WORLD WAR II (1939–1945)
Outbreak of World War II
Background (Why the World Didn’t Respond Early)
Countries focused on problems from the Great Depression
People still traumatized by WWI and wanted to avoid another war
Ignorance or indifference to treatment of Jews and minorities in Germany
Some admired Hitler for rebuilding Germany’s economy quickly
Key Strategies Used to Avoid War
Isolationism
Policy of staying out of international conflicts
Canada focused on domestic issues instead of global affairs
Wanted to avoid another war and economic strain
Fear of conscription dividing the country again
Economy was just recovering from the Depression
Appeasement
Britain and France gave in to Hitler’s demands to avoid war
Allowed Germany to break Treaty of Versailles without consequences
Example: letting Hitler take territory (Sudetenland)
Believed concessions would maintain peace
Ultimately encouraged Hitler to become more aggressive
Non-Aggression Pact (Nazi-Soviet Pact)
Agreement between Germany and the Soviet Union
Promised not to attack each other
Secret agreement to divide Poland
Allowed Hitler to invade Poland without fear of Soviet attack
Munich Agreement (1938)
Hitler demanded Sudetenland (part of Czechoslovakia)
Britain and France agreed to give it to Germany
Hitler promised it would be his last demand
Seen as a victory for appeasement (“peace for our time”)
Czechoslovakia was not consulted
Germany later broke the agreement and took more land
Immediate Cause of WWII
Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939
Britain and France declared war two days later
This officially began WWII
Invasion of Poland
Germany used massive military force:
o ~1.5 million soldiers
o 2000 tanks
o 900 bombers, 400 fighter planes
Poland had:
o Fewer planes (~300)
o Outdated weapons
Poland was quickly defeated
Heavy casualties (Poland suffered far more losses)
Allied vs Axis Powers
Allied Powers
Britain
France
Canada
Australia
New Zealand
(later) Soviet Union
(later) United States
Axis Powers
Germany
Italy
Japan
Canada’s Entry into WWII (Change from WWI)
WWI: Canada automatically joined when Britain declared war
WWII: Canada had independence (Statute of Westminster, 1931)
Canada chose to join the war
Parliament voted before entering
Declared war on September 10, 1939 (one week later)
Why Canada Joined
Believed Nazi Germany threatened Western civilization
Felt responsibility to support Allies
Wanted to defend democratic values
United States (Before Entering War)
Followed isolationism
Avoided involvement in European conflicts
Still dealing with Great Depression
Eventually supported Allies with aid
Entered war after Pearl Harbor (1941)
Continuity (WWI vs WWII Similarities)
Initial reluctance to go to war
Concerns about conscription
Government control and decision-making during wartime
Key Timeline
1938: Munich Agreement
August 1939: Nazi-Soviet Pact
September 1, 1939: Germany invades Poland
September 3, 1939: Britain and France declare war
September 10, 1939: Canada declares war
Major Events of WWII
1. Munich Agreement (1938)
Britain and France tried to avoid war through appeasement
Allowed Germany to take control of Czechoslovakia (Sudetenland)
Believed this would satisfy Hitler’s expansion goals
Did not stop Hitler → encouraged further aggression
2. Germany Invades Poland (Sept 1939)
Hitler broke Munich Agreement
Germany invaded Poland
Britain and France declared war
Canada declared war one week later
Marks the official beginning of WWII
3. Blitzkrieg (“Lightning War”)
German military strategy
Fast, coordinated attacks using:
o Air force (bombers, fighters)
o Ground forces (tanks, troops, artillery)
Targeted communication and supply lines
Overwhelmed enemies quickly
4. Expansion Across Europe (1940)
Germany quickly conquered:
o Norway and Denmark
o Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg
Soviet Union took control of:
o Finland
o Baltic states
Germany gained control of most of Europe
5. France Surrenders (June 1940)
Germany invaded France
France officially surrendered
Germany occupied most of France, including Paris
Nazi-controlled government set up in Vichy
Germany now focused on attacking Britain
6. Battle of Britain (1940)
Germany launched air attacks on Britain
Targeted:
o Factories. Airfields. Radar stations
Bombing campaign called “The Blitz”
London bombed for 57 consecutive nights
43,000 civilians killed
British air force (with Canadian support) resisted successfully
Turning point: Germany failed to defeat Britain
7. Germany Betrays Soviet Union (June 1941)
Germany broke non-aggression pact
Launched massive invasion of USSR
Largest ground attack in history:
o 3 million troops, 3000 tanks
About 20 million Soviet deaths
Strategic mistake → USSR joined Allies
Soviets eventually pushed Germany back
8. Pearl Harbor (December 1941)
Japan attacked U.S. naval base in Hawaii
~2400 Americans killed
U.S. declared war on Japan
Germany and Italy declared war on U.S.
