World War 2 Flashcards
What factors led up to WW2
The Great Depression
- Germany in crisis (from Treaty of Versailles & hyperinflation)
- Japan in crisis (bcs of Great depression)
When did WW2 begin and end
September 1, 1939 – September 2, 1945
Effect of hyperinflation in Germany
- German money became useless
- Workers were homeless and starved
Affect of Great Depression in Japan
- Trading partners of Japan tried to support their own industries by limiting imports so Japanese ppl lost jobs
- Caused a famine, bcs farmers that produced silk could not afford luxuries anymore
- Japanese ultranationalist blamed politicans
- USA, Canada, and Australia shut out Japanese immigrants
- Japan invades Manchuria for resources
Belief of Japanese ultranationalists
Traditional warrior values: total obedience to the emperor and the state
- Created a cult around their emperor, Hirohito
Adolf Hitler promised to fix Germany by:
- Refusing to recognize Treaty of Versailles
- Rebuild Germany’s military
- Reclaim territories
- Restore “Aryan” race
- Using propaganda and media
Ultranationalism in Russia
Joseph Stalin was a dictator
- Confiscated farmer’s land as state run farms
- Any considered as an enemy was sent to prison labor camps
- Wanted Soviet nationalism to replace all ethnic loyalties
- 10 million Ukrainians starved
- Outlawed Ukrainian language in public
Hirohito n Tojo
- Emperor Hirohito had “divine power”
- Japan’s armed forces decided on country’s national interest
Tojo become Prime Minister - Japan became a military dictatorship
- Promised to use Japan’s military to dominate Asia
The Enabling Act of 1933
- Gave Hitler absolute authority
- Hitler could exercise dictatorial power without legal objection
Tripartite Pact
- Signed Sept. 1940
- Military alliance between Germany, Italy, and Japan
- Ensure vital supply route and take more territory from European nations
The Munich Agreement
- Appeasement policy
- France n Britain give back Czechoslovakia
- Signed to contain Hitler
Why did the League of Nations fail
- Member countries were not required to provide troops to stop invasions
- When Japan invaded China, China asked the League for help, when the League condemned the invasion, Japan resigned.
- No decisions could be made so nothing happened
Start of WW2
- Hitler army invades Poland
- Britain and France realize appeasement is not working, so they declare war on Germany
German Soviet Pact
- Agreement between Russia and Germany
- Germany trade goods for materials
- 10 year non-aggression pact