Researching WWII

WRITE a brief blog post summarizing what you learned in your online research today. Feel free to focus on what you found most interesting, even if it changes the direction of your initial question.

1) How did Hitler and the Germans eventually get officially defeated?

2) How did WWII actually officially begin?

3) What different strategies did they use compared to WWI?

4) What event made Japan get involved in the war?

Through my research, I was able to learn that World War II was officially started when Germany invaded Poland. There were many preparations that Hitler made before invading Poland, such as the Munich Agreement and creating an air force and a larger military. Once Germany invaded Poland, Britain and France had no choice but to declare war on Germany, thus starting the second world war.

In the first world war, both sides used trenches and fought in "trench warfare". Also, Attrition Warfare took place in the first world war, which is where a side attempts to win a war by wearing down the enemy of personnel losses and resources. Through the losses of soldiers and resources, the enemy is supposedly suppose to surrender because they simply cannot continue fighting in the war anymore. For World War II, the U.S. air force was superior, they had more troops, and were able to win the war by overrunning the enemy. Even though the Germans had more advance technology, they did not have as many troops, so they eventually lost.

Research Results

Before I started researching I just wanted to know why World War II had started, and I did find that out and I'll talk about it later, but before I got to that information something else caught my eye. There was an article on the PBS site about POWs. Seeing as I'd never learned about them, I wanted to get some insight as to how POWs were treated during the war. What I found, however, made me regret looking at the information in the first place.

Prisoners of war were treated terribly. According to PBS, they were given rotten food and cold, uncomfortable places to sleep. The Japanese split the POWs into groups of ten people, and if one person did something wrong then the entire group would be taken down to the docks and shot.

After reading that, I continued on my search for why the war was started. And I found it. It was Germany...again. What happened was that Hitler wanted a part of Poland, and after Britain and France so willingly gave him Sudetenland, he figured he might as well just go in and take it without consulting anyone. But apparently, this was crossing the line and taking Poland was too much after taking poor Sudetenland. What's interesting is that even thought there had been severe animosity between the two countries before, Germany and The Soviet Union signed a non-aggression act just five days before Hitler tried to take Poland. Interesting, right? Meanwhile, the French suggested that Hitler should try to negotiate with Poland. But Hitler had had enough of negotiations and decided that he would just go in and take it. Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 and Britain and France declared war on Germany a day later.

Why did the war start anyway?

I was particularly interesting in why WWII started, and only a few decades after the first World War. It seemed weird to me that after so much destruction, the countries of Europe, and followed by other countries in the world, would want even more? I discovered in my research that France, Britain and the Soviet Union actually provoked war primarily in their attempts to maintain peace with Hitler, and therefore with Germany.

Britain and France wanted peace, and Stalin sensed Germany was out of control and tried to unite all the anti-fascist countries. He also wanted peace, and was convinced that Hitler would not start a war against the rest of Europe if they were strongly united. However, while Britain and France were anti-fascist, they were not fans of the USSR's communist regime either. They didn't want to unite with Stalin so they desperately tried to keep the peace with Germany so they wouldn't need an anti-fascist alliance. This is what pushed Britain and France to easily agree to the Munich Agreement, in which Hitler promised peace so as long as he got to take over Sudetenland. This move lost Britain the support of the Czech Army, but they were convinced it has prevented war and did not want to go to war with Germany over the seemingly small matter of Sudetenland. However, Hitler, being the bad guy he was, went against his word and invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia, breaking the Munich Agreement.

Before Hitler broke the agreement however, Stalin was becoming suspicious of Britain's deals with Germany. The Munich Conference was something Britain would normally support, unless, Stalin thought, they were trying to force Germany onto the Eastern front instead of the Western front. By now, Stalin was convinced war with Germany was inevitably. However, this didn't mean Germany had to be fighting Russia. He figured Britain was probably thinking the same thing, and was trying to push Hitler to declare was on the USSR. Stalin tried to buy time to build up his army by signing a peace treaty with Germany. The countries had always argued over Poland, and the Nazi-Soviet pact was signed on August 28, 1939, agreeing to share Polish territory. This certainly took the world by surprise. Fascists and communists had always been enemies. However, barely 4 days later Germany invaded Poland (after trying to convince the world that Poland had invaded them first, which of course was not the case) This was the last straw. War was declared on Germany on September 3rd, 1939.

