student manual cover - CBSE

CLASS
IX
CBSE-i
UNIT VI
The Second
World War
HISTORY
STUDENTS’ MANUAL
Shiksha Kendra, 2, Community Centre, Preet Vihar, Delhi-110 092 India
CBSE-i
HISTORY
The Second
World War
STUDENTS’ MANUAL
CLAS S
IX
UNIT-6
Shiksha Kendra, 2, Community Centre, Preet Vihar, Delhi-110 092 India
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Preface
Education plays the most important role in acquiring professional and social skills and a positive attitude to face thechallenges of
life. Curriculum is a comprehensive plan of any educational programme. It is also one of the means of bringing about qualitative
improvement in an educational system. The Curriculum initiated by Central Board of Secondary Education-International
(CBSE-i) is a progressive step in making the educational content responsive to global needs. It signifies the emergence of a fresh
thought process in imparting a curriculum which would restore the independence of the learner to pursue the learning process
in harmony with the existing personal, social and cultural ethos.
The CBSE introduced the CBSE-i curriculum as a pilot project in few schools situated outside India in 2010 in classes I and IX and
extended the programme to classes II, VI and X in the session 2011-12. It is going to be introduced in classes III, VII and for Senior
Secondary classes with class XI in the session 2012-13.
The Senior Secondary stage of education decides the course of life of any student. At this stage it becomes extremely important
for students to develop the right attitude, a willingness to learn and an understanding of the world around them to be able to
take right decisions for their future. The senior secondary curriculum is expected to provide necessary base for the growth of
knowledge and skills and thereby enhance a student's potential to face the challenges of global competitiveness. The CBSE-i
Senior Secondary Curriculum aims at developing desired professional, managerial and communication skills as per the
requirement of the world of work. CBSE-i is for the current session offering curriculum in ten subjects i.e. Physics Chemistry,
Biology, Accountancy, Business-Studies, Economics, Geography, ICT, English, Mathematics I and Mathematics II. Mathematics
at two levels caters to the differing needs of students of pure sciences or commerce.
The Curriculum has been designed to nurture multiple intelligences like linguistic or verbal intelligence, logical mathematical
intelligence, spatial intelligence, sports intelligence, musical intelligence, inter-personal intelligence and intra-personal
intelligence.
The Core skills are the most significant aspects of a learner's holistic growth and learning curve. The objective of this part of the
core of curriculum is to scaffold the learning experiences and to relate tacit knowledge with formal knowledge. This involves
trans-disciplinary linkages that would form the core of the learning process. Perspectives, SEWA (Social Empowerment through
Work and Action), Life Skills and Research would be the constituents of this 'Core'. The CBSE-i Curriculum evolves by building
on learning experiences inside the classroom over a period of time. The Board while addressing the issues of empowerment with
the help of the schools' administering this system strongly recommends that practicing teachers become skilful and lifelong
learners and also transfer their learning experiences to their peers through the interactive platforms provided by the Board.
The success of this curriculum depends upon its effective implementation and it is expected that the teachers will make efforts to
create better facilities, develop linkages with the world of work and foster conducive environment as per recommendations
made in the curriculum document.
I appreciate the effort of Dr. Sadhana Parashar, Director (Training), CBSE and her team involved in the development of this
document. I specially appreciate the efforts of (Late) Dr. Srijata Das for working tirelessly towards meeting deadlines.
The CBSE-i website enables all stakeholders to participate in this initiative through the discussion forums. Any further
suggestions on improving the portal are always welcome.
Vineet Joshi
Chairman, CBSE
Acknowledgements
Advisory
Conceptual Framework
Shri Vineet Joshi, Chairman, CBSE
Dr. Sadhana Parashar, Director (Academics & Training),
CBSE
Shri G. Balasubramanian, Former Director (Acad), CBSE
Ms. Abha Adams, Consultant, Step-by-Step School,
Noida
Dr. Sadhana Parashar, Director (Academics & Training),
CBSE
Ideators
Dr. Anju Srivastava
Ms. Sarita Manuja
Ms. Varsha Seth
Prof. Chand Kiran Saluja
Mr. N. K. Sehgal
Ms. Preeti Hans
Ms. Sunita Tanwar
Dr. Usha Sharma
Dr. Uma Chaudhry
Ms. P Rajeshwary
Ms. S. Radha Mahalakshmi
Ms. Renu Anand
Ms. Anita Sharma
Ms. Suganda Vallli
Ms. Neelima Sharma
Dr. Rajesh Hassija
Mr. Mukesh Kumar
Material Production Groups
English :
Ms. Gayatri Khannaa
Ms. Renu Anand
Ms. P. Rajeshwary
Ms. Sarabjit Kaur
Hindi :
Ms. Sunita Joshi
Ms. Babita Singh
Ms. Veena Sharma
Sh. Akshay Kumar Dixit
Core- SEWA
Ms. Vandna
Ms. Nishtha Bharati
Ms. Seema Bhandari
Ms. Seema Chopra
Ms. Madhuchhanda
Ms. Reema Arora
Ms. Neha Sharma
Chemistry
Ms. Charu Maini
Ms. S. Anjum
Physics:
Ms. Novita Chopra
Ms. Meenambika Menon
Biology :
Ms. Pooja Sareen
Ms. Neeta Rastogi
Core- Prespectives
Ms. Madhuchhanda,
RO(Innovation)
Ms. Varsha Seth,
Consultant
Ms. Neha Sharma
Mathematics :
Dr. K.P. Chinda
Dr. Ram Avtar
Mr. Mahendra Shankar
Mr. J.C. Nijhawan
Ms. Rashmi Kathuria
Ms. Reemu Verma
Ms. Arti
Ms. Himani Ashija
Economics:
Ms. Anubha Malhotra
Ms. Vintee Sharma
Ms. Chaitali Sengupta
Core-Research
Ms. Renu Anand
Ms. Gayatri Khanna
Dr. N. K. Sehgal
Ms. Anita Sharma
Ms. Rashmi Kathuria
Ms. Neha Sharma
Ms. Neeta Rastogi
Ms. Manjushtha Bose
Ms. Varsha Manku
Dr. K. L. Chopra
ICT:
Mr. Yogesh Kumar
Ms. Nancy Sehgal
Ms. Purvi Srivastava
Ms. Babita Mahajan
Ms. Ritu Arora
Ms. Swati Panhani
Ms. Chanchal Chandna
Geography:
Ms. Meena Bharihoke
Ms. Parul Tyagi
Ms. Sudha Tyagi
Ms. Sonia Jarul
Ms. Neena Phogat
Mr. Nisheeth Kumar
History:
Ms. Sajal Chawala
Ms. Jyoti Sharma
Ms. Kamma Khurana
Ms. Shalini Chatarvedi
Mr. Dalia Haldar
Ms. Preeti Gupta
Political Science:
Dr. Sangeetha Mathur
Ms. Ananya Roy
Ms. Sunita Rathee
Ms. Amarjit Kaur
Ms. Nishu Sharma
Ms. Manisha Anthwal
Ms. Mamta Talwar
Chief Co-ordinator : Ms. Kshipra Verma, EO
Coordinators:
(Late) Dr. Srijata Das, EO
Shri R. P. Singh, AEO
Ms. Deepa Shukla
Consultant (Biology)
Ms. S. Radha Mahalakshmi, EO
Ms. Monika Munjal Gandhi
(Co-ordinator)
Ms. Reema Arora
Consultant (Chemistry)
Mr. Navin Maini, RO (Tech)
Sh. R. P. Sharma
Consultant (Science)
Ms. Prabhjot Kaur
Consultant (Social Studies)
Shri Al Hilal Ahmed, AEO
Ms. Neelima Sharma,
Consultant (English)
Mr. Sanjay Sachdeva, DO
CONTENTS
Preface
Acknowledgment
CAUSES OF WORLD WAR II
1. Political scene in Europe
2-4
2. Harshness of Treaty of Versailles
5-8
3. Failure of League of Nations
4. Dawes Plan and Economic Depression
5. Hitler's Ambition and Aspirations
6. Aggression by the Nazis, Fascists and Imperial Japan
7. Appeasement by Britain and France – Munich Pact
9-10
11
12-14
15
16-19
8. Fall of Czechoslovakia
9. Isolation of the US
10. Non-Aggression Pact
11. Invasion of Poland
20
21-23
24
COURSE OF THE WAR: 1939 - 1945
1. Year 1939
25
2. Year 1940
26-29
3. Year 1941
30-33
4. Year 1942-43
34-36
5. Year 1944
37-38
6. Year 1945
39-41
CONSEQUENCES OF THE WAR
A) Immediate
53-56
B) Long Term
?
Decolonization
57
?
Emergence of Bipolar World and Beginning of Cold War
57
?
Formation of the United Nations
58
?
Emergence of Non Aligned Movement
59
WORLD WAR–II
INTRODUCTION
When the German Army, the Wehrmacht, invaded Poland on 1st September 1939, barely
two decades from the end of the World War I, hopefully termed as “the war to end all
wars”, mankind once again was dragged into a bloody conflict that took the shape of
World War II, it was many times bloodier, more brutal and devastating than the
previous edition and became actually global in nature, course and effect. Ambitions of
the Nazi, Germany and Imperial Japan guaranteed that the war spread far ahead of
Europe into Africa and Asia – especially in the Middle and Far East making them the
masters of Europe and Asia respectively.
This war witnessed mobilization of the armed forces in all the directions on land, seas
and the skies on an extent that was largely unprecedented. The weapons and war
technology used was frightfully evil, cruel and destructive. The horrors of a full scale
war were brought to millions of innocent civilians-men, women and children all over
the world inflicting mass killings, mass destruction and mass starvations on them. They
were forced to bear the terror of airborne assaults and even atomic warfare.
Though the Axis powers gained spectacular triumphs in the initial phase, the
overwhelming superiority of the Allied forces ensured their ultimate defeat, but at a
dreadful cost in terms of large scale human suffering and death. It is estimated that the
casualties in World War II were beyond 50 million human lives the number may even
be more, as the actual figure will never ever be known. Majority of them, who lost their
lives were civilians.
1
WORLD WAR II (1939 – 1945)
CAUSES OF WORLD WAR
RISE OF DICTATORSHIPS IN EUROPE AND EMERGENCE OF IMPERIALIST
New leaders – Benito Mussolini in Italy, Adolf Hitler in Germany and
Joseph Stalin in Russia
JAPAN
World War-I left most of the countries of Europe impoverished, exhausted and
politically instable. The entire atmosphere was of suspicion, discontentment and
economic misery. The treaties done at the end of the war did not settle the problems,
rather created humiliation, uncertainty and feelings of revenge.
Besides this, the communist activities in various countries of Europe were escalating;
the Communist groups and other political outfits in these areas were intimidating their
respective Governments. The Democratic Governments somehow appeared incapable
of controlling or stopping them. Russia had become a Communist nation in 1917 with
the success of Bolshevik Revolution during the WORLD WAR-I and her relations with
rest of the Europe were quite uncertain. Comprehensive economic changes were done
under the Communist Government in Russia. While on the other hand the newly
2
formed Weimar Republic in Germany faced serious problems of survival and economic
sustenance as it was threatened by the Monarchist and the Sparta cists (Communist).
The former wanted to restore William II on the throne and the latter wanted the
Communist Government to be established on the Russian lines. Neither of them
succeeded and the Republican Constitution was implemented by the National
Assembly. But the Republican Government was too weak and was blamed for bringing
National Insult to Germany by accepting the humiliating terms of the Victorious
Powers after the World War-I and for signing the unjust treaty of Versailles. Almost
similar condition prevailed in Italy where citizens were not ready to accept the Peace
settlement done after the World War-I, moreover the country faced serious economic
crisis and had become all the more impoverished because of the heavy war expenditure.
It had an acute shortage of food and jobs, cost of living was high as well.
