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===Hitler and the Nazis===

===Hitler and the Nazis===

[[Image:Hitler7.JPG‎|right|300px|thumb|Hitler, his favored “Aryans” as soldiers, and the intimidating swastika symbol of Nazism]]

[[Image:Hitler7.JPG‎|right|300px|thumb|Hitler, his favored “Aryans” as soldiers, and the intimidating swastika symbol of Nazism]]

In Germany the name of the fascists was the “Storm Troopers” or “Brownshirts”, and their political party was called the Nationalist Socialist German Workers’ Party, or “Nazis” for short.  Adolf Hitler became their leader and he promised to stop communism and undo the Treaty of Versailles, which many Germans considered to be a humiliation to their nation. (The humiliation and outrage caused by this treaty is often cited as a reason for Hitler's rise to power). In 1923 Hitler led an armed rebellion in Munich, but was defeated and jailed.  While imprisoned, he wrote ''Mein Kampf'' (''My Struggle'') in which he declared “Aryans” to be the master race.  Hitler considered most German people to be “Aryans”, a term that properly refers to the Indo-European people who partly migrated to India.  The connection is ironic because the swastika, Hitler’s symbol, is borrowed from Hinduism and the name itself is Sanskrit.  But when Hitler said “Aryan” he meant people having Nordic features rather Indian features.

In Germany the name of the fascists was the “Storm Troopers” or “Brownshirts”, and their political party was called the Nationalist Socialist German Workers’ Party, or “Nazis” for short.  Adolf Hitler became their leader and he promised to stop communism and undo the Treaty of Versailles, which many Germans considered to be a humiliation to their nation. (The humiliation and outrage caused by this treaty is often cited as a reason for Hitler's rise to power.)  In 1923 Hitler led an armed rebellion in Munich, but was defeated and jailed.  While imprisoned, he wrote ''Mein Kampf'' (''My Struggle'') in which he declared “Aryans” to be the master race.  Hitler considered most German people to be “Aryans”, a term that properly refers to the Indo-European people who partly migrated to India.  The connection is ironic because the swastika, Hitler’s symbol, is borrowed from Hinduism and the name itself is Sanskrit.  But when Hitler said “Aryan” he meant people having Nordic features rather Indian features.

Hitler also promised to help Germany take back land it lost in the Treaty of Versailles and to conquer Russia and Eastern Europe so that Germans could have more living space, or “lebensraum”.

Hitler also promised to help Germany take back land it lost in the Treaty of Versailles and to conquer Russia and Eastern Europe so that Germans could have more living space, or “lebensraum”.

By 1935 Hitler was rearming Germany, and in 1936 he moved German troops into the buffer zone separating Germany from France:  the industrialized Rhineland.  This violated the Treaty of Versailles but no one did anything to stop it, including the powerless League of Nations.  Mussolini thought it best to ally Italy with Germany, and in October 1936 they formed the Rome-Berlin Axis.  Japan joined both the following month, unifying the Axis Powers. In 1940, Italy, Germany, and Japan all joined together in the [[Tripartite Pact]] and officially created the Axis Powers.

By 1935 Hitler was rearming Germany, and in 1936 he moved German troops into the buffer zone separating Germany from France:  the industrialized Rhineland.  This violated the Treaty of Versailles but no one did anything to stop it, including the powerless League of Nations.  Mussolini thought it best to ally Italy with Germany, and in October 1936 they formed the Rome-Berlin Axis.  Japan joined both the following month, unifying the Axis Powers. In 1940, Italy, Germany, and Japan all joined together in the [[Tripartite Pact]] and officially created the Axis Powers.

Hitler was just warming up.  Next he wanted to combine Austria with Germany, as they had been combined in the past.  Hitler himself was born in Austria and many Austrians supported joining Germany.  So Hitler annexed Austria on March 12, 1938 without much resistance, and this is known as the Anschluss (unification of Austria and Germany). France and Britain had promised to defend the independence of Austria, but did nothing.

Hitler was just warming up.  Next he wanted to combine Austria with Germany, as they had been combined in the past.  Hitler himself was born in Austria and many Austrians supported joining Germany.  So Hitler annexed Austria on March 12, 1938 without much resistance, and this is known as the Anschluss (unification of Austria and Germany.)  France and Britain had promised to defend the independence of Austria, but did nothing.

