WWII Outline

1. Movements/Ideologies during World War II
Great Depression
• Beginning with the stock market crash on October 1929 (called Black Tuesday; the United
States first went through a recession months before), was the global economic crisis
precipitated by post-war decisions, and possibilities such as the federal reserve actions, Black
Tuesday, bank failures, and protectionism (European goods being placed under
congressional tariffs), etc (Gill). Resulted in mass employment, along with drops in
international trade and government revenue (Gill).
• The aftermath of WWI, with US being the “creditor and financier” in the restoration of war-
involved countries such as Germany (who suffered from major reparations), Britain and
France, where US gave loans to the respective countries (Gill). However, once US banks
failed, loans were stopped, and even requested to be paid back, pressuring European
economies—this in turn had Europe enter a period of depression as well (Gill).
• Federal Reserve: The Federal Reserve System (created by Congress in 1913 as the
central bank) main purpose is to issue Federal reserve notes, and setting interest rates
when money is lent, at a base rate, to commercial banks (Gill). These interest rates were
raised in 1928-1929, with the possibility that the increase may have been too large and
causing a recession, making the money supply fall (Gill).
• Black Tuesday (can also be called Black Monday/Thursday): On September 3, 1929 the
five-year bull market peaked, with 12.0 million shares traded (panic selling) on Thursday
October 24, and then 16.4 million shares traded on October 29, 1929 on Tuesday, totaling in
a loss of $30 billion, which is ten times the federal budget (Gill).
• Bank Failures: The number of banks fell from 25, 568 in 1929 to 14,771 in 1933, with
personal and corporate savings dropping from $15.3 billion in 1929 to $2.3 billion in 1933—
this signaled less money to pay employees, to buy goods, with fewer consumption being
done (Gill)
• The Great Depression led to massive unemployment, with Blacks being the first to lose their
jobs and being excluded from public assistance and even prohibited from receiving
resources from charities, leading to political groups being created to unify the Black
community (Hardman). Shantytowns, or Hoovervilles (named after President Hoover who
was in administration during this time) cropped up as homeless communities, breadlines
were the main source of food for many Americans, suicide was rampant—the was no
welfare program or unemployment insurance that prevented civilians from entering poverty
(Hardman).
• When Roosevelt took office, and making the Democratic Party the dominant force, he
created a “New Deal” to combat the effects of the Great Depression (Hardman).
• The New Deal: In 1931, was drafted by President Franklin Roosevelt and brought in social
and economic reforms (showcasing the progressivism movement under Roosevelt’s and
Wilson’s administrations), and a stop to “laissez-faire” capitalism (Hardman).
• The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) created by Congress so young men between
18-25 can be enrolled into work camps for $30/month, with 2 million participants and
conservation projects. Although some Blacks were enrolled (ten percent, in porportion to the
population of Blacks at the time) they were still discriminated against with Blacks applicants
being rejected in favor of whites, and later the Black enrollees being split from Whites, in
favor of segregation, despite there being a clause in the CCC forbidding racial segregation

2. because “segregation is not discrimination”—relief efforts for Blacks were scarce and not
enough ("African Americans in the CCC”).
• Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) also passed to give assistance to farmers, with taxes
being placed on food processors (Hardman). The federal programs coming from this act had
farm income increase more than 50%, between 1932-1935 (Hardman). However, the “Dust
Bowl” where damages were done to the souther Great Plains from 1935 - 1938, destroyed
crops, cars, machinery, displacing many people who then moved to California (Hardman).
AAA was later discontinued in 1936, when taxes were seen as unconstitutional being
replaced six weeks later by another farm-relief act in which overmen made payments to
farmers by reducing “plantings of soil-depleting crops”, leading to soil conservation
techniques (Hardman). This act was successful—farms and those in the industry had
economic stability.
• Works Progress Administration (WPA) — acting as the main agency in a second New
Deal, the intentions switched from providing welfare to giving work, with buildings. roads,
airports, and schools being construction products and those involves in arts (actors,
painters, musicians, and writers) getting employed by the Federal Theater Project, Federal
Art Project, and Federal Writers Project. Students also received part-time jobs by the
National Youth Administration—around 9 million people were helped under WPA until it’s
end in 1943 (Hardman).
• The Social Security Act of 1935—an insurance system created for the “aged, unemployed,
and disabled based on employer and employee contributions”, resulting in retired workers
that are 65 or older getting income even after retirement, and was funded by taxes
(Hardman).
• Although Social Security is now a prominent insurance policy, it is not without it’s criticism,
specifically with the exclusions created. The Social Security Act which focused on those
involved in commerce and industry, did not provide coverage for :
• “self-employed individuals (including farm proprieters)
• persons working in the nonprofit sector
• professionals such as self-employed doctors, lawyers, and ministers
• seamen in the merchant marine
• employees of charitable or educational foundations
• employees of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
• Persons aged 65 or older
• casual labors, members of congress, employees of federal, state, and local
governments” (Dewitt)
• This excluded many Blacks, since they belonged in the sectors excluded from receiving
coverage.
"African Americans in the CCC." New Deal Network. Web. 29 Dec. 2015.
Dewitt, Larry. "The Decision to Exclude Agricultural and Domestic Workers from the 1935 Social
Security Act." U.S. Social Security Administration. 4 Nov. 2010. Web. 30 Dec. 2015.
Gill, Kathy. "5 Possible Causes of the Great Depression." About.com News & Issues. Web. 29
Dec. 2015.
Hardman, John. "The Great Depression and the New Deal." Ethics of Development in a Global
Environment. Web. 30 Dec. 2015.

3. Fascism
• A form of socialism that can be seen as a blend between liberal capitalism (having class
conflict, competition, being profit-oriented), and revolutionary Marxism (similarities seen in
violently and socially persecuting the bourgeoisie) (“Fascism”). Fascism, in contrast to
socialism, indirectly controlled economics through dominating private owners, requiring
property owners to use their property for national interest (based on the authority’s conditions),
controlled economic activities along with “the monetary system and set all prices and wages
politically” eliminating the market system, with entrepreneurship banned, and consumer goods
based on state ministries (“Fascism”).
• Manufacturing, commerce, finance and agriculture controlled by fascism through cartels, and
all economic activity needed to have government permission (“Fascism”).
• Protectionism enforced, idea of national self-sufficiency pursued (“Fascism”).
• High employment and dissent stabilize through public-works projects (roads, buildings,
stadiums, militarism) funded by taxes, borrowing and fiat money creation (“Fascism”).
• Fascism is anti-communism (“Fascism”).
• Hitler and Mussolini adopted fascism during their reigns—German fascism led to labor
conscription, in 1938 by Hitler, and mandatory cartel membership enforced
• Italian Fascism- Benito Mussolini, intent on establishing Italy as a world power, led the
Italian Fascist movement from 1922-1925 in which Italy was ruled through “nationalist,
totalitarian, and class collaborationist agenda”, representative democracy was abolished,
and liberalism was repressed.
• Germany Fascism— Inspired by Mussolini, Hitler created a fascist government, with the
Nazis helping him lead his totalitarian, one-party government in 1933.
Richman, Sheldon. "Fascism." : The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics. Web. 29 Dec. 2015.
Socialism
• Economy is regulated through government-control of production; socialism was spear-headed
by Lenin, who believed that economic regulation will be simplified if profit drive and market
mechanism disappeared, becoming a gross-oversimplification that led to the 1917 revolution
in the Soviet-Union, with it’s shortcomings being worse than capitalism’s (Heilbroner).
Socialism Socialism did not have market incentives which capitalism did, nor did it have
competition (which may help restrain the economic system)—socialist rule in Soviet Union
caused production to fall, forcing Lenin to have a New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1921 and
thereby enabling some form of market incentives (Heilbroner).
• Stalin ended up conducting a “pyramid of command” economic system, with the highest
order being the Gosplain, which executed plans such as “target rate of growth and the
allocation of effort between military and civilian outputs, between heavy and light industry,
and among various regions”—this plans, or directives, were then given to industrial/regional
departments that then broke down these directives to specific industries such as certain
factories or farms and power centers (Heilbroner). The plan will go down the pyramid until it
reaches factory managers and engineers, with a blue print being sent back up to pyramid,
and then a negotiation settled by vote through the Supreme Soviet (Heilbroner).
• Soviet Union grew under this system through the 1960s (growth being twice of US’s growth)
however ran into problems through focusing more on “physical output”, or finishing the

