= World War 2 = '''World War 2''' was a global war about 20 years after [[WorldHistory/WorldWar1|World War 1]]. <> ---- == International Relations Antecedents == === Failure of the League === Despite [[UnitedStates/WoodrowWilson|Wilson's]] advocacy for the [[WorldHistory/LeagueOfNations|League of Nations]], the [[UnitedStates|U.S.]] did not join. In March 1933, a few months after an official censure from the league over the establishment of [[WorldHistory/Manchukuo|Manchukuo]], [[Japan/MakotoSaitou|Japan]] exited the league. In October 1933, within the first year of [[Germany/AdolfHitler|Hitler's]] term as [[Germany/Chancellors|chancellor]], [[Germany]] exited the league. After [[Italy/BenitoMussolini|Italy]] invaded [[Ethiopia]] in 1935, [[Ethiopia/HaileSelasse|Selasse]] spoke in the league and led a condemnation of Italy; they exited the league as a direct response. === Treaty of Versailles === The [[WorldHistory/WorldWar1#Conclusion_and_Aftermath|Treaty of Versailles]] imposed harsh terms on Germany. 1. Germany was demilitarized. 2. Reparations payments in gold were extreme. Payments only completed in 2010. 3. Reparations payments in coal were unsustainable. 4. Italy annexed the southern half of [[WorldHistory/Tyrol|Tyrol]]. 5. [[Poland/JozefPilsudski|Poland]] annexed West Prussia, including the port city of [[Poland/Gdansk|Danzig]]. More generally, Wilson's Fourteen Points failed to be realized in the peace process. Notable world leaders who advocated for relieving Germany of the peace terms include [[UnitedKingdom/RamsayMacDonald|MacDonald]]. === Lack of Military Defeat === Germany did not suffer a complete military defeat in World War 1. Much of the navy had still been administering the occupation of Eastern Europe and, rather than allow its seizure, officers ordered it scuttled. The leaders of the [[Germany/Democratization#Weimar_Republic|Weimar Republic]] came to be seen as traitors to the nation. === International Fallout of the Ruhr Crisis === Reparations payments in terms of coal were impossible to fulfill. Hyperinflation and general dissatisfaction led to strikes, which forced frequent defaults on the payments. In January 1923, [[France/RaymondPoincare|Poincaré]] ordered the invasion and occupation of the Ruhr Valley. 130 civilians were killed during the occupation. Internationally, France was recognized as the aggressor in this crisis. !MacDonald advocated for Germany in bilateral relations with [[France/EdouardHerriot|Herriot]]. The [[WorldHistory/DawesPlan|Dawes Plan]] was implemented as a solution. === European Remilitarization === The demilitarization of Germany made maintenance of other European militaries a lower priority. The [[WorldHistory/GreatDepression|Great Depression]] then provided an incentive to reduce them. This was contrary to the political aims of many other governments. [[UnitedKingdom/StanleyBaldwin|Baldwin]] re-negotiated naval demilitarization in the [[WorldHistory/AngloGermanNavalAgreement|Anglo-German Naval Agreement]], excluding the other parties to Versailles. === Spanish Civil War === The '''Spanish Civil War''' became a proxy war of fascism. [[Spain/FranciscoFranco|Franco's]] victory demonstrated the viability of 'exporting fascism' through the German military-industrial complex. === Asia === [[WorldHistory/EmpireOfJapan|Imperial Japan]] was largely excluded from peace negotiations, and as a result their representatives were unable to capture the benefits that European powers did. German colonies in Asia were seized and divided. === Sudetan Crisis === [[Czechia/Democratization#First_Czechoslovak_Republic|Czechoslovakia]] was dismantled and partitioned between Germany, [[Hungary/MiklosHorthy|Hungary]], and [[Poland/IgnacyMoscicki|Poland]] in the course of just a few months. The [[WorldHistory/MunichAgreement|Munich Betrayal]] was concluded in September 1938; the [[WorldHistory/FirstViennaAward|First Vienna Award]] followed