The more Hitler grabbed, the more he wanted. He turned to western Czechoslovakia, which had a large number of German speakers.  In September 1938 he demanded that this region, the Sudetenland, submit to Germany and join it.  But the Czech government refused and turned to France for assistance.

The more Hitler grabbed, the more he wanted. He turned to western Czechoslovakia, which had a large number of German speakers.  In September 1938 he demanded that this region, the Sudetenland, submit to Germany and join it.  But the Czech government refused and turned to France for assistance.

But President Roosevelt did little based on this letter, and instead only allocated a tiny $6,000 for such a project. Over two years passed, and no progress was made. It was not until Dec. 6, 1941, the day before Pearl Harbor, that an all-out effort to build an atomic bomb began under the direction of General Leslie Groves.  Building on work performed by Enrico Fermi at the University of Chicago, a massive and top-secret team of scientists assembled in Los Alamos, New Mexico, to build an atomic bomb.  Managers of this project included J. Robert Oppenheimer, later accused of being a communist sympathizer.

But President Roosevelt did little based on this letter, and instead only allocated a tiny $6,000 for such a project. Over two years passed, and no progress was made. It was not until Dec. 6, 1941, the day before Pearl Harbor, that an all-out effort to build an atomic bomb began under the direction of General Leslie Groves.  Building on work performed by Enrico Fermi at the University of Chicago, a massive and top-secret team of scientists assembled in Los Alamos, New Mexico, to build an atomic bomb.  Managers of this project included J. Robert Oppenheimer, later accused of being a communist sympathizer.

The scientists eventually succeeded, and rushed a few prototype bombs to the [[military]] for potential use near the end of the war in 1945.  By then, Americans had won many victories against the Japanese in the Pacific, including capturing the island of Leyte in the Philippines in October 1944, and then defeating the Japanese at the Battle of Leyte Gulf.  The U.S. Marines defeated the Japanese at Iwo Jima, resulting in a famous picture of several Marines raising the American flag.  But the American capture of Okinawa in June 1945 proved to be one of the bloodiest land battles of the war with Japan.  It became clear that the Japanese would not agree to President Roosevelt’s demand for unconditional surrender, and that conquering Japan itself would cost the lives of perhaps a million American soldiers (The Allied plan for possibly invading Japan was called Operation ''Downfall'', and it was cancelled due to the success of the atomic bomb attacks). The Japanese were ready to fight to the death for their country.  Increasingly, Japanese fighter pilots became kamikazes by flying their planes in suicide missions directly into American ships.

The scientists eventually succeeded, and rushed a few prototype bombs to the [[military]] for potential use near the end of the war in 1945.  By then, Americans had won many victories against the Japanese in the Pacific, including capturing the island of Leyte in the Philippines in October 1944, and then defeating the Japanese at the Battle of Leyte Gulf.  The U.S. Marines defeated the Japanese at Iwo Jima, resulting in a famous picture of several Marines raising the American flag.  But the American capture of Okinawa in June 1945 proved to be one of the bloodiest land battles of the war with Japan.  It became clear that the Japanese would not agree to President Roosevelt’s demand for unconditional surrender, and that conquering Japan itself would cost the lives of perhaps a million American soldiers. (The Allied plan for possibly invading Japan was called Operation ''Downfall'', and it was canceled once the atomic bomb attacks were successful.) The Japanese were ready to fight to the death for their country.  Increasingly, Japanese fighter pilots became kamikazes by flying their planes in suicide missions directly into American ships.

President Roosevelt, who knew he was dying but kept it from the American people in the election in November 1944, passed away on April 12, 1945.  He thus served less than three months of his new term.  His vice president, Harry S Truman, became president despite not having been elected.  Truman was a decent man from Missouri but was beyond his depth as the leader of the nation.  He was not even aware that the Manhattan Project existed until late 1944.  Joseph Stalin knew more about the progress of the Manhattan Project, through spies, than Truman did.  Truman’s personality was to act impulsively, and he spent much of his spare time playing simple card games with friends.

President Roosevelt, who knew he was dying but kept it from the American people in the election in November 1944, passed away on April 12, 1945.  He thus served less than three months of his new term.  His vice president, Harry S Truman, became president despite not having been elected.  Truman was a decent man from Missouri but was beyond his depth as the leader of the nation.  He was not even aware that the Manhattan Project existed until late 1944.  Joseph Stalin knew more about the progress of the Manhattan Project, through spies, than Truman did.  Truman’s personality was to act impulsively, and he spent much of his spare time playing simple card games with friends.