World War II For Dummies

Keith D. Dickson, PhD, is a Professor of Military Studies at the Joint Forces Staff College, National Defense University. He is a retired Colonel, U.S. Army Special Forces.

• Introduction: The Most Destructive War 1About This Book 2Conventions Used in This Book 3How This Book Is Organized 4Part 1: Origins and Causes of the War, 1919–1939 4Part 2: Starting the War: The Axis Invades and Conquers, 1939–1942 4Part 3: Behind Enemy Lines: Nations at War 5Part 4: Planning and Launching the Allied Counterattack, 1942–1943 5Part 5: The Long Haul, 1944 6Part 6: Starting Over: The War’s Aftereffects, 1945 6Part 7: The Part of Tens 7Icons Used in This Book 7Where to Go from Here 8Beyond the Book 8Part 1: Origins and Causes of The War, 1919–1939 9Chapter 1: World War II: Why It Matters and What You Need to Know 11The War’s Beginnings 12The World War I peace agreement 12The global economy 12The rise of totalitarianism 13The birth of Fascism and Nazism 13The rise of Hitler 14The British and French fear of another war 14The isolationism of the United States 14The empire building of Japan 14Who’s Who of Combatants 15The Allies 15The Axis 15The Course of the War 16Where in the World Was the World War Fought? 17The battles in Europe 17The battles in the Soviet Union 18The battles in North Africa 18The battles in the Pacific and in Southeast Asia 18The battle in the Atlantic 18The Effect of World War II 19Chapter 2: The Great War and the Uneasy Peace: How World War II Happened 21The End of One War and the Roots of Another 22The victors and the spoils: The Treaty of Versailles 23Woodrow Wilson’s last card: The League of Nations 25The world in the 1920s 26Collapsing Economies: The Great Depression 32The effect on countries’ economies 32The threat to democracy 32Fascism and Nazism: Whose Bright Idea Was This? 33Fascism in a nutshell — if only 33Fascism in Italy 35Nazism: Fascism with a twist 36The Rise of Hitler 38The putsch that failed 38Mein Kampf 39Hitler consolidates power 39Creating the regime: The alpha wolf takes over 40Nazi top brass: The rest of the pack 42Japan and the Militarists: The Army Calls the Shots 47The military acts 48The fall of Japanese democracy 48Japan takes control of China 49Chapter 3: Hoping for Peace: The Rise of the Dictators, 1933–1939 51The Steps to War: Taking Advantage of Circumstances 52Rebuilding the army 52Buying time 53Forging an agreement with Poland 53Reclaiming the Saar 54Breaking treaties 54Advancing into the Rhineland 54Getting Aggressive: Italy Makes a War 55Forging a Pact: The Axis Is Born 56The Spanish Civil War: Fascism and Communism Clash 57Germany: Using Diplomacy and Smoke Screens for War 58Britain: Seeking Mediation and Appeasement 59Austria and Czechoslovakia Catch Hitler’s Eye 60The Anschluss in Austria 60Onward to Czechoslovakia 61May I have more, please? 64The diplomats — Did they do their job? 65Part 2: Starting The War: The Axis Invades And Conquers, 1939–1942 67Chapter 4: Invading Eastern Europe: Hitler’s Power Grows, 1939 69Czechoslovakia Disappears: Divvying Land and German Occupation 70Chamberlain and Daladier wise up 71Why wasn’t I informed?! — Mussolini in the dark 71Playing Both Sides of the Fence: Negotiations with the Soviets 72Talks with Britain and France 72Talks with Germany: The Nazi-Soviet pact 73Talking Peace and Planning War: Hitler Finds an Excuse 76Hitler’s plans for Poland 76On the brink — and beyond 76Chapter 5: Blitzkrieg in Europe: World War II Begins, 1939–1941 79The Invasion of Poland 80The German onslaught 80The Soviets enter the fray 81A new style of warfare: The blitzkrieg 82After Poland’s defeat 82Drawing the Line: Britain and France Declare War on Germany 83British action — such that it was 84French action: Patrolling the border 85Fighting His Own War: Stalin Goes after Finland 85Wave 1: Stalin faces the fighting Finns 86Wave 2: Let’s try this again 86Anyone paying attention? The message of the Soviet-Finnish War 87He’s B-a-a-ck: Hitler Strikes Norway and Denmark 88The plan 