How WORLD WAR II Was Fought [AP World History Review—Unit 7 Topic 7]

Summary

World War II was a total war, much like World War I, but on a far larger scale. The war involved the Axis powers—Germany, Italy, and Japan—and the Allied powers, initially including Britain, France, the Soviet Union, and later the United States. Fascist ideologies, communism, and democracy played key roles in mobilizing populations. The war's strategies included Blitzkrieg, firebombing, and the use of atomic bombs, making it the deadliest war in history. Innovations in warfare, such as the atomic bomb, led to the destruction of cities like Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ultimately bringing the war to an end.

Takeaways

• 😀 World War II was fought using Total War tactics, requiring the mobilization of both military and civilian populations.
• 😀 Propaganda played a significant role in the war, helping governments rally support, demonize enemies, and maintain morale.
• 😀 Fascist states like Germany, Italy, and Japan were quick to mobilize their economies and populations for war through extreme nationalism and militarism.
• 😀 The Soviet Union under Stalin also heavily mobilized for war, using brutal methods to increase industrial output and support the war effort.
• 😀 Democracies like Britain relied on persuasion and public cooperation to mobilize for war, as they couldn't control their populations with the same intensity as totalitarian regimes.
• 😀 The repression of basic freedoms occurred in various countries during the war, including the internment of Japanese Americans in the U.S. and the Nazi persecution of Jews and other minorities.
• 😀 Blitzkrieg was a new strategy developed by Germany that combined fast infantry movement and air assaults to quickly overwhelm enemies.
• 😀 Firebombing was used by the Allies, causing widespread destruction and loss of life in cities like Dresden and Tokyo, with fires causing catastrophic damage.
• 😀 The atomic bomb, developed by the U.S., was the most devastating new technology of World War II, leading to the destruction of entire cities and contributing to Japan's surrender.
• 😀 The Allied Powers ultimately prevailed in both Europe and the Pacific, but the war's destruction and loss of life changed the global order forever.

Q & A

What was the immediate cause of World War II?

The immediate cause of World War II was Hitler's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, which prompted Britain and France to declare war.

What were the Axis Powers in World War II?

The Axis Powers were Germany, Italy, and Japan, which were fascist states aligned against the Allied Powers.

Why were the United States and the Soviet Union initially not involved in the Allied side of World War II?

Initially, the United States maintained an isolationist policy, while the Soviet Union was somewhat allied with Germany due to a non-aggression pact, until Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941.

How did propaganda function during World War II?

Propaganda was used by governments to provoke nationalism, demonize the enemy, and maintain civilian sacrifice and support for the war effort.

How did fascist states like Germany, Italy, and Japan mobilize for war?

Fascist states glorified military conflict and used their entire economies and populations to support the war effort. This included forced labor, such as the use of Jews and other 'undesirables' in labor camps.

What role did Stalin and the Soviet Union play in mobilizing for World War II?

Stalin had already organized the Soviet economy for industrialization and collectivization, which he further enforced during World War II, demanding greater production for the war effort, often with brutal tactics.

How did Winston Churchill's leadership differ from that of his predecessor, Neville Chamberlain, during the war?

Churchill, known as 'the Bulldog', rejected appeasement and adopted a more aggressive stance against Hitler, relying on persuasion and the cooperation of the British people to mobilize for war.

What was the strategy of Blitzkrieg, and how did it differ from tactics used in World War I?

Blitzkrieg, pioneered by Germany, was a fast-paced military strategy that combined air assaults and rapid infantry movements, aimed at overwhelming the enemy quickly. It made the slow, trench warfare from World War I obsolete.

What was the firebombing strategy, and how did it impact civilian areas?

Firebombing involved dropping small clusters of bombs meant to start fires in urban areas, causing massive destruction. Cities like Dresden and Tokyo were severely impacted, with hundreds of thousands of civilians killed in fires.

What was the significance of the atomic bomb in World War II?

The atomic bomb, developed by the United States, was a powerful new weapon that could destroy entire cities with one blast. Its use on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan led to Japan's surrender, effectively ending the war in the Pacific.