in November. The [[Slovakia/Democratization#Slovak_State|Slovak State]] declared independence in March 1939, prompting Hitler to invade the remainder of [[Czechia]] and Hungary to invade the remainder of [[WorldHistory/Carpathia|Carpathian Ruthenia]]. === Danzig Crisis === Hitler demanded the return of Danzig from Poland in 1939. The subsequent invasion on September 1st is the direct start of '''World War 2'''. ---- == Domestic Political and Socioeconomic Antecedents == === Political Fallout of the Treaty of Versailles === The harsh terms of the [[WorldHistory/WorldWar1#Conclusion_and_Aftermath|Treaty of Versailles]] combined with the lack of complete military defeat led to the leaders of the [[Germany/Democratization#Weimar_Republic|Weimar Republic]] being labeled as traitors and criminals. [[Germany|German]] nobility was tightly connected to the military officer corps. The imposition of demilitarization necessarily meant the exclusion of this politically powerful group. A cross-cutting social cleavage emerged from this powerful class, the veterans, and the military-industrial complex. The hyperinflation created by reparations payments generally radicalized the German public. === Domestic Fallout of the Ruhr Crisis === Within Germany, radical [[Germany/PoliticalParties|parties]] seized on [[France/RaymondPoincare|French]] occupation of the Ruhr as evidence that the Weimar Republic was led by traitors. In particular, [[Germany/AdolfHitler|Hitler]] led the '''Beer Hall Putsch''' in [[Germany/Munich|Munich]]. While the coup failed, the act itself and the highly publicized trial that followed established Hitler as a heroic figure. The [[Germany/NaziParty|Nazis]] became a mainstream political party and Hitler was released from prison after just 9 months. === Expansionism and Irredentism === [[Italy/BenitoMussolini|Mussolini]] sought to recreate the [[WorldHistory/RomanEmpire|Roman Empire]] around the Mediterranean Sea. He justified expansion with ideas like ''spazio vitale''. The first target of Italian expansion was the [[Ethiopia/Monarchs#Abyssinian_Empire|Abyssinian Empire]] in 1935. This was followed by [[Albania]] and [[Greece]] in 1938. Hitler justified expansion with ideas like ''liebensraum'', Social Darwinism, and the existence of a master Aryan race. He also sought the ''anschluss'' of Germany with [[Austria]], which eventually proceeded in 1938. The Japanese military saw expansionary wars as an opportunity for continued political dominance. Pan-Asian ideas of 'Asia for the Asian' were used to justify expansion, primarily in negotiations with Western powers. The '''Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere''' ('''大東亜共栄圏''', ''dai toua kyoueiken'') was the most formal institutional expression of this. === German Remilitarization === Hitler remilitarized Germany in 1935, including the reestablishment of an offensive navy. Hitler remilitarized the Rhineland in 1936. ---- == Blitzkrieg == [[Germany/AdolfHitler|Hitler]] launched a series of invasions before fronts could be organized to counter the German military. === Poland === [[Germany/AdolfHitler|Hitler]] launched the invasion of [[Poland]] on September 1st in a direct escalation from the [[WorldHistory/WorldWar2#Danzig_Crisis|Danzig Crisis]]. === Scandinavia === Neutral [[Sweden]] was the primary supplier of iron to Germany. As a result, maritime trade between the two was a target. To protect this industry, Germany forced [[Denmark]] to surrender and invaded [[Norway]]. === Benelux === Germany invaded [[Belgium]], [[Luxembourg]], and [[Netherlands|the Netherlands]] in short succession. === France === Germany launched two operations into [[France/Democratization#Third_Republic|France]]. '''Fall gelb''' (''case yellow'') encircled the French forces that had advanced into Belgium, forcing their evacuation from [[France/Dunkirk|Dunkirk]]. '''Fall rot''' (''case red'') circumvented the '''Maginot