88The attack and the resistance 88Fighting with the hearts of lions: The Allies respond 89Winners and losers 90The Phony War: Using France to Get at Britain 91The Germans: Making the most of unexpected delays 91The Allies: You’d think that they would have been prepared 92The first phase: Attacking the Low Countries 95The second phase: The attack through the Ardennes Forest 95The Allies: Stuck in Flanders 96The Royal Navy to the rescue: Salvation at Dunkirk 96France falls to Germany 97Improving their position: The other dictators act 99A British Epic: The Battle of Britain 100Standing alone 100Taking to the air: New considerations for aerial warfare 101The not-so-friendly skies 102Descending on London: The Luftwaffe Blitz 102The Balkans: Mussolini’s Mess and Hitler’s New Target 103Mussolini invades 103Britain appears on the scene 103Hitler jumps on the bandwagon 104Greece falls to Germany 105Capturing Crete from the air 106The Italians Take Their Lumps All Over Africa 106Running them out on a rail: The Italians surrender 107Helping the Italians: Enter Rommel 108Chapter 6: The Ultimate Battle: Hitler versus Stalin 109If at First You Don’t Succeed, Find Another Target 110Why the Soviet Union? 110Working the dream: Inside the Führer’s mind 111Laying the groundwork: Operation BARBAROSSA 112Appeasing Germany: Stalin Is Clueless 112Information Stalin ignored 113Mistakes Stalin made 113The Germans hit hard and fast 114Forgetting What’s Important: Hitler’s Fatal Decision 116Stalin rallies the Soviet people 118The road to Moscow 118New fire for the Soviets: Zhukov takes command 120Corporal Hitler Takes Charge of the Eastern Front 120Chapter 7: America on the Sidelines: 1933–1941 121Looking Inward: A New President and a Neutral Stance 122The Neutrality Act of 1935 and its extension 124The Neutrality Act of 1937 124The effect of the Neutrality Acts 124Message from Japan 125Bad Signs in Europe 126Roosevelt Plays the Neutrality Game 126France’s Fall: America’s Wake-up Call 127Wheeling and dealing with Britain: Talkin’ belligerent 127Help thy neighbor: The Lend-Lease Act 128American ships go out 129Enough is enough: A neutral starts shooting 130Chapter 8: Collision in Asia: Japan and America, 1937–1941 131A Brief History of Politics in Japan 131Building the Perfect Machine: Japan Thinks War 132Choking China into surrender 132Diplomatic chess: Japan’s big plans 133Oops! Miscalculations in diplomacy: Japan joins the Axis 134A new guy takes over 134Japan’s gamble: How the war would go 135Dancing diplomats: Japan and America do the two-step 136War Comes to America: Pearl Harbor 137The attack 138The aftermath 138Japanese gains 139The U.S declares war on Japan 139The Japanese Wage War 140Malaya: The worst defeat in British history 140The Dutch East Indies 141“A hell of a beating” in Burma 142Wake, Guam, and the Philippines 142Ignoring the Writing on the Wall: MacArthur Fights 144Giving the Allies hope: “I shall return” 145Defeat and the Death March 146Hitler Declares War on the Mongrel Race 146Now It’s a World War 147Part 3: Behind Enemy Lines: Nations At War 149Chapter 9: Maintaining Resources: The Axis 151Nazi Germany 151A well-fed German is a happy German 152Spearheading the production process 152Slave labor and other workers 153Under the illusion: Morale 153Resisting Hitler inside Germany 154Unready and Unwilling: Fascist Italy 155Wartime production 156Struggling for labor 156Wondering what to do: Morale 156Believing in Victory: Imperial Japan 157Taking control: Production 157The Japanese labor force 158The Emperor’s new clothes: Morale 158Chapter 10: Working Together: The Allies 159Staying United: The United Kingdom 160The Yanks are comin’ again 160Mobilizing manpower: Labor and the war effort 160Keeping a stiff upper lip: British morale 161Working Hard: The United States 161Building the arsenal: The America triumph 162Back home on the range: Morale 164The dark side of American zeal: The internment camps 164The Soviet Union 165Staying alive: Production 166Worked to death: Soviet