Conditions were ripe in favor of a strong political change in all three of these countries
and led to the emergence of new leaders who practically became dictators. As you have
read in the previous chapter that the Fascist Powers gathered strength in Italy and led
to the emergence of Benito Mussolini as the dictator. Nazis in Germany had become too
powerful under the leadership of Adolf Hitler who eventually became the Chancellor of
Germany in 1933. He quickly abolished democracy and assumed dictatorial powers.
Reign of Terror was let loose and many German leaders were either imprisoned or
killed. After Lenin‟s demise, Stalin became the ruler of Russia in 1924 and concentrated
entire political powers in his own hands. Strengthening of
Fascists Powers in Italy and Nazi Powers in Germany
along with the Dictatorial Governments that totally
opposed Democracy, favored expansionism and glorified
war, later on set the stage for the Second World War in
1939.
Japan on the other hand made great progress after
World War-I, she developed her industries and the armed
3
forces. Though it had supported the Allied forces in the First World War but had not
participated actively. Now she became a war like Nation under Emperor Hirohito and
was eager to organize conquests for the want of resources. But by the time it gained the
potential of having its own colonial possessions most of the Pacific and its Natural
Resources had already been divided amongst the Western Powers and the USA.
It became Imperialist and supported Militarization. Manchuria a province in China was
one of its major targets, which it conquered in 1931. The Chinese condemned this action
and appealed to the League of Nations, but Japan was in no mood to stop and
withdrew from its membership of the League of Nations. It started with a full scale
conquest of China in 1937 which was called as the Sino-Japanese War.
HARSHNESS OF THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES
World War-I officially ended on 28th June 1919 and Germany along with its allies was
forced to sign peace treaties in the Mirror Hall at the Palace of Versailles in France. That
4
is why the agreement came to be known as the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty had
annoyed and distressed the Germans for many reasons – first of all it was a dictated
peace, as German were not consulted by the Allies before writing the terms and
conditions of this treaty, more over they had no say in it, whether they liked it or not ,
they were forced to sign it. Secondly, the treaty put the entire war guilt on Germany
making it responsible for initiating World War I and causing large scale damage to the
allies.
According to the “war-guilt clause” Germany had to pay huge war reparations
(indemnity) which was the most unpopular humiliating, and harsh aspect of this treaty.
Its original terms were too strict and permitted no relaxation or negotiation in any case.
As per the treaty –
a)
Germany lost about 13 percent of its territory to the allies including all its
overseas colonies.
b) Its army was reduced o 100,000 men and all its weapons were seized.
c)
Germany could not have Air Force or Navy and even Submarines.
d) The Rhineland area was occupied by the allies and permanently demilitarized.
e)
France was granted control over industrially rich SAAR for 15 years.
f)
Germany was denied the membership of League of Nations initially.
g) It was forced to pay huge war reparations to France by paying a regular amount
of money annually for 66 years. The amount was simply beyond the capability of
the Germans, who demanded that the treaty be revised and a bit relaxed but due
to strong opposition from France, this could not happen. Germany was not even
provided a chance to explain her position. Victorious powers failed to realize that
war had equally damaged Germany and its economy as other countries.
Germany simply was not in a condition to pay such a hefty war indemnity. Thus
the treaty, instead of solving the problems created some more of them.
Unfortunately, the world had to fight another World War to solve them.
5
Source A: News Paper Article regarding payment of last installment of war
reparations by Germany in 2010
WHY HAS GERMANY TAKEN SO LONG TO PAY OFF ITS WWI DEBT?
By Olivia Lang
BBC News
2 October 2010
Germany is finally paying off World War I reparations, with the last 70 million euro
(£60m) payment drawing the debt to a close. Interest on loans taken out to pay the
debt will be settled on Sunday, i.e., 4 October, 2010, the 20th anniversary of German
reunification. It is about time, some would say. More than nine decades after the war
(91 years to be exact), Germany - now a leading European Union state and the largest
economy in Europe - has long cast off its post-WWI image of a defeated, beleaguered
Weimar Republic. So why has it taken so long for it to shed its age-old debt?
The European nation was not expecting to lose the war, let alone anticipate being
burdened with payments that would reach into the next century. But, in 1919, the
victors of the war wrote Germany's guilt into the Versailles Treaty at the infamous Hall
of Mirrors, and collectively decided that it should pay a high price for that guilt. About
269bn gold marks, to be exact - the equivalent of around 100,000 tons of gold.
'Bitter resentment'
The treaty took complex negotiation and was undoubtedly controversial; economist
John Maynard Keynes was one of its most vocal critics, arguing that it would not be
effective in achieving its goals.
The allies - mainly driven by France - wanted to ensure Germany would not be capable
of war for many years. But the plan backfired, with modern-day historians claiming
that Versailles was a key factor in the lead-up to World War II. There was bitter
resentment in Germany over the sum, and also over article 231, the so-called "guilt
6
clause", which ruled that Germany was responsible for the conflict. "The sum was met
with disbelief in Germany," says Felix Schulz, a lecturer in European History at
Newcastle University. He says Germany tried to push back the payments, and very
little was paid back in the 1920s - not only because Germany was struggling financially,
but because Germany didn't accept them. "It's linked to this idea that it is always seen as
unfair… In reality I'm sure they could have [paid earlier] if the Weimar Republic was to
live on a shoestring, but it would have led to more radical parties earlier on."
Hitler refused to pay back the reparations after coming to power, faced with
hyperinflation and soaring unemployment, people sought refuge in a movement that
promoted national pride, and signed up to Hitler's Nazi party - which used the
reparations as a propaganda tool. "These reparations were as important politically as
economically," says Mark Harrison, an economics professor at University of Warwick.
"It was what it [the reparations] stood for. The Germans hated it," he says. "They could
have [paid] more than they said they would."
'Overturning the treaty'
After Versailles, there emerged some recognition of the financial strain on war-torn
Germany, and allied nations attempted to minimize the pain. The 1924 Dawes Plan and
the 1929 Young Plan reduced the debt to 112bn gold marks, and granted Germany loans
to meet its payments. But then disaster struck, and the Wall Street Crash of 1929 threw
nations across the world into disarray. The ensuing financial crisis meant that not only
Germany, but many nations, could not keep up with their war debts; as a result, US
President Herbert Hoover introduced a one-year moratorium. A year later, the 1932
Lausanne conference tried to write off almost all of Germany's war debt, but the
proposal failed to pass in the US Congress.
When Hitler came into power, the system of payments had collapsed and time had run
out. Lausanne Conference, says Mr. Schulz, therefore became irrelevant. Although the
country had only paid about one eighth of what it owed, Hitler refused to pay any
7
more. Germany felt the end of the war was a humiliation. As Prof Harrison says: "Hitler
was committed to not just non-payment of the amount, but also to overturn the whole
treaty." At this point, Mr. Schulz says: "The economic reality is not as important as the
economic perception... The economic perception that the allies are bleeding Germany is
far more important."
'Two countries'
When Germany became two countries - East and West - it threw up new questions
about which state inherited the debt. "When one state succeeds another, there is
always a question of whether it takes on its assets and liabilities," says Prof Harrison.
"It's unlikely that either of the German states believed they had obligations.” A new
agreement in 1953 - the London Treaty - agreed to suspend many payments until
Germany was unified. By the time country was reunified, in 1990, the world had
changed dramatically since the days of Versailles, and policymakers decided to write
off most of the original sum.
Mr. Schulz says it was, essentially, a return to the conditions in the 1932 Lausanne
agreement, and a reduced amount of payments was reactivated. "There was no real
need to go back to the punitive state of the 1920s, so you return to something which is
much more modest."
'Lessons learnt'
With time, historians say there was recognition that Versailles did not achieve what it
set out to, and that saddling a country with war debts was not a solution. The approach
was different by the time WWII ended. Germany was made to financially compensate
other nations, but there was more of an emphasis on rebuilding Europe "After WWII
they decided to hang the leaders but not to punish the nation," says Prof Harrison.
"but in WWI it was the other way around." As Martin Farr, a senior lecturer in British
history at Newcastle University, says: "The lesson was learned eventually."
Unfortunately, he says, "it required another 20 or so million people to be killed first".
8
FAILURE OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
The League was created by the Treaty of Versailles in
1920 after the end of the First World War for
maintaining peace in the world and preventing
future wars. It worked for various other causes also
such as improving conditions of the labor, fixing the
working
hours
Organization,
under
the
provision
International
of
sickness
Labor
and
unemployment allowances, introduction to old age pensions etc. Despite all this, it
could not gain any substantial success in solving dispute among various countries
which was its foremost responsibility.
Since it did not have its own army it could not effectively settle any military dispute or
take any strong action against the aggressive countries. Moreover, it was looked upon
by many people as an organization that was created to the benefit of the Victorious
powers (Britain and France) and was dominated by them. Apart from this, America and
Russia – the two great powers did not join the League, Germany was not given its
membership initially and joined the League in 1926, Italy, Japan and Germany
withdrew from it later on in order to continue with their expansionist plans. The League
had some other major flaws like it had a week Constitution, it used to meet only once in
a year and all its decisions had to be taken unanimously. So it could not handle the
issues that emerged much before or much after its annual meeting. Creating unanimity
on all the issues at hand seemed to be an impossible preposition and hence most of the
times the League could not take any significant action against aggressors.
The League worked on the basis of the principles of Diplomatic negotiation, Collective
Security Disarmament and imposition of Economic and Military sanctions on the
aggressors. Member countries had to take collective efforts to maintain peace and
security in the world but most of these members were either busy in fulfilling their own
9
National interests or simply lacked the will to do anything at all in this regard. Many of
them started with their own Militarization and the League could not stop them.
Economic crisis of 1929 made the matters worse as it brought immense unemployment,
reduction in the living standard and purchasing power of people in most of the
countries and lead to the establishment of extreme, Socialist and Totalitarian
Governments in Japan, Italy and Germany which refused to listen to the League and
follow its instructions or commands. They committed such actions that revealed the
weaknesses of the League to everyone. The following events are valid examples of the
League‟s failure in preventing another World War:
Japan stunned the League when in 1931 it launched an assault on the Chinese
province of Manchuria and installed a puppet Government there. Since it had a
strong hold in the League, nothing could be
done to stop Japan or to take a
severe action against this aggression, Japan withdrew from its membership later
in 1933.
Following the footsteps of Japan, Italy inflicted an unprovoked invasion on
Abyssinia (now Ethiopia). When the League tried to impose economic sanctions
against Italy, the latter condemned the League and pulled out from its
membership in 1937.
10
Taking inspiration from Japan and Italy, Germany also started violating the
terms of the Treaty of Versailles with its aggressive and expansionist policy and
the League could not do anything to stop it. Germany also withdrew from the
League in 1933 and later went on to grab entire Czechoslovakia.
DAWES PLAN AND ECONOMIC DEPRESSION
War indemnity imposed by the Treaty of Versailles
on Germany was too heavy and Germany was in
no condition to make their reparations to France.
Dawes plan was created to rescue Germany from
this situation and also to provide solution to many
of the world‟s financial problems. According to this
plan
America
extended
monetary
loan
to
Germany, who used it to pay for war damages to
France. Further France utilized this money to make payments to Britain which they
owed; Britain in turn used this money to make payments to America for all its pending
dues. For a short while, this equation seemed to be the ideal resolution to every
country‟s problems and created coordination among them. But, this plan had a major
defect – if in case, any crisis occurred and things went wrong , if even one of these
countries could not make the payment, then the entire chain of payments would stop,
leading to serious economic and diplomatic crisis, which could be even worse than the
previous situation.
Fears turned into reality and this occurred with the surfacing of Great Economic
Depression in 1929, when the New York Stock Market in America crashed resulting in
serious economic problems all over the globe. Now, America was in no circumstances
to extend any further loan to Germany for reparations, rather it wanted the money back
and recalled all the foreign loans This led o the breaking of the chain of payments,
creating distrust, frustration and acute financial problems among countries of the world
especially Western Europe.