With the Munich conference and the Nazi-Soviet pact, it is clear that Russia, Britain and France were desperately trying to maintain peace with Germany. However, with Hitler so out of control, the treaties were broken, leaving the Western and Eastern fronts with absolutely nothing gained from these treaties and plenty lost. This was what eventually started another World War.

Research results

My research was a little haphazard. It turns out that the "credible" sites expect you to already know which countries were on which sides, even though Wikipedia will gladly tell you the basics. I got a few short answers to some questions, but for the most part was not able to find what I needed. I didn't know exactly what happened to Hitler at the end of WW2, and while I was fairly sure he died, it was interesting to find out that he had committed suicide. If anyone needs more proof that he was not fit to rule, he was so incapable he couldn't cope with defeat, and would rather end his life than be unsuccessful and dishonored.
One of my other main questions was about whether the battle tactics of WW2 were more humane than the trench warfare of WW1. I was able to get more information on the types of strategies used in WW2, but it is entirely a matter of opinion whether they are humane or not. WW1 was extremely tortuous and horrifying to the individual, whereas WW2 worked more on a larger scale. Bombing was the main tactic of WW2, and many un-militarized, civilian areas were completely obliterated. England and France weren't expecting any change in tactics form WW1, so they tried to fortify the Maginot line and took up defensive positions in Belgium, but Germany had only wanted them to think that and attacked them on their unguarded side.
The final thing I researched was the Enigma machine, which I had heard of before, but didn't know any specifics about. The Enigma machine was a typewriter-like device used by the Germans to both encode and decode messages, though a series of knobs that scrambled the typed message. AS soon as the British found out about it, they went straight to work on cracking it, but because of how complicated the device was it was very difficult. They were able to decode a fair amount of messages, albeit slowly, but had to pretend they didn't have the information, so the Germans would not be alerted to their open secret and change the device. Unfortunately, Germany found out and made the device even more complicated, but the capture of multiple German boats containing Enigma devices helped crack the code.

Researching the War

Today in class, we spent time researching questions we had about World War Two. While I was going through the detailed chronology of World War Two, I came to the conclusion that Japan's leaders must have been insane. I had already known about the Kamikazes and their lunacy, but two other tidbits of Information struck me as on par with their craziness. First, I was shocked by the resilience of the Japanese government. The time line shows that Japan was nuked twice, and had the Soviet Union Declare war on them before they finally surrendered. Even after being blitzkrieg-ed by everything the air force had to offer, Japan still asked for a conditional surrender (four days later they unconditionally surrendered). The fact that they didn't immediately surrender after being NUKED shows that their government was either stupid or extremely resilient; either way it is still an interesting that Japan took so long to accept defeat. Another thing that struck me as bizarre was Japan asking there citizens to commit suicide rather than get killed or turn themselves in to the Americans. It describes that around a thousand Japanese citizens either killed themselves or were killed by Japanese soldiers.
Overall, in our research today in class I found exactly how extreme and ridiculous Japan's leadership was during Word War Two. Kamikaze fighter pilots, demanding suicide from their citizens, and the unwillingness to surrender even after it was clear that there was no way to achieve victory shows their true colors.

Why the Jews, Hitler?

In my original blog post about World War II, my wondered why Hitler chose the Jews as victims. After doing some research, I discovered that Hitler believed socialism was a Jewish conspiracy. Hitler observed that many socialist leaders, like Karl Marx and Leon Trotsky, were Jewish. He believed the Jews were discouraging the war effort, and often spoke out against them. The Jews had been prosecuted over the years, so were supporting socialism because of the promised equality. Once Hitler was recognized as an enemy to socialism, he was taken in by the German Army, and lectured soldiers. He told them that Germany lost the Great War because the Jews and Marxists had betrayed their country. Since socialism was popular after the Great War, Hitler called his new political set up 'Nationalist' Socialism to appeal to the country. In his plans, all people of 'German blood' would be considered equal, and the 'aliens' (such as Jews) would lose their rights as citizens. Hitler became more popular, and now, he propagated that Jews were the cause of modern art, pornography, and prostitution, as well as the cause of Germany's defeat in World War I. He also claimed that they were plotting to take over the world. This all happened before Hitler became Chancellor of Germany.

