World War II Unit Plan

Despite the horrors of the World War I, the human race did not learn to move beyond the hatred, greed and militarism that cause wars. The same nations that fought so catastrophically in WWI were back at war twenty years later. And, the Second World War was even more terrible than the first.

The war began when the populations of Germany, Japan and Italy were stirred to racism and aggression by their totalitarian leaders: Hitler, Hirohito, and Mussolini. These nations dedicated their economies to the production of the new weapons of war: tanks, war planes, bombs, submarines and warships. The people of these nations learned extreme ideologies of hatred and racial superiority. The most heinous of these ideologies was the German hatred of the Jews.

By 1941, after only two years of fighting, Germany and Italy had conquered almost all of Europe and were moving further into Russia, Northern Africa and the Middle East. By that time, Japan had conquered a massive empire in Asia and the Pacific Ocean.

Wherever these nations conquered, they directed their aggression towards not only the defending militaries but also against the populations themselves. Hitler ordered the execution of communists, intellectuals, people with handicaps, non-white races and, especially, all Jews. Japan aggressively crushed any resistors as it ruthlessly imposed a cultural, political and economic dominance over the lands it conquered.

Many nations resisted these aggressors. Great Britain, the Soviet Union and the United States led this resistance, but people from over 50 nations fought to liberate themselves and their allies. By 1943, the Germans and the Japanese were finally being defeated. Although the Germans and the Japanese fought on, the nations allied against them won battle after battle until they won total victory in 1945.

In all, 50 million people were killed. In the Holocaust, the Nazis killed over 10 million people--6 million of them were Jews. This was two-thirds of all the Jews living in Europe. With dozens of cites completely destroyed by massive aerial bombing raids, including the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with two nuclear bombs, this war was the most destructive in the history of the world.

Out of it came a new understanding of the dangers of racism and nationalism and nations came together to form the United Nations. Lessons were learned, but whether these lessons can prevent a third world war is the enduring question of the Second World War.

Ø Could someone like Hitler gain popularity in the USA and lead this nation down a road of racism, dictatorship and conquest?

Ø Who were more responsible for the actions of Germany and Japan, their people or their leaders?

Ø Will there ever be a World War III, or has humanity learned its lessons?

Assignments

1) ____/15 Reading worksheet on Soviet Totalitarianism, pages 395-400

2) ____/15 Reading Quiz, Fascism in Europe, 427- 430 (Focus on Terms and Names)

3) ____/15 Reading Quiz, Hitler Lightening War, 441 – 446 (Focus on Terms and Names)

4) ____/15 Reading Quiz, Japan Strikes, pages 447 – 450 (Focus on Terms and Names)

5) ____/15 Reading Quiz, The Holocaust, pages 451 – 454 (Focus on Terms and Names)

6) ____/50 The Systems Chart (assignment handout will be given)

7) _____/76 World War II Test (This test is a standard. You will receive a

study guide.

Class Web Page è http://www.mcglashan.com/tyler/world.htm