11
United States of America decided to focus on its own
economic recovery as its topmost priority and went
into isolation. It did not want to be drawn into any
armed conflict or expensive wars in Europe or
elsewhere. European countries were badly hit by this
Great Depression and were economically shattered –
shortage of food, unemployment, poverty, civil strife,
the feeling of anguish and desolation increased
manifold. People started losing faith in Democratic
Governments and started favoring Dictatorships, for
instance, in Germany, Italy and Russia. To solve these problems many countries started
with militarization and establishment of large armies. Great depression also gave an
excuse to the dictators of Germany and Italy to violate the Treaty of Versailles and bring
the entire world to the verge of another world war.
HITLER’S AMBITION AND ASPIRATIONS
Hitler aimed to dominate and master the entire Europe and regain the lost glory of
Germany. He denounced the terms of Treaty of Versailles as unjust as well as
humiliating and acknowledged his country‟s hatred towards it. People even in the
Victorious Countries felt the guilt as they agreed upon the harshness of the Treaty and
sympathized with Germany. Being aware of the fact, Hitler started violating the terms
of the treaty and even could not be stopped by the League of Nations.
12
He started with patriotic programs which captured the imagination of the people of
Germany, gave them the dream of conquering the world and gained support for his
actions. He soon stopped paying the annual installments of the war damages, started
remilitarization of Germany in 1933, created a new air force, re-introduced conscription
and increased Armed Forces and Navy. By doing this he not only provided military
training to country‟s youth but also tried to reduce unemployment while instilling
confidence and sense of National Pride in them. He recaptured Rhineland which was
made a demilitarized buffer zone between Germany and France after World War-I. He
aimed for the unification and merger of German speaking people of Europe in one
country and hence invaded Austria as well as those small neighboring countries with
German minority population that once had been a part of the former Russian empire.
Hitler envisioned Germany as greatest of all Empires in Europe.
Hitler glorified war and aggression as he wanted to win living space -Lebensraum for
the people of Germany and expand German territory, which could only be possible
through armed conquests. Moreover he had faith in the notion of ethnic superiority of
German Aryans and felt that German society should undergo racial purification of
other so called menial races to maintain its purity and superiority. He was thus willing
to
even
commit
a
genocide
of
impure
and
undesirables
(Jews,
gypsies,
physically/mentally challenged Germans) in Germany as well as in the conquered
countries for the establishment of long lasting dominance and supremacy of the
German race.
For this he attacked Austria, demanded Sudetenland a part of Czechoslovakia and eyed
annexation of Poland. One of Hitler‟s another major aims was destruction of
Communism as he believed that the Communists had been instrumental in bringing
defeat to Germany in the First World War. In fact Nazis and Fascists had emerged in
Europe basically as a reaction to the rise of international Communism and crushed
communist uprisings in their respective countries using atrocious brutality. Hitler
worked towards fulfillment of these aims using grit, though wicked but remarkable
13
intellect and enormous ruthlessness. Instead of stopping him, Britain and France
remained mute spectators of his actions and made him all the more powerful and
determined.
Source B: In his book "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi
Germany", William L. Shirer writes about Hitler:
"The man who founded the Third Reich, who ruled it ruthlessly and often with
uncommon shrewdness, who led it to such dizzy heights and to such sorry end, was a
person of undoubted, if evil, genius. It is true that he found in the German people, as
centuries of experience had molded them up to that time, a natural instrument which he
was able to shape to his own sinister ends. But without Adolf Hitler, who was
possessed of a demonic personality, a granite will, uncanny instincts, a cold
ruthlessness, a remarkable intellect, a soaring imagination and, until toward the end, an
amazing capacity to size up people and situations, there almost certainly would never
have been a Third Reich. It is one of the great examples of the singular and incalculable
power of personality in historical life.
To some Germans and, no doubt, to most foreigners it appeared that a charlatan had
come to power in Berlin. To the majority of Germans Hitler had, or would shortly
assume, the aura of a truly charismatic leader. They were to follow him blindly, as if he
possessed a divine judgment, for the next twelve tempestuous years."
Hitler was an exceptional speaker; a demagogue… the effect of Hitler's speeches on his
political audience was almost hypnotic.
He was different from all his political opponents in his vision for Germany's future.
Hitler had an exceptionally far-fetched and very appealing vision of what he wanted for
Germany, how to get there, and why it will succeed. Hitler didn't just promise German
people a better future like politicians do. He promised them the world. He convinced
them that it's theirs by natural right and that they have the power to take it for
14
themselves, that they are a "Masters race" of superior people, and he was so convincing
that they believed him.
AGGRESSION BY THE NAZIS, FASCISTS AND IMPERIALIST JAPAN
Under the Nazi command, Germany initiated
its expansionist plan in order to restore preWorld War I situation, when Germany had
much larger territory under its control. It
focused on reoccupation of the Rhineland,
conquest of some strategic areas of Poland,
parts of Austria and Czechoslovakia so as to
achieve this objective. He committed aggression
after aggression without any resistance from
the allied countries.
On the other hand
Mussolini, in order to regain the lost Roman
Empire, invaded Abyssinia and captured it. He
sent his volunteers to Spain to support General
Franco to install a fascist Government in the
country. Hitler also tested his new weapons in
Spanish civil-war while supporting General Franco from 1936-39. This is how both
Hitler and Mussolini came into collaboration with each other. Mussolini also invaded
Albania in 1939.
Japan on the other hand emerged as a powerful country in the beginning of the 20 th
century but it lacked natural resources like iron and coal which it traditionally imported
from China. Trade restriction between China, USA and Japan hampered its economy
further. South-East Asia had already been captured by imperialist Britain and France
leaving no scope for fulfillment of Japanese imperialist ambitions. Though being on the
victorious side, Japan did not gain much after the end of World War–I, but it developed
15
its military and industrial capacity after that and conquered Manchuria - a province in
China. It went on to capture many other important ports and cities of China like Peking,
Nanking and committed war crimes. It also captured Hangchow and Hankow after
inflicting defeat on the country and pushing its army deep into the interior.
China repeatedly appealed before the
League of Nations but nothing happened.
Japan tried to remove the influence of the
western powers from China in the name
of
creating
Greater
East-Asia
Co-
Prosperity Sphere. It also gave the slogan
“Asia for Asians” and tried to establish its
own domination in this part of the world.
It came into conflict with USA, who had
presence in China and controlled Philippines a group of Islands. US were demanding
Japanese retreat from China. On the other hand Berlin-Rome-Tokyo Axis had been
formed and Japan had also signed Anti-Commintern Pact with the Fascist Powers in
1937. All these events brought the world even closer to another devastating war.
POLICY OF APPEASEMENT: SIGNING OF THE MUNICH PACT
16
Appeasement refers to the policy followed
by England and France towards Nazi,
Germany in the years preceding World War
II. According to this policy they allowed
Germany to do and achieve whatever it
wanted to, they allowed it to use aggression
and expansionist policies and did not stop it
from all wrongful invasions.
Britain had
already accepted the harshness of the Treaty
of
Versailles
and
when
Hitler
started
violating its terms, the British did not stop
him probably out sheer sympathy for an oppressed and humiliated nation. But this led
to an increase in Hitler‟s want for more. He stopped paying the war reparations and
started with remilitarization of Germany reoccupied Rhineland and was allowed to do
so, annexation of Austria was next on his list, besides this he went on to capture various
small parts of Europe quite comfortably and nothing was done by England and France
to stop him. Every time he committed aggression he was pacified by these western
countries either by accepting his demands or by signing pacts/agreements with him
which he never honored and continued making new demands.
Sudetenland is a part of Czechoslovakia that had a large number of German
populations, which Hitler wanted to be merge in with Germany. He made this demand
in 1938 and created a new crisis. Fearing war, British Prime Minister Neville
Chamberlain, along with French Premiere Daladier met Hitler at Munich on September
28, 1939. There was no representative from Czechoslovakia at this meeting which was
held for deciding the fate of one of its territories. Hitler was appeased again and an
agreement was signed between him and the Western Powers which came to be known
as the Munich Pact that gave Sudetenland to Germany in return for a promise of not
invading rest of Czechoslovakia and a promise for not committing aggression against
17
the Western Powers. This was the highest act of appeasement and also a historic
blunder that resulted in the failure of the Western Powers again. Hitler broke his
promise and grabbed the entire Czechoslovakia in a short span of few months.
Violating the Munich pact, Adolf Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia, in March 1939. This
act out rightly demeaned appeasement and showed that Hitler would never get
pacified because he simply did not intend to honor any promises he made while signing
any treaty or agreement. Peace could not be negotiated with him, and the only way he
could be stopped was to fight a war with him.
Till now, Hitler had claimed only German speaking areas in an attempt to unite them
with Germany and had seemed quite reasonable in order to redress „The unreasonable’
terms of the treaty of Versailles. But, annexation of entire Czechoslovakia, a nonGerman speaking population cleared the illusion, and showed that Hitler was going
beyond the „reasonable’ rectification of the treaty, and actually aimed to control entire
Central and Eastern Europe.
By acquiring Czechoslovakia, Adolf Hitler not only grabbed territorial and industrial
gains, but was also able to remove an important military power from his Enemies‟
Camp.
Moreover, Czechoslovakia was a Democracy, its acquisition alarmed Britain, France
and even USA. Its invasion was so unfair and unreasonable that it infuriated the British
and gave them a just as well as a convincing ground to go to war with Germany and
defend the righteous.
The same policy of appeasement was also followed towards Italy during invasion of
Ethiopia and towards Japan during invasion of Manchuria. Had something been done
earlier instead of just appeasing and pacifying these powers, history of the world would
have been different.
18
After World War I, Britain faced serious economic problems and was indebted to
America for war loans, food, and ammunition supplies. Great depression of 1929 made
the condition even worse. According to many historians, it was militarily and
economically not at all prepared to fight another long war. By following Appeasement,
it not only preserved peace, though, (for a short while) but also bought time to prepare
for next inevitable war. According to some historians, it was also, Western Powers‟
bitterness and opposition towards Communism that they kept on appeasing Germany
in a hope of destruction of Communist Russia at the hands of Nazi Germans.
WHY WAS GERMANY APPEASED?
Britain and France did not want to repeat the horrid consequences of World War I.
Britain and France had their own economic problems due to World War I and the
Great Economic Depression; they had large scale unemployment and huge debt. So,
they did not want to be entangled into any armed conflict.
Britain was at all not prepared for another war.
The British had sympathy towards Germany due to harshness of the Treaty of
Versailles.
Lack of American support due to its isolation could have led to military disasters.
Western powers were alarmed at the spread of Communism and hoped that Hitler
would ultimately crush it.
19
ISOLATION OF THE USA
The United States of America had out rightly
rejected the Treaty of Versailles and refused to join
the League of Nations. It felt that accepting either
of
them
would
probably
result
in
being
unnecessarily dragged into European Wars which
had nothing to do with America‟s direct territorial
defense. It wanted to focus on its own National
interests instead of getting entangled into affairs
of the foreign countries, especially after the nonpayment of loans by European countries after
World War I. Arrival of the Great Economic
Depression made her all the more determined in
this regard. It wanted to concentrate solely on
solving its own Economic problems, and moreover did not want any further human
and economic loss on the pretext of these foreign wars.
Absence of a strong power like USA was probably one of the reasons leading to
inefficiency of League of Nations in solving disputes and controlling aggressor
countries. As the European countries were getting closer to the war, the American
Congress was not leaving any stone unturned to delay or prevent their country‟s entry
into the war. It even passed the Neutrality Acts which stopped Americans from sailing
on ships of the aggressive nations or even trading arms with the countries which were
at war. But later on, at the persuasion of the British Prime Minister – Winston Churchill,
America agreed to provide food, arms, and other supplies to Britain and France in their
war against the Nazis, making American economy once again dependent upon the
victory of allied countries. This was also done in an effort to save Democracies of the
world from the clutches of the Nazis and the fascists.
20
Churchill repeatedly tried to persuade President
Roosevelt of USA to join the war. In August 1941,
both the leaders prepared a charter for the postwar world at the Atlantic conference, but USA
was still not ready to enter the war. Churchill did
not have to wait any longer. The Japanese attack
on the US Naval Base in Pearl Harbor in
December 1941, forced the US to dump its policy
of isolation and enter the war immediately.
