World War II was the deadliest conflict in history, lasting from 1939 to 1945. Some of the key causes included the harsh Treaty of Versailles that ended WWI, the policy of appeasement towards aggressors like Hitler, and the rise of totalitarian regimes in Germany, Italy, and Japan. The main opposing sides were the Allied Powers (Britain, France, USSR, China, US) versus the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, Japan). Over 70 million people fought in the war, and around 64 million died making it the most catastrophic war ever. The US joined the Allied effort in 1941 after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. The war ended in 1945 with the defeat of Germany and Japan.

1. World war twoSlightly adapted from:
https://www.slideshare.net/janetdiederich/world-war-ii-power-point
Grade 11
History
Ms. Miller

2. Lecture Objectives:
● Identify cause and effect of WW2
● Recall significant figures and events of WW2
● Understand America’s role in WW2
CA Content Standards:
● 10.8 Students analyze the causes and consequences of World War II.
● 11.3 Students analyze the role religion played in the founding of
America, its lasting moral, social, and political impacts, and
issues regarding religious liberty.
● 11.4 Students trace the rise of the United States to its role as a
world power in the twentieth century.
● 11.7 Students analyze America’s participation in World War II.

3. Write down everything you know about ww2
Possible Ideas:
What was the cause of the war?
What effects did the war have?
Who were some key players in WW2?
You may know all of these, you may know none of these AND THAT IS OKAY.
By the end of this lecture you will be a WW2 master.

4. Intro video clip
https://youtu.be/HUqy-OQvVtI
We will watch this short video on WW2 as an intro video.
I would like you to take 3 notes from this short clip.

5. Was the war worth the casualties? You decide.
About 70 million people fought in WW2
About 64 million people died in WW2 (Lots of sources say different amounts)
Deadliest conflict in history
Lasted from 1939-1945

6. Time for your opinion...
After seeing JUST the casualties, do you believe the war
should have lasted as long as it did with this many
casualties? Why or why not?
Understand the major loss had huge effects.
Please write in complete sentences.

7. Axis Vs. Allied powers
● Battle between two groups
of countries
○ Axis Vs. Allied Powers
● Axis Powers: Germany,
Italy, Japan
● Allied Powers: Britain,
France, Russia, China &
the United States

8. Main causes of ww2
W:World War One/Treaty of Versailles
A:Appeasement
R:Rise of Totalitarianism

9. W: WW1/Treaty of Versailles
● Treaty of Versailles ended WW1 between Germany and Allied
Powers
○ The treaty was very harsh and demanding on Germany
● The treaty requires huge amounts of money for reparations
to be paid
○ Allies try to get money to pay back the U.S.
● This leads to Germany becoming bankrupt and ashamed
causing them to turn to any leader who steps up first
“Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

10. A: Appeasement
● Definition: making concessions, or giving into someone,
so conflict can be avoided
● Hitler began to expand Germany’s land by invading
territories
● Britain and France did nothing about it in hopes he would
stop at some point
● He never stopped

11. R: Rise of Totalitarianism
● Definition: system in which a state and leader have total
control
● There becomes a lack of individual rights
● Rise of dictators such as…
○ Hiter
○ Mussolini
○ Franco
○ Stalin
● Due to totalitarianism, these leaders could be aggressive and
invade others to achieve their goals of ultimate power which led

12. U.s. Joins the War
● U.S. joins in 1941
● The U.S. pretty much fought Japan only
● Japan bombs Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941
○ Japan does this to sink US ships in Pearl Harbor
● Japan surrenders when the U.S. drop two atomic bombs in
Hiroshima and Nagasaki

13. Time for your opinion...
What was the reason the U.S. joined the war?
Do you believe it was necessary for the United States to drop
the atomic bomb? Why or why not?
Recall why it was dropped.
Please use complete sentences.

14. Leaders of ww2
● Adolf Hitler: Germany
● Benito Mussolini: Italy
● Hideki Tojo: Japan
● Joseph Stalin: USSR
Hitler
Mussolini
Tojo
Stalin

15. Ww2 End
● War ended with German surrender May 8, 1945
● Japan officially surrendered September 2, 1945
● Japan basically surrendered after dropping of atomic
bombs
● VE Day is the celebration of the end of WW2 on May 8th

16. Interesting facts of ww2
● British soldiers got a ration of 3 sheets of toilet paper, Americans
got 22
● Only about 139 cars were made during the war
● Only 20% of males born in the Soviet Union in 1923, lived through
the war
● The youngest serviceman of the war was 12 years old, he lied about
his age.
● Since the word ‘hamburger’ sounded German, during the war Americans
called them liberty burgers.
Facts from: https://www.businessinsider.com/21-rare-and-weird-facts-about-world-war-2-2015-8

17. Activity!!!
1. Choose either the Allies or Axis powers side.
2. Create a poster to get people to enlist in your side of
the war.
3. Include at least one drawn photo or three printed photos.
4. Include at least one paragraph of information including 5
facts.
5. On another page include why you chose this side of the
war.