4. assignments or objectives, rather than the quality of the product made—according to
Heilbroner, the issue was not in the enormous production tasks of the government, but to
ensure that the different parts of the system (or the pyramid) is self-contained and thus able
to work seamlessly together with other areas of the manufacturing process. So, the
production goals for the Soviet Union faced set backs in the bureaucratic system—pressure
to meet goals got upended whenever any unplanned input was needed but can not be made
on time due to needing to be moved up and down the pyramid (Heilbroner). The pyramid
planning also led to factories (who could not hire or fire their workers) building own shops,
commissaries, and even housing to control any issues (Heilbroner). The consequences in a
dysfunctional system of socialism promoted in the Soviet resulted in a drop in life time
expectancy, due to resources being poorly allocated (military research facilities got top
priority, hospitals did not) (Heilbroner). By 1987, “perestoika” or restructuring, was finally
legally implemented due to the decline in growth for the Soviet Union in the 1980s with
President Mikhail Gorbachev “introducing the market, reestablishing private ownership, and
opening the system to free economic interchange with the west” ending 70 years of
socialism in the Soviet Union (Heilbroner).
• Attempts of socialism has failed in the Soviet Union; after the Soviet Union broke apart,
Russia started to adopt more of a market economy.
Heilbroner, Robert. "Socialism." : The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics. Web. 29 Dec. 2015.
Marxism
• Karl Marx’s economic ideology that used labor theory of value (value of a commodity is based
on hours need to make that commodity) against his ideal of capitalistic profit-seeking,
alienation (capitalism alienates people because market forces not workers control production,
inevitably objectifying people as machines), scientific socialism (clash between bourgeoisie
and proletariat, with proletariat able to overthrow the system leading to the elements of
capitalism such as “private property, money, market exchange, profit-and-loss account, labor
markets”, etc to be abolished so exploitation and conflicts can be avoided) (Prychitko).
Prychitko, David L. "Marxism." : The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics. Web. 29 Dec. 2015.
Capitalism
• According to Adam Smith, capitalism is “economic individualism”, with the building-blocks
being right to own private property and pursuit of self-interest, the individual rights being
protected by the state(Hessen). Investments, pricing, product produced/sold or anything
involving assets, sales and profits along with operation is largely up the the individual
(Hessen).
• Interestingly, certain ostracized groups such as the Puritans and Jews have been drawn to
capitalist ventures due to being unable from seeking other professions (Hessen).
• The beginnings of capitalism can be seen through textile factories in the early 19th century
England, where (in the 1820s-1830s) regulations were insisted upon for wages and hours,
education, worker age limit in response to child labor (Hessen).
• A capitalistic system encouraged innovation through competition between industries/
companies and desire to cut costs as they compete for sales and profit—this competitiveness
sprung product warranties and methods to foster relationships between customer and
company through advertising, brand names, and consumer protection (Hessen).

5. • Capitalism enabled a wide distribution of amenities; what was once unavailable to the majority
population as everyday goods (being luxuries) such as cotton clothes, fresh meat, and then
sewing machines, bicycles, to telephones, radios, television etc later became purchasable
items (Hessen).
• Criticism against capitalism includes, as Marxist philosopher Herbert Marcuse puts it, it
producing “tools of enslavement” and too materialistic by not providing (stated by British
economist Richard Layard) “families ties, financial security, meaningful work, friendship, and
good health” (Hessen).
• Capitalism leads to globalization, as out-sourcing becomes used (Hessen).This globalization
is another criticism of capitalism, being seen as “union busting, explotative”. “destructive of
foreign cultures…los of domestic jobs and the resulting erosion of local tax
revenues” (Hessen).
• Although the idea of capitalism promotes no government control over economy activity, along
with price controls, it’s inevitable for there to be some government restriction—a pure capitalist
market will be unable to sustain itself without management (Hessen).
Hessen, Robert. "Capitalism." : The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics. Web. 29 Dec. 2015.
Communism
• Formerly synonymous with socialism before the Russian Revolution of 1917, communism
became a separate economic system based on Vladimir Lenin’s influence and teachings
(Caplan).
• Lenin pursued his political ideology believing that revolution must occur, utilizing military and
to respond to resistance through terror tactics like “mass executions, slave labor, and
starvation” (Caplan). He continued with his dictatorship with the Russian Empire, with those
approving of his methods being called communists (who were mainly in China, Eastern
Europe, North Korea, Indo-China, etc) (Caplan).
• Communism works in deeply agricultural societies—Lenin retreated his attempt to get land of
10 million peasants during the Russian Civil War (1918-1920) after 5 million famine deaths,
with Stalin succeeding afterwards, with kulaks (rich farmers) being sent to Siberian slave labor
camps and the rest of the peasants being starved until they submitted (Caplan).
• Industrialization played different roles in the capitalist and communist societies. In capitalist
society, industrialization worked together with agricultural productivity, since fewer farmers
were required to feed the population, former agricultural workers started working in cities in
industrial jobs—naturally, “modernization and rising food production went hand in
hand” (Caplan). Under communism, industrialization did not work together with food
production, but was used as a substitution; low agricultural productivity led to new industry
workers (Caplan).
• WWII was used as an opportunity for expanding communism under Stalin’s rule (Caplan).
• Slave camps became prisons for rebels, consumer good and food production rose more in
importance, but military remained a priority after Stalin’s death (Caplan). Communism ended
in USSR with Mikhail Gorbachev taking over in 1989; Soviet Union soon disintegrated in 1991
(Caplan).
• Mao Zedong, influenced by Lenin, created a dictatorship enforcing policies that resulted in the
Great Leap Forward (1958-1960), where 30 million Chinese died of starvation (Caplan).
Privatized agriculture occurred after Mao’s death in 1976, with more economic freedom, and
economic growth, however China is still a one-party dictatorship (Caplan).

6. Caplan, Bryan. "Communism." : The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics. Web. 29 Dec. 2015.
Militarism
• Government prioritization on military development, with military being the central focus, and
ability of military leaders to act as de facto government advisers, giving input on domestic
policy and military expenditures—militarism also brought upon the arms race “Militarism as a
Cause of World War 1).
• The Arms Race began after 1871 as secret alliances were made between nations, and
swelled between 1900 - 1914. Military began playing more influence on civilian government
after 1907, especially in Russia and Germany, with Germany increasing it’s military
expenditure by 73% between 1910-1914 (“Militarism”).
• Conscription was mandatory in nearly all of Continental Europe since the 1870s except for
Britain, with conscription service years increasing between 1913-1914 (“Militarism”).
• Britain and Germany competed with one another in a naval race, building Dreadnoughts
(battleships)(“Militarism”).
• Militarism helped bolster belief in a country becoming a world power, and helped cooperation
between different nation’s military forces to be prepared for war (“Militarism”).
• Japanese militarism: Pro-war sentiment prevailed in Japan since the Meiji Restoration era in
the 1870s, with former samurai forming “patriotic societies and intelligence-gather
organizations” (ex: Gen’yosha, and Kokuryukai) that were involved in domestic and foreign
politics and cultivated nationalism in Japan ("The Rise of the Militarists”). Japan became
westernized as it caught up to the modern era, with a fuedal system being replaced by an
imperial one with industrialization, colonization, mass education and military conscription
being enforced (“Imperial Japan”). Japan reportedly became xenophobic as Western powers
sought to limit Japanese expansion, as evidenced through the Japanese Exclusion Act, the
1922 Five Power Naval Limitation Agreement, with Japan perching the “ABCD Powers
(American-British-Chinese-Dutch)” as a threat (“Imperial Japan”). The Japanese army
independently proceeded to (after experiencing the economic downfall from the Great
Depression) independently invade Manchuria in 1931, and then erecting the puppet state
Machukuo (“Imperial Japan”). This invasion was looked down upon by the League of Nations,
with Japan later withdrawing membership (“Imperial Japan”). In 1937, Japan continued it’s
imperial goals, claiming Nanking, leading to the horrific massacre called the “Rape of
Nanking” where around 300,000 civilians died (“Imperial Japan”). Japan sought to dominate
the Far East, and eventually engaging in the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941, with the US later
retaliating with the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In Japan, militarism was a way to
accomplish their imperialist goals.
• Militarism then became a way for a country to prove it’s supremacy through military power and
triumph in war.
"Militarism as a Cause of World War I." World War I. 19 June 2012. Web. 29 Dec. 2015.
"The Rise of the Militarists." Rise of Militarism. Web. 29 Dec. 2015.
"Imperial Japan." HISTORY. 23 Mar. 2014. Web. 29 Dec. 2015.
"World War I." - Militarism. Web. 29 Dec. 2015.