NON AGRESSION PACT BETWEEN GERMANY AND SOVIET UNION
Nazis were the bitter enemies of the Communists, but as a matter of shock to the entire
world, Germany entered into a pact with Communist Russia on 23rd August 1939,
according to which both the countries agreed not to invade each other. This was the
Non Aggression Pact, which also had a secret protocol, according to which both the
countries divided the entire Eastern Europe between them as German, and Russian
Spheres of Influence. It allowed Russia to capture Eastern parts of Poland, and control
the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.
In the summer of 1939, Hitler started making demands on the Poland corridor, seeking
merger of Danzig with Germany, and then he threatened to take over the entire Poland.
British promised to help Poland in the event of a German attack. Hitler secured his
Eastern borders by befriending Stalin, who otherwise would have joined hands with the
British against German attack on Poland. Hitler by signing the Non-Aggression pact
with Russia tried to stop Britain and France from helping Poland, and expected to be
appeased this time as well. Stalin on the other hand knew that Hitler would never
honor his words, but he was also convinced after the Munich Pact that Britain would
never dare to enter in a war with Hitler. So, he simply saved his position by joining
hands with Hitler.
21
Anglo-Soviet failure to form an Alliance against Germany (DOPA)
Distrust
1.
British Prime Minister Chamberlain did not trust Stalin, who was a Communist
dictator and had expansionist plans in the Baltic region.
2.
Stalin thought that Britain would never go to war with Germany and will trick
Russia alone into war against Germany.
3.
Poland feared that the Russians (who were ready to send troops into Poland to
stop any invasion), once entered the country in the name of an Alliance, would
never leave and grab the territory.
Options
1.
Britain,being away from the European main land could not send troops to fight
in Poland, so if Soviet Union allied with Britain, it would end up fighting a war
in Poland on Britain‟s behalf, that too all alone.
2.
Whereas, Hitler proposed to establish peace and friendship with Russia,
promised half a share in Poland and a 'sphere of influence' over Eastern
Europe.
Pacification
1.
Signing of the Munich Pact by Britain and France convinced Stalin that Britain
would never keep its promise to Poland in yet another attempt to pacify Hitler
and would leave Russia fighting Germans alone.
Attitude of the British
1.
Earlier, the British refused Russia‟s offer of a meeting to form an alliance.
2.
And later, when the British sent an official to meet Stalin, he was not
authorized to take any decisions. Stalin got fed up with British delay, this
strengthened his fear and he lost hope of a possible Anglo-Soviet Alliance.
Thus, he entered into a friendship treaty with Hitler.
22
Signing of the Non – Aggression Pact (MILD)
1.
Military Preparation
By signing the treaty, Russia bought some time (around 18 months) to make
military preparations for the inevitable war.
2.
Interests
As per her national interests, Russia aimed for territorial gains in the long war,
after the exhaustion of Germany, Britain and France.
3.
Loss of trust
Failure of the British to form Anglo-Soviet Alliance and its attitude towards
Russia humiliated Stalin and resulted in loss of trust between Russia and
Britain. Hence, Stalin turned to Germany.
4.
Deterrence
It was only Russia that could put up resistance in Poland on behalf of the allies
and stop Germany from capturing it. Hence, Hitler wanted peace with Russia
to deter any possible alliance between Britain and Russia and to clear his way
for invasionof Poland. He hoped to be appeased again
23
Cartoon Interpretation - Illustrated by a British cartoonist – „David Low‟,
published in the „Evening Standard‟ newspaper on 21 October 1939.
1. By 21st October 1939, Poland had surrendered, and Hitler and Stalin now
shared a frontier; this cartoon shows how they would come up with that.
2. Smiles, arms around each other, and tied legs means that they were allies now;
flowers mean the pretense that everything in the garden is rosy, but guns
behind their backs indicate the reality that they hated each other, and were
merely waiting for a chance to attack the other.
.
According to many prominent historians, Nazi Soviet Pact was highly instrumental in
unleashing another World War, because it allowed Hitler to attack Poland being
assured of the Russian help, and no opposition from Britain. It ended the hope of a
possible British alliance with Russia, and made the Britons realize that the war was the
only way to stop Hitler now. Annexation of Czechoslovakia, and signing of NonAggression pact with Russia, presented Hitler as a cunning, shrewd opportunist, a
trickster, and a totally unreliable person who could never be trusted at all. This gave a
moral reason to the British people, and made them determined to fight a war with
Hitler to stop him, and his wrong doings as well as to save Democracy in Europe from
totally being replaced by Dictatorship.
INVASION OF POLAND: THE WORLD WAR II
BEGINS
Hitler had been demanding unification of free city of
Danzig, and the Polish Corridor with Germany for quite
some time. Nine days after signing the German-Soviet Pact
of Non-Aggression, and securing neutrality of Russia,
Germany attacked Poland on 1st September 1939. Much to his surprise, Britain and
24
France declared war on Germany in order to help Poland on 3rd September. World
War II had officially begun.
Though Anglo-French declaration of war was quite unexpected to Adolf Hitler, but his
judgment that the conquest of Poland would be short and victorious was absolutely
correct, as he knew that the polish forces were of no match to the German-Blitzkrieg.
COURSE OF WAR
World War II was fought in Europe, Asia, and Africa, and involved almost every nation
directly, and indirectly. It lasted for six years, i.e., from 1 September 1939 to 2 September
1945, and ended in unprecedented destruction, and loss of millions of human lives.
1.
WAR DURING 1939
BLITZKRIEG: WAR IN POLAND AND FINLAND
War started with the German invasion of Poland using
62 military divisions, supported by 1300 aircrafts.
Though Britain and France declared help to Poland,
they could actually provide little support in the initial
phase. The Poles put up a tough resistance and fought
fiercely, but still they were defeated and crushed by
Germany from the west and Russia from the east, who
then divided the country between each other.
Adolf Hitler had devised a new kind of warfare called as the Blitzkrieg or the
Lightening War. It was characterized by immensely speedy, and mobile forces,
and the use of massive aircraft bombings. The area under attack used to be
encircled by the brigades of mobile infantry, and the Panzer divisions using
tanks, fighting in coordination with continuous bombarding from the aircrafts.
Blitzkrieg ensured quick, and sure shot success to the Germans in Poland in this
phase of war.
25
Towards the last months of 1939, Russia attacked Finland and captured some of its
parts, in order to make a military base for the safety of its important city –
Leningrad in the event of a German attack.
2.
WAR DURING 1940
WAR IN WESTERN EUROPE AND BALTIC REGION
Nine months passed by, since war started in 1939. Britain and France, despite
declaring war on Germany had not entered into real fighting, thinking that it was
another war of blockade. This entire period, full of tension, anticipation, and no
actual fighting from the Allied camp came to be termed as ‘The Phoney War’. It
came to an unexpected end on 10th May 1940, when Germany launched an attack
on France, and the Low Countries.
By April 1940, Adolf Hitler had captured
Denmark, and Norway. In May 1940, German
forces invaded Netherlands and Belgium, which
were strategically important. Germany could
invade France easily through Belgium which had
surrendered on 28th May without even alarming
its allies, exposing a huge lot of allied forces to the
German Panzers.
FALL OF FRANCE
France had created „Maginot Line’, which had steel and concrete fortifications,
armed with heavy artillery along its eastern borders to protect itself from any
German invasion. France was taken by a surprise, when Adolf Hitler attacked it
through Luxembourg and Ardennes forests by passing the strong French defenses
of Maginot Line, proving it to be effectively useless. Panzer divisions entered
through the weak French defensive positions, and kept on invading further,
26
threatening to encircle the allied divisions, stationed on the North, and on the
Belgian borders.
It was a critical situation for the British, and the French armies, stationed in
Belgium, and a few other parts of Europe which somehow managed to reach the
coast at Dunkirk. When German Panzers made endless attacks on Dunkirk, the
British army evacuated it using British war boats, or any other means which they
found available, and reached Britain in a miserable condition. British rescued
almost 330,000 soldiers of the allied divisions.
First historical blunder committed by Adolf Hitler: He allowed the British forces
to evacuate, and refused to endanger his Panzers. Irony of the situation was that
the escaped soldiers became the ones who later formed the core group of the
army that was to attack the beaches of Normandy in 1944, at the opening of the
second front in the war.
ITALY JOINS WAR
On 5th June 1940, an offensive was launched on Southern France. Mussolini also
joined the war on Adolf Hitler‟s side, attacked the southern parts of France, and
demanded some territories to be given to Italy, thinking that the war was over.
French forces could not put up a very strong resistance, and surrendered on 22nd
June 1940 to the German forces. After the fall of Paris, Germans captured three
fifths of the French territory towards the North, and rest of the area in the South
was ruled by an authoritarian commander – Marshal Henri Petain. The former
French Government exiled to Britain, and Henri Petain‟s regime was known as
Vichy France. Allied powers considered it as a puppet state in collaboration with
the Nazis. Now Adolf Hitler was in control of the entire central and Western
Europe except Britain.
27
Encouraged by the German support, the Soviet Union occupied Baltic States of
Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia in June 1940, and officially annexed them in August.
BATTLE OF BRITAIN
After the fall of France, and the Low Countries, Britain was now left alone to face
the Nazi forces. It asked USA for help, but USA had a very strict policy of
isolation, and the American people did not want to get themselves involved in the
war at all. Adolf Hitler now planned an invasion into Britain through an air
campaign, code named as „Operation Sea Lion’. He expected Britain to surrender
soon, or buy peace with Germany, allowing the Germans to complete their
eastward expansion. But Britain under the leadership on Winston Churchill
refused to back out. Germany bombed England day and night, endlessly for about
ten months.
The air combat between the German air force –the Luftwaffe and the British Royal Air
force (RAF), waged from 10th July to 31st October 1940 is called as „The Battle of
Britain’. The battle was predominantly fought in the air as Germany aimed to acquire
air superiority over southern Britain and the English Channel by destroying the British
Air Force and air craft industry. German Luftwaffe inflicted attacks on British air, and
naval bases, commercial centers, and war industries. The British on the other hand were
equipped with the fighter planes – Spitfire and Hurricane, along with a Radar system
that used to alarm them about German offensives beforehand. Their extra intelligence
28
services informed them about the next targets of the German forces by intercepting, and
cracking the secret messages sent by the Germans to their forces through the ‘Enigma’
coding machines.
Source – D: Battle of Britain
The Luftwaffe‟s first disadvantage was that it was neither trained nor equipped for the
long range operations which became part of the battle. Its tactics were based upon the
concept of close air support for ground forces; they were therefore ill-suited to the
circumstances of the new campaign. The technical differences between the fighter
aircraft employed by two sides were negligible: the RAF‟s main fighter planes were the
Spitfire and the Hurricane, whilst the Germans relied primarily on Messcherschmitt
fighters and Junkers dive bombers. Yet to swing the odds in Britain‟s favor, the tactical
advantage that German fighters had developed in earlier conflicts was negated once
fighter aircraft were ordered to provide close escort to the German bomber formations.
These formations had discovered to their own extreme cost that they were unable to
defend themselves.
Moreover, the British pilots were fighting in a friendly territory and could make better
plans for strategic bombings, and in case of crash landings, and other causalities, could
still manage to return to war, whereas it was a big disadvantage for the German air
force that their aircrafts had to cover up a long distance in order to launch their
offensives. The British suffered heavy losses in the beginning, but eventually managed
to turn the tide against Germany. By the middle of September 1940, the British Royal
Air Force had gunned down 1,733 German Aircrafts in a twelve week long battle.
29
Hitler changed his war strategy now, and targeted
air attacks on the civilian population in the
important cities of Britain, like London, Plymouth,
and
Coventry,
indiscriminate
and
resorted
bombing
to
create
to
heavy
a
strong
psychological impact. This terror bombing of the
cities of Britain was called as – „The Blitz‟, which
continued even after the battle of Britain till 1941. The British had put up a brave front,
and inflicted losses on the German Air Force, making Adolf Hitler realize the futility of
this campaign, and to postpone the invasion of Britain indefinitely.