labor 167Becoming a world power: Morale 168Chapter 11: The War against the Jews 169The Rationale: Nazi Thinking 169The Persecution Begins: Jews in Germany 170Mobile Killing Units: The Einsatzgruppen 171Deportation to Ghettos, Concentration Camps, and Death Camps 172Life in the ghetto 173Life in the concentration camps 173The “death factories” 174The Final Solution and Its Ultimate Failure 175Hiding their crime 176The arrival of the Americans, British, and Soviets 177Part 4: Planning and Launching The Allied Counterattack, 1942–1943 179Chapter 12: The Politics of Compromise, 1942 181The Axis Powers: Deals among Desperados 182American-British Cooperation: Not a Bed of Roses 183The Atlantic Charter 183An Allied picnic: The Arcadia Conference 184Clashing Strategies: A Debate among Friends 185Japan first? 185Or Germany first? 186What about North Africa? 186Heating up the debate: Stalin’s call for help 187Making the First Decision: Germany First 187Chapter 13: Taking North Africa, Sicily, and the Boot 189Rommel’s Desert Defeat: El Alamein 189The Eighth Army takes on Rommel 190Rommel returns and Montgomery enters 191Between a rock and a hard place: Rommel’s position 191Rommel’s defeat: Montgomery gives chase 192Throwing the Torch: The Allies Strike in North Africa 194Getting organized: The invasion force takes shape 195The operation begins 197The end of Vichy France 198Winning ugly: The Americans’ steep learning curve 198Turning toward Tunisia 199Hitler sends reinforcements 199Rommel returns again 199Kasserine Pass: The first battle 200The Americans regroup and attack 200A Day and Night in Casablanca: The Allies Go-Forward Plan 201Operation HUSKY: Invading Sicily 201An Allied victory, an Italian surrender, and a few snafus 202He’s OUTTA here! Mussolini gets the hook 204Who needs a friend like you? Italy declares war on Germany 204Up the Boot: Invading the Italian Mainland 205Salerno to the Winter Line 205In the wake of the victory 206Chapter 14: Germany a Three-Time Loser: In Russia, At Home, and in the Atlantic 207Hitler’s 1942 Offensive in Russia 208Hitler’s plan: Bold but flawed 208Soviet response 209Hitler dooms his troops 210The agony of Stalingrad 211Setting the trap for the Germans 212The bear trap snaps shut: The Soviets attack 212Stalingrad: A decisive Soviet victory 213Amassing Ammo and Men at Kursk 215The plum of Stalin’s eye: Operation Zitadelle 216Kursk: Another big win for the Soviets 216Taking It to the Streets: Bombing Germany 216Striking in daylight: The Americans join in 217Changing Allied strategy 219Raiding Ploesti and Schweinfurt 219Rating the raids: Were they worth it? 220High Tide of the U-Boat: The Battle of the Atlantic 221The fearsome U-boats 221Keeping the USSR strong: The Murmansk run 223Sinking the U-boats: The turning point, 1943 223Chapter 15: Guadalcanal, New Guinea, and Midway: Japan’s Three Strikes 225The Rope-a-Dope: Japan Fights for Time 225Raising American morale: The Allied counterpunch 227Setting Tokyo on fire: Doolittle’s raid 228A Military First: The Battle of the Coral Sea 229Intercepting helpful info: A critical tip-off 229Engaging in pea soup on the way to Port Moresby 230Going after the carriers instead 231A Japanese victory, an American triumph 231Midway: Naval Aviation’s Finest Moment 232Setting a trap: The Japanese three-pronged approach 232Having two aces in the hole: The Nimitz shuffle 234Opening moves: Bombs over Midway 234Off the beaten path: McClusky’s miracle 235Midway: A Strategic Analysis 236New Guinea: Green Hell 236Jungle fighting: The Aussies hold the Japanese 237Bringing the Americans: MacArthur and his troops 238Protecting Australia: Allied Pacific Strategy 239The Americans take the offensive 239“The Fork in the Road”: Battles on land and sea for Guadalcanal 241Bloody Ridge: The Americans hold Guadalcanal 241Other clashes between U.S and Japanese forces in the Solomons 242Looking at Guadalcanal blow by blow 242Nimitz Takes the Offensive 243Japan’s suicide defenders at Tarawa 243Running aground: A bitter surprise 