7. German Revanchism
• The severe reparations and territorial loss experienced by Germany led to their pursuit of
revanchism, being fueled to gain back territories and emerge as a world-power. The Treaty of
Versailles was used as justification for Germany, led by Hitler, to gain back German-speaking
land, using the concept of “Lebensraum” or gaining colonies by instead increasing the size of
Germany (Rosenberg).
Rosenberg, Jennifer. "Lebensraum." About.com 20th Century History. Web. 29 Dec. 2015.
Events
Nazi dictatorship
• Nazi, an abridged version of “Nationalsozialistiche Deutsche Arbeiterpartel” or “National
Socialist German Workers’ Party”, is a political party led by Adolf Hitler from 1921-1945; the
party had extreme beliefs ranging from Aryan supremacy,anti-semitism, and promoting a
German Fascism (Goss).
• The Treaty of Versailles exasperated political unrest in Germany, which was already divided
between the west and east, with the Weimar Republic being the first German government
after WW1 until 1933 (Goss).
• Anton Drexler (a locksmith) and Karl Harrer (a journalist) along with journalist Dietrich Eckhart
and German economist Gottfried Feder established the German Workers’ Party on January 5,
1919, being heavily nationalistic and anti-Semitic (Goss).
• Adolf Hitler, working as a civilian spy in the Weimar government after serving in the German
Army, ended up attending a German Worker’s Party meeting as a spy (Goss). However, Hitler
caught the attention of Drexler when he defended Feder’s views against capitalism, being
asked to join the organization which he did after his resignation from the Reichswehr (Goss).
• Hitler became Chief of Propaganda in January 1920, and coordinated a rally in Munich where
over 2000 people; this event laid out the platform for having pure Aryan Germans, blaming
immigrants for Germany’s problems (primarily Eastern Europeans and Jews), having
“nationalized, profit-sharing enterprises” rather than capitalism, going against the Treaty of
Versailles, and rebooting the German Military (Goss). At this point, membership increased to
over 2,000 members, with Hilter resigning in 1921 and then returning afterwards to be the
party leader (Goss).
• As German economy declined, Nazi membership rose to over 20,000 people in 1923, with
Hitler focusing on anti-Semitism and German expansionism (Goss).
• Hitler staged a coup in 1923, November 8 by attacking the Bavarian-government meeting but
failed, was arrested with a 5 year sentence ins Landsberg Prison but released after eight
months (his book Mein Kampf was written during this time). Nazi Party became banned in
Germany (Goss).
• When the ban ended in February 27, 1925, Hitler re-founded the Nazi Party in December
1924, creating general membership and Leadership Corps, and a special protection unit
formed called the Schutzstaffel for Hitler and his private circle (Goss).
• The Great Depression was taken advantage of, with Hitler spreading his campaign and anti-
Semitic beliefs, eventually reaching public support through his position as German chancellor
in February 27, 1933, gaining full control as he passed the Enabling Act in March 23, 1933
that allowed him to pass laws without approval from the Reichstag.

8. • President Hindenburg’s death in August 1934 led to Hitler merging president and chancellor
powers into one: the Fuhrer (Goss).
• WWII began when Germany invaded Poland in September 1, 1939, with Hitler later starting
his genocide against the Jews through the Holocaust under the plan “the Final Solution”.
• Allied Powers banned Nazi Party after Germany’s defeat in May 1945, with Nazi officials being
put on trial but many members were not reprimanded (Goss).
Goss, Jennifer L. "How Did the Nazis Come to Power in Germany?" About.com Education. Web.
29 Dec. 2015.
Holocaust
• The Holocaust, derived from the Greek word “holokauston” (“sacrifice by fire”) was the
genocide of Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals. Jehovah’s Witnesses, twins, and the disabled with
those displaying resistance being murdered or sent to forced labor camps; 11 million people
were killed in total, with 6 million being Jews (2/3 of all Jews in Europe), and 1.1 million
children (Rosenberg).
• Jewish-run businesses were boycotted in April 1, 1944, and Nuremberg Laws declared in
September 15, 1935 where German Jews lost their citizenships, marriage and extra-arial sex
between Jews and Germans prohibited (Rosenberg). More laws passed, such as being fired
from government jaws, requirement to register property, forbidding Jewish doctors from caring
of anyone that isn’t Jewish (Rosenberg).
• Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) is issued on November 9-19, 1938 where synagogues
were pillaged and burned, looting occurred, and Jews were attacked, and then 30,000 Jews
were taken to concentration camps (Rosenberg).
• Jews were required to wear the Star of David on clothing to be targeted in 1939, and later
forced to live in ghettos where a Judenrat (Jewish council) had to be established to carry out
Nazi demands, and lives were regulated (Rosenberg). Around 1000 people per day were later
deported from these ghettos to a concentration camp (Rosenberg).
• The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising occurred on April 13, 1943 when Nazis tried to liquidate the
Warsaw Ghetto—the rebels lasted 28 days (Rosenberg).
• Nazi camps included “concentration camps, extermination camps, labor camps, prisoner-of-
war camps, and transit camps”, where living conditions involved forced physical labor, torture,
crowding and even some experiments being conducted on Jews (Rosenberg)
• Chelmno, Belzec, Sobibor, Treblinka, Auschwitz, and Majdanek were extermination camps
built, where prisoners were led into gas chambers to die—Auschwitz is the largest
concentration and extermination camp, killing over 1.1 million people (Rosenberg).
Rosenberg, Jennifer. "33 Facts You Should Know About the Holocaust." About.com Education.
Web. 29 Dec. 2015.
Remilitarization of the Rhineland 1935
• Rhineland was first demilitarized under the Treaty of Versailles, an important act because it
made Rhineland into a barrier for France and Germany (“Remilitarization of the Rhineland”).
However, in 1935 Hitler went completely against the Treaty by canceling the armed forces
conditions, and later reoccupying and militarizing Rhineland in January 1936, denouncing the
Locarno Pact of 1925 (“Remilitarization of the Rhineland”). Due to French internal conflicts,
there was no intervention from France; Britain was mainly ambivalent and didn’t see
remilitarization of Rhineland as a problem (“Remilitarization of the Rhineland”). The

9. remilitarization of Rhineland was the beginning of Germany building up a defense along
French and Belgium Borders (“Remilitarization of the Rhineland”).
"Remilitarization of the Rhineland." TotallyHistory. Web. 29 Dec. 2015.
Italian invasion of Ethiopia 1935-1936
• Also known as the Abyssinia Crisis (1935-1936), fueled by expansionism, the need to receive
outside resources to support Italian industry along with increasing Italy’s status as a world
power, Mussolini invaded Abyssinia (“The Abyssinia Crisis 1935-1936”). (Italy, by then,
already had African territories in Eritrea, and Libya, however after signing the Kellogg pact
was forbidden from engaging in war and being a part of the League of Nations, could not act
aggressively against another member nation) (“The Abyssinia Crisis 1935-1936”).
• in the Wal Wal Incident, Italy started building military presence by first building a fort at Wal
Wal in 1930, with 1000 Ethiopian men later arriving in November 22, 1934 to have the fort
relinquished to them (“The Abyssinia Crisis 1935-1936”). Upon refusal, tensions mounted
resulting in an Anglo-Ethiopian border commission being brought which delayed an conflict
until a skirmish on December 5/6 (“The Abyssinia Crisis 1935-1936”).
• Ethiopian emperor demanded apologies from Italy, appealing to the League of Nations for
assistance (who decided there will be no penalties for either party) to maintain diplomacy
(“The Abyssinia Crisis 1935-1936”). Afterwards, Italy ended up getting authority in Tunisia
and lands in French Somalia by British and French foreign ministers to build good relations
with Italy (“The Abyssinia Crisis 1935-1936”).
• On January 25, 5 Italian soldiers were killed by the Ethiopian army, leading Mussolini to
mobilize but establish a neutral area (yet more forces were sent to this area) after Ethiopia
asked for intervention from the League of Nations in both incidences (“The Abyssinia Crisis
1935-1936”).
• Arms embargo was placed on Italy and Ethiopia; Italy ended up bringing ships to the
Mediterranean when Britain withdrew the Royal Navy (Anthony Eden, Britain’s Secretary of
Foreign Affairs, was sent to negotiate with Mussolini to avoid war)—League of Nations
decided neither side was at fault, reducing the embargo (“The Abyssinia Crisis 1935-1936”).
• In September 1934, United States ambassador Breckinridge Long reported possible Italian
involvement in Ethiopian war, later reporting to the Secretary of State Italian militarization
efforts in February 14, 1935—factories were manufacturing artillery, trucks, and tanks, with
reportedly around 30,000 troops leaving Naples and movement being kept clandestine
through the veneer of “merchant marine” (U.S.).
• In August 18, 1935 President Roosevelt notified Premier Mussolini that negotiations should
be met between Italy and Ethiopia to avoid war and affect other nations in the process (U.S.).
• October 3, 1935 Italian troops invaded Abyssinia through their territory Eritrea and Italian
Somaliland, with Italy declared as the aggressors and being subject to sanctions, however
the British and French foreign ministers failed to sanction oil (prime element in continuing the
war) and sanctions were not strictly carried out (“The Abyssinia Crisis 1935-1936”).
• Hoare-Laval Pact was proposed by the British and French foreign ministers, ending the war,
but having Italy gaining Abyssinia lands—when this pact was made public, dissent was met
and both foreign ministers resigned, and the pact not enforced, with the war in Ethiopia
lasting until May 1936, with Italy winning Abyssinia in its race to increase the Italian Empire
(“The Abyssinia Crisis 1935-1936”).
"The Abyssinia Crisis 1935-1936." GSCE History. Web. 4 Jan. 2016.
U.S., Department of State, Publication 1983, Peace and War: United States Foreign Policy, 1931-1941
(Washington, D.C.: U.S., Government Printing Office, 1943), pp.28-32