Battle of Britain exhibited to the world that Adolf Hitler was not yet the master of the
entire Western Europe, and the invincibility of German war equipment was just a myth
– it could certainly be met, and destroyed in the battle front with strong preparation
and determination. It also proved the invention of radars as a major war weapon that
was instrumental in winning the battle.
3.
WAR DURING 1941
BATTLE OF BARBAROSSA
Hitler, infuriated by his defeat, in the battle of
Britain, now turned his attention towards the Soviet
Union in the East. He thought that Britain's hope of
an alliance with the Soviet Union had kept it
fighting till now, the moment Soviet Union was
defeated, then Britain would automatically stop fighting and become ready for
negotiations.
Nazis believed that Soviet army was not sufficiently strong and could be
overpowered easily in a fast paced invasion. Moreover, he was not at all sincere in
his intentions and defied the terms of the „Friendship Agreement’ with the Soviet
30
Union. He eyed Russian supplies of food, and oil from the territories of Ukraine,
and Caucasus to strengthen German forces further, especially to launch and win
an invasion against Britain once again.
Adolf Hitler broke the Non-Aggression Pact, and invaded Soviet Union on 22nd
June 1941, under „Operation Barbarossa’, with the support of the Romanian Army.
Germany had already captured Yugoslavia, Greece, and the Balkan States. Now,
they occupied the Baltic States between June and July 1941, and advanced into the
interiors of the Soviet Union.
Source E: Adolf Hitler’s invasion of Russia in World War II
By Laurence Rees
The German Blitzkrieg technique was as devastating in Russia as it had been in the rest
of Europe. The scene was set for a war of annihilation waged by the Nazis against the
Soviets with no mercy shown by either side. One week into the German invasion,
150,000 Soviet soldiers were either dead or wounded - more than during the five
months of the Battle of the Somme.
As the German armies swept further into the Russian heartland, one million Soviet
troops were drafted to protect Kiev. But despite Stalin's ruthless order forbidding any
city to surrender, Kiev fell and 600,000 Soviet soldiers were captured. By October 1941,
three million Soviet soldiers were prisoners of war.
One of its armed divisions swept through Ukraine, another through Leningrad, and
even another one reached right at the door of Moscow, just 25 kilometers away from it.
Initially German forces gained many victories, advanced 1,700 kilometers into Soviet
Union, captured around 3 million Soviet troops, along with a huge mass of territory.
But, the arrival of an early winter contained the further movement of German armies.
The red army had put up a strong front and fierce resistance but still could not maintain
hold over its own territory, and had to withdraw. Stalin had to order immediate
31
evacuation, but he also instructed his generals to follow a „Scorched Earth Policy’. In
order to deny food supplies, commodities, and shelter to Germans forces and their
allies. To implement this policy, the destruction battalions were formed in front line
area, which burned down heaps of grains, ready crops, villages, public buildings, and
schools etc. and crippled the German army out of starvation, and lack of shelter, in the
bitter Russian winter.
While Germans had been marching ahead in the autumn of 1941, Stalin had been trying
to put up stiff resistance to prevent the fall of Moscow, and to ally with Britain. In
September 1941, he asked for a two-point agreement with the British –
1. Provision of aid and mutual assistance.
2. Gain of territories which it had taken in Eastern Europe, along with Adolf Hitler.
The British agreed to the first demand, but refused the second, and Stalin had to accept
the situation, as his military condition was deteriorating day by day, with the help of
British supplies, and assurance of no attack from Japan on its Siberian borders (As Japan
was busy in the Pacific wars), Russian troops began shifting from Siberian region to
Moscow front, and launched a significant counter-offensive on 6 December 1941. They
pushed German armies away from the outskirts of Moscow, snatching away their
previous victories, and making the German year end on a low note.
ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR: USA ENTERS THE WAR
32
Imperial Japan was having problems with The United States of America regarding its
imperialist ambitions in the Pacific and South-East Asia. It was fed up of US embargos,
and the negotiations were not going on well. During the winter of 1941, on December 7,
the imperial Japanese navy attacked Pearl Harbor, a US naval base in the Hawaii
islands, aiming to destroy the US – Pacific fleet at anchor. This attack took the
Americans by surprise, as being a Sunday; it was a relaxed day for many naval officers.
Many of them were still asleep, some were having breakfast, and some were getting
ready for the Sunday mass in the church. Completely unaware of the attack, many of
them took it as the normal aircraft exercise, but within minutes realized that it was an
attack. This assault left approximately 2,400 Americans dead, 21 of their ships either
sunk, or were severely damaged, and more than 188 US aircrafts totally destroyed.
Attack on Pearl Harbor forced The United States of America to come out of its isolation,
and declare war on Japan, the very next day. Germany and Italy being allies of Japan
also declared war on the US. It was now indeed World War II.
JAPANESE AGGRESSION IN SOUTH EAST ASIA
Within a week‟s time from the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese had invaded the
Philippines, Burma, and Hong Kong. The Pacific conflict had started. Japan also
captured Malaya, parts of Singapore, New Guinea, French Indo-China, and the Dutch
East Indies (Indonesia later on). They even threatened Cylon (Sri Lanka). By the first
quarter of 1942, almost entire South-East Asia was under the Japanese attack, they
created „Great East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere’, declaring the entire region under the
Japanese control.
4.
WAR BETWEEN 1942-43
FIGHTING IN AFRICA, AND FALL OF MUSSOLINI
There was fierce fighting in North Africa going on since
1941. Abyssinia (Ethiopia0 which was conquered by the
Italians had been liberated by the allied forces. The
33
German and Italian forces aimed to capture Libya and Egypt but were pushed
back by the British army called the - „Desert Rats’ under General Montgomery
who moved on to capture Tobruk in June 1942. The Americans under – „Operation
Torch’, captured Morocco, and Algeria in November 1942. The Blitz continued on
British and German cities. By July 1943, the allied forces were able to remove the
Axis powers from North Africa as all the Axis military divisions in the region had
surrendered.
The Anglo-American forces captured Tunisia on 13 May, and entered Sicily by 10
July 1943. They entered Italy by 25 July, and Mussolini was deposed from his
Prime Ministership by the Grand Council of the Fascist party of Italy which
installed a new Government now. Mussolini was arrested by the Italian military
which took over and surrendered before the allies on 8 September 1943.
34
German divisions loyal to Mussolini which were stationed in the North tried to
control the northern half of Italy and installed a puppet state there, and Allies were
able to capture the southern parts of Italy only. A German task force even rescued
Mussolini who was later shot dead by the Italian military on 28 April 1945, while
trying to escape to Switzerland. Germans maintained their control over the
northern peninsula till their surrender in May 1945, though; Rome fell in the hands
of the allies by 4 June 1944.
WAR IN THE PACIFIC, AND THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY
The Japanese continued with their conquests in the Pacific. Borneo, Java, Sumatra,
and Singapore were captured by them in February 1942. By the month of June, the
Japanese forces gained almost a complete control over South-East Asia, and now
shifted attention towards Midway, the Solomon Islands, the Bismarck Sea, and
New Guinea.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the US forces were committed to hit back at
Japan. A raid was conducted by B-25 medium bombers in Japanese waters. In
return, Japanese attacked the US Naval base in Midway, with a strong force of
warships, along with four large fleet carriers. The US Navy counter-attacked
intercepted, and decoded Japanese signals, and destroyed all the four Japanese
fleet carriers, inflicting a devastating defeat upon the Japanese.
Battle of Midway is thus considered to be the turning point in the war that was
being fought in the Pacific Ocean. After this, US started with the campaign –
„Island Hopping’, under which it captured only strategic islands, one to another,
which were instrumental in targeting, and reaching Japan (instead of capturing all
of them). Island Hopping started in 1943, after the battle of Midway, and
continued till late 1944.
BATTLE OF STALINGRAD
Battle conditions were reversed, when Hitler initiated one of the most brutal
conflicts of the 20th century, known as the Battle of Stalingrad, in the spring of
35
1942. He began with two sided attack, as he believed that this was going to be his
last and final battle in the Eastern Europe, and will lead to the fall of Soviet Union.
One of the armed divisions marched towards Baku to grab its rich oil resources in
the Caucasus; whereas the other battalion moved towards the city of Stalingrad,
and the river Volga. Since German attack on Soviet Union in 1941, the Russians
had been facing defeats, and were tired, exhausted, as well as demoralized.
This time, they followed a new technique, termed as – „The Fighting Retreat‟, which
hampered German lines of supplies, and ration. In the previous battles, the Soviet
armies were ordered to stand the ground till the end, but this time, they were
instructed by Stalin to even retreat, in order to prevent a possible capture, and
continue paddling. The entire 6th Army considered being the most outstanding of all
the German troops got trapped in Stalingrad. German aircrafts could not support it
with the supplies of food and ammunition, due to unfriendly terrain. Ferocious
fighting took place, and shocked the Germans at Stalingrad, as they were
surrounded by the Soviet armies. Germans were used to fighting a speedy war,
supported by tanks, and aircrafts. Whereas, now they had to fight hand to hand
battle due to rain, and harsh weather conditions. The Panzer tanks got stuck up in
thick mud. This was a severe blow to the already starving army. Hence, the 6th
Army of German troops was defeated at Stalingrad, and finally surrendered before
The Red Army of the Soviet Union on 2 February 1943. This event was an
important turning point in the war being fought in the Eastern Europe.
36
5.
WAR DURING 1944
OPENING OF THE SECOND FRONT: THE BATTLE OF NORMANDY
Largest numbers of causalities in the war were faced by the Soviet Union. In order to
inflict an early and a definite defeat upon the Nazis, and to save human lives from
being lost in millions, it was vital to open a second front in Europe. Stalin had been
asking for opening a second front for quite some time. All the 26 states that earlier
signed the Atlantic Charter of 14th August 1941, had also agreed upon the need to open
another front in Western Europe, to put pressure on the Nazis, from both the sides. But
no actual step had been taken in this regard. On the pretext of lack of preparedness, the
Western powers kept on postponing the opening of the second front till June of 1944,
and prolonged the war. Had this front been opened in 1941-42, the World War would
long have been over by the same year and millions of precious lives would have been
saved.
Source G:
The first blunder of the Germans was that they expected an attack, but at the natural
harbor of Calais and not on the beaches of Normandy. They did not know about the
Allies' artificial harbors. Also, clues planted by the Allies suggested Calais as the
37
landing site. Secondly, reserves in the form of Panzer divisions located a short distance
behind the beaches were not ordered to counter-attack on the first day because the
German High Command still believed that the main invasion had yet to take place and
by the time this was realized as wrong, it was too late as the beachhead had been
established.
On 6 June 1944, the allied forces began the much anticipated assault on Europe under„Operation Overlord’; this day is known as – ‘The D–Day’, the designated day, in the
history of World War II. The day had stormy weather conditions, making the German
commanders to believe that the Allies won‟t attack in such conditions, and hence, they
were on a holiday. Even luck favored the Allies that day. Around 7,000 vessels arrived
with more than 130,000 allied troops, and landed on five beaches of Normandy in
France. Around 12,000 aircrafts supported the Allied forces – bombing German defense
formations. Cutting telephone lines, and providing cover to the allied troops to move
further quickly.
Opening of this front took the German forces by a surprise, and they could not launch a
counter offensive with required speed and strength. Adolf Hitler‟s problems were
doubled up by the Russian counter attack in the East in June 1944. Anglo-American
Armies were advancing from the West, and The Soviet Red Armies were moving from
the East. Germans were unable to handle attacks on two opposite fronts. Armies had to
be divided, and put on defense lines on both the sides. By August end, the Soviet
armies had captured Bucharest, Estonia was next on the list within a few months, and
Budapest was seized by the end of 1944.
The Allied forces captured Normandy, and occupied Paris on 25th August 1944. The
Russians had grabbed parts of East Germany, and reached till the former Russo–Polish
frontier. German cities, railway lines, and industries were bombed heavily.
