Lecture Notes: Political and Economic Systems during WWII

Political Systems Discussed

• Democratic Republics: Constitution-based, with parliamentary systems and some democracy.
• Totalitarian Regimes:
  • Nazi Germany: Militaristic, jingoistic, and totalitarian.
  • Fascist Italy: Also totalitarian and being defeated.
  • Soviet Union: Totalitarian communist regime, no voting, rule of law, or markets.

Key Notes on WWII

Allied and Axis Powers

• Allied Victory Tactics: Scorched Earth tactics by the Soviet Union.
• Tank Production:
  • Allies outproduced Axis powers.
  • Soviets had the largest tank battle (Battle of Kursk).
  • U.S. contributed significant tank production but mainly in the Western Theater.

Economic Impact

• End of the Great Depression: WWII production (ships, tanks, ammunition, etc.) lowered unemployment.
• New Deal: Unemployment spikes before the war, New Deal helps but WWII drastically changes the economic landscape.

Key Conferences During WWII

• Tehran (1943): Preparation for the invasion of Sicily and Western Europe.
• Dumbarton Oaks: Laid plans for the United Nations by analyzing League of Nations' failures.
• Yalta (1945): Agreements on post-war Europe, including Poland’s future and Germany's division.
• Potsdam: Detailed how Germany would be divided into occupation zones and hinted at future Cold War tensions.

Key Figures and Events

• Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR): Unwell towards the end of his term, formed strategic alliances like the one with Saudi Arabia for oil.
• Harry Truman: Inherited the war efforts, the Manhattan Project, and made decisions on atomic bomb usage.
• Manhattan Project: Top-secret program for building nuclear weapons.
• Strategic Bombing: Allied forces targeted cities in Germany and Japan, leading to massive destruction and civilian casualties.

End of WWII in Europe and Asia

• Fall of Berlin (May 1945): Soviets occupied Berlin, marking the end of the war in Europe (V-E Day).
• Pacific Theater: Fierce fighting continued after V-E Day.
  • Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Atomic bombs dropped leading to Japan's surrender (V-J Day).

Post-War Impact

• Shift from Isolationism: U.S. transitioning away from isolationist policies due to complexities witnessed globally.
• Casualty Assignment: Understand the human cost of the war by listing and interpreting casualties for major belligerents.
• Cold War Precursors: Divisions in Korea (38th parallel) and Germany (East and West) setting the stage for the Cold War.

Conclusion

• Please complete the assigned readings and quizzes before the next class.