Road to World War II

The shadow of the First World War hung over the world. The victors were exhausted and the vanquished wanted revenge. We discuss the death of European democracies, the global origins of WWII, and America’s reluctant journey to war. 

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Find the full transcript of this episode including citations at our website:

https://www.americanhistoryremix.com/episodeguide/road-to-war

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In this episode we cover….

• Introduction [0:00-02:41]
• World War I [02:41-07:04]
• US Returns to Isolationism [07:04-09:15]
• Italy & the Rise of Mussolini [09:15-11:19]
• The Philosophy of Fascism [11:19-13:30]
• Germany’s Defeat [13:30-15:29]
• The Nazi Party [15:29-18:00]
• The Weimar Republic [18:00-19:51]
• Failed Nazi Coup [19:51-21:49]
• Manchuria [21:49-26:40]
• Nazi Breakthrough [26:40-30:25]
• Ethiopia [30:25-31:55]
• American Neutrality [31:55-33:10]
• The Spanish Civil War & Neutrality [33:10-37:04]
• Japanese in China [37:04-39:45]
• German Rearmament & the Rhineland [39:45-41:35] 
• Austria & Czechoslovakia [41:35-45:27]
• Nazi-Soviet Pact [45:27-46:59]
• American Response to War [46:59-48:24]
• Germany Takes Europe [48:24-51:39]
• Jewish Refugees [51:39-55:19]
• US Aid to Britain [55:19-57:33]
• Roosevelt & Third Term [57:33-59:54]
• Battle of Britain & Destroyer Deal [59:54-01:02:52]
• America Initiates Draft [01:02:52-01:04:19]
• Lend-Lease & Atlantic Charter [01:04:19-01:06:40]
• Germany Invades Soviet Union [01:06:40-01:09:30]
• Conflict in the Pacific [01:09:30-01:12:31]
• Roosevelt & Japan [01:12:31-01:15:01]
• Pearl Harbor [01:15:01-01:16:47]
• Conclusion [01:16:47-01:19:11]

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To dive deeper into these topics (affiliate links):

Jane Caplan, ed. Nazi Germany.
https://tinyurl.com/Caplan-Nazi-Germany

Justus D. Doenecke and John Edward Wilz, From Isolation to War, 1931-1941.
https://tinyurl.com/Doenecke-and-Wilz

Timothy Snyder, Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin.
https://tinyurl.com/Snyder-Bloodlands

David M. Kennedy, Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929-1945.
https://tinyurl.com/Kennedy-Freedom-from-Fear

John Merriman, A History of Modern Europe: From the Renaissance to the Present.
https://tinyurl.com/Merriman-A-History

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Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction
• 2:41 World War I
• 7:04 US Returns to Isolationism
• 9:15 Italy & the Rise of Mussolini
• 11:19 The Philosophy of Fascism
• 13:30 Germany's Defeat
• 15:29 The Nazi Party
• 18:00 The Weimar Republic
• 19:51 Failed Nazi Coup
• 21:49 Manchuria
• 26:40 Nazi Breakthrough
• 30:25 Ethiopia
• 31:55 American Neutrality
• 33:10 The Spanish Civil War & Neutrality
• 37:04 Japanese in China
• 39:45 German Rearmament & the Rhineland
• 41:35 Austria & Czechoslovakia
• 45:27 Nazi-Soviet Pact
• 46:59 American Response to War
• 48:24 Germany Takes Europe
• 51:39 Jewish Refugees
• 55:19 US Aid to Britain
• 57:33 Roosevelt & Third Term
• 59:54 Battle of Britain & Destroyer Deal
• 1:02:52 America Initiates Draft
• 1:04:19 Lend-Lease & Atlantic Charter
• 1:06:40 Germany Invades Soviet Union
• 1:09:30 Conflict in the Pacific
• 1:12:31 Roosevelt & Japan
• 1:15:01 Pearl Harbor
• 1:16:47 Conclusion