U.S. History
Lesson 1
Nationalism Grips Europe & Asia
A Failures of the WWI Peace Settlement
A.
1. Treaty of Versailles caused anger & resentment
a) GER said WWI was not their fault
b) GER llost its
i colonies
l i
c) dictators took over the new democratic govts.
B. Joseph Stalin transforms the Soviet Union
1. Vladimir Lenin died in 1924 – Joseph Stalin took over.
a) created govt. farms and businesses (true communism)
b) tturned
d USSR into
i t an industrial
i d t i l power.
c) eliminated 8 mil. who opposed him
d) totalitarianism – govt. has complete control of citizens
& suppresses
pp
all opposition.
pp
C. Fascism in Italy
1. Benito Mussolini – totalitarian govt. in Italy
a) used people’s fear of economic collapse to rise to power
b) fascist – state is above the people – strong nationalism
1) power must rest w/ single strong leader
2. Marched to Rome w/ “Black Shirts” and took over.
3. Called himself “Il Duce” – The leader.
a) Took control of all Italian life.
b) even got trains running on time
h d all
ll opposition
ii
c)) crushed
D. Nazis take over Germany
1. Adolf Hitler joins the National Socialist Worker Party - NAZI
2. He was a good speaker – took over party – “De Fuhrer” – Leader.
a) Mein Kampf - “my struggle” – create a new GER empire.
b) racial purification – “aryan race”
c) wanted to expand – GER needs more land.
3. U.S. depression hurt GER – people thought Hitler could save them.
4. He took over the govt. “Third Reich” – 3rd Empire – last for years.
E Militarists
E.
Milit i t Gain
G i Control
C t l off Japan
J
1. Military leaders in JAP wanted more land
2. They took control of the govt.
3 IInvaded
3.
d dM
Manchuria
h i (Chi
(China)) – natural
t l resources
a) League of Nations did nothing
F. Aggression in Europe & Africa
1. 1935 – Hitler built up military
a) took Rhineland away from FR
2. Mussolini invaded Ethiopia – League did nothing
a)) Emp.
p Haile Selassie asked for helpp – none came!
G. Civil War in Spain
1. Gen. Francisco Franco rebelled against SP republic
a) Abe Lincoln Battalion – Am.
Am went to help stop him.
him
b) GER & IT helped Franco – he took over SP - fascist
U.S. Responds with Caution
A. U.S. clings to isolationism
1. Neutrality Acts – 1935 – can’t sell arms to warring countries
2 FDR was upsett – wanted
2.
t d to
t fight
fi ht dictators
di t t – “war
“
monger””
Austria & Czechoslovakia Fall
A. Union With Austria
1 1st target – 3/12/38 – Hitler takes Austria – world watched.
1.
watched
B. Sudetenland
1. Hitler said Czechs were treating GER people poorly.
2. Munich Conference – Hitler met w/ BR & FR
- promised that Czech would be his last expansion
a) appeasement – gave up principles to appease an aggressor
German Offensive Begins
A Soviets Declare Neutrality
A.
1. Stalin & Hitler sign a non-aggression pact
a) GER takes Poland & split it w/ Stalin - good faith gesture.
B Blitzkrieg in Poland
B.
1. blitzkrieg – lightning war – surprise the enemy w/ quick attack
2. BR & FR declared war, but GER already had POL
a)) WWII had
h d begun
b
C. The Phony War
1. Maginot Line – wall on FR/GER border – patrolled by both sides.
a)) sitzkrieg
it k i - neither
ith side
id movedd “phony
“ h
war””
2. Stalin took over Estonia, Latvia, & Lithuania
a) Hitler took Denmark, Norway – protect from Stalin
b) wanted strategic bases.
bases
c) He then struck Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxemburg
Britain & France Fight On
A Fall of France
A.
1. GER bypassed the Maginot Line – came from Belgium
2. Trapped 400,000 troops @ Dunkirk
a)) 330,000 escaped
d to BR bby fishing
i hi boat
b
3. IT sided w/ GER & attacked FR from the south
4. 6/22/40 – FR surrendered - “Vichy France” - occupied
a) Charles De Gaulle – FR Gen
Gen. – set up govt.
govt in BR
B. Battle of Britain
1. Air war to soften up BR
a) GER Luftwaffe owned the skies – 2600 planes
1) 8/15/40 – 2,000 planes bombed BR.
2) bombed London every night
b) BR developed
d l d RADAR tto ttrackk Luftwaffe
L ft ff
1) 9/15/40 – RAF shot down 185 GER – lost only 26
2) Hitler called off air attacks 6 weeks later.
c)) Despite
D it attacks
tt k – BR carried
i d on.