Second World Wars
diplomatic wars
military wars
economic wars
race wars
Key Themes
•World War II began in World War I
•The US struggled with neutrality
until Pearl Harbor
•Technology and racism made the
war merciless
•Tensions among allies
•It could have turned out
differently
diplomatic wars
When did World War II begin?
What did each of the Axis powers
want? What was the nature of their
alliance?
Before Pearl Harbor was the U.S.
isolationist? Was FDR?
How did U.S. neutrality erode?
diplomatic wars
The Treaty of Versailles (1919)
open-ended reparations
reclaimed pre-war territory
German national pride and economy virtually
destroyed
1933:
Germany and Japan walked out on the League of
nations
Germany
ended reparations
began to rearm
sought economic self sufficiency
Versailles, 1919
March 1933
“Today Germany, tomorrow the world”
Nuremberg Rallies (1933-1938)
Leading to War
1936: Italy into Ethiopia
Germany into Rhineland
1937: Japan into China
1938: Germany into Austria and
Czechoslovakia (Sudetenland)
Shanghai incident (1932)
US: isolationism and neutrality
“Merchants of Death” thesis
Neutrality Acts (mid 1930s)
restricted arms sales
withdrew traveler protection
prohibited loans
March to War
In October of 1935, Italy invades Ethiopia. The
US joins in an arms embargo but fails in a
"moral embargo" of oil. Spanish civil war
breaks out July 1936, bringing the involvement
of several nations and victory for fascist
Franco.
In 1936, Germany invades the Rhineland and
enters into a pact with Italy. Britain and France
appease.
March to War
Germany invades Austria and the Czechoslovakia
Sudetenland (German speaking portion). After a series of
European meetings, the democratic powers acquiesce to this
last annexation in exchange for agreement of no further
aggression and proclaim peace.
March 1939 The Germans overrun the rest of Czechoslovakia.
Even Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minister, rejects further
appeasement.
April 1939 The Germans invade Poland, winning by September.
October 23, 1939 Germany releases a secret agreement with
Russia. Britain joins with Poland the following day, which is
invaded by Germany a week later. On September 3, Britain
and France declare war on Germany. Russian invades Finland
in November.
British Prime
Minister
Neville
Chamberlain
appeasement
Churchill: "I must tell you that in
the long history of the world this is
the thing to do now!”
FDR: “No American boys will fight in
a foreign war.”
Isolationism
In 1934 and 1935 the Nye (Senate) committee concluded
that bankers, especially the House of Morgan, had drawn
the US into war to protect their investments. Relations with
Russia and Great Britain are deteriorating. Neutrality Act of
1935 forbids the sale of arms to warring nations (declared
by president) and withdrew protection for travelers on
belligerent ships; Act of 1936 excludes loans. FDR
maintains some discretion, but Congress is trying to
prevent a recurrence of WWI.
FDR, experienced in world affairs, and influenced by the
writings of Mahan, advocates a strong navy but, like his
countrymen, is basically isolationist.
erosion of neutrality
cash and carry
lend-lease
we carry over
a risky strategy?
erosion of neutrality
Sino-Japanese war. China moves toward unification
under non-communist, Christian Chiang Kai-shek in the
late 1920s and 1930s. Japan invades, and full war
erupts in 1937, but FDR refuses to declare war
between the two. Most of Japan's scrap metal, copper,
and oil continues to come from the US.
Quarantine: Chicago, October 1937; "let no one
imagine America will escape" - international
lawlessness continues. Wanted to awaken people to
the dangers and test the waters on a boycott of
aggressors. Response was indifferent or negative.
Thus, with the war in China and the quarantine speech,
FDR is shifting away from isolationism.
military wars
In the first half of the war, what were
the strategic differences among FDR,
Churchill, and Stalin?
Who did most of the fighting and dying?
What vision did each hold for the
postwar world order?
After Germany surrendered, why
couldn’t the US negotiate a peace with
Japan?
five days later, Hitler declared war on the U.S.
Montgomery and Patton
Battle of the
Bulge
Dec 1944 – Jan 1945
world 70 million 3-4 percent
Germany 6 9
Japan 2.7 4
Italy .5 1
France .5 1
UK .4 1
China 10-20 2-4
Poland 6 16
USA .4 .3
USSR 24 14
economic wars
guns and butter
economic wars
What sacrifices did Americans make
at home?
How did the nation mobilize for war?
Who won the war of competing
“systems of organization”?
“People are crazy with money.”
mobilizing the economy for war
business leadership: “dollar a year
men”
federal budget
1939 $9 billion
1945 $100 billion
"Importance of the Rest-Pause in
Maximum War Effort"
German arms minister Albert Speer to Hitler
“… a contest between two
systems of organization.”
Henry Kaiser
Richmond, CA
Ford’s Willow Run
“Bring the Germans and Japs to see it. Hell,
they’ll blow their brains out.”
Germany v. US
(production 1940-1945)
aircraft 100,000 292,000
tanks* 50,800 895,000
artillery 85,000 390,000
warships 20 924
submarines 981 211
race wars
part 1 - abroad
race wars - abroad
How did Japanese and Americans see
each other?
How did racism on each side lead to
miscalculations?
race wars
part 2 – at home
race wars – at home
How did the war politicize African
Americans?
What was the significance of A. Philip
Randolph
“the most dangerous Negro in America”
A. Phillip Randolph
Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (1925)
George
June 13, 1941
FDR: [what class of Harvard did you
attend?]
APR: “I never went to Harvard, Mr.
President”
FDR: “Well, Phil, what do you want
me to do?”
APR: [issue an executive order
ending discrimination in defense
plants]
FDR: “You know I can’t do that.”
FDR: “In any event, I couldn’t do
that unless you called off this march
of yours. Questions like this can’t be
settled with a sledge hammer.”
APR: [the march will take place on
schedule]
FDR: “Call it off, and we’ll talk
again.”
Fiorello La Guardia: “Gentlemen, it is
clear that Mr. Randolph is not going
to call off the march, and I suggest
we all begin to seek a formula.”
Executive Order 8802 (June 25)
“There shall be no discrimination in
the employment of workers in
defense industries or government
because of race, creed, color, or
national origin.”
