WWII Mapping WWII
- 1. Thinking Geographically Identifying and Creating World War II Power Alliances on a Map (1939-1945) Mr. Redlew 10th Grade Modern World History since 1500 “The Long Twentieth Century”
- 2. Lesson Context • Students are generally successful in listing the countries of conflict and their alliances during WWII. • This may lead the teacher to believe that the students have an acceptable understanding of the who, what, and where of WWII. • Many times students are able to list these items but have no real understanding of how to identify these countries or their alliances geographically on a map. • The lesson will help students identify and demonstrate an understanding of the causes, participants, and movements of WWII power alliances by placing them geographically on a map they have created themselves.
- 3. Standards & Objectives CSS.SS.10.8.3: “Identify and locate the Allied and Axis powers on a map…with importance on geographic factors.” Learning Objective Students will identify and locate the Allied and Axis powers by mapping the geographical boundaries of major power alliances during a specific WWII period from 1939-1945. Specific instructional objectives: Cognitive: Students will list in two columns, the Axis power nations, and Allied power nations, including the year in which they officially joined the war. Affective: Students will argue the importance for choosing the specific era, features, and effectiveness of the map they will create. Psychomotor: Students will draw a map depicting geographically the nations, alliances, and their empirical control at the height of WWII and present them to the class.
- 4. Major Causes of WWII • Treaty of Versailles (1919)- placed sole blame on Germany for WWI, forcing them to pay massive war reparations of 31 billion dollars of which they could not possibly repay. Germany holds resentment over terms. Italy angry that they did not gain territories they felt they were promised by Britain and France. • Rise of Italian Fascism (1922)- Benito Mussolini takes control and Fascism reigns supreme just south of Germany. • Rise of Hitler and German Nationalism (1923) -As Germany suffers the hardships of the post-WWI reparations, Hitler gains increasing popularity with nationalists/fascist propaganda much like Mussolini had to the south. • Great Depression (1929)- As Germany sinks further into economic depression, Europe becomes very economically unstable, European countries default on loans and the stock market crashes resulting in “The Great Depression” and therefore global economic instability. Extremist leaders gain power and tensions rise globally.
- 5. Major Causes of WWII • Japanese Expansionism (1931-1942)- Japan begins to use military force to gain resources, territory, and economic superiority. • Non-Aggression Pact (1939)- Nazis and Soviets agree to ally themselves in the interest of territorial gains. This allows Hitler to attack Western Europe without any threat from the East. • Appeasement (1937-1937)- Economically unstable and war weary Britain and France allow Hitler to violate the Treaty of Versailles by militarizing and retaking the Rhineland and occupying Czechoslovakia. • American Isolationism (1930’s)- Weakened by economic depression the U.S. made only covert attempts to aide countries against the Axis powers. Trade embargos and supply chains only angered Axis powers such as Japan and Germany, and led to aggression against the U.S.
- 7. Major Power Alliances Allied Powers (Jan 1942) Initial members of Anti-German Coalition (1939) • Great Britain • France Joined as United Nations (1942) • United States (Dec 1941) • Soviet Union (Switched sides and ended “neutrality” with Germany (June 1941) Axis Powers (1942) Rome/Berlin Axis Powers (1939) • Germany • Italy Joined with Tripartite Pact (1940) • Japan
- 13. Building Your Own World War II Map • Use the provided poster-board, drawing materials, and any other materials you may have to complete the map project. • You may use any text, electronic, or course resources to design your own map depicting a period during WWII (1939-1945). • Be sure to insert some of the informative features we have discussed that explain what you are trying to depict in your chosen era (i.e. timelines, color keys, country names, empirical borders, etc.) • At the end of the period you will need to be prepared to argue the importance of the period, features, and effectiveness your map provides.