Mr. Bhatt CHC 2DI December 2, 2010. Leader of the Nazi Party In 1933, he was named Chancellor (Prime Minister) of Germany He eliminated all opposition.

The Road to World War II

The Road to World War IIMr. BhattCHC 2DIDecember 2, 2010Adolf HitlerLeader of the Nazi Party

In 1933, he was named Chancellor (Prime Minister) of Germany

He eliminated all opposition and became a dictator

Rearming GermanyIn 1933, Hitler began secretly rearming Germany, which had been forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles

In 1935, he made this policy public knowledge

The German people were grateful for jobs the weapons industry provided during the Great Depression

Rhineland, 1936The Rhineland is a border region between France and GermanyThe Treaty of Versailles stated Germany was not allowed to have troops thereHitler sent troops into the Rhineland in March 1936Showed he wanted to destroy the Treaty of Versailles

Anschluss, 1938The Treaty of Versailles banned a union between Germany and Austria

Hitler sent troops into Austria and annexed it to Germany

Known as the Anschluss (link-up in German)

Sudetenland, 1938Hitler wanted to annex the Sudetenland, a part of Czechoslovakia populated by Germans

British PM Neville Chamberlain arranged its transfer to Germany in exchange for Hitler not taking any more territory (appeasement)

Czechoslovakia, 1939Hitler broke his promise and took over the rest of Czechoslovakia in March 1939This was the first sign that war might soon begin in Europe

Nazi-Soviet Non-aggression Pact, 1939Hitler signed a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union (USSR)

A surprise move since Hitler hated Communism and it was thought he wanted new land in Russia

Pledged that Germany and the USSR would not attack each other in a war and secretly gave the Soviets a chunk of Poland, which Hitler would invade soon

Invasion of Poland, 1939With no more fear of a Russian attack, Hitler invaded Poland on September 1, 1939

Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later

After a six-month lull in fighting (the Phony War), the Germans invaded the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and FranceFall of France, 1940The German invasion pinned Allied (British/French) troops down at Dunkirk, France

In June 1940, France surrendered, leaving Britain as Germanys only enemy in Western Europe

Battle of Britain and The Blitz, 1940-41Hitler tried to destroy the British air defences by bombing British airportsHe switched to bombing cities in retaliation for British air raids on BerlinFor the next nine months, the Luftwaffe (German air force) continuously bombed British citiesDespite this, it was unable to wipe out the Royal Air Force (RAF) and British morale

Operation Barbarossa, 1941Hitler decided to stop the bombing of Britain in 1941 and turn to the East

He invaded the Soviet Union in violation of the 1939 non-aggression pact

This proved to be a turning point in the war