244The Marines take the island 244Chapter 16: Planning for the Rest of the War, 1943 245The Big Three: Conference at Teheran 246Winds of Change in 1943: From the Axis Perspective 247Playing both sides of the fence: The Japanese 247Holding out for now: The Germans 248The Panorama of 1943: From the Allied Perspective 248Stepping up production: The Americans 249Preserving and restoring the British Empire 249Creating a new role for itself: The Soviet Union 250Riding the storm out: China 250Part 5: The Long Haul, 1944 251Chapter 17: The Italian Campaign and Soviet Victories in the East 253Changing Plans: End Run on the Winter Line 254The strategy and potential problems 254The fight at Cassino 255Landing at Anzio: Surprises for everyone 255The battle on the Anzio beach 256The fight at the Gustav Line 256Rome: The First Capital to Fall — So What? 257When in Rome 258Stalemate again 258Steamrolling the German Army in Russia 258Blitzkrieg, Soviet style 259Driving into the Balkans: The Soviets take over 261Courageous uprising in Warsaw 261Chapter 18: Liberating Europe: From Normandy to Paris, and Beyond 263Deciding on Strategy: OVERLORD 264Need a plan, a real big Allied plan 265Germans step up their defenses 267The toughest job: Eisenhower makes the call 268D-Day: Invasion and Breakout 268Some success for the Canadians and British at Gold, Juno, and Sword beaches 269Success for the Americans at Utah beach 270A near disaster at Omaha 270A day late and a dollar short: Another Hitler blunder 271Expanding the Beachhead 272The battle for Caen 272The Allied breakout into the open 273Forcing the German retreat: The disaster at Falaise 273Liberating Paris 274Too Far, Too Fast: More Decisions 275Tough choices for Eisenhower 275The British offensive: Monty miscalculates 276Americans bloody Germany’s nose on the border 278Combat fatigue all along the line 278The Air War: Wearing Germany Down 279Allied attacks on war production factories 279The offensive intensifies 279Feeling the effects 280Hitler’s Gamble: The Battle of the Bulge 281Through the Ardennes Forest again 281Narrowing the gap: The Allies just keep fighting 282Losses on both sides: The aftermath 284The Soviets on Germany’s Doorstep 284Advancing into Yugoslavia and Hungary 284Chapter 19: Japan Begins to Crack 287The Island Assault Plan: The Marshalls and Then the Marianas 288Marshall Islands: Learned Lessons Well Applied 288Overwhelming odds: The Allies take the islands 290Some is enough: The Marshalls go to the Allies 290Mauling the Marianas 291Saipan 291Guam 292Tinian 292The Japanese Navy Weighs In: The Battle of the Philippine Sea 292The Marianas “Turkey Shoot” 293Bad news for the Japanese fleet 293MacArthur’s island hopping 294Kicking Off the New Guinea Campaign 294Rabaul is encircled 295Dominating the air: Hollandia 295Controlling the sea: Biak 296Same old mistakes: Peleliu 297Preparing to Take Leyte 298MacArthur returns 299The Battle of Leyte Gulf 299MacArthur: Bogged down in Leyte 303A hard won victory 303Aftermath of Leyte: Marching on Mindoro 304Operations in the Pacific: An Appreciation 304The China-Burma-India Theater 305Allied Hit and Runs in Burma 307British General Wingate and the Chindits 307Chinese troops and Merill’s Marauders 307The Japanese Tip the Balance in China 308Stirring Up Trouble: The Japanese Offensive against India 309Battle at Imphal 309Battle at Kohima 310The End of the Line in Burma: Good-bye to Stilwell and the Japanese 310A victim of politics: Exit Vinegar Joe 311Breaking Japanese resistance: Clearing Burma 311Part 6: Starting Over: The War’s Aftereffects, 1945 313Chapter 20: Ending the War (Almost): The Final Offensive 315The Allies Cross the Rhine, the Germans Turn a Corner 316Can’t someone shut this guy up? — Hitler tries again 317Another bridge awaits: Pushing the river 317A tale of two crossings 318The Germans: Down but not out 318The Soviets Move Forward 319Regaining Hungary 319Clearing the way to Berlin 319Fearing the worst: The German exodus 320Fighting in the Air and at Sea: The Final