10. Spanish Civil War
• Spain (an agricultural state), ravaged by poverty and political unrest, soon had a civil war—at
that time, the Catholic Church was the ruling party (with affluent landowners ranking high)
controlling seconding education and stating education for women needless, declaring universal
literacy as a danger, making divorce illegal, and military as a necessity against civilian dissent
and order to maintain Spanish values (Nelson).
• On February 1936, the Spanish Left rejoiced in the Popular Front government election (who
promised land reform), being meant with opposition by conservative forces, leading to a
military rebellion on July 18 (Nelson). This rebellion had officers taking over the country, and
later, civilians fighting back and taking over Madrid and Barcelona (Nelson). The officers
reached out to fascist nations Italy (Benito Mussolini), Germany (Adolf Hitler) and Portugal
(Antonio Salazar), for support, eventually receiving soldiers and supplies and becoming
symbolic of the war of democracy against fascism (Nelson). The Popular Front’s win was
important to the common Spanish population, it signaled the possibility of a change in
economic systems that can alleviate poverty during the Great Depression period (Nelson).
• Bombing of Guernica (April 26, 1937) fought by Hitler’s Condor Legion and Italian Aviation
Legionaria against the town of Guernica, with Oberstleutnant Wolfram Fresher von
Richthofen (commander of the Condor Legion) leading the raid Operation Rugen on April 26,
1937 dropping thirty-six 50 kg bombs, with other bombings later continuing until the town
was up in flames (Hickman). Three-quarters of Guernica was destroyed, with around
300-1,654 people killed (Hickman).
• Support for the new Spanish, progressive government was given by France through
providing planes from France, however, France (already with a weakened government) and
Britain ended up drawing a Non-Intervention Committee, in which nations agreed to not
provide aid to avoid escalating the civil war (Nelson).
• Although Italy and Germany were a part of the Non-Intervention Committee, the non-
intervention policy was broken by them as they provided aid to the Spanish nationalists
• At this point, Republicans were at war with the Nationalists in this civil war, with Germany and
Italy supporting the Nationalists to stop the spread of communism yet increase the influence
of fascism; in the mean time, Spanish republicans were receiving some support from the
Soviet Union (who sent weapons and supplies) (“The Spanish Civil War”). The Spanish
republicans were not alone however; they had European and American “idealists, socialists,
and communists” intent on fighting fascism participating in the war, with around 15,000
people being in these so called International Brigades (“The Spanish Civil War”).
• Spanish Nationalists emerged victorious after the capture of Madrid in March 1939, with
Hilter gaining an ally in new right-wing dictator General Franco (“The Spanish Civil War”).
• Rome-Berlin Axis formed between Germany and Italy after their participation and
cooperation in the Spanish Civil War leading them to create an alliance between one another
(“The Spanish Civil War”).
•
Hickman, Kennedy. "Spanish Civil War: Bombing of Guernica." About.com Education. Web. 4
Jan. 2016.
Nelson, Cary. "The Spanish Civil War: An Overview--by Cary Nelson." Department of English,
University of Illinois. Web. 4 Jan. 2016.
"The Spanish Civil War." BBC News. BBC. Web. 4 Jan. 2016.

11. Second Sino-Japanese War
•The Great Depression influenced certain nations into fascism and militarism, such as Japan,
in order to aggrandize their standing as a world power, and to gain resource-rich territories,
with Japan warring with China for these very reasons.
•Japan, already getting Manchuria from China, on 1931 attempted and failed to get Shanghai
on 1932, with assassination of Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi soon following by radicals of
the Imperial Japanese Navy retaliating against the former Prime Minister supporting the
London Naval Treaty (which reduced Japan military’s power) (Hickman). Admiral Saito
Makoto controlled the government (Hickman)
•Anti-Comintern Pact was formed between Nazy Germany, Fascist Italy, and Japan to fight
communism on November 25, 1936 (Hickman).
• The Marco Polo Bridge Incident precipitated the start of the second Sino-Japanese War.
Occurring on July 7, 1937 Japanese soldiers were doing military training exercises near the
Marco Polo Bridge (important for being the only road/rail link connecting Beijing and the
Chinese government Kuomintang’s stronghold in Nanjing) when they became under fire by
Chinese garrisons that thought they were getting attacked; the Japanese returned fire
(Szczepanski). The Japanese then demanded to search for a missing Japanese private,
was refused by the Chinese, with the Chinese later opening fire on the Japanese to push
them out of pushing their way into the town (Szczepanski). This conflict ended up
escalating conflict between the two, with a battle occurring near the Bridge with an accord
later being signed between Chinese and Japanese representatives on July 11—this accord
had the Chinese civilian Peace Preservation Corps replacing the Chinese troops, with
communist elements being handed by the Chinese Nationalist government, and Japan
withdrawing from Wanping and the bridge (Szczepanski). However, this accord was later
violated when Japan began mobilizing, and China in sending additional troops in retaliation;
Japan shelled Wanping on July 20, and had its Imperial Army surrounding Tainjin and
Bejing (Szczepanski).
• However, it was the assassination of a Japanese naval officer on August 9, 1937 in Shanghai
that caused all-out fighting to happen (Szczepanski).
• Towards the end of 1937, Japan occupied Shanghai, Nanking, and southern Shanxi province,
with the “Rape of Nanking” later occurring between 1937-1938.
Hickman, Kennedy. "What Were the Main Causes of World War II in the Pacific?” About.com
Education. Web. 4 Jan. 2016.
Szczepanski, Kallie. "What Was the Marco Polo Bridge Incident?" About.com Education. Web.
4 Jan. 2016.
Rape of Nanking 1937-1938
• Occurring between Dec 1937 - January 1938, the Imperial Japanese army infiltrated the
Chinese capital city Nanking through Manchuria, systematically murdering all occupants and
raping Chinese women (including children and infants) (Szczepanski). The massacre is an
enormous influence on Sino-Japanese relations, with the Japanese not taking full
responsibility or acknowledgement of their involvement as shown by how little it is mentioned
in Japanese history textbooks (Szczepanski).
• The Nanking massacre reached it’s magnitude due to the sheer lack of defense in Nanking—
when the Japanese took Bejing,the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang/KMT) left to
Nanking (mouthing southward) with only KMT general Tang Shengzhi defending Nanking with
an “untrained force of 1000,000 poorly-armed fighters”—a decision made by KMT later Chian
Kai-shek who thought it would be a waste of his soldiers to defend Nanking from the
incoming Japanese force (Szczepanski).

12. • At that time Prince Yasuhiko Asaka (a “right-wing militarist”) was temporarily commanding
the army (due to the General Iawne Matsui being ill), ordering the Japanese to kill everyone
despite the Chinese wanting to negotiate a surrender (Szczepanski).
• The Chinese soldiers that fled from the Japanese troops were slaughtered, with international
POW laws not being applied to the Chinese (as declared by the Japanese government)
(Szczepanski). These captured soldiers, with hands tied behind them, were made to march
into the Yangtze River and later shot (Szczepanski).
• According to Szczepanski, an estimated 20,000 women were raped (with many, egregious
perverse acts forced upon civilians) and around 200,000-300,000 civilians and prisoners of
war killed.
• When General Iwane Matsui regained his health, he ordered (between December 20, 1937 -
February 1938) for his solders to “behave properly”, however he lost control of his soldiers,
and later retired in 1938, believing that the massacre irreparably destroyed the Imperial
Army’s reputation (Szczepanski). Prince Asaka stayed in the Emperor’s War Council
(Szczepanski).
• In 1948 General Matsui was hanged at age 70, being convicted guilty of war crimes by the
Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, with Prince Asaka being unscathed due to American autarkies
exempting imperial family members; former Japanese Foreign Minister Koki Hirota and six
officers were also hanged, and eighteen more convicted but not hanged (Szczepanski).
Szczepanski, Kallie. "Japan Carries Out the Rape of Nanking, 1937." About.com Education.
Web. 8 Jan. 2016.
Anschluss 1938
•Anschluss is the union between Austria and Germany, after German troops effectively helped
incorporated Austria into Germany on March 12, 1938, with Austrian head of government (Kurt
von Schuschnigg) resigning when faced with Nazi demands and withdrawing his attempt to
establish independence for Austria (“Anschluss”).
• The union between Austria and Germany was publicly supported, with Germany having
already unleashed it’s propaganda in Austria, possibly being able to influence Austrians due
to Austria being in a weakened position after the first world war (“Anschluss”).
• After the Anschluss, antisemitism and political violence promulgated, with those opposing
Nazi leadership facing either arrest, torture, or death, and Austria’s politicians were also
imprisoned (“Anschluss”).
• Jewish businesses were seized, and property taken (with Jewish property-holders being
arrested if they resisted or refused), and legislation against Jews were put into effect,
“expelling them from the country’s economic, social and cultural life” (“Anschluss”).
"Anschluss." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial
Council. Web. 8 Jan. 2016.
Munich Agreement 1938
• Hitler, continuing his plan to gain German-speaking territories, fixated on German
Sudetenland (a Czechoslovakian region) that was rich in natural resources and
Czechoslovakian industry and banks in 1938 (Hickman).
• During 1931, Konrad Henlein led the Sudenten German Party—unrecognized by the
Czechoslovakian government—working towards the goal of getting Sudetenland under
German control; Henlein was ordered by HItler in 1938 to start unrest in the region so

