Thursday-
Summer 1945- Preparing for the Invasion of Japan
Operation Downfalls
Planned for Oct 1945
Estimated to have over 1 million casualties
Estimated to have 267,000 deaths
Potsdam Conference- July 1945
US, Great Britain, and China issued the Potsdam Declaration
Announced the terms for Japan's surrender
“We will not deviate from them. THere are no alternatives.”
Potsdam Declaration
Dismantle the current government of Japan
The allies with occupy Japan
Japan will consist only of the major islands. It will lose all territory gained in WW2 and years leading up to it
Japanese military forces will be disarmed and allowed to return home
THere will be war crimes trials for the atrocities committed by Japan throughout WW2
Democracy will be promoted as well as Freedom of speech, religion, and of thought, as well as respect for fundamental human rights
Japan will be allowed to have industry so they can make money to pay for reparations. World trade will also be enabled at some point
Allied occupation of Japan will end once Japan accomplishes all of the above points
ITALY'S ROAD TO WW2
Italy was very displeased with the Treaty of Versailles
- Wanted to get more land than they got
Italy joined the League of Nations and was a member from 1919 until they withdrew in 1937
March on Rome- Oct 1922
A march by Benito Mussolini's National Fascist Party
Mussolini and the Fascists won and took over Italy
King VIctor Emmanuel
DId not fight Mussolini's takeover in Italy
Wanted to avoid a civil war and also wanted to keep communism out of Italy
Saw Mussolini as the person that could do these things
Mussolini gained the trust and faith of the Catholic CHurch
Established Fascism in Italy
A government led by a strong dictator
Stresses strong nationalism, militarism and imperialism
Uses intimidation to get what they want
Ethiopia Invaded by Mussolini in 1936
Italy lost it's Ethiopia colony in Africa at the 1896 Battle of Auda
One of the Worst colonial disasters of modern history
Feb 23, 1935 Italy sends large forces into Ethiopia
NOv 18- League of Nations sanctions begin
- Arms embargo, financial embargo, non-importation of Italian goods
Feb 29- FDR signed the 1936 Neutrality Act
- Mandatory arms embargo with warring nations
- Mandatory ban on loans to warring nations
May 5- Italy occupied Addis Ababa, annexed all Ethiopia on May 9
Generalissimo Francisco Franco and the SPanish Civil War- 1936
Hitler and Mussolini send troops and weapons to help Fanco win the civil war against communists
This was served as an important training ground for Hitler and Mussolini's troops
Italy's Goals in WW2
Make a new Roman Empire
Make the Mediterranean on “Italian Lake”
Take over northern Africa colonies of Britain and France
Take over southern Europe-Greece and Albania
Take over arts of the Middle East
Italy and the Holocaust
In 1938, Mussolini instituted laws discriminating the Jews
- 46,000 Jews in Italy at the time
After the Fascist government fell when the Us invaded, the Germans moved in and took control and started shipping Jews to camps outside of Italy
Why did Italy lose?
Italy was not prepared militarily to fight a prolonged war
- Germany had to constantly bail Italy out
Italian troops were spread too thin African, Mediterranean, Albanian Grease, Soviet Union, France, Battle of Britain
The people of Italy were not prepared to fight or motivated to fight they were forced
Overall, Italy was just weak
Impact WW2 Had on Italy
410,000 dead
330,000 Military deaths
SPent 94 billion
Italy had joined the Allies by 1943 so the big concern for the US was making sure Italy became a democracy after the war and not fall to communism
US gave millions of dollars to Italy to help rebuild after the was
Became a member of Nato in 1949
Became a member of the United Nations in 1955
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