Pearl Harbor
Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - The United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan...As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense...With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God."
President F.D. Roosevelt - 8th December 1941
President F.D. Roosevelt - 8th December 1941
how america got in to ww2
After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor President Theodore Roosevelt declared war on them. Then Japan and Germany declared war on the US. Germany and Japan were the axis powers and the Allies were a combination of Great Britan, parts of France, some of Canada, Russia(in the beginning) and later the United States of America.
treaty of versailles
Many people think that Treaty of Versailles is one of the main reasons World War Two got started. Four people who helped with the war greatly met to discuss how Germany should be punished. Woodrow Wilson, from the USA and Lloyd George(privatly) wanted to make peace but every other country wanted to make Germany pay for all of the distruction they had caused. Wilson had made a 14 point plan to make peace with Germany. The actual treaty did not resembled the 14 point plan much.
14 point plan:
Open Diplomacy - There should be no secret treaties between powers
Freedom of Navigation - Seas should be free in both peace and war
Free Trade - The barriers to trade between countries such as custom duties should be removed
Multilateral Disarmament - All countries should reduce their armed forces to the lowest possible levels
Colonies - People in European colonies should have a say in their future
Russia - Russia should be allowed to operate whatever government it wanted and that government should be accepted, supported and welcomed.
Belgium - Belgium should be evacuated and restored to the situation before the war.
France - should have Alsace-Lorraine and any lands taken away during the war restored.
Italy - The Italian border should be readjusted according to nationality
National Self -Determination - The national groups in Europe should, wherever possible, be given their independence.
Romania, Montenegro and Serbia - Should be evacuated and Serbia should have an outlet to the sea
Turkey - The people of Turkey should have a say in their future
Poland - Poland should become an independent state with an outlet to the sea.
League of Nations - An assembly of all nations should be formed to protect world peace in the future
There were 440 clauses in the treaty, the first 26 dealt with how to form the league of nations, and the rest dealt with how to punish Germany.
The Treaty of Versailles:
General Clauses:
The establishment of the League of Nations
War Guilt clause - Germany to accept blame for starting the war.
Financial Clauses
Reparations - Germany was to pay for the damage caused by the war. The figure of £6,600 million was set some time after the signing of the treaty.
Military Clauses:
Army - was to be reduced to 100,000 men and no tanks were allowed
Navy - Germany was only allowed 6 ships and no submarines
Airforce - Germany was not allowed an airforce
Rhineland - The Rhineland area was to be kept free of German military personnel and weapons
Territorial Clauses:
Anschluss - Germany was not allowed to unite with Austria.
Land - Germany lost land to a number of other countries. Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France, Eupen and Malmedy were given to Belgium, North Schleswig was given to Denmark. Land was also taken from Germany and given to Czechoslovakia and Poland. The League of Nations took control of Germany's colonies
14 point plan:
Open Diplomacy - There should be no secret treaties between powers
Freedom of Navigation - Seas should be free in both peace and war
Free Trade - The barriers to trade between countries such as custom duties should be removed
Multilateral Disarmament - All countries should reduce their armed forces to the lowest possible levels
Colonies - People in European colonies should have a say in their future
Russia - Russia should be allowed to operate whatever government it wanted and that government should be accepted, supported and welcomed.
Belgium - Belgium should be evacuated and restored to the situation before the war.
France - should have Alsace-Lorraine and any lands taken away during the war restored.
Italy - The Italian border should be readjusted according to nationality
National Self -Determination - The national groups in Europe should, wherever possible, be given their independence.
Romania, Montenegro and Serbia - Should be evacuated and Serbia should have an outlet to the sea
Turkey - The people of Turkey should have a say in their future
Poland - Poland should become an independent state with an outlet to the sea.
League of Nations - An assembly of all nations should be formed to protect world peace in the future
There were 440 clauses in the treaty, the first 26 dealt with how to form the league of nations, and the rest dealt with how to punish Germany.
The Treaty of Versailles:
General Clauses:
The establishment of the League of Nations
War Guilt clause - Germany to accept blame for starting the war.
Financial Clauses
Reparations - Germany was to pay for the damage caused by the war. The figure of £6,600 million was set some time after the signing of the treaty.
Military Clauses:
Army - was to be reduced to 100,000 men and no tanks were allowed
Navy - Germany was only allowed 6 ships and no submarines
Airforce - Germany was not allowed an airforce
Rhineland - The Rhineland area was to be kept free of German military personnel and weapons
Territorial Clauses:
Anschluss - Germany was not allowed to unite with Austria.
Land - Germany lost land to a number of other countries. Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France, Eupen and Malmedy were given to Belgium, North Schleswig was given to Denmark. Land was also taken from Germany and given to Czechoslovakia and Poland. The League of Nations took control of Germany's colonies
Hitlers Anger
Hitler became a major political leader then started building up Germany's army and navy, and added an air force. In 1936 he made German troops enter Rhineland, the German army was still very weak but France and Britain were not ready to go into war yet either.
Hitler also made two alliances, the first one was with Italy, called the Rome-Berlin Axis Pact. The second alliance was with Japan called the Anti-Comitern Pact. Then Hitler started to take back land. His first step was to storm into Austria and forced the Austrian leader to hold a vote and decide if they wanted to become part of Germany. The vote showed that 99% of Austria wanted Anschluss or Union with Germany. The leader of Austria begged Britain, France and Italy for aid, but the countries did nothing because they did not want to start another war. Hitler then promised that Austria was the end of his expansions to Germany. Hitler did not keep his word for long because six months later he invaded and demanded that Sudetenland (a part of Czechoslovakia) be handed over to Germany. Hitler then, after breaking a promise invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia.Then Britain and France promised that if Germany invaded Poland that they would take military action, Neville Chamberlain, prime-minister of Britian thought this would make Hitler stop, but on September 1, 1939 Germany invade Poland and World War Two had started.
Hitler also made two alliances, the first one was with Italy, called the Rome-Berlin Axis Pact. The second alliance was with Japan called the Anti-Comitern Pact. Then Hitler started to take back land. His first step was to storm into Austria and forced the Austrian leader to hold a vote and decide if they wanted to become part of Germany. The vote showed that 99% of Austria wanted Anschluss or Union with Germany. The leader of Austria begged Britain, France and Italy for aid, but the countries did nothing because they did not want to start another war. Hitler then promised that Austria was the end of his expansions to Germany. Hitler did not keep his word for long because six months later he invaded and demanded that Sudetenland (a part of Czechoslovakia) be handed over to Germany. Hitler then, after breaking a promise invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia.Then Britain and France promised that if Germany invaded Poland that they would take military action, Neville Chamberlain, prime-minister of Britian thought this would make Hitler stop, but on September 1, 1939 Germany invade Poland and World War Two had started.