Ch 14: World War II (1939-1945)
About This Chapter
World War II (1939-1945) - Chapter Summary and Learning Objectives
The significance of World War II on individuals, families, and nations is immense. This chapter explores what events instigated the war, what led to American involvement, and where much of the actual fighting took place. While facilitating a consciousness for the atrocities that occurred, the lessons provide information about a war that should never be forgotten. This chapter can help you understand the following about World War II:
- Precipitating events
- Which nations were involved
- Where the war was fought
- Significance of the attack on Pearl Harbor
- The Holocaust
- Pivotal battles
- Impact of atomic weaponry
- U.S. diplomacy and politics
| Video | Objective |
|---|---|
| Occupations, Agreements and Appeasement: Causes of the Second World War | Learn about aggressions, negotiations, and policies that played a part in the onset of WW II. |
| World War II: The Start of the Second World War | Explore the German and Japanese invasions that spurred nations to declare war. |
| The Attack on Pearl Harbor: The Beginning of American Involvement in World War II | Understand the significance of the attack on Pearl Harbor and how it brought an end to American neutrality. |
| The European Theater in World War II: The Eastern Front, Western Front and Fight for North Africa | Learn about strategy and where European battles took place. |
| The Holocaust: Anti-Semitism and Genocide in Nazi Germany | Establish an understanding of the Holocaust and Nazi Germany's attempt to eliminate Jewish people and other groups. |
| The Pacific Ocean Theater of WW II: Japan vs. The Allies | Look into America's engagement strategy while fighting Japan in the Pacific. |
| The D-Day Invasion: The Beginning of the End of Nazi Germany | Learn about the infamous D-Day invasion of France that led to Germany's surrender. |
| Hiroshima and Nagasaki: How the Atomic Bomb Changed Warfare During WWII | Recognize how the development of the atomic bomb and its use changed the war. |
| The Yalta Conference and The Potsdam Conference: U.S. Diplomacy & International Politics During World War II | Be aware of allied forces' meetings and arrangements to bring an end to the war and plan for post-war life among nations. |
1. Occupations, Agreements & Appeasement: Causes of the Second World War
In this lesson, we will learn about the events leading up to the Second World War. We will focus on the occupations, agreements, and appeasements that preceded Hitler's invasion of Poland in 1939.
2. World War II: The Start of the Second World War
Learn all about the start of World War II and why the League of Nations could not stop aggression by Italy, Germany and Japan in the 1930s, which led to the outbreak of this second global conflict.
3. The Attack on Pearl Harbor: The Beginning of American Involvement in World War II
On December 7, 1941, the Empire of Japan launched a surprise attack against Allied possessions in the Pacific, including the American military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. After decades of conflict between the two nations, the U.S. declared war.
4. The European Theater in WWII: The Eastern Front, Western Front & Fight for North Africa
Hitler and Nazi Germany dominated the European fields of battle early in WWII. This lesson is an overview of key military operations between 1939 and 1943 in Europe on both the Eastern and Western fronts.
5. The Holocaust: Anti-Semitism and Genocide in Nazi Germany
The Holocaust was the persecution and mass murder of as many as 11 million people by Adolf Hitler and the Nazis between 1933 and 1945. Learn about the people they targeted, the progression of events leading up to the Final Solution and the end of the genocide in this lesson.
6. The Pacific Ocean Theater of WWII: Japan vs. The Allies
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the United States entered WWII. Watch this video to learn about some of the key battles, as well as the general nature, of the Pacific theater of the war.
7. The D-Day Invasion: The Beginning of the End of Nazi Germany
Operation Overlord, the invasion of Nazi-occupied Western Europe, began with the D-Day landings on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944, with Hitler's last stand taking place at the Battle of the Bulge. Learn about these and other events that contributed to the end of Nazi Germany.
8. Hiroshima and Nagasaki: How the Atomic Bomb Changed Warfare During WWII
As America and its WWII allies considered invading Japan, the Manhattan Project successfully developed an atomic weapon. Its use on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, precipitated VJ Day, the end of the Pacific war, on August 14, 1945.
9. The Yalta Conference and The Potsdam Conference: US Diplomacy & International Politics During World War II
Throughout the course of WWII, leaders of many Allied nations met many times to discuss strategy. Then, near the end of the war, two historic conferences shaped the post-war world.
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Other Chapters
Other chapters within the History 102: Western Civilization II course
- Introduction to Western Civilization II
- Absolutism and Constitutionalism in Western Europe (1648-1715)
- Power Shifts in Eastern Europe (1648-1740)
- Empire and Expansion in the 18th Century (1700-1799)
- The Scientific Revolution & the Enlightenment (1500-1790)
- The French Revolution and Napoleon Bonaparte (1780-1815)
- Industrialization (1700-1900)
- Political Developments (1760-1848)
- The Age of Nationalism (1850-1914)
- European Life and Trends (1850-1914)
- Imperialism in the 19th and 20th Centuries
- World War I (1914-1919)
- Between the World Wars (1919-1939)
- Western Civilization Since 1945
- Studying for History 102