Acts 320Air attacks: The bottom line 321An end to the U-boat threat 321Capturing German Territory 322Symbolic spoils: The fate of Berlin 322Understanding Eisenhower’s decision 323Roosevelt’s Last Act and Stalin’s Coup at Yalta 323Winning over Uncle Joe (not) 324On the United Nations 324On the fate of Poland 325On the future of Germany 325On the USSR’s involvement in Japan 326A bitter pill 326The War in Italy Ends, and Germany Succumbs 327The battle in northern Italy 328Defying Der Führer: The Germans surrender 328Stalin Moves on Berlin 328The Soviet onslaught 329The end of Berlin’s most notorious citizen: Hitler 330The fall of Berlin 331No Way Out: The Germans Surrender 332The German surrender to the British and Americans 332One more time! Stalin demands another surrender 333Celebrating VE Day 333The happy stuff: Allies celebrate 333The not so happy stuff 334Reconstructing a New Germany: The Potsdam Conference 334Getting thrown into the pot: The newcomers 336Conference Outline: What was decided 336Tying up loose ends: Plans for another conference 337Warning Japan: The secret threat 338Loose Ends of a Bitter Victory 339Chapter 21: The Japanese Defeat 341Returning to the Philippines 342Luzon: The First Phase 342Nothing is spared: Terror in Manila 344Death from above at Corregidor 345Finishing the battle to clear Luzon 346Mindanao: Still more fighting to do 346A sometimes forgotten triumph: The Philippines 347Attack from Air and Sea: Japan Is Next 347Targeting Tokyo, Osaka, and other cities 348Targeting merchant ships: Submarine operations 348The Fight for Iwo Jima 349Defenses like never before: Japanese preparations 349Throwing a lot of stuff: Bombing before the attack 350Hitting the beach and a flag raising at Mount Suribachi 350The terrible finale 352Okinawa: A Different Set of Problems 352On familiar ground: Okinawa’s defenders 353The easy landing 354Kamikaze attacks 354The end of the Japanese fleet 355The battle for the ridges 356The mud of May and the Shuri Line 356Okinawa: Another costly victory 357The Planned Invasion of Japan 357Planning considerations 358Taking down Japan: The plan 359The Atomic Bomb and the Defeat of Japan 360Hiroshima: The first target 361Japanese government reaction 362The Soviets declare war on Japan 362Nagasaki next 363The cost 363The end of an era: The Emperor submits 363The announcement to the Japanese people 364The Japanese surrender 364The Allied Occupation of Japan 365Chapter 22: The Uneasy Peace 367The Costs: A Global Assessment 367Remaking the World: War and Technology 368Giving Peace a Chance: The United Nations 369A New World Emerges 369The Beginnings of the Cold War 371Some Final Thoughts 372Part 7: The Part of Tens 373Chapter 23: Ten Formidable Military Leaders of World War II 375Winston S Churchill: Timeless Excellence 375Dwight D Eisenhower: Don’t Worry, Be Happy 376Douglas MacArthur: Damn the Torpedoes! 376George C Marshall: Sterling Dedication 377Chester W Nimitz: Master of the Sea 377George S Patton: A Warrior for All Seasons 378Irwin Rommel: The Desert Fox 379Franklin D Roosevelt: Artful Dodger 379Isoroku Yamamoto: Samurai Warrior 380Georgi Zhukov: Leading the Masses 380Chapter 24: Ten Weapons That Made a Difference 383The German MG-42 Machine Gun 383The German Tiger Tank 384The M-1 Garand Rifle 384The V-2 Rocket 385The P-51 Mustang 386The Me-262 Jet Aircraft 386The B-17 Bomber: The Flying Fortress 387The 88 mm Gun 387The Yorktown and Essex Class Carriers 388The Atomic Bomb 388Chapter 25: Ten “What Ifs?” of World War II 389What If Hitler Conquered Great Britain Instead of Attacking the Soviet Union? 389What If U.S Carriers Had Been at Pearl Harbor? 390What If Hitler Pursued Proper Strategic Programs? 391What If There Had Been No Attack on Pearl Harbor Until 1942? 391What If Hitler Liberated the Russians? 392What If France Held Out in 1940? 392What If the Bulge Had Worked? 393What If Hitler Had Been Assassinated? 393What If Hitler Let His Generals Plan Strategy? 394What If the Japanese Navy Had Survived? 394Index 397