38
Adolf Hitler now used first rockets – V-1, and V-2. He was about to introduce
extremely sophisticated jet aircrafts, improved submarines, and some other deadly, as
well as terrifying weapons in order to enable his forces to fight successfully in the
Atlantic. But all this perhaps happened too late to save Hitler from his final defeat.
BATTLE OF BULGE
In the winter of 1944, Hitler made his final
anxious attempt to take over the Allied powers
in the Battle of Bulge. In mid-December 1944,
German forces launched an offensive on
Belgium, and Northern France. He got triumph
in the initial phase, and killed approximately
19,000 American soldiers. But the Allied forces
bounced back, German forces had to withdraw
due to shortage of ration, and supplies, leaving
behind Panzers, and other war equipment in the
battle front. Hitler had failed again.
6.
WAR DURING 1945
THE END OF WORLD WAR II
Death of Mussolini – The Allied forces
entered Milan on 27th April 1945. Benito
Mussolini, who was supported by the
Italian Socialist Republic Puppet State, ran
with the help of German fascists was
captured by the Italian partisans. He was
trying to escape to Switzerland, and was
travelling with a German Anti-Aircraft
39
Division. He was shot dead on 28 April 1945, along with some other fascists. Their
bodies were taken to Milan, and were hung upside down for public display. The
puppet state surrendered to the Allies on 29 April 1945.
Fall of Germany
Soviet armies started a campaign to liberate Poland on 12th January 1945, and
forced Hungary to surrender. Hitler went underground to his bunker in January,
and directed his troops from there for rest of the months till his death in April
1945. By the mid of February 1945, the Allied forces attacked Dresden, a city in
Germany, and killed thousands of civilians in bombings. They crossed the river
Rhine on 7th March 1945, moved on towards the Northern parts of Germany by
April end, and then towards Elbe River before they met the Soviet troops who had
launched their final offensive on Germany on 16th April 1945. They surrounded the
German capital – Berlin, and were marching ahead. Realizing the situation of a
total defeat, Adolf Hitler blamed the Jews for the same, and committed a suicide in
his bunker on 30th April 1945, exactly two days after Mussolini‟s assassination in
Paris. Germans surrendered unconditionally on 7th May 1945 before the Allied
forces at Reims, and on 9th May 1945 to the Russian troops in Berlin.
End of War in the Pacific
After the surrender of Germany, the Allied
powers
gave
an
ultimatum
to
Japan,
threatening her of serious consequences if she
did not surrender. British forces marched
further in Burma; America also invaded Iwo
Jima, Philippines, and Okinawa. Japanese
forces began to retreat from China. The Allied
powers planned to invade Japan, but the possibilities of massive casualties, and the
fears of fierce resistance convinced President Harry Truman, (successor of
40
Roosevelt, after his death in April 1945) to drop Atomic Bombs on Japan. One of the
bombs was dropped on the city of Hiroshima, on 6th August 1945, and the other on
the city of Nagasaki on 9th August 1945. Bombs destroyed the cities within a fraction
of a second. Japan announced its surrender on 14 August 1945, and finally did so a
few days later. The World War finally got over on 2 September 1945.
Source H: Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima, and Nagasaki
Together with the United Kingdom and the Republic of China, the United States called
for a surrender of Japan in the Declaration on 26 July 1945, threatening Japan with
"prompt and utter destruction". The Japanese Government ignored this ultimatum, and
two nuclear weapons developed by the Manhattan Project were deployed. Little Boy
was dropped on the city of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945, followed by the Fat Man over
Nagasaki on 9 August.
41
WORLD WAR II – A TIMELINE
1939
1. Hitler invades Poland on 1st September.
2. Britain and France declare war on Germany 3rd September.
1940
1. German 'Blitzkrieg' captures Belgium, Holland and France.
2. British Expeditionary Force evacuated from Dunkirk.
3. British victory in Battle of Britain forces Hitler to postpone invasion plans.
1941
1. Hitler begins Operation Barbarossa - the invasion of Russia.
2. The Blitz continues against Britain's major cities.
3. Allies take Tobruk in North Africa, and resist German attacks.
4. Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, and the US enters the war.
1942
1. Germany suffers setbacks at Stalingrad and El Alamein.
2. Singapore falls to the Japanese in February - around 25,000 prisoners taken.
3. American Naval victory at Battle of Midway, in June, marks turning point in
Pacific War.
4. Mass murder of Jewish people at Auschwitz begins.
1943
1. Surrender at Stalingrad marks Germany's first major defeat.
2. Allied victory in North Africa enables invasion of Italy to be launched.
42
3. Italy surrenders, but Germany takes over the battle.
4. British and Indian forces fight Japanese in Burma.
1944
1. Soviet offensive gathers pace in Eastern Europe.
2. D Day: The Allied invasion of France.
3. Paris is liberated in August
1945
1. Auschwitz liberated by Soviet troops
2. Russians reach Berlin
3. Hitler commits suicide and Germany surrenders on 7 May.
4. After Atomic bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
5. Japan surrenders on 14th August
LIFE DURING WORLD WAR II – A CASE STUDY OF BRITAIN
Life during the war was horrific, tough, miserable, and full of hardships. It brought
more causality to the civilians than to the soldiers. Cities were bombed, innocent
civilians; young as well old were massacred, and tortured to death. Thousands of them
became homeless, lost their families, faced suffering, pain, disability, and starvation.
In this case study, we will discuss the impact of the war on life of people, specifically on
Britain. Case studies on other countries can also be conducted on similar lines.
Government of Britain took complete charge of the civilian lives as soon as the war
began in September 1939. Strict measures were adopted to defend the nation from the
air, and sea borne assaults, as well as to regulate the civilian activities, and to generate
public support for the war effort. The Government adopted fourfold measure –
a)
Evacuation of vulnerable citizens to the safer areas in the countryside.
43
b)
Implementing conscription to recruit soldiers and workers.
c)
Propaganda and censorship to get peoples‟ support in the war effort
d)
Rationing to feed civilians and armed forces and to maintain regular supplies.
FAMILY LIFE DURING WAR
Many families had to split as the adult men – the fathers, husbands, uncles, brothers
and sons had to join the armed forces under conscription, leaving behind their families.
They had to attend the training and then join the battle front in the country or overseas.
Many-a-times, their families did not even recognize them when they came back from
the battle front after a couple of years. Rest of the men who were incapable of joining
the forces, had to join the war work in the industries, or had to become „Air Raid
Wardens‟. Mothers, sisters, and daughters had to join the war effort in the factories,
industries, medical, and other fields. There was no one to take care of children at home.
Thousands of men died in the war, and many became disabled for the rest of their lives,
resulting in children to be raised, and brought up by single mothers. Family dynamics
started changing as ladies took to work in factories to fill up the positions left by men.
They were left to spend less time with children or other family members, and take care
of them. As a matter of fact, children were now expected to mature, and grow faster in
order to help in war efforts. They had to join students‟ and youth organizations to help
collecting money for war bonds to support the Government.
44
Day to day life in Britain got tough as people had to travel more, because trains and
buses took longer and comparatively safer roots. People had to walk over bricks,
debris, and shattered glass on the roads, streets and by lanes. Bombing of cities called as
the „blitz‟ led to the destruction and scorching of houses and other buildings. It not only
killed people but also damaged gas, and electricity supply leading to hardships, along
with shortage of food, and other commodities. Bombing forced people to sleep in the
subways, or railway stations quite often.
At night, cities were made dark through total blackouts so as to avoid any hint of
civilian population to the enemy bombers. During an air raid, blast force of the
exploded bomb shattered window panes, hence, people had to stick paper tapes on to
the window panels to stop glass from shattering, and causing injuries. Besides this,
everyone had to follow blackout rules, whether it was a house, or a shop, or a business
firm or trains and automobiles. Blackout curtains or black material had to be put up and
drawn on every window at night to stop the light of the house or building from
showing out. The street lights also used to be turned off to stop any kind of signal from
the city from guiding enemy planes, and to make it difficult for the German bombers to
find their target in the dark. Many accidents used to occur in such a situation as the
headlights of the vehicles also had to be blackened. Slowly, people got used to the
blackouts.
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As enemy submarines sank many merchant ships creating shortage of vegetables, fruits,
meat, and some other food items, the British Government had to start up with rationing.
This was done in order to ensure that every one received a fair share of food, and no
one starved. Families had to register for rationing coupons in order to get the weekly
supply of food and other commodities. People were also encouraged by the
Government to produce their own food. The Government came up with a poster having
a slogan – „Dig for Victory‟, which motivated people to grow up vegetables at home.
Just like food, clothes were also rationed during the war time, hence, women were
encouraged to mend and repair old family clothes instead of buying new ones. They
were advised to make skirts and dresses out of old curtains, and use unwanted clothes
for making something else which could be used in some other way in the household.
People were required to undergo training regarding their conduct during air raids and
the use of gas masks. They were also instructed to be alert and vigilant, and avoid
indulging in gossip and casual talk, so as to avoid passing important information to the
spies of the enemy. People were required to listen to the news and instructions from the
Government on the radio on regular basis.
Newspapers and Media were controlled, and censored by the Government. Most of the
newspapers and publishing houses happily accepted, and complied with the
regulations. Though BBC was not controlled by the Government, but it censored itself,
and contributed towards informing people, and maintaining public morale. Most of the
radio programs were designed to boost the morale of the people, during this crucial
time. Government also used propaganda to inform people, create awareness,
responsibility, and Patriotism. Many posters extended messages to the people regarding
conservation of food, fuel and resources, and also to be aware of the enemy spies. These
posters further instructed people on how to act during blackouts and air raids. The
Government observed the mood of people, and acted accordingly.
46
IMPACT OF WAR ON CHILDREN
Children, categorically in the defeated countries, were killed in large numbers as a
result of bombings, and ground battles. In Britain, and other countries of Europe,
people expected bombardment by the enemy planes on the cities, damaging factories,
homes, and even schools. Children were vulnerable, and would be in danger. The
Governments tried to shift them in safer places. In Britain, it was called as „Evacuation‟,
and was launched under the code name – „Operation Pied Piper‟. More than 1.5 million
childernwere evacuated to the countryside in order to protect them from air raids on
the cities, ports, industrial areas, and towns adjoining air fields as soon as the war was
announced in September 1939.
Mothers, or some selected adults were allowed to accompany children less than 5 years
of age, and even expecting mothers were also advised to evacuate. Though the
evacuation was not mandatory, but still parents were encouraged by the Government to
opt for it. Children found it to be very agonizing and difficult to get separated from
their families. They did not know when would they return, and get united again with
their parents and siblings.
For the purpose of evacuation, children had to reach their respective schools from
where the teachers and other school staff took them in the buses to the railway stations
where special trains used to be waiting for them. Though it was a sad journey for the
47
most of the kids but was exciting for some of them who had never been to the
countryside before. Every evacuee was provided with a gas mask, food for the journey,
and a small bag for putting soiled clothes and other washing material. Every child had
an I-card on his coat mentioning his/her name, home address, school, and the
destination where he/she was to be taken.
Schools were also shifted to the countryside, and were run in the shared buildings in
two shifts. Regular teaching and examinations were conducted as the usual routine.
Besides this, children were taught how to put on a gas mask, and practice air raid drill.
Many of them were made to sleep in the Air Raid Shelters. Schools provided free milk
and food to the children, and also started with the money saving schemes to support
the war effort. Children collected money by selling war bonds, and stamps under
„Spitfire Funds‟, and National Saving Groups. The older children also collected metal
scraps, and left over foods to be recycled, and even worked on the farms in their free
time. Some of the girls knitted woolen hats for the soldiers, and refugees. Young boys at
school learnt to mend shoes at the workshops, as even the shoes were on rationing.
48
Though there were fewer toys and almost no birthday celebrations, fewer chocolates,
and almost no ice-creams, still children and their schools made every effort in their
capacity to help their nation, and their soldiers in this crucial time of war.