Although I did not find why Hitler picked the Jews in my research, I can guess. The Jews had been picked on before, and Hitler had a root of hatred against them. Another explanation is that Hitler thought the Jews would be easy targets, since they were a minority and had been in the past.

Researching the War

I extended my understanding of WWII in class today by researching the questions that I had asked earlier.

Through my research (and also through class discussion), I learned that Germany annexed/occupied several territories before WWII, including Sudetenland and Austria. These occupations initially constructed tension between Germany and other European powers. However, Germany's occupation of Poland triggered the war, considering that France and Britain declared war two days after the Poland invasion.

My second question addressed the amount of casualties for each participant in the war. According to several sources, the USSR (Russia) suffered the most military losses, totaling at over 20 million. This statistic highlights the USSR's involvement in the war, even though the USSR did not necessarily initiate the war.

Germany's economy drastically improved before the brink of WWII. Hitler helped cure Germany's severe case of hyperinflation by making economic reforms and holding secret meetings with bankers. Most surprisingly, Germany ironically borrowed money from the United States. Judged by this transaction, the United States must have either been neutral and/or oblivious to Hitler's true regime.

Exciting Stuff!

The part of World War 2 that I decided to research was some basic facts and chronology. Although usually not the most exciting topic, I felt that I had heard a great many stories (from my grandpa especially) about the horros of combat during World War 2, and wanted to gain a solid base of information on which to build these stories. I was very interested to see how the war had originally "started" - the beginning is obviously objective. Germany staged a fake attack on a Polish radio station on September 1, 1939. The objective of this odd action was that when Poland reciprocated, they could call it an "unprovoked attack." I was shocked at how low Germany was willing to stoop in order to attack Poland without appearing ridiculously aggressive. I also saw a strong parallel here with the Holocaust. Hitler and the Nazi party were infamous for inventing reasons to persecute or harm people, and this is no exception. When Germany decided that you were in their way, no amount of logic would talk them out of it. They would take you to prison or kill you on the spot, and if they couldn't find a good reason to do it they would make one up.

Another date I felt was important was September 3, 1939. Britain and France declared war on Germany because of an alliance they both had with Poland. Sound familiar? This is exactly how World War 1 started, with a bunch of tricky alliances and Germany jumping the gun just a bit. The one thing I would like to know is this: Did Germany attack Poland because it actually wanted Poland, or did Germany just want to start a huge war without appearing to be on the offensive? I wouldn't put anything past Germany at this point.

The Home Front

In my initial post, I asked how World War II affected the home front. As I had already suspected, the war had affected America at home, but I had no idea how drastically the environment had been changed. Since most of the nation's men were fighting overseas, women were called on to join the workforce. In a famous propaganda poster, Rosie the Riveter is pulling up her sleeve in a pose with her muscles flexed, encouraging, "We can do it!" The American industry boomed during World War II due to the vastly increased rate of weapons production, and with it came a very welcome recovery from the depression of the thirties. In fact, the spirit of the time even called for marginalization of unnecessary production not related to the war. For example in 1941, three million cars were manufactured, but throughout the war, there were only one hundred and thirty nine. Car and machinery companies instead began to focus their efforts on engines, ships, guns, tanks, and trucks. Because of the people's determination to serve their country, the United States' total production for the war was about equal to the production of the rest of the world during the same time period.

In addition, the absence of the country's men often left women in charge of a household alone. The war ultimately turned the stereotypical American woman's role to the supporter of the family. Over 350,000 women joined the military in various divisions. Citizen were asked to collect scrap metal that could be used to build armaments, and kids often scoured the street for cans or rubber tires. At the same time, rationing began which basic essentials were limited, and luxuries were out of the question. In total war, everyone and everything seemed to be constantly directed towards the war effort in an act of support and patriotism.