U.S. joined Allies
Major turning point in the war
9. Dieppe Raid (1942)
Allied attack on German-held France
Intended to test strategies and boost morale
Poorly planned → major failure
Heavy Canadian losses:
o 4963 Canadians involved
o 907 killed
o 2460 wounded
o 1946 captured
Led to improved planning for future invasions
10. Battle of Bowmanville (1942, Canada)
Conflict between German POWs and Canadian guards
Triggered by mistreatment of Allied prisoners in Germany
Canadian guards ordered to shackle prisoners
POWs resisted → violent 3-day conflict
No deaths, but many injuries
Only battle fought on Canadian soil
11. Liberation of Europe (1942–1945)
Allies began pushing Axis powers back
Key events:
o 1942: Allies take North Africa
o 1943: Victory in Battle of the Atlantic
o 1943: Allies push Axis out of Italy
o 1944: D-Day invasion (Allies land in France)
o 1945: Canadians help liberate Netherlands
Canadians played major role throughout
Over 1.1 million Canadians served
~45,000 Canadians died
12. Germany Surrenders (May 1945)
Allies advanced into Germany
Soviets reached Berlin
Hitler committed suicide
Germany surrendered unconditionally
May 8, 1945 = VE Day (Victory in Europe)
War in Europe officially ended
13. War in the Pacific
Japan expanded across Asia before and during WWII
U.S. focused on defeating Japan after Europe
Key Events:
Continuous bombing of Japan
Japan refused to surrender
U.S. dropped atomic bombs:
o Hiroshima (Aug 6, 1945)
o Nagasaki (Aug 1945)
Japan surrendered
End of WWII
September 2, 1945
Deadliest war in history:
o 70–80 million total deaths
o ~45,000 Canadians
Holocaust
Definition
Holocaust: systematic murder of millions of Jews by the Nazis during WWII (~6
million killed)
Genocide: deliberate extermination of a specific ethnic or religious group
“Undesirables”: groups Nazis targeted (Jews, communists, Roma, disabled
people, homosexuals)
Background / Causes
Treaty of Versailles weakened Germany (military and economy)
Great Depression caused poverty, unemployment, instability
Hitler rose to power promising to restore Germany
Wrote Mein Kampf (1925):
o Blamed Jews and communists for Germany’s problems
o Promoted antisemitism and racial hierarchy
Nazis believed:
o Aryan race was superior
o Jews were “parasites” and a threat to society
Antisemitism
Hatred of Jewish people
Already existed in Europe before Hitler
Nazis used propaganda to spread fear and blame Jews
Reinforced idea that Jews caused Germany’s defeat and struggles
Key Terms
Refugee: person fleeing danger or persecution
Concentration camps: prisons where people were forced into labour
Final Solution: Nazi plan to eliminate all Jews in Europe
3 Phases of the Holocaust
Phase 1: Legal Persecution
Nuremberg Laws (1934):
o Jews lost citizenship
o Banned from marrying Aryans
Jews banned from jobs (doctors, lawyers, etc.)
