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The Road to War (Again) The War Begins in Europe

1918 - 1939

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The Treaty of Versailles

Harsh Reparations

High Inflation

Unemployment

Political Chaos

Weak Central Government

Article 231 “War Guilt Clause”

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Hitler in Power 30 January 1933

Reichstag Fire27 February 1933

Enabling Act23 March 1933*Acting without Reichstag

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Hitler in Power 30 June 1934

Dissolution of Labor Unions

Elimination of Political Parties

Introduction of Press Censorship

Reduces UnemploymentPublic Works Projects

Night of the “Long Knives”30 June – 2 July 1934

Elimination of Political Rivals

Ernst Rohm

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The Death of President Hindenburg2 August 1934 / Lung Cancer / 86 years old

Burial at Tannenberg, East Prussia (Poland)January 1945 Moved to the West!

19 August 1934Plebiscite

Combine Offices90% “JA” (Yes)

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Hitler in PowerAugust 1934

Dissolution of Labor Unions

Elimination of Political Parties

Introduction of Press Censorship

Reduces UnemploymentPublic Works Projects

Rearms Military

Nurnberg Laws of 1935 Jews loose citizenship

“Lebensraum” (Living Room)“Sub-Humans in the East”

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Re-Occupation of Rhineland – 7 March 1936

Unsure of World Reaction

French Response

No Action

Germans Enthusiastic

Hitler Emboldened

“Re-Militarize”

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“Greater German Reich”

10% (4 million) against unification

No response from England or France

Some (Jews) start to leave Austria

Anschluss with Austria - 12 March 1938

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The Munich Conference of September 1938

Sudetenland Germans vs. Czechoslovakia

England (Chamberlain – PM) France (Daladier – PM) Italy (Mussolini) Germany (Hitler) Czech President Benes (Absent!/Waiting)

“Peace in our time” ?? Churchill outspoken – Against “Appeasement”!

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Kristallnacht – 9 & 10 November 1938(‘Night of the Broken Glass”)

Beginning of the “real” persecution of the Jews in Germany and Austria

Flee to Israel, USA, UK – others “Stateless” (See Life Magazine –Evian, France)

World reaction was of shock Widely documented in foreign press (See

Life Magazine Article)

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15 March 1939 – Occupation of Czechoslovakia

Germany moves to occupy the entire country of Czecho(Slovakia)

Bohemia – Moravia = “Protectorate”

Slovakia – Msgr. Joseph Tiso –President (Executed after War)

6 April 1939: Mutual Assistance Pact - England and France are quick to warn Germany of attempts on Poland … Treaty of each with Poland

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Mussolini

Acquires his

“Empire”

Ethiopia & Somalia: 3 October 1935

Emperor Halie Selassie

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Albania invaded 7 – 12 April 1939

“Pact of Steel” - 22 May 1939 German and Italy = Allies

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Blitzkrieg / 1 September 1939

22 August 1939 – Soviet Non-Aggression Pact with Germany

1 September 1939(General George Marshall Note to Mrs. Patton)

1 Million+ Germans invade Poland

Introduction of the “Blitzkrieg” (“Lightning War”) Combined arms operations Luftwaffe attack targets in rear –

airfields/fortifications/aircraft in sky German mechanized (armor/artillery/infantry)

units move quickly Followed by slower units (Horse Drawn)

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1 September 1939

Population: Germany = 80 million France = 42 million England = 46 million

German soldier = excellent 6 Panzer (tank) divisions 4 motorized divisions Majority of Army lacking motorized

transport Majority of horse drawn equipment

Raw materials and Germany’s need Import 80% of oil Import 85% of rubber Import 20% of food

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17 September 1939 – Soviet Union invades in the east

Polish Campaign ends 6 October 1939 (5 Weeks!) Germany suffers 50,000 casualties!

Poland Divided – Soviet Union gains a “Buffer State”

Stalin “Awed” by display of German power – future?

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Polish View of Start of World War II

Defensive – Heroic Patriotism!