13. German Army can enter the area (Hickman). Czechoslovakian government responded by
declaring martial law, with Hitler then demanding Sudentland (Hickman).
• British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain telegram Hitler to resolve the issue, and on
September 15, Hitler demanded to have Sudetenland with Britain later asking Hitler to stop
military action—Hitler continued engaging in his military, resulting in Polish and Hungarian
governments getting parts of Czechoslovakia in return for Germans getting Sudetenland
(Hickman).
• Supported by France, Chamberlain later conceded Sudetenland (which had a 50% German
population) to Germany, on September 19, however Hitler had more demands (Hickman).
• Hitler wanted military occupation of all Sudetenland, the expulsion of non-Germans, and
territorial concession given to Poland and Hungary—Hitler threatened military action if these
demands were not met (this later led to British and French mobilization) (Hickman).
• German public criticism against war had Hitler mitigating his military aspirations, sending a
letter to Chamberlain guaranteeing Czechoslovakian safety if Sudetenland was ceded to
Germany—Chamberlain ended up conducting a Munich conference (Hickman).
•A Munich Conference was established, with Mussolini proposing the summit being between
Germany, Britain, France and Italy to discuss the territorial disputes between Germany and
Czechoslovakia, with Mussolini proposing Sudetenland being given to Germany provided that
German expansionism will now end (this proposal was actually drafted by the German
government) (Hickman).
• Chamberlain (representing Britain) and Dallier (representing France) agreed to this proposal,
henceforth referred to as the Munich Agreement, on September 30 (Hickman). German forces
moved into the territory on October 1, with other Czechs leaving, and Hitler ended up getting
the rest of Czechoslovakia on March 1939 without much resistance from Britain and France,
with Britain and France promising Polish independence and an Anglo-Polish alliance being
drawn on August 25—soon after Germany invaded Poland on September 1, beginning WWII
(Hickman).
Hickman, Kennedy. "The Munich Agreement: How Appeasement Failed to Stop Adolf Hitler."
About.com Education. Web. 8 Jan. 2016.
Italian invasion of Albania 1939
•Italy issued an ultimatum to Albania, demanding the control of strategic points, Italian
settlement and citizenship rights in Albania by Italian farmers on March 28, 1939 ("The Italian
Invasion of Albania (1939)”).
• A counterproposal was given on April 5 by Albania, but was rejected, with Italy moving forces
on April 7, with the entire country almost being taken over by April 10 ("The Italian Invasion of
Albania (1939)”).
• Albanian government was soon established under Shefqey bey Verlaci and Francesco
Jacomoni (who was the the Italian Ambassador to Albania and now lieutenant to King
Emmanuel III, the new king of Albania), leading to the suppression of Albanian military, loss of
diplomatic relations between Albania and the rest of the world, and consequently the union of
Albania and Italy ("The Italian Invasion of Albania (1939)”). Albania later served as an Italian
base for Italians forces to invade Greece ("The Italian Invasion of Albania (1939)”).
• Italy occupied Albania from April 7, 1939 to September 8, 1943; Yugoslavia territories
containing Albanians were given to the Albanian states, with Albania benefitting from their
Italian union through gaining Kosovo, and receiving aid and construction (ex. roads) ("The
Italian Invasion of Albania (1939)”). However, Albanians did not like the union, with strikers,
demonstrations, and partisan resistance happening during Italian occupation ("The Italian
Invasion of Albania (1939)”).

14. • After Italy lost, occupation stopped with many Italians remaining in Albania with some being
take by Germany (officers were mainly shot) or escaping ("The Italian Invasion of Albania
(1939)”).
"The Italian Invasion of Albania (1939)." The Frosina Information Network. Web. 8 Jan. 2016.
Soviet-Japanese Border War 1939
•Japanese army occupied parts of Siberia and far-east Russian provinces in 1918 after the
crumbling of the Tsarist empire, withdrawing in 1922 when the communist regime began
consolidating (Cordier).
• Japan continued it’s path of expansionism in 1931 as it claimed Manchuria, got Shanghai
and Naking in 1937; tension built in the border between Manchukuo (where Japanese set up
a puppet government in Manchuria) and the Soviet Union (Cordier) beginning in 1932. Due to
the Soviet Union alliance with China, military aid was given to the Chinese with 450 Soviet
pilots and technicians and 225 warplanes being sent (Cordier). In 1938 a clash happened at
Lake Khasan, Soviet territory near Manchukuoan, Korean and Soviet borders (Cordier).
• Soviets established a Mongolian People’s Republic (treaty signed between Soviet Union and
MPR in 1936) in Outer Mongolia to protect the Trans-Siberian Railroad, which linked
European Russia to the Far East (Cordier).
• The “Strike North” faction of the Japanese command, which included officers from the
Kwantung Army in Manchukuo, strategized to cut off the Trans-Siberian lifeline to sever
Chinese resistance, engaging in provocation through border disputes saying that Halha Riber
is the wester border of Manchukuo, with the Soviets saying the frontier was 15 miles east of
Halha (Cordier)
• In May 1939 the Kwantung Army started doing skirmishes between Mongolian and
Manchukuoans (referred to as Khalkhin gol by Soviets, and the Nomohan Incident by the
Japanese) (Cordier).
• Lt. Gen. Michitaro Komatsubara commanded an army of 20,000 men and 112 field artillery
pieces, with Stalin warning that any attack on MPR will lead to Soviet aid, having General
Georgi Zhukov commanding the Soviet and Mongolian troops at Khalkhin Gol (Cordier).
• However, the was a division within the Japanese military, as the Kauntung Army initiated
bombing raids against Tamsag and Bain Tumen air bases without informing the army general
staff in Tokyo—Tokyo responded by forbidding attacks in Soviet rear areas (Cordier).
• General Grigori M Shtern assisted in building a defense for the Soviet Union, with Russian
truck convoys driving for 868 miles to transport 18,000 tons of artillery shells, 6,500 tons of
bombs and 15,000 tons of liquid fuel, troops and weapons (Cordier).
• Russian artillery and defense overcame any Japanese attacks, with the Japanese then going
into defense by the end of July, with a Sixth Army being organized on August 10 that
consisted of 38, 000 soldiers, 318 guns, 130 tanks, and 225 warplanes, with General Zhukov
preparing to launch an offensive noticing how the Japanese were “vulnerable to
encirclement” and had no “tactical mobile reserve” (Cordier).
• Japanese later discovered that Germany (whom they signed an Anti-Comintern Pact) entered
a nonaggression pact with the Soviet Union in August 23 (Cordier).
• Cease-fire agreement signed on September 16, with 8,717 soldiers with killed or missing,
10,997 wounded and Ill; Soviet had 8,931 killed and missing, 15, 952 wounded and sick
(Cordier).
• Zhukov gained massive popularity, with his tactics being representative of Russian war-play
such as “massive firepower, tight integration of infantry, artillery, tanks and warplanes,
elaborate deception measures, and ruthless sacrifice of lives”, however Stalin was resistant
in promoting him and having Zhukov be painted as a hero especially after the Great Purge
(Cordier).