Communication during the War

The first picture of dead American servicemen since Pearl Harbor.

Today I researched a little of what was going on in the home front. The PBS website had good information about communication during the war.

When I hear the word censorship I automatically think of communist countries like China or countries whose governments have more control over its people. I didn't know how much censorship there was in the United States during the war. Not only was there censorship in the newspapers, but government agencies and President Roosevelt himself played a leading role. All news was passed through the government controlled Office of War Information (OWI) and reporters felt an obligation to protect the public from grisly news or else a nationwide panic might ensue.

The people got their news primarily from radio broadcasts, newspapers and newsreels that preceded movies at the theaters. 50 million Americans watched newsreels each week to catch the latest on the war. As the war dragged on and Americans realized just how serious the war was people scanned the newspapers more frequently to see if anyone they knew had died.

It was only after two years of the fighting against Japan that the government allowed the release of pictures showing dead Americans in LIFE magazine at a beach in New Guinea.

What I've Learned

My research on World War II evidently opened my eyes to the significance of this war. How deep the war goes is unmeasurable. One thing that captured my eyes was the role America took in the war. I used to think that America was one of the first to enter the war but in fact the remained neutral for an extended period of time due to their focuses on their problems at home.

I used to think that the Nazis were just the main problem and that they were just horrific people but when you look deep into the war, everyone played a part in the inhumane acts that took place in World War II. America played a big role in these acts by prisoning Japanese people in America, and by taking the world into a new age of warfare known as Nuclear Warfare. By dropping a nuclear warhead on Japan they had killed 90,000-166,000 in Hiroshima and killed 60,000-80,ooo Nagasaki.

In conclusion, when researching World War II I was able to learn more deeply about the war. I was able to experience a deep understanding of what it was like to live in that time.

The Result of Tension

Question: Why would Japan tempt the United States into the war with the Pearl Harbor (7 Dec. 1941) attack?
Answer: Japan's recent aggression towards neighboring countries had long been troubling to the United States. In 1937, Japan fully invaded China after several years of conflict following its capture of Manchuria. 1940 saw the Japanese occupation of Indochina. This actions did not sit well with the United States, especially not with the president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In reaction and discouragement, FDR stopped trade between the two countries with a series of embargoes, which Japan accused was an "unfriendly act." The truth was, Japan was desperate for American oil - it had no ties in the Middle East and relied greatly upon trade with the U.S. to fuel the very machines that had taken over China. Indeed, without the oil, Japan could not hope to continue to hold China for much longer. As a result of this tension, both countries predicted that Japan would seize American assets in the Far East, which would call the U.S. Navy across the Pacific to help their isolated troops. U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Admiral Husband E. Kimmel and army Lieutenant General Walter C. expected this and requested further equipment from the government. However, the Japanese saw this possibility and decided to step from the mold with a preemptive strike on Pearl Harbor, completely skipping the seizure of the resources that they needed. They did not see their strategy as a call to arms for Americans, rather as a gambit to defeat the U.S. effort before it was even begun. In short, they hoped to subdue us for the duration of the war. Unluckily for the Japanese, they had completely misread our policy of isolationism, and instead of having the desired effect, the attack on Pearl Harbor succeeded only in kindling American fervor to join the war.

Sports During the War

Though many athletes became soldiers during the War, sports still played a large role. The 40's saw many star athletes, including Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams leave the field in order to go fight. Sports took a major hit during the war though. Because many of these star athletes were leaving, almost anyone could become an athlete. There was even a one handed pitcher and a dwarf who played at the time.

Despite all this, sports did not lose their popularity. Even though they were miles away, soldiers still tried to follow sports, mainly baseball and football. And of course there was the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, which was one of the most memorable Olympic Games of all time. At these games, the German team was very strong and Adolf Hitler expected them to win every medal. However Jesse Owens, a black man, dominated track and field by winning four medals in front of Hitler. This went against everything Hitler preached about Aryan superiority because blacks were portrayed as inferior to everyone else. Though the Germans did take the most medals overall, these Olympic games were remembered for Jesse Owens' amazing feat.