Shelby Glassmire Content Outline: World War II Grade Level: High School I. Axis Powers A. Germany 1.

Hitler, an Austrian-born leader of Germany 2. Gained support for a Nationalist cause; developed the Nazi Party 3. Wanted to create a pure society 4. Led Germany in dominating much of Europe and eliminating millions of Jewish people and other minorities. B. Italy 1. Led by Benito Mussolini 2. Rose to power following a number of murders and defeats politically 3. Felt strongly about Nationalist control 4. Wanted control of the Mediterranean C. Japan 1. Exited from the League of Nations 2. Began a war with China in 1937 3. Agreed to fight with the Axis cause to gain control of Eastern Asia and the Pacific Allied Forces A. United States 1. Enforced a policy of Isolationism in the beginning 2. Slowly began supplying other allied troops against the Axis 3. Joined immediately after the bombing of Pearl Harbor B. Great Britain 1. Led by Winston Churchill 2. Declared war on Germany after they invaded Poland 3. Suffered a great amount of damage from the German blitzkrieg C. France 1. Also joined after Germany invaded Poland 2. Invaded by the Germans, who created Vichy France 3. Lost a lot of their land and property during the War to Germany The War A. Beginning 1. Hitler began the war by mobilizing troops in 1938 2. Threatened Jews and invaded areas of Czechoslovakia 3. Invaded Poland in 1939

II.

III.

IV.

4. Britain and France join as allies of Poland and declare war with Germany B. Middle 1. The U.S. joins in 1940 to help support the Allied forces 2. Germany continues to destroy and conquer Europe while the Holocaust is in full motion 3. There is a constant blitzkrieg initiated on Britain 4. France is losing land to Germany 5. The Soviet Union switches their alliance to the Allies C. End 1. With the support of the Soviets, there is an increase in Allied victories 2. Several German losses and retreats 3. Italy declares war on Germany 4. Many concentration camps and occupied areas are liberated 5. Mussolini is captured and hanged and Hitler commits suicide 6. The U.S. drops atomic bombs in Japan 7. Allied Victory Aftermath A. Recovery 1. There is a great deal of damage done in Europe 2. Rebuilding must begin 3. Order needs to be reestablished B. Punishment 1. Several Nazi leaders are put on trial in Nuremberg 2. Once again Germany had to pay out reparations to the victors 3. Japan suffered immensely from the atomic bombings, losing lives to illness and destruction C. Progress 1. The Depression that had been going on before the war was ended 2. Industry began to move forward 3. The United Nations was established 4. Internment camps were done away with in the U.S. and concentration camps in Europe were destroyed, freeing the Jews and minorities that were forced into them