15. Cordier, Sherwood S. "World War II: Soviet and Japanese Forces Battle at Khalkhin Gol."
History Net Where History Comes Alive World US History Online. 1 July 2013. Web. 8 Jan.
2016.
The Great Purge (1930s)
• During the 1930’s Stalin conducted his“Great Purge” (or “Great Terror”); largely instigated by
a paranoia against disloyalty, he effectively established a totalitarian dictatorship due to his
brutal tactics—many were either killed, sent to prison camps, or coerced into making false
confessions in public show trials ("Stalin - Purges and Praises”).
• Though out this time period, 93/139 Central Committee members were killed in the
Communist Leadership, with 81/103 armed forces members executed (generals and
admirals), and a third of 3 million Communist Party members were killed—the purge went as
far to also alter history books and photographs to get rid of even the memory of the purged
(“Stalin - Purges and Praises”).
• Towards the late 1930’s, civilians were also executed or persecuted, with anyone having a
“will of their own” being sent to a gulag (labour camps mainly located in Siberia), with half of
them later dying (“Stalin - Purges and Praises”). Russification, or the Russian language and
customs being accepted, was enforced in the Soviet Union with the Christian Church and
Muslim religion forbidden, and the NKVD (secret police) would arrest those reported by their
neighbors (“Stalin - Purges and Praises”).
• Stalin was also almost deified—media and the Soviet Union population was made to praise
him, clapping their hands and standing up whenever his name was mentioned, and have his
picture posted in family units to have children love him more than they love their parents
(“Stalin - Purges and Praises”).
"Stalin - Purges and Praises." BBC News. BBC. Web. 8 Jan. 2016.
Invasion of Poland 1939
•After Hitler received Sudetenland, he continued with his ambitions on German expansionism
despite promising otherwise during the Munich Conference; Hitler, after signing a non-
aggression pact with Russia in August 23, 1939 (a surprise to the Allies who expected Russia
to keep Germany in check, however Stalin became agitated after Germany’s claim on
Sudentenland, believing Hitler will later claim Russian territories and so signed a non-
aggression pact that also secretly included how to split Poland territory) (Lee).
• Although Poland had 1.3 million troops, and Germany had 1.5 million, Poland was ultimately
defeated, with Germany having much better military supplies and equipment, with twice as
many planes than Poland and 3600 armored vehicles when Poland had 750 (Lee).
• On September 3, France and Britain declared war on Germany, with France launching full-
scale war eight months later, although the western front already started experiencing battle
within the first six weeks when German troops attempted to reach Paris but was pushed
back into trench warfare (Lee). When German tanks arrived in France on May 10, 1940 Britain

16. and France accepted that Hitler wanted war, dropping all hopes that another war can be
prevented (Lee).
Lee, Timothy B. "75 Years Ago, Hitler Invaded Poland. Here's How It Happened." Vox. 1 Sept.
2014. Web. 10 Jan. 2016.
The Manhattan Project 1939
• Scientists sent an Einstein-Szilard Letter to President Franklin Roosevelt on August 2, 1939,
which suggested to the US to start creating nuclear weapons before Nazi Germany does
(Rosenberg).
• Roosevelt then gave authorization to the National Defense Research Committee to conduct
research starting June 28, 1941, with the Office of Scientific Research and Development
being created under the Executive Order 8807, with Vannevar Bush serving as the director
(Rosenberg).
• Lyman Briggs advised the S-1 Uranium Committee, created by the NDRC to focus on
nuclear research, with Australian physicst Marcus Elephant (who was working on the British
version of S-1) ended up working with US to make an atomic bomb—Roosevelt then formed
the Top Policy Group (Roosevelt, Vice President Henry Wallace, James Conant, Secretary of
War Henry Stimson, and General George C. Marshall) (Rosenberg).
• S-1 Committee first met on December 18, 1941 after the Pearl Harbor attack to discuss
extracting uranium-235, working in Columbia University to University of California Berkeley
facilities, with new facilities being built under cooperation with the US Army Corps of
Engineers later called the “Manhattan District” on August 13, being led by Colonel James
Marshall (Rosenberg). Marshall was later replaced Brigadier General Leslie Groves due to not
showing any progress (Rosenberg).
• Groves took sites at Oak Ridge, TN, Argonne, IL, Hanford, WA, and Los Alamos, NM with the
first nuclear reactor being build by Enrico Fermi at the University of Chicago’s Stagg Field, and
the first sustained artificial nuclear chain reaction created by Fermi on December 2, 1942
(Rosenberg).
• Quebec Agreement was signed on August 1943 between Britain and US to work together in
Atomic projects (Rosenberg).
• Oppenheimer and his team worked at Los Alamos on the design of the atomic bomb,
eventually conducting the Trinity Test on May 7, 1945 resulting in a successful detonation
(Rosenberg).
• The Manhattan Project costed $2 billion, had 130,000 people employed, with the Soviets later
taking knowledge from the US through Soviet Spies, detonating their first bomb in 1949
(Rosenberg).
Rosenberg, Jennifer. "World War II: The Manhattan Project." About.com Education. Web. 14
Jan. 2016.
“Phoney War” and the Dunkirk Evacuation 1940
• Phoney War referred to the eight months of nearly no fighting during World War II amongst the
British, French and Belgian troops (Rosenberg).
• Dunkirk Evacuation, or Operation Dynamo, was when the quarter million troops from Dunkirk
were attempted to be evacuated, with ultimately 198,000 British and 140,000 French and
Belgian troops rescued (Rosenberg)

17. Rosenberg, Jennifer. "How the British Army Was Saved at Dunkirk." About.com Education. Web.
10 Jan. 2016.
Invasion of Soviet Union 1941
• On June 22, 1941 Nazi Germany began Operation “Barbarossa”, or the invasion of the
Soviet Union (turning it into the largest Germany military operation of WWII) (“Invasion of the
Soviet Union, June 1941”).
• Although Germany and the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact in 1939, the Nazi
goals of eliminating communism and gaining territory for Germany settlement has been an
ever-present goal (“Invasion of the Soviet Union, June 1941”).
• In 1941 (during the winter and spring months) the Army High Command and Riech Security
Main Office officials arranged to have special units (Einsatzgruppen) belonging to the Security
Police and Security Service to Soviet Union to eliminate Jews, Communists and anyone
threatening German rule (“Invasion of the Soviet Union, June 1941”).
• 134 Divisions, with an additional 73 divisions, invaded Soviet Union on June 22, 1941 and
included German allies from Finland and Romania, and later on Italy. Croatia Slovakia, and
Hungary—although Stalin was warned, he refused to prepare for a German
invasion(“Invasion of the Soviet Union, June 1941”)
• The Einsatzgruppen conducted mass-murder operations, forming ghettos and other similar
camps to hold Soviet Jews, later killing them and launching the Final Solution in October 15,
1941 (“Invasion of the Soviet Union, June 1941”).
• Russian winter ended up forestalling military effort from Germany, with the Red Army
defeating German threat towards the end of December—the invasion failed (Ueberschär).
918, 000 men were either wounded, captured, dead, or missing on the German side (28.7%
of 3.2 million soldiers), with the Red Army losing 3.3 million soldiers as prisoners
(Ueberschär).
• During this time period, Japan started it’s Pearl Harbor attack, with Germany now fighting
with United States, Russia, and the UK (Ueberschär)
"Invasion of the Soviet Union, June 1941." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United
States Holocaust Memorial Council, 18 Aug. 2015. Web. 10 Jan. 2016.
Ueberschär, Gerd R. "About the German Invasion of the Soviet Union." About the German
Invasion of the Soviet Union. Web. 10 Jan. 2016.
Attack on Pearl Harbor 1941
•Japanese launched air attacks on U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December
7, 1941, killing 2,400 Americans, sinking or damaging 21 ships, and destroying 188 U.S.
aircraft (Rosenberg).
• At this point, America was not fully participating in the war, engaging in isolationism
(Rosenberg).
• Japan initiated the attack to destroy US naval power, aggravated by wanting to continue
Japanese expansionism in Asia, but being unable to with US enacting an embargo on Japan,
with negotiations between Japan and US not resolving growing conflict (Rosenberg).
• Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo, leading Japan on November 26, 1941 journeyed across the
Pacific Ocean sneaking “six aircraft carriers, nine destroyers, two battleships, two heavy
cruisers, one light cruiser, and three submarines”, zigzagging and avoiding major shipping
lines for a week and half to avoid suspicion (Rosenberg).
• Commander Mitsuo Fuchida, leading the air attacks, would yell out “Tora! Tora! Tora!” which
was a code delivering the message of catching America by surprise.
• Japanese later targeted the airfields, destroying most of US aircraft (Rosenberg).

