Prelude to War

U15: WWIIAP European History

Ms. Tully - UHS

A. The Role of Hitler

1. Hitler believed GR needed more land – Lebensraum

2. Expanded into RS – create dominate Aryan state for 1000+ years

3. Desire for Aryan empire slave labor, mass extermination

4. GR still weak from VT; BR & FR wanted to avoid war

5. Hitler posed as man of peace

6. “Diplomatic Revolution” 1933-1936

B. German Rearmament

1. March 1935 – New air force, Luftwaffe; introduction of draft

2. FR, BR, ITY condemned GR; no action taken

3. Anglo-German Naval Pact – June 18, 1935

4. Policy of appeasement

C. Occupation of the Rhineland

1. Hitler sent troops into Rhineland

2. FR would not act w/o BR support

3. Hitler believed FR & BR were weak, cowardly

D. New Alliances

1. Oct. 1936 – Rome-Berlin Axis

2. Nov. 1936 GR & Japan formed Anti-Comitern Pact

3. By end of 1936 VT scrapped; GR a world power

E. Ongoing Rearmament

1. Nov. 5, 1937 – Hitler revealed ultimate goal to GR military leaders

2. Quickening rearmament

3. Planning for Blitzkrieg – lightening war

4. 1935: 550,000 GR military, 1939: 4.5 million

F. Union with Austria

1. Neville Chamberlain (1869-1940) PM of BR

2. Hitler threatened AUS with invasion; AUS chancellor appoints AUS Nazi to head of gov

3. March 13, 1938 – Hitler formally annexed AUS

G. Czechoslovakia

1. Sept. 15, 1938 – Hitler demanded cession of Sudetenland to GR

2. Munich Conference – Sept. 29, 1938

3. Hitler convinced western weakness; GR infallibility

4. Oct. 1938 – liquidation of CZ

5. Slovaks declared independence – Puppet state of Nazis

H. Poland

1. Aggression in CZ demonstrated Hitler’s lies

2. GR demanded return of Danzig

3. FR & BR began negotiations with SU

4. Hitler negotiated nonaggression pact with Stalin Aug. 23, 1939

5. Hitler invaded Poland Sept. 1, 1939