and half the Pacific army’s planes out of Hawaii

  17. Pearl Harbor • On the morning of December 7th, 1941, the Japanese navy attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii • Within 25 minutes, the Japanese had sunk or damaged 19 ships (including 5 battleships), and destroyed 188 aircraft • 2,400 people were dead, 1,100 wounded • The United States declared war on Japan; German declared war on the United States

  18. The Allies • In return, Great Britain declared war on Japan • With this, Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union allied against Germany and Japan • Since Stalin was fighting Germany all by himself, he asked the Allies to open up a second front with Germany • FDR and the U.S. supported this idea, but Winston Churchill and Britain opposed it • Instead, the Allies would attack the Axis powers in North Africa and the Mediterranean

More Related