18. • The attack lasted two hours, ending by 9:45 am (Rosenberg).
• The aftermath of the attack included four sunk US battleships (Arizona, California, Oklahoma,
and West Virginia), damaging four other battleships, three light cruisers, four destroyers, one
minelayer, one target ships, four auxiliaries, 188 (159 damaged) aircraft, killing 2,335
servicemen (half were on Arizona), wounding 1,143, sixty-eight civilians killed and 35
wounded—the Japanese lost 29 aircraft and 5 midget subs (Rosenberg)
• The day after President Franklin Roosevelt had congress declare war on Japan.
Rosenberg, Jennifer. "The Attack on Pearl Harbor." About.com Education. Web. 10 Jan. 2016.
Chinese Exclusion Act Repealed 1943
• A quota of 105 visas were given per year for Chinese immigrants, along with the
discriminatory exclusion laws were repealed, in 1943 by Congress—they were the first
immigrants to be excluded and first to gain entry through “the era of liberalization” (“Repeal of
the Chinese Exclusion Act”).
• This was influenced by Japanese propaganda highlighting Chinese exclusion to weaken the
alliance between US and Republic of China (“Repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act”).
• However, there were still restrictions to the the xenophobia experienced in America, with the
Chinese quota including Chinese anywhere (even if they didn’t have Chinese nationality), yet
these quota eventually allowed Filipino and Asian-Indian immigrants to enter US (these
exclusions weaken relationships with US between India and Philippines) (“Repeal of the
Chinese Exclusion Act”).
"Repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act, 1943 - 1937–1945 - Milestones - Office of the Historian."
Repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act, 1943 - 1937–1945 - Milestones - Office of the Historian.
Web. 13 Jan. 2016.
D-Day 1944
•Normandy (which was occupied by Nazi-Germany) was invaded on June 6, 1944 by the Allies,
was when the Battle of Normandy or Operation Overlord took place, with the Allies finally being
able to create a second front (Rosenberg).
Rosenberg, Jennifer. "What Was D-Day?" About.com Education. Web. 14 Jan. 2016.
Bombing of Japan 1945
• On August 6, 1945 the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima; three days later, another
bomb was dropped on Nagasaki (Rosenberg).
• The Penola Gay (a B-29 bomber) along with a twelve-man crew with pilot Colonel Paul
Tibbets flew to Japan from Tinian (Rosenberg). Other passengers included Captain William S
Parson, who is the weapons for the Enola Gay and chief of the Ordinance Division in the
Manhattan Project and helped make the bomb (called “Little Boy”) (Rosenberg).
• Four cities were considered: Hiroshima, Kokura, Nagasaki, and Niigata, selected due to how
these areas were unaffected by war (Rosenberg).
• 70,000 civilians died, with another 70,000 dying within five years due to radiation in a
population of 350,000(Rosenberg).

19. • Second bomb named “Fat Man” was dropped three days later, however did not do as much
damage (due to Nagasaki’s terrain) yet still killed 70, 000 people in a population of 270,000
(Rosenberg).
Rosenberg, Jennifer. "Why Did the United States Bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki?" About.com
Education. Web. 14 Jan. 2016.
Alliances, Conferences, and Treaties
• African Troops
• African troops also aided the Allies during WWII:
• Britain had South African soldiers (334,000), 289, 530 from King’s Africa Rifles (Kenya,
Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi), 243,550 from Royal West Africa Frontier Force (Nigeria,
Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia), 100,00 from Egypt, 77,767 from Southern Africa (Lesotho,
Botswana, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe), 6,500 from Mauritius and Seychelles
(Plaut).
• France had 190,000 colonial troops from Algeria, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin,
Chad, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Niger, and Republic of Congo (Plaut).
• Italy had 60,000 Eritrean colonial troops (Plaut).
• Ethiopia had 30,000 patriots (Plaut).
• Belgium had 24,000 troops from Congo (who, using their mines, produced enough
uranium to make the atomic bomb) (Plaut).
• Total of 1,355,347 African soldiers served (Plaut).
• These troops were often mistreated (Plaut).
• British India
• Battle of Imphal and Kohima, seen as Japan’s greatest defeat in the WWII battles, was
largely fought by Indian troops, with 16,500 British troops killed, and 53k of 85k members of
the Japanese 15th Army dead or missing—the war is controversial in India, with no
commemorations due to India having to serve a colonial power, and is not often talked about
in public (Harris).
• Cyprus Regiment
• Part of the Birtish Army, Greek and Turkish Cypriots (inhabitants from British colony Cyprus)
served in the Cyrus Regiment during WWII (Kazamias).
• Axis Powers
• Main countries involved Germany, Italy, and Japan ("Axis Alliance in World War II”)
• Domination from each country seen with Italy dominating the Mediterranean Sea, Japan
dominating East Asian and the Pacific, and German dominating continental Europe ("Axis
Alliance in World War II”)
• Axis powers sought to expand and restructure international order, and destroy/neutralize
Soviet communism("Axis Alliance in World War II”).
• Hungary joined axis on November 20, 1940 hoping to get territory in Translyvannia; later
joined Soviet Union on August 23, 1944 fighting with Soviet Union.
• Romania joined on November 23, 1940 hoping to regain territory that was annexed by
Soviet Union, and get northern Translyvania.

20. • Slovakia joined on November 24, 1940 (being politically and economically dependent on
Germany)
• Bulgaria joined on March 1, 1941 after being offered Greek terry in Thrace and not needing
to help invade Soviet Union—surrendered on September 8, 1944
• Yugoslavia joined on March 25, 1941…later being taken over by Germany, Italy, and
Hungary and Bulgaria in an invasion to establish the state of Croatia (joining Axis on June
15, 1941).
• Finland also joined, but only as a “co-belligerent”, hoping to regain territory from Soviet
Union that was lost during the Winter War of 1939-1940—later signed an armistice with SU.
• Anglo-German Naval Agreements 1935
• Naval agreement between Britain and Germany registered in the League of Nations Treaty
Series on July 12, 1935 wherein the Kriegsmarine must be fixed at 35% of the tonnage of
the Royal Navy permanently—this was later renounced by Hitler on April 28, 1939 (“Anglo-
German Naval Agreement”). This agreement was made without Britain consulting Italy or
France, and through this agreement, Germany was able to increase its army to a much
greater size as put in the 1919 Treaty of Versailles (“Anglo-German Naval Agreement”).
• Rome-Berlin Axis 1936
• Signed on November 1, 1936 between Germany and Italy to destabilize European order.
• Anti-Comintern Pact 1936
• Signed between Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan to ally against the Soviet Union on
November 25, 1936, joined later by Italy on November 6, 1937.
• Allies (United Nations, or “Big Four” or “Four Policemen”)
• Included Great Britain, United States, Soviet Union, and France
• Pact of Steal 1939
• Signed by Germany and Italy on May 22, 1939 to form an axis alliance regarding military
provisions.
• Anglo-Polish military alliance 1939
• Signed between the United Kingdom and Poland in 1939, entailed that there will be mutual
military assistance between the two nations if either were attacked by a European country
(“Anglo-Polish Alliance”).
• Non-aggression pact, or Nazi-Soviet Pact (also called Molotov-Ribbentrop Treaty) 1939
• Signed between Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov and Nazi German Foreign
minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, a non-aggression pact was decided upon on August 23,
1939 having Germany and Japan also not being able to aid one another (so Soviet Union can
focus on battling Japan in Khalkhin Gol) and also contained secret policies to split Romania,
Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland (“Nazi-Soviet Pact”).
• Tripartite Pact 1940
• Signed on September 27, 1940 between Germany, Italy and Japan, effectively forming the
Axis alliance.
• Before this alliance formed, Japan and Germany already engaged in their own battlefronts,
with Japan invading China and then starting war in the Pacific, and Germany invading

21. Poland and starting a European war (Italy engaged in WWII when France’s defeat became
inevitable).
• Non-Aggression Pact Soviet Union and Japan 1941
• Two years after Soviet-Union signed a non-aggression pact with Germany, they signed on with
Japan on April 13 1941, to last for 5 years, resulting in them being able to relocate their troops
that were in Manchuria and Outer Mongolia for use in other areas ("Japan and USSR Sign
Nonaggression Pact”).
• Two months after this pact, Hitler unleashed Operation Barbarossa and invaded the USSR
(Japan was unable to send troops, due to focusing on the war in the Pacific) with the Stalin
later declaring war during the 1945 Yalta conference against Japan after Germany’s defeat—
the Red Army invaded Manchuria, the second atomic bomb was dropped, and Japan later
surrendered ("Japan and USSR Sign Nonaggression Pact”).
• Atlantic Charter 1941
• An agreement was drawn between the US and Great Britain in August 14, 1941 (when US
wasn’t yet participating), establishing the beginnings of an alliance between Britain and the
US, and the United Nations, with FDR and Churchill to discuss the aftermath of the war
which included these eight points:
• “The United States And Great Britain agreed to seek no territorial gains as a result of the
outcome of World War II.
• Any territorial adjustments would be made with the wishes of the affected people taken into
consideration.
• Self-determination was a right of all people.
• A concerted effort would be made to lower trade barriers.
• The importance of the advancement of social welfare and global economic cooperation were
recognized as important.
• They would work to establish freedom from fear and want.
• The importance of freedom of the seas was stated.
• They would work towards postwar disarmament and the mutual disarmament of aggressor
nations” (Kelly)
• Focused on disarmament, collective security, and ending wars of aggression (“The
Casablanca Conference”).
• Casablanca Conference 1943
• US and Great Britain (with Soviet Union unable to attend due to Stalin leading the Red
Army’s offensive against Germany) met in Casablanca, Morocco from January 14-24, 1943,
discussing strategies against Axis powers, and creating the policy of “unconditional
surrender” (“The Casablanca Conference”).
• This meeting revolved around moving German forced from the Eastern front, and giving
supplies to the Soviet Union, taking out Italy (by invading Siciliy and mainland Italy),
bombing campaigns against Germany, and to take Japan out of Papua New Guinea to form
supply lines to China through Burma (“The Casablanca Conference”).
• The policy of unconditional surrender was crafted on the last day of the conference, with
FDR emphasizing that unconditional surrender did not mean destroying populations but
destroying the philosophies/ideologies of the countries that subjugated others, and involved
conquest (“The Casablanca Conference”).

