The Rise of Hitler and Lead-up to WW2

The Rise of Hitler and Lead-The Rise of Hitler and Lead-up to WW2up to WW2

In 1914-would have been worth approximately $12 Million US; 9 years later when printed was approximately equal to $1US, and entirely worthless a few weeks later.

Germany during the interwar…

• Was weak (economy and military and government)

• The government– called the “Weimer Republic”– had internal flaws– People within this government were anti-

Semitic and nationalistic

• Germans were frustrated and resentful• They were desperate for strong leadership

and a change in their current situation

Enter…Adolf Hitler

• In the 1920s, Hitler published Mein Kampf (meaning “my struggle”) – It introduced Hitler to a wider audience– It introduced his political platform, in a way

• By the early 1930s, Hitler played a key role in the government

• In 1933, he was appointed Chancellor• At first he lead a bi-partisan gov’t but then

he began to change things…

Germany 1933-1939

• During the 1930s, Hitler and his Nazi Party started to transform Germany

• Disobeyed Treaty of Versailles– He began building-up a strong military (militarism)– Pulled out of League of Nations!!

• League of Nations ultimately fails (with no power to enforce its policies/peace-keeping)

• Recruited people into his army– “Hitler Youth”, for example

• In 1938, Hitler annexed (peacefully) Austria.– What did this foreshadow?

Appeasement

Meanwhile…• Great Britain is trying to “appease” (calm

down and even IGNORE) Germany• British P.M. Neville Chamberlin, at first,

made appeasement his official foreign policy“Appeasement is a diplomatic policy aimed at

avoiding war by making concessions to an aggressor ”

The Century clip on rise of Hitler

Meanwhile… In JapanJapan had been building up its military throughout the interwar period. In 1933, they withdrew from of the League of Nations.

Late 1930’s-1941 – Japan began to attack European colonies in Asia

French Indochina Dutch East Indies British Singapore

In response – Europe/US stopped selling iron ore, steel and oil to Japan

Japan viewed embargo as act of aggression

Back in Europe…The Start of the War!

WWII officially began when Hitler (Germany) invaded Poland in 1939

Allied Powers

Great Britain Soviet Union

France

Axis Powers

Nazi Germany Japan

Italy