49
Source: IMPACT OF WAR ON WOMEN
By 1945, more than 2.2 million women were working in the war industries, building
ships, aircraft, vehicles, and weaponry. Women also worked in factories, munitions
plants and farms, and also drove trucks, provided logistic support for soldiers and
entered professional areas of work that were previously the preserve of men. In the
Allied countries thousands of women enlisted as nurses serving on the front lines.
Thousands of others joined defensive militias at home and there was a great increase in
the number of women serving in the military itself, particularly in the Red Army.
In the World War Two era, approximately 400,000 U.S. women served with the armed
forces.
WAR PROPAGANDA – POSTERS PUBLISHED DURING WORLD WAR–II
50
IMPACT OF THE WORLD WAR ON EDUCATION
The Nazis followed racial theory ruthlessly, and as a result of this, they considered nonGermans as inferior, and sub-humans. This was also reflected in their war policies. They
closed all the schools and colleges in the captured countries like Poland, and
Czechoslovakia etc. and banned education of children in these countries; they made it a
crime punishable by death. According to one of the Nazi statements towards the Slavs –
“Slavs need no higher education, and the whole Nation should be turned into
uneducated surfs for the German race, they need not know counting more than 500, and
language for more than writing just their names.”
However, many teachers, professors, and educators in these captured countries kept on
imparting education to the children secretively in their hideouts. They risked their lives
for imprisonment, deportation, and death but tried to make all possible efforts to keep
education in their respective countries alive while remaining underground and running
secret teaching organizations.
On the other hand, education in the Allied countries was also affected by the World
War. Feeling of patriotism, nationalism, loyalty towards the nation, bravery to join
armed forces and anti-German sentiments, were all to be instilled in the young growing
minds at school through the nationalized education system. Curriculum also had to be
changed, and textbooks were to be rewritten as a result of war,e.g., American
Government changed the description of the American Revolution and image of Britain
in the history text books because this time USA was having Britain as its ally in the
World War, and wanted the people of America to support it. Now they presented
Britain (against whom American war of independence was fought) as a country fighting
against evil Nazis and the Fascist. The historical American and German friendship also
had to be deconstructed, and Germanswere now to be shown as aggressors and
invaders in the history books.
During war time, besides running their regular academic schedule, the schools also
imparted training regarding use of gas masks, and air raid drills. They also served as
51
war time centers for registration in the war jobs or military, and also raised money for
the war efforts. They portrayed war in terms of celebration and victories, but not in
terms of torture, deaths, and devastating realities.
SOURCE H: IS IT NOT CONTRADICTORY?
We all have studied about the Nazis, the genocide
and crimes committed by them against humanity.
IMPORTANT INVENTIONS
But here are some facts about Hitler and Nazis
DONE DURING
which present a positive side of the picture. If the
World War II
Nazis were so thoughtful and concerned what
made them commit brutalities is a serious
question.
1. Internet
2. Antibiotics
3. Personal computers
1.
Hitler was vehemently against smoking. The
Nazi‟s were also the first ones to link
smoking to the development of cancer.
2.
3.
Hitler wanted every German, whether rich
4. Radars
5. Televisions
6. Jericans
or poor, to have a car and thus, he invented
7. Rockets
the Volkswagen („People‟s Car‟).
8. Nuclear Power
Before coming into power in 1933, mass
9. Radios
unemployment
10. Submarines
crippled
the
German
economy due to the global depression and
hyperinflation. When the Nazis stormed on
11. Enigma decoding
machine
to the scene, they put everyone back to work. Overnight, the wheels of the
economy were turning once more and money was flowing back into people‟s
pockets. Adolf Hitler generated mass employment. He stabilized the German
economy, and eliminated all the debts.
4.
Adolf Hitler invented the highway and the freeway system. („Autobahn‟ in
German).
52
5.
Hitler instituted the standardized schedule for the German train system and a
standardized measurement for all rail cars to keep uniformity.
6.
The Olympic torch relay ceremony was Hitler‟s idea for the 1936 Berlin Olympic
Games. We haven‟t ever since gotten rid of the ceremony that was introduced by
him.
7.
Adolf Hitler and many top Nazis were serious environmentalist types who cared
deeply about animals and their rights. The Nazis were amongst the first ones to
put in place laws protecting animals from abuse. It is an irony that they abused
human in cruelest of the ways.
8.
Adolf Hitler brought the concept of sending a child to kindergarten before to an
actual school for training.
9.
He was also one of the first ones to invent Rockets, which are used worldwide
now. The basic design, and concept of a „Rocket‟, and a „Launcher‟, was put
forward by the Nazis. They were amongst the first ones to build rockets.
10.
„Fanta‟ was originally produced in Nazi Germany by Max Keith, head of CocaCola‟s German operations. The drink proved popular, and was adopted by CocaCola internationally after the war was over.
CONSEQUENCES OF WORLD WAR–II
A)
IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Large Scale Death and Devastation – World War II created devastating impact
which was unprecedented in the entire human history. It caused large scale
destruction of human life and property, and put immense impact on the
environment. The war led to a total destruction of cities, factories, mills, fields,
schools, and residential areas. It amounted to the loss of around 50 million human
lives due to direct warfare, war-related diseases, and from starvation. Besides
53
soldiers, and prisoners of war, millions of innocent men, women, and children
died a painful and an untimely deaths all over the world. Many more became
disabled permanently, and millions of them became homeless refugees.
German Holocaust – Under the shadow of the World War II, Germans committed
a holocaust, killing millions of Jews in the concentration camps, millions of Roma
Gypsies, thousands of mentally, and physically challenged people, called
„Undesirables’, by the Nazi Germans. Besides this, they also killed millions of
ethnic Poles, Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, homosexuals, Serbs, and political
prisoners.
Allied Forces – They also killed a massive number of Germans, Japanese, Italians,
and even the French, while fighting deathly battles. They were also responsible for
large scale killings, and making people homeless in the Axis nations.
Shortages – War also created acute shortage of food, and other essential
commodities, and led to price rise, and high inflation. The standard of living of
people in all the countries, involved in the war fell drastically, creating hardships,
misery, and sufferings for a common man.
Moral Degradation – The war also resulted in moral degradation of man as he
destroyed his own species in an incomparable manner and scale. Nazis, fascists,
and even imperial Japan inflicted unimaginable brutalities upon the soldiers,
prisoners of wars, and even civilian men, women, and children. They devised
54
cruelest of new ways to inflict torture, pain and death to the helpless victims. No
signs of humanity, sensitivity, morality, and love could be seen in these ghastly
acts. It was hatred, bitterness, and revenge all over in the minds of the aggressors,
and even their victims. Allied forces also killed millions of Japanese when they
dropped atomic bombs on two Japanese cities in August 1945. This demonstrated
man‟s ability to wipe out his own race within a fraction of a second. Both, the
Allied, and the Axis powers, were guilty of committing obscene atrocities,
horrifying crimes against humanity and behaving like barbarians.
Total defeat of Axis Powers– Germany, Italy and Japan were razed, and leveled to
the ground. Germany was blamed for bringing the world to yet another World
War, was humiliated and punished. It was divided (At Potsdam Conference) into
four parts. As there was no scope of a possible Government, that could be
recognized by the allied powers, and thus divisions were done. Each of these parts
was kept under a major country of the victorious alliance. All the colonies of Italy
in Africa, and elsewhere were shared by the allied powers, and it was made to
accept the Sovereignty, and Independence of Ethiopia. Japan was put under the
command of – „Far Eastern Commission’, under the allied control, and regained
its sovereignty later in 1951 through the – „San Francisco Peace Treaty’.
Image of Britain, and France– Britain resulted as a second-rate world power after
the war as it had suffered heavy losses during the war times, and its Colonial empire
had also started to decolonize. France amongst the Allies was the most devastated
55
Nation during the war, as a huge part of the war was fought over its territory.
Though it remained victorious, if lost its prestige and status considerably. It also
became second-rate world power due to heavy losses incurred during the war.
Status of USA, and Soviet Union – The United States of America had played a
vital and a significant role in the alliance, and led to victory in the war. It emerged
as the strongest country after the war, as none of the battles during the World War
were fought over its territory and it did not face any kind of destruction.
Moreover, its manufacturing industries, and commercial organizations worked
day, and night to increase production,
and made huge profits by selling food,
commodities,
ammunitions,
and
giving loans to the European countries
during the period of War. Its political
and diplomatic role during this crucial
time was also undisputed. Above all, it
emerged as the new super power of
the world by dropping the Atom Bombs in Japan. Soviet Union emerged as the
other super power after the war, because Stalin did not leave any stone unturned
to grab as many concessions as possible from the allied powers. It acquired a
dominant position in the Central and Eastern Europe, with most of the countries of
these regions coming under the influence of Communism, and by establishing
Communist Governments. Communism also spread to Asia, making the position
of Soviet Union even stronger. Soviet Union also tested an Atom Bomb in 1949,
and acquired rivalry with The United Stated of America.
B)
LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES
Decolonization - It refers to the dismantling of the Colonial empires after the end
of World War II. Nationalist movements in various countries of Asia, and Africa
56
gathered momentum, and demanded Independence from the western imperialist
powers like Britain, France, and Holland, Italy etc. Many of these countries became
Independent after 1945. In many areas, this transformation was peaceful, and in
some, it was a violent process. Some of the Independent countries had stable
political systems under Democratic Governments, and others were ruled by
Dictators or Military regimes for many years to come. There were still many
countries which witnessed civil war as well. Some of the former colonial powers
accepted, and welcomed the new situation, and relations with their former
colonies, but some tried to re-establish their control, and confronted decolonization
militarily. Decolonization took place simultaneously when other new world orders
were being shaped.
Emergence of a Bi-Polar World, and
the Cold War– End of World War II
was marked by the emergence of
USA, and the former USSR as the two
super powers. These two countries
followed
completely
different
ideologies – i.e., Capitalism, and
Communism respectively, due to which they stood apart as two opposite poles,
57
around which politics of Europe revolved. Most of the countries of Western
Europe joined the American bloc, and the countries of Eastern Europe came under
the influence of the Russian bloc. Both the blocs tried to influence, and bring more
and more countries to their camp, and most of the European world was divided
into two hostile camps leading to the emergence of Cold War. Since, both the
superpowers possessed vast Economic, and military capabilities, along with the
possession of the Nuclear weapons, the relations between them were no more
cordial. They started with their Militarization, and arms race, which could at any
time lead to an actual war.
The American bloc included Democracies like Britain, France, Italy, Holland,
Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, and West Germany; while on the other hand, the
Soviet bloc included nations like Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Hungary,
Bulgaria, and East-Germany etc. which were committed to Communism, and were
called as – „Satellites of USSR’. The period from 1950‟s till 1991 is known as the
period of Cold War between these two rival blocs, when the world was living in
the condition of disturbed peace, and the fear of another World War, probably the
nuclear one.
EMERGENCE OF THE UNITED NATIONS
League of Nations had failed in its
mission of preventing another world
war. It ceased to work during war
years, and was replaced after it by
another world organization termed as –
„The United Nations‟. Allied powers
and their colonies had fought the
Second World War together against the
aggression of Germany, Italy, and
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Japan. Representatives of 26 Nations met in Washington D.C. on 1st January 1942 to sign
the declaration of The United Nations - to adopt the Atlantic Charter and to affirm full
use of their natural and financial resources against the Axis powers in the World War II.
The Charter also indicated the formation of a world body to maintain peace after the
war was over. There were a series of conferences which were held during, and after the
World War II, to establish an organization on the principle of Sovereign Equality of all
its member nations, and to maintain peace as well as security in the world while
making efforts to prevent future wars. Some of these conferences were – Tehran
Conference (1943), Dumbarton Oaks Conference (1944), Yalta Conference (1945), and
San Francisco Conference (1945). All these conferences worked in the direction of
deciding structure, organs, and a working system of this new world body. Finally the
United Nations was formed on 24th October 1945, when 29 nation states had ratified its
charter. Since then it is working to maintain peace, and security in the world.