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Katyn Forest Massacre – March 1940

Russians against Polish people: Prisoners of War Military leaders Political leaders Police leaders Educators Religious22,000 total murdered

Blame against Germany Allied complacency Post-war Communism

See 1943 German response

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Germans Publish Rebuttal to the World!! – April 1943

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1990 – Collapse of Soviet state, acknowledgement to world of Katyn massacre

April 2000

National Katyn Memorial

Monument Located -Baltimore Inner Harbor

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England / France Declare War*See April 1939 Life Magazine

Winston Churchill “Winston is Back!” – 3 September 1939 First Lord of the Admiralty

Royal Navy – Blockade

British Army mobilizes moves to French / Belgian border

French mobilization remain behind the Maginot Line

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“Sitzkrieg” October 1939- April 1940

(“Phony War”/“Sitting War”)

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Sitzkrieg (October 1939 – April 1940)

“Sitting War” “Phony War”

Germans remain behind the Siegfried Line (“Westwall”) French behind Maginot Line

Germans shift forces from Poland to west – created armies of one million+ men

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Russo – Finnish War (Winter War)November 1939 – March 1940

Century of discord Russia demands land near

Leningrad Finns fortify border Russia Invades Norway, Sweden, England &

France send supplies

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Soviets invade Finland on Broad Front Outnumber Finns Poorly Led (Remember the Purges) Poorly Equipped Suffer Catastrophic Losses Harsh Weather Conditions

Simo Hayha - Sniper - “White Death” -542 Kills!!!

November –December

1939

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Finland overwhelmed by Soviet Forces at 100 – 1 odds!

Set precedent for Soviet operations

Gained crucial territory Weaknesses of Soviets

noticed by the Germans!

January – March

1940

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Sitzkrieg (October 1939 – April 1940) “Sitting War” “Phony War”

Germans remain behind the Siegfried Line (“Westwall”) French behind the Maginot Line

Germans shift forces from Poland to west – create armies of one million+ men

Ends with German invasion of Denmark - 9 April 1940

Danish Army (15,000)

Token resistance 16 KIA Over in two hours Resistance emerges Jewish situation

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Denmark – No Resistance!

Norway Resists Campaign Ends in June (German

Combined Arms Operations) German Navy suffers serious losses Vidkun Quisling (Remember His Name!

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10 May 1940

Churchill replaces Chamberlain(November 1940)

Speech – 4 June 1940I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone. At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of His Majesty's Government-every man of them. That is the will of Parliament and the nation. The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength. Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious

apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment

believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.

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Germans Cross Belgian/ Dutch

Frontiers 16 May 1940

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Dunkirk Pocket Created

5 Days Later!

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“Operation Dynamo” Begins26 May – 4 June 1940

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“Operation Dynamo”Dunkirk Evacuation

26 May to 4 June 1940

British Naval and Civilian Craft of all types

338,000 evacuated to England (224,000 = British soldiers) (54,000 = French soldiers) (60,000 = Others) Loss of heavy weapons and equipment

German Army halts on 24th of May Resupply? Overextension of forces? Luftwaffe alone? Hitler’s Sentiments?

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Dunkirk Beaches Today – July 2017 (77 Years Later!)

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Italy Declares War on France – 10 June 1940

Invades Southern France – 16 June 1940

Makes few gains – halted in Alps

Italy gains small amount of territory in

Alpine France (Italian Zone!)

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French Alps Today - 2017

Fort Central (1880)

St. Agnes (1936) (Next Slide)

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June 2017

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Occupied

Un-Occupied

Capital at Vichy

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French Surrender at Compiegne 22 June 1940France falls in 35 Days!

Rail Car of 1918 Moved to Berlin (1944)

Vichy France Established Occupied vs. Un-Occupied Marshall Petain (84 years old)

Charles De Gaulle 4th French Division Battle of Montcornet (Colonel) Battle of Abbeville (Brig. General) Flees to England 18 June 1940 = “Free French

Government” in exile

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Marshall Petain as French “Head of State”(Hero of Verdun/Controversial!/Collaborator?)

Figurehead or Puppet?

Age Issue or Ego?

Effective?

German Control of Vichy after

November 1942!

Gestapo Arrest Late 1944?

French Captivity April 1945

Treason Trial July 1945 (89 yr.)

Guilty – Death!

DeGaulle – Life! – Ile d’Yeu Traitor or Scapegoat??

?

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Ile d’YeuJuly 2011

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July 1951

(95 yr.)

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Operation “Sea Lion”Invasion of England