The US and World War II“The Good War”
• good war because….
• ended the american great depression
• one of the rare moments of total consensus in USA
• very few points in time where all americans (99%) agree on one thing and that was ww2.
• believed at the time, a struggle between good and evil
• a morality play
• our victory in this war represented that american values have been proven correct; proved who we are
• acclamation of american way of life is superior
• highest population
• largest participation in the war
• a common experience for the people that lived in the time (like the great depression)
• it is a common point of reference
The 20s and 30s
Return of US isolationismopening years of the 1920s is a return to some
traditional diplomacy style isolationism.
isolationism is not really isolationism
isolationism- non-intervention
old diplomacy attitude and policy and regards to europe
we are politically disconnected to europe
we are deeply economically involved.
continuing old diplomacy style
war-weary public
foreign affairs are not a concern to americans in the 20s and 30s.
congress holds hearings the Guide Committee: finding out what got us into ww1
ww1 shaped americas interactions with europe the next 2 decades
paradox: we wanted the world to follow our lead, but we didnt want to be the leader
we wanted to assert moral leadership without being the leader
Japanese aggression become aggressive expansive imperialists in 1930s in the asia
they wanted to enforce their economic industrialization
japan does not have resources to help them industrialize like coal, and land
this is the drive to Japan’s colonialization.
Japanese are constrained open door notes
japanese saw asia as their spear of influence
Japan felt cheated because they weren't allowed to colonize in asia, and had to share chinese
trade
Invasion of Manchuria 1933southern russia/northern china
ethnicities are mixed
resource rich area
Japan invades manchuria and makes it their territory
League of Nations condems Japan for their agression, and then does nothing else
Japan saw that they could get away with this, and withdraws from league of nations.
, Invasion of China 1937they already sealed of Manchuria as japenese
colony, now they're going to try to do the same thing to china itself
Japan is operating as if there is no constraints on them
China asks for help, but league of nation does not help
China was left to defend themselves
USA inserts a policy of neutrality
USA does not take a stand, but a number of american men VOLUNTEER to help China
AVG/flying tigers- a group of young men that help china
they fight to help china
German aggression 1935-1939Germany was never happy with treaty of
Versailles, they felt cheated and disrespected
reparations laid on german economy was crushing german
post war govt of germany was weak, so they wanted fascism
economic unrest frequently leads to political radicalism
Saar 1935Nazi party dominating
hitler is trying to rebuild germany empire in Europe
Rhineland 1936traditionally apart of germay,
heavily industrialized region of germany where a lot of factories and resources could be found
was given to France
Rhineland being given to france fractured germany’s economy and made it harder to secure the
economy
as majority of the country of Rhineland speak german, and was originally germany, germany
kept Rhineland
there was no big upscale of reaction
Sudetenland 1938caused some real concern
mostly german people that was taken away from germany and given to Czech
Hitler justified taking away Sudetenland by saying these are german people, they should be
under german govt
how many more countries is germany going to take??
the league calls a meeting
France, Germany and England to show up
Germany answers they just want german people under german govt
European leaders feared that hitler was rebuilding what they had at the beginning of the WW1
germany promised they wouldn't take anymore land
In the mean time, China is already occupied and in war with Japan (japan invaded)
our entry is 1941
in Asia the war started as early as 1937 (ww2 in asia)
After hitler promised not to take anymore territory, he did exactly the opposite and invaded
Poland, known as the Blitzkrieg
Poland 1939
German invades poland and dominates within a month BLITZKRIEG
hitler is building up new modern military that gives them a step up in war
german army seems unstoppable
• good war because….
• ended the american great depression
• one of the rare moments of total consensus in USA
• very few points in time where all americans (99%) agree on one thing and that was ww2.
• believed at the time, a struggle between good and evil
• a morality play
• our victory in this war represented that american values have been proven correct; proved who we are
• acclamation of american way of life is superior
• highest population
• largest participation in the war
• a common experience for the people that lived in the time (like the great depression)
• it is a common point of reference
The 20s and 30s
Return of US isolationismopening years of the 1920s is a return to some
traditional diplomacy style isolationism.
isolationism is not really isolationism
isolationism- non-intervention
old diplomacy attitude and policy and regards to europe
we are politically disconnected to europe
we are deeply economically involved.
continuing old diplomacy style
war-weary public
foreign affairs are not a concern to americans in the 20s and 30s.
congress holds hearings the Guide Committee: finding out what got us into ww1
ww1 shaped americas interactions with europe the next 2 decades
paradox: we wanted the world to follow our lead, but we didnt want to be the leader
we wanted to assert moral leadership without being the leader
Japanese aggression become aggressive expansive imperialists in 1930s in the asia
they wanted to enforce their economic industrialization
japan does not have resources to help them industrialize like coal, and land
this is the drive to Japan’s colonialization.
Japanese are constrained open door notes
japanese saw asia as their spear of influence
Japan felt cheated because they weren't allowed to colonize in asia, and had to share chinese
trade
Invasion of Manchuria 1933southern russia/northern china
ethnicities are mixed
resource rich area
Japan invades manchuria and makes it their territory
League of Nations condems Japan for their agression, and then does nothing else
Japan saw that they could get away with this, and withdraws from league of nations.
, Invasion of China 1937they already sealed of Manchuria as japenese
colony, now they're going to try to do the same thing to china itself
Japan is operating as if there is no constraints on them
China asks for help, but league of nation does not help
China was left to defend themselves
USA inserts a policy of neutrality
USA does not take a stand, but a number of american men VOLUNTEER to help China
AVG/flying tigers- a group of young men that help china
they fight to help china
German aggression 1935-1939Germany was never happy with treaty of
Versailles, they felt cheated and disrespected
reparations laid on german economy was crushing german
post war govt of germany was weak, so they wanted fascism
economic unrest frequently leads to political radicalism
Saar 1935Nazi party dominating
hitler is trying to rebuild germany empire in Europe
Rhineland 1936traditionally apart of germay,
heavily industrialized region of germany where a lot of factories and resources could be found
was given to France
Rhineland being given to france fractured germany’s economy and made it harder to secure the
economy
as majority of the country of Rhineland speak german, and was originally germany, germany
kept Rhineland
there was no big upscale of reaction
Sudetenland 1938caused some real concern
mostly german people that was taken away from germany and given to Czech
Hitler justified taking away Sudetenland by saying these are german people, they should be
under german govt
how many more countries is germany going to take??
the league calls a meeting
France, Germany and England to show up
Germany answers they just want german people under german govt
European leaders feared that hitler was rebuilding what they had at the beginning of the WW1
germany promised they wouldn't take anymore land
In the mean time, China is already occupied and in war with Japan (japan invaded)
our entry is 1941
in Asia the war started as early as 1937 (ww2 in asia)
After hitler promised not to take anymore territory, he did exactly the opposite and invaded
Poland, known as the Blitzkrieg
Poland 1939
German invades poland and dominates within a month BLITZKRIEG
hitler is building up new modern military that gives them a step up in war
german army seems unstoppable