Emergence of Non-Aligned Movement
Second World War ended and led to the beginning of decolonization when former
colonies of the western imperial powers started claiming their Independence. These
newly Independent countries were politically instable, and were left impoverished as a
result of exploitation during long colonial rule. They had the enormous task of Nation
building, and economic recovery in front of them, and could not afford to divert their
resources towards military expenditure by joining any of the power blocs. Moreover,
they feared that if they joined any of the power blocs, then countries of the rival bloc
may become their enemies. They also suspected that the former imperial powers in
these power blocs would also try to regain control over their former colonies in one way
or the other. Hence they decided to remain active in world politics while staying away
from the blocs, and not aligning to either of them. This is how the Non Aligned
Movement emerged and was officially founded at Belgrade in 1961. Largely due to the
efforts of Yugoslavia's President Tito, India‟s first Prime Minister – Pandit Jawaharlal
Nehru, Egypt's President – G.A. Nasser, Ghana's President – Kwame Nkrumah, and
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Indonesia's President – Sukarno. NAM countries were referred as the third world
countries, American bloc being the first world, and the Russian bloc being the second
world. NAM countries moved ahead towards development and modernization while
following a middle path.
60
GLOSSARY
IMPORTANT TERMS
1.
Lebensraum – Living space, e.g. Hitler‟s aim to take land from bordering states
to achieve self-sufficiency (autarky)
2.
Appeasement – To give into an aggressor little by little, in the hope of
preventing war. E.g. Britain appeased Germany (May/June 1937 – March 1939)
3.
Blitzkrieg – Lightning attack, coordinating air and land forces. e.g. Germany‟s
attack on Poland (1st September 1939)
4.
Remilitarization – Rearming and area, e.g. Germany remilitarized the
Rhineland (1936)
5.
Buffer zone – A protective barrier of land, e.g. Eastern Poland taken by the
USSR as protection against a future German attack.
6.
Rearmament – Manufacturing of weapons and conscription, e.g. Germany
(after 1934), Britain after the taking of Sudetenland
7.
Autarky – Self-sufficiency economically, e.g. Germany under Hitler and
Schacht to enable Germany to avoid imports
8.
Aggression – Hostile or violent action, e.g. Germany was aggressive towards
Czechoslovakia (March, 1939) and Poland (1stSeptember, 1939)
9.
Axis Powers – Group of 3 countries, i.e., Germany, Italy, and Japan which
committed aggression in World War II.
10. Allied powers – Group of countries, namely Britain, France, and The United
States of America who fought against the Axis powers in World War II.
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WORKSHEETS
WORKSHEET-1
1.
Multiple Choice Questions:
I.
II.
Benito Mussolini was the leader of which of the following?
a)
The Nazis
b)
The Fascists
c)
The Communists
d)
The Democrats
Weimar republic was blamed for bringing national humiliation to Germany
by signing which document?
a)
Treaty of London
b)
Treaty of Tuilleries
c)
Treaty of Alexandria
d)
Treaty of Versailles
III. World War started with the invasion of which of the following territories?
a)
Czechoslovakia
b)
Austria
c)
Indo-China
d)
Poland
IV. The Non–Aggression Pact was signed between –
a)
Germany and Italy
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V.
2.
b)
Germany and the Soviet Union
c)
Germany and Japan
d)
Germany and Britain
Who gave the slogan – Asia for Asians?
a)
The Indians
b)
The Japanese
c)
The Americans
d)
The Burmese
What was the condition of Europe during 1920s and 1930s?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3.
It was said that, “The Treaty of Versailles sowed the seeds of another World War”
Explain how?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4.
Distinguish between – a) Capitalism and Communism, b) Dictatorship and
Democracy
_________________________________________________________________________
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_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
5.
Why did the League of Nations fail to prevent another World War?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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WORKSHEET–2
1.
Write the qualities of Adolf Hitler‟s personality and problems with his ideology
and opinion about Germans. How was he responsible for bringing the world to the
verge of another World War?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2.
Enlist the acts of aggression committed by the Nazis, Fascists and the imperialist
Japan.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3.
What is meant by Appeasement? Why was this policy followed towards Germany?
How was it responsible for the outbreak of another world conflict?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4.
Explain the Munich Pact and the German invasion of Czechoslovakia.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
5.
Discuss the factors that forced the United States of America to follow strict policy
of isolation?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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WORKSHEET–3
1.
READ THROUGH THE PICTURE/NEWSPAER CLIPPING
Observe the given picture and the newspaper clipping. What do they relate and
point to? Explain the causes that created this situation and condition of people as
shown in the picture.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2.
Why did the bitter enemies – Adolf Hitler and Stalin sign the Non-Aggression
Pact?
_________________________________________________________________________
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_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3.
Explain the role played by the Blitzkrieg during the invasion of Poland.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4.
Discuss the fall of France in 1940 and the uselessness of the Maginot line.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
5.
What was the Blitz? How was it related to the Battle of Britain? Write the reasons
for which Germany could not win this battle.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
6.
What made Adolf Hitler break the pact of friendship with the Soviet Union? What
did it result into?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
7.
Explain the course of war with special reference to the Battle of Stalingrad and the
attack on Pearl Harbour in the Pacific.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
8.
Why is the Battle of Midway considered as the turning point on the Pacific front?
What did it lead to?
_________________________________________________________________________
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_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
9.
For what reasons did Stalin demand the opening of a second front? Why did the
western powers delay it till 1944? What was the result of this delay?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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WORKSHEET–4
1.
War brings scarcity, misery and hardships along. Everyone tries to support the
nation at this crucial time. Read the given extract and discuss the important role
played by the media and movies in The United States of America during WW II.
HOLLYWOOD TOWARDS WAR EFFORT IN WORLD WAR–II
Hollywood studios also went all-out for the war effort, as studios allowed their
major stars (such as Clark Gable and James Stewart) to enlist, and also created
propaganda films to remind American movie goers of their heritage. Many of the
finest films of the era are about the war, such as Casablanca, Mrs. Miniver,
and Going My Way, while others, such as Yankee Doodle Dandy, focused on
patriotism. Even before active American involvement in the war, the popular Three Stooges comic trio were lampooning the Nazi German leadership, and Nazis
in general, with a number of short subject films, starting with You Nazty Spy! In
January 1940, nearly two years before the United States was drawn into World
War II, the very first Hollywood-produced work to ridicule Hitler and the Nazis.
Cartoons and short subjects were a major sign of the times, as Warner Brothers
Studios and Disney Studios gave unprecedented aid to the war effort by creating
cartoons that were both Patriotic and humorous, and also contributed to remind
movie-goers of wartime activities such as rationing and scrap drives, war bond
purchases, and the creation of victory gardens. Warner shorts such as Draftee
Daffy, Russian
Rhapsody and Daffy
-
The
Commando,
are
particularly
remembered for their biting wit and unflinching mockery of the enemy
(particularly Adolf Hitler, Hideki Tajo and Hermann Goering.
Their cartoons of Private Snafu, produced for the military as "training films",
served to remind many military men of the importance of following proper
procedure during wartime, for their own safety. Hanna Barbara also contributed to
71
the war efforts with US short cartoon the Yankee Doodle Mouse with "Lt" Jerry
Mouse as the hero and Tom Cat as the "enemy".
Walt Disney's studio also helped the war effort, as almost every cartoon produced
by Disney in this period dealt with the war effort. Each Disney cartoon began with
a headshot of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, or Goofy, and during this time each
was an Army or a Navy cap.
Source – www.wikipedia.org, American propaganda during World War II
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2.
The given cartoons depict two most serious consequences of the World War II.
Interpret them and explain these consequences in your own words
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_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3.
Observe the cartoons given below; they exhibit a special development during the
World War II. Identify the development and interpret it with regard to these
cartoon illustrations.
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_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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WORKSHEET–5
1.
Represent the actions of the Axis and the Allied Powers leading to large scale
destruction in the WW II with the help of a Fish Bone Matrix.
2.
Observe the given posters which were issued and circulated by the Governments
of the Allied countries during the war time. Interpret and explain them in your
own words.
75
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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WORKSHEET–6
1.
Read the given extract and answer the following questions:
CONTRIBUTION OF THE COMMON MAN TOWARDS WAR EFFORT
One of the most noteworthy areas of civilian involvement during the war was in
the area of recycling. Many everyday commodities were vital to the war effort, and
drives were organized to recycle such things as rubber, tin, waste kitchen fats (the
predominant raw material of explosives and many pharmaceuticals) paper,
lumber, steel and many others. Popular phrases promoted by the Government at
the time were "Get into the scrap!" and "Get some cash for your trash" (a nominal
sum was paid to the donor for many kinds of scrap items). Such commodities as
rubber and tin remained highly important as recycled materials until the end of
the war, while others, such as steel, were critically needed at first, but in lesser
quantities as damaged war supplies were returned from overseas for scrapping,
lessening the need for civilian scrap metal drives. Once again, war propaganda
played a prominent role in many of these drives. Source – www.wikipedia.org,
American propaganda during World War II.
A)
Discuss the role of recycling of metal, paper and scrap during the war period.
Why were commodities vital?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
77
B)
In what other ways could common citizens contribute to their nation during
war time? Explain.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
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WORKSHEET–7
1.
Imagine yourself as a British war journalist and write a detailed report on the Blitz
in London that occurred on 20 August 1940 informing people about loss of
hundreds of lives and property worth a million pounds including devastation of
factories and aircraft industries.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2.
Imagine yourself as an Air Raid Warden in war torn England in 1941. Write a
diary entry mentioning your duties and responsibilities during air raids as well
your emotions at that point of time, also mention the reason for which people call
Air Raid Wardens as Daddy‟s Army.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3.
Write a life sketch of any one of the following personalities: Winston Churchill,
Franklin D. Roosevelt, Joseph Stalin, and Adolf Hitler.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4.
Write a short poem in praise of humanity while denouncing wars.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
5.
Write an article on the use of enigma machine and radars in the WW II
_________________________________________________________________________
80
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
81
WORKSHEET–8
1.
Explain the immediate and long term consequences of the World War II
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2.
“End of the Second World War led to the beginning of decolonization and gave
right to self-determination to the people of Asia and Africa”. Elaborate the
statement.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3.
How was the United Nations formed? What are its main objectives? How far has it
been able to achieve them?
_________________________________________________________________________
82
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4.
Discuss the relevance of the Non –Aligned Movement in the post cold war era.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
83
WORKSHEET–9
84
Across
2.
Ruler of Japan
4.
Fascist Leader of Italy
5.
Chancellor of Germany.
9.
Policy of pacification
11.
Japanese Slogan
Down
1.
Opening of the Second Front
3.
Defeat of Germans
6.
Living Space
7.
Hawaii Islands
8.
A policy of USA
9.
Britain, France and USA
10.
Germany, Italy and Japan
11.
Nagasaki and Hiroshima
85
REFERENCES, AND LINKS
A)
B)
IMAGES
1.
www.images.google.com
2.
www.wikipedia.org
3.
www.history.co.uk
4.
www.blogspot.com
5.
www.bbc.co.uk
Important Books, and Documents
1.
Illustrated History of 20th Century Conflicts, by Neil Grant
2.
A History of Modern World, 1500-2000 AD, by H.C. Jain, and K.C. Mathur
3.
US – Declaration of War on Japan (Presidential Library, and Museum, USA)
4.
Battle of Britain (www.history.co.uk)
5.
Super Powers (www.wps.ablongman.com)
6.
Causes of Second World War (www.history.co.uk)
7.
Women‟s role in World Wars (www.wikipedia.org)
8.
Soviet Union in World War II (www.wikipedia.org)
9.
Impact of War on Life, Women, and Children (www.history.co.uk)
10.
Causes, and consequences of World War II (www.pinkmonkey.com – World
History)
11.
End of War in the Pacific (www.emersonkent.com)
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CENTRAL BOARD OF SECONDARY EDUCATION
Shiksha Kendra, 2, Community Centre, Preet Vihar, Delhi-110 092 India