Freedom
Overview of World War II
The Origins of World War II
America and Isolationism
When events began happening in Europe that would eventually lead to World War II, many Americans took an increasingly hard line towards getting involved. The events of World War I had fed into America's natural desire to isolationism, and this was reflected by the passage of Neutrality Acts along with the general hands off approach to the events that unfolded on the world stage.
Increasing tensions
While America was wallowing in neutrality and isolationism, events were occurring in Europe and Asia that were causing increasing tension across the regions. These events included: * Totalitarianism as a form of government in the USSR (Joseph Stalin), Italy (Benito Mussolini), Germany (Adolf Hitler), and Spain (Francisco Franco). * A move towards fascism in Japan. * The creation of Manchukuo, Japan's puppet government in Manchuria, beginning the war in China. * The conquest of Ethiopia by Mussolini. * Revolution in Spain led by Francisco Franco. * Germany's continuing expansion including taking the Rhineland. * The worldwide Great Depression. * World War I allies with large debts, many of which were not paying them off.
America passed the Neutrality Acts in 1935-37. These created an embargo on all war item shipments. Americans were not allowed to travel on belligerent ships, and no belligerents were allowed loans in the United States.
The Road to War
The actual war in Europe began with a series of events: * Germany took Austria (1938) and the Sudtenland (1938) * The Munich Pact was created (1938) with England and France agreeing to allow Hitler to keep the Sudtenland as long as no further expansion occurred. * Hitler and Mussolini created the Rome-Berlin Axis military alliance to last 10 years (1939) * Japan entered an alliance with Germany and Italy (1939) * The Moscow-Berlin Pact occurred promising nonaggression between the two
The Origins of World War II
America and Isolationism
When events began happening in Europe that would eventually lead to World War II, many Americans took an increasingly hard line towards getting involved. The events of World War I had fed into America's natural desire to isolationism, and this was reflected by the passage of Neutrality Acts along with the general hands off approach to the events that unfolded on the world stage.
Increasing tensions
While America was wallowing in neutrality and isolationism, events were occurring in Europe and Asia that were causing increasing tension across the regions. These events included: * Totalitarianism as a form of government in the USSR (Joseph Stalin), Italy (Benito Mussolini), Germany (Adolf Hitler), and Spain (Francisco Franco). * A move towards fascism in Japan. * The creation of Manchukuo, Japan's puppet government in Manchuria, beginning the war in China. * The conquest of Ethiopia by Mussolini. * Revolution in Spain led by Francisco Franco. * Germany's continuing expansion including taking the Rhineland. * The worldwide Great Depression. * World War I allies with large debts, many of which were not paying them off.
America passed the Neutrality Acts in 1935-37. These created an embargo on all war item shipments. Americans were not allowed to travel on belligerent ships, and no belligerents were allowed loans in the United States.
The Road to War
The actual war in Europe began with a series of events: * Germany took Austria (1938) and the Sudtenland (1938) * The Munich Pact was created (1938) with England and France agreeing to allow Hitler to keep the Sudtenland as long as no further expansion occurred. * Hitler and Mussolini created the Rome-Berlin Axis military alliance to last 10 years (1939) * Japan entered an alliance with Germany and Italy (1939) * The Moscow-Berlin Pact occurred promising nonaggression between the two