line''' and, with air superiority, rapidly captured [[France/Paris|Paris]]. Following the '''armistice of June 22nd, 1940''', Alsace-Lorraine were ceded to [[Germany/AdolfHitler|Germany]] and the northern half of metropolitan France, including the Atlantic coast, was placed under occupation. The southern half, with a new capital city in [[France/Vichy|Vichy]], became known as the '''''zone libre'''''. On July 10th, the [[France/NationalAssembly|National Assembly]] voted to grant full powers to [[France/PhilippePetain|Pétain]]. '''Vichy France''' became a client state for Germany. === North Africa === As France was the colonial power over [[Algeria/Democratization#French_Algeria|Algeria]] and [[Morocco]], these territories entered the German sphere upon the '''armistice of June 22nd, 1940'''. Under the terms of the armistice, France was allowed to retain a militarized Navy that would not be compelled to re-enter the war. From the German perspective, it was a dormant threat that must either be swiftly absorbed or left unprovoked. From the [[France/PhilippePetain|French]] perspective, it was the final bargaining chip to guarantee independence for the ''zone libre''. As a compromise, most of the Navy was relocated to [[Algeria/Oran|Mers-el-Kébir]] under command of [[France/FrancoisDarlan|Darlan]] or Alexandria under command of '''René-Émile Godfroy'''. Standing orders were given to scuttle the ships if the German Navy attempted a seizure. [[UnitedKingdom/WinstonChurchill|Churchill]] was unwilling to leave any possibility of seizure however, and ordered '''Operation Catapult''' against the North African naval bases. ---- == Pacific Theater == === China === === Pearl Harbor === ---- == Western Theater == === Battle of Britain === === Operation Torch === Following [[UnitedStates/FranklinDelanoRoosevelt|American]] entry to the war, '''Operation Torch''' was planned to establish a beachhead in Northern Africa. The simultaneous landings were planned for [[Morocco/Casablanca|Casablanca]], [[Algeria/Oran|Oran]], and [[Algeria/Algiers|Algiers]]. The first required a brief siege to capture, while the latter quickly capitulated. [[France/FrancoisDarlan|Darlan]], who at this point was commander-in-chief of [[France/Democratization#Vichy_France|Vichy France]], ordered cooperation with the Allies and was retained as '''high commissioner'''. Algiers quickly became the headquarters for [[France/CharlesDeGaulle|De Gaulle's]] Free France government in exile. ---- == Eastern Theater == === Yugoslavia === On March 27th, 1941, King '''Peter II''' overthrew the regency of [[WorldHistory/Yugoslavia/Paul|Paul]] and established a pro-British military government. Hitler ordered a land and air invasion; Italian, [[Hungary/Monarchs#The_Regency|Hungarian]], and [[Bulgaria/Monarchs#Kingdom_of_Bulgaria|Bulgarian]] forces soon joined. Completely encircled, Yugoslavia rapidly fell. Many border regions (and the Dalmatian coast for Italy) were seized. The remainder was partitioned into: * the '''Italian governorate of Montenegro''', an Italian puppet; * the '''Independent State of Croatia''', fascist government led by [[Croatia/AntePavelic|Pavelić]]; and * the '''Government of National Salvation''' in Serbia, a German puppet. There were two resistance groups. The '''Chetniks''', led by [[WorldHistory/Yugoslavia/DrazaMihailovic|Mihailović]], were royalists and the preferred client of the Allies. Eventually the Chetniks shifted strategies from resistance to playing the two sides of the war, and the Allies ceased cooperation. [[WorldHistory/Yugoslavia/JosipBrozTito|Tito]] led the '''National Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments of Yugoslavia''', generally known as the '''Yugoslav Partisans'''. The Partisans were far more effective as a military resistance and, when territory was reclaimed, rapidly developed a new Yugoslavian state to govern these territories. ---- CategoryRicottone