Opposition to World War II
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Opposition to World War II was more limited than to World War I, due to the limited opportunities for organising opposition in most Axis countries, and the unpopularity of fascist ideology in Allied countries. In nations occupied by Germany, and even in Germany itself there was a resistance movement, but rather than opposing the War in itself, this opposed the Nazi Government and its prosecution of the War, and generally supported the Allies.
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[edit] Pacifism
Pacifist opposition to World War II was limited. Many on the left who in other circumstance might have sympathised with pacifism had become fierce opponents of fascism before or during the Spanish Civil War. During the conflict, a few organisations such as the Peace Pledge Union continued their opposition to all wars.
[edit] Socialism
A small number of socialists opposed the war, most holding that it was necessary to oppose all capitalist governments, not just those on the opposing side. Trotsky drew up the Proletarian Military Policy, calling for opposition to the war and support for industrial action during it. Left communists took a similar position, as did many anarchists. Within Axis countries, a few small groups, such as the Dutch Marx-Lenin-Luxemburg Front, mirrored this position.
[edit] Nationalism
A few nationalist movements in colonial countries would take no part in the conflict, which they saw as one of the colonialists' making. This was perhaps strongest in Sri Lanka, where some nationalists went beyond opposition to the war to form the Indian National Army and fight alongside Japanese forces. Opposition was also seen among the Sri Lankan garrison on the Cocos Islands which mutinied, in part due to the influence of the Trotskyist Lanka Sama Samaja Party.
[edit] Isolationism
This movement was strongest in the United States, which separated by two oceans from other majors powers, and which had seen its Wilsonian idealism for forgiveness for the Central Powers in WWI rejected, could hope to sit out this "Old World" war. The German-American Bund even marched down the avenues of New York demanding isolationism. Charles Lindbergh was perhaps the most famous isolationist.
The attack on Pearl Harbor is generally considered to have decisively ended isolationism as a viable policy.
