Path to WWII

PATH TO WAR

German Path to WarMain Ideas- Hitler’s theory of racial domination laid the

foundation for aggressive expansion of Germany- Needs more land for Aryan empire (lebensraum)

- looks toward Soviet Union

- Needs slave labor to build Third Reich- Turns to the Slavic people

- Hitler violates the Treaty of Versailles, forms new alliances, makes demands, and invades countries

Hitler violates the Treaty of Versailles

Hitler• Begins military draft

and has plans for air force

• Sent German troops into Rhineland

Italy, Great Britain, and France

• Condemned Hitler’s actions and warned no more but were busy with internal, economic problems and do nothing

• France cannot act without Great Britain’s support who feels Hitler is only acting in retaliation but decide to let it go and keep Hitler happy

APPEASEMENT• In an attempt

to avoid war, little was done to stop Hitler.

• The thought was…give him what he wants and he will be happy.video

Alliances with GermanyMussolini (Italy)• Wants to create a

new Roman empire• Invades Ethiopia • Aligns with

Germany after Great Britain and France are angry with invasion

• With Hitler, sends support to Franco in Spain

• Made alliance with Germany called Rome-Berlin Axis

Austria • Creates union with

his native land (Anschluss)

• Threatens to invade • Forces chancellor to

put Austrian Nazis in charge of gov’t

• New gov’t allows Hitler and troops to enter

• Annexed Austria to Germany

• The West did NOTHING to stop this – further APPEASEMENT

Japan

•Makes alliance one month after Italian alliance

•Anti – Comintern Pact against Communism

Demands and Appeasement• Goal: destroy Czechoslovakia• Demands to be given Sudetenland– Land were many Germans were already living– Said he would go to war if needed

Munich Conference• Munich Conference

– Great Britain, France, Germany, and Italy meet in Munich and made an agreement that met most of his demands

– Hitler promises no more demands– Chamberlain says this is “peace for our time”

and believes Hitler– Height of Appeasement

Results: German troops are allowed to occupy Sudetenland, and Czechs are helpless without allies.

Video

Winston Churchill

• Member of Parliament• VERY suspicious of Hitler

– does not trust him• When Chamberlain claims

the Munich Conference has achieved “peace in our time” Churchill responds with:

• “Britain and France had to choose between war and dishonor and they chose dishonor. They will have war.”

• He will become PM in 1940

Hitler and European Powers

• Hitler feels invincible and unstoppable– Western Czech

• Invades and takes over Bohemia and Moravia

– Eastern Czech• Slovakia becomes

puppet state

• France and Great Britain– Realizes Hitler lied– Great Britain offers to

protect Poland from Hitler’s demand of controlling Poland’s port

– France and Great Britain turn to Soviet Union and Stalin for assistance

Hitler Continues on His Path to War• Hitler

– Believes Western powers will not step up to help Poland• Britain did promise to defend Poland if invaded

– Does not want a two-front war if Great Britain and France do make an alliance with Soviet Union so he makes the alliance first• Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact

– 2 nations promised not to attack each other –Hitler promises Stalin control of eastern Poland

and Baltic states(SHOCKER: He was lying again)

HippoCampus

Germany Invades Poland

• World is shocked by Nonaggression Pact– Fear of war increases

• Germany invades Poland– Blitzkrieg

• Two days later Britain and France declared war on Germany

Blitzkrieg

Video Video 2

The least you need to know:• Hitler’s idea of the Aryan race being superior brought about

WWII• Hitler wanted to expand east• Treaty of Versailles limited GER military power

– Hitler ignored it• GB – policy of appeasement

• Rome-Berlin Axis – Hitler & Mussolini• Hitler wanted Sudetenland• Chamberlain – “peace for our time”• Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression pact – no fighting btw USSR &

GER– Gave GER chance to invade Poland