22. • The Tehran Conference 1943
• US, Great Britain and Soviet Union met in Tehran, Iran between November 28 - December 1,
1943 (“The Tehran Conference”).
• Terms were discussed between Operation Overlord (Northern France invasion), with Stalin
agreeing to start an offensive on the Easter Front (in order for Operation Overlord to run with
less Axis military forces) and to also declare war on Japan when the Allies defeat Germany—
in doing so, Soviet Union will get the Kurile Islands and southern half of Sakhalin, access to
ports of Diaren and Port Arthur which is on the Liaodong Peninsula in northern China (these
deals will be finalized in the Yalta Conference) (“The Tehran Conference”).
• Poland will have a new German-Polish border: the Oder and Neisse rivers, a plan that will be
ratified during the Potsdam Conference (“The Tehran Conference”).
• FDR had STalin agree that Republics of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia will be part of the
Soviet Union after citizens vote for a referendum, and all three discussed the possibility of
having Germany being split into zones (“The Tehran Conference”)
• Roosevelt and Stalin discussed the concept being United Nations, later created in the
Moscow Conference of 1943, which is created to maintain international peace and security
(“The Tehran Conference”).
• There was also discussion about Iran, with the three powers seeking to maintain
“independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Iran”, lending money to Iranian
government during and after the war (“The Tehran Conference”).
• Bretton Woods Conference 1941-1947
• US, UK, and other allied nations negotiated the planning behind a postwar international
economy, ultimately creating the International Monetary Fund and World Bank on July 1944—
soon after, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in Geneva was signed on October
1947 (“Bretton Woods-GATT”).
• Beliefs in free trade were further instilled due to the policies enacted during the Great
Depression such as “high tariffs, competitive currency devaluations, discriminatory trading
blocs” failing the respective government’s economy (“Bretton Woods-GATT”).
• Peace was believed to come from free trade, or “economic prosperity”, being a significant
point explored in the Atlantic Charters, and in the Lend-Lease Program
• On July 1944, United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference had 44 nation delegates
meeting in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire to create the World Bank and IMF—the IMF will
oversee the fixed exchange rates on the US dollar and gold, and be a “forum of consultation
and cooperation and a provider of short-term financial assistance”; the World Bank will provide
financial assistance to reconstruct nations affected by war, and economic development to
undeveloped countries (“Bretton Woods-GATT”).
• Bretton Woods Agreement Act was passed by congress on July 1945, with the exchange
rate system lasting for three decades until the exchange crisis of August 1971 when the
dollar’s convertibility to gold became suspended by President Nixon, and floating exchange
rates became common in industrialized democracy beginning Feb-March 1973 (“Bretton
Woods-GATT”).
• Tariffs became reduced along with imperial presences, along with the creation of the
International Trade Organization with the twenty-three nations meeting in Geneva from April
- October 1947 to finalize these plans, along with signing the General Agreement on Tariffs
and Trade (“Bretton Woods-GATT”).
• GATT ended up ruling the postwar international trade relations for nearly 50 years, with tariff
reductions being placed through eight trade negotations until the World Trade Organization in
1995 took over (“Bretton Woods-GATT”).

23. "Anglo-German Naval Agreement." Gutenberg. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.
"Anglo-Polish Alliance." Gutenberg. Web. 11 Jan. 2016.
"Axis Alliance in World War II." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States
Holocaust Memorial Council, 18 Aug. 2015. Web. 11 Jan. 2016.
"Bretton Woods-GATT, 1941–1947 - 1937–1945 - Milestones - Office of the Historian." Bretton
Woods-GATT, 1941–1947 - 1937–1945 - Milestones - Office of the Historian. Web. 13 Jan.
2016.
Harris, Gardiner. "A Largely Indian Victory in World War II, Mostly Forgotten in India." The New
York Times. The New York Times, 21 June 2014. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.
"Japan and USSR Sign Nonaggression Pact." History.com. A&E Television Networks. Web. 13
Jan. 2016.
Kazamias, Georgios. "Military Recruitment and Selection in a British Colony: The Cyprus
Regiment 1939-1945." Military Recruitment and Selection in a British Colony: The Cyprus
Regiment 1939-1945. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.
Kelly, Martin. "What Are the 8 Points of the Atlantic Charter?" About.com Education. Web. 13
Jan. 2016.
Plaut, Martin. "The Africans Who Fought in WWII." BBC News. BBC, 9 Nov. 2009. Web. 14 Jan.
2016.
"The Casablanca Conference, 1943 - 1937–1945 - Milestones - Office of the Historian." The
Casablanca Conference, 1943 - 1937–1945 - Milestones - Office of the Historian. Web. 13 Jan.
2016.
"The Tehran Conference, 1943 - 1937–1945 - Milestones - Office of the Historian." The Tehran
Conference, 1943 - 1937–1945 - Milestones - Office of the Historian. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.
Aftermath of WWII
• 40 - 70 million lives are taken
• Germany was split into East and West, with emerging super powers being the United States
and Soviet Union, later with US and Soviet Union fighting against one another in the Cold War
• United Nations was formed in October 24, 1945 to mediate international relations to prevent
another war from occurring
• Japan and German empire ended
• Yalta Conference
• During February 4-11 1945, FDR, Churchill, and Stalin met in Yalta in Crimea to discuss post-
war planning after the European Victory, and ongoing pacific war (“The Yalta Conference”).

24. • Churchill and Roosevelt had Stalin agree to fight in the Pacific theater against Japan, ceding
Manchuria to the Soviet Union (which included part of Sakhalin, Port Arthur lease, share in
operating Manchurian railroads, and Kurile Islands) (“The Yalta Conference”).
• The three nations agreed to have France included to govern post-war Germany, with Germany
receiving some reparations, bordering East European nations to be on good-terms with SU
provided that SU allowed liberalized German colonies free elections, voting procedures being
organized in the Security Council of the United Nations (“The Yalta Conference”).
• However, the death of FDR and new administration of Truman had clashes with SU over their
influence over eastern Europe (“The Yalta Conference”).
• Potsdam Conference
• Attended by Truman, Churchill (later replaced by Clement Attlee on July 26), and Stalin on
July 17 to August 2, 1945 in Potsdam, Germany for post-war negotiations revolving handling
Germany—although Roosevelt agreed to have Germany make reparations with half going to
SU, Truman wanted reparations to only come from the occupying nations own zone of
occupations in order to avoid the hostility that came from Germany in the Treaty of Versailles
(“The Potsdam Conference”).
• Germany will be completed disarmed and demilitarized, German war criminals will be tried,
Germany government will be more democratic-oriented (“The Potsdam Conference”).
• An Allied Control Commission (including US, UK, France, and SU) will occupy Germany
and run the country (“The Potsdam Conference”).
• Poland received German territory and deported German residents, other territories with
German populations did the same (“The Potsdam Conference”).
• Council of Foreign Ministers was created to represent US, UK, SU, and China to form peace
treaties with German allies (“The Potsdam Conference”).
• Potsdam Declaration insisted on Japan surrender, or else they will be destroyed (“The
Potsdam Conference”).
• This was the last conference happening between all nations.
"The Potsdam Conference, 1945 - 1937–1945 - Milestones - Office of the Historian." The
Potsdam Conference, 1945 - 1937–1945 - Milestones - Office of the Historian. Web. 13 Jan.
2016.
"The Yalta Conference, 1945 - 1937–1945 - Milestones - Office of the Historian." The Yalta
Conference, 1945 - 1937–1945 - Milestones - Office of the Historian. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.