Lecture Notes: Overview of Pre-WW2 Events and Early Stages of WW2

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Benito Mussolini's Rise in Italy

• Early life:
  • Moved to Switzerland to avoid military service; got involved in socialism.
  • Arrested multiple times; eventually returned to Italy.
• Political Shift:
  • Initially anti-war, later supported WW1 for revolutionary potential.
  • Kicked out of the socialist party; founded Fascism focusing on national unity.
  • Became Italy's fascist dictator in 1922, establishing a dictatorship.

Germany Post-WW1

• Treaty of Versailles Consequences:
  • Germany lost territory; faced military restrictions.
  • Economic hardships and weak governments followed.
• Adolf Hitler's Rise:
  • Displeased with Germany's humiliation, he led the Nazi Party.
  • Arrested in 1923; became Chancellor in 1933; established a dictatorship.
• Germany's Expansionist Agenda:
  • Violation of the Treaty of Versailles, rearming Germany.
  • Utilized appeasement strategies from Allies while expanding.

Japan's Expansion

• Isolation and Western Influence:
  • Opened up to trade under Western pressure; faced economic challenges.
• Military Expansion:
  • Engaged in wars against China and Russia; annexed Korea.
  • Invaded Manchuria following a staged incident.

Axis Powers

• Formation of the Axis:
  • Germany, Italy, and Japan shared ideologies of superiority and hostility towards Allies.
  • Pact of Steel solidified the alliance between Germany and Italy.

Early Stages of WW2

• Invasion of Poland:
  • Germany and Soviet Union agreed to split Poland.
  • Marked the beginning of WW2 with invasions on September 1, 1939.
• Phony War:
  • Period of inactivity following Poland's invasion.

France's Fall

• German Strategy:
  • Blitzkrieg tactics utilized; rapid encirclement of Allied forces.
• Dunkirk Evacuation:
  • Critical evacuation of Allied troops from Dunkirk.
• Paris Falls:
  • France was quickly defeated by German forces.

Battle of Britain

• Hitler's Strategy Against the UK:
  • Aimed to gain air and naval superiority for invasion.
  • Shifted bombing targets from military to civilian after Berlin raid.
  • RAF successfully repelled German attacks, securing air superiority.

Conclusion

• Impact of Early WW2 Events:
  • Set the stage for prolonged conflict; key nations solidified their roles.
  • Highlighted the initial failures and successes of the Axis Powers.