Jews expelled from schools
Lost homes, businesses, possessions
Forced into ghettos
Key Events
1936: Jewish doctors banned
1938: Kristallnacht:
o 200 synagogues destroyed
o 7500 businesses looted
o 30,000 Jewish men sent to camps
Phase 2: Imprisonment
Jews forced to wear yellow Star of David
Moved into ghettos:
o Overcrowded, poor conditions
o Surrounded by walls/barbed wire
o Required permits to leave
Eventually sent to concentration camps
Camps conditions:
o Forced labour
o Starvation, disease
o Extreme overcrowding
o Weak prisoners killed
Phase 3: Extermination
Begins around 1941 (Final Solution)
Death camps created (ex: Auschwitz)
Methods of killing:
o Gas chambers
o Mass shootings
o Starvation and neglect
Up to 10,000 people killed per day in camps
Mass graves discovered after liberation
Jewish Ghettos
Located mainly in Eastern Europe (especially Poland)
Isolated Jewish populations
Poor living conditions
Required identification (armbands/star)
Step before deportation to camps
Canada and Refugees
SS St. Louis (1939):
o 937 Jewish refugees denied entry to Canada
Canada accepted very few Jewish refugees
Fear of economic strain and public opposition
Liberation (End of Holocaust)
1945: Allies liberate camps
Soviet forces first discover camps in Poland
Evidence found:
o Mass graves
o Starving survivors
Revealed full scale of genocide
Consequences of the Holocaust
Nuremberg Trials (1945–46)
Nazi leaders put on trial
Charges:
o Crimes against peace
o Crimes against humanity
o War crimes
Results:
o 12 death sentences
o 3 life sentences
o Others imprisoned or acquitted
Led to new international laws:
o UN Genocide Convention (1948)
o Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
Mass Displacement
~6 million Jews killed (2/3 of Europe’s Jewish population)
Survivors had:
o No homes
o No possessions
o No families
Displaced Persons camps created
Many emigrated to new countries
Creation of Israel (1948)
Established by United Nations
Intended as a safe homeland for Jewish people
Located in Middle East
~800,000 Jews moved there initially
Ongoing conflict with neighbouring countries
Key Numbers to Remember
~6 million Jews killed
Thousands of camps established
Up to 10,000 killed per day in death camps
Atomic Bomb
Context: End of the War
By May 8, 1945 (VE Day), Germany and Italy had surrendered
Japan was the last Axis power still fighting
The war continued in the Pacific for several more months
Fighting occurred on islands near Japan (e.g., Battle of Okinawa), not the
mainland
Japan’s military was highly determined and refused to surrender
The United States feared that invading Japan would result in extremely high casualties
and prolong the war.
Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb
The United States wanted to end the war quickly
A full invasion of Japan was expected to be costly in lives
President Harry Truman approved the use of a new weapon: the atomic bomb
Key idea: The atomic bomb was used to force Japan to surrender without an invasion.
The Bombings
Hiroshima
Date: August 6, 1945
First atomic bomb used in warfare
Nagasaki
Date: August 9, 1945
Second atomic bomb dropped three days later
Immediate Effects
Over 110,000 people were killed instantly
Entire cities were destroyed
Massive explosions and fires occurred
Radiation exposure began immediately
Long-Term Effects
Total deaths reached approximately 130,000–250,000 within months
Long-term impacts included:
o Cancer and radiation sickness
o Birth defects
o Ongoing illness
Environmental damage to surrounding areas
Japanese Surrender
Japan surrendered shortly after the bombings
World War II officially ended on September 2, 1945
This marked the end of the deadliest war in history.
Global Consequences
Immediate consequences:
Japan’s surrender secured Allied victory
The United States emerged as the most powerful nation
Long-term consequences:
Beginning of tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union
Start of the nuclear arms race
The Soviet Union tested its first atomic bomb in 1949
Development of nuclear energy
Ongoing global concern over nuclear weapons
Canada’s Role
Canada was not directly involved in dropping the bombs
Canada contributed to the development of the atomic bomb by:
o Supplying uranium
o Operating the Montreal Laboratory
o Mining uranium at Port Radium
After the war:
Many Canadians were shocked by the destruction
Canada never used nuclear weapons
Canada later supported international agreements to limit nuclear weapons
The Debate: Was It Justified?
Arguments in favor:
Ended the war quickly
Prevented a costly invasion of Japan
Saved Allied soldiers’ lives
Arguments against:
Caused massive civilian casualties
Led to long-term suffering from radiation
Japan may have surrendered without the bombs
Considered unethical by many
Key Takeaways
Hiroshima: August 6, 1945
Nagasaki: August 9, 1945
End of WWII: September 2, 1945
Purpose: Force Japan to surrender and avoid invasion
Major impact: Beginning of the nuclear age and Cold War tensions