Causes of WW2
Transcript of Causes of WW2
Have you ever engaged in appeasement?
Appeasement: to bring to a state of peace, quiet, ease, calm, or contentment; to pacify; to soothe
March 1936 Hitler
militarizes Rhineland, the demilitarized buffer zone bordering both France and Germany
Before the War: German Expansion
March 1938 – Hitler annexes Austria (Anschluss)
Anschluss = Union (Germany & Austria)
More Expansion
"Do you agree with the reunification of Austria with the German Empire that was enacted on 13 March 1938, and do you vote for the party of our leader Adolf Hitler?"
September 1938 – Hitler demanded Sudetenland (a mostly German area in Czechoslovakia) be given to Germany.
He says that’s all he wants… No more expansion… Honest.
Hitler Demands More land….
Germany has violated the terms of the Versailles agreement by
building up Germany’s military and expanding its territory.
Is anyone concerned about this?
Great Britain, German, Italy, France agree Germany can have Sudeten.
Germany will respect new Czech borders
Munich Conference - September 29, 1938
Why would England and France let Hitler get away with remilitarizing
and expanding Germany’s territory?
Why Appeasement?
• Fear of war• Military unprepared for war• Guilt over Versailles Treaty• Trust in Hitler• Other reasons?
The Appeaser
Did Hilter stop with Sudeten as promised?
•Militarizes Rhineland, 1936•Anschluss with Austria, March 1938•Annexes Sudetenland, Sept 1938•Invades Czechoslovakia, March 1939
Hitler's Strategic Alliances
Pact of Steel, May 1939
Rome-Berlin Axis October 1936• “The axis around which
Europe rotates”
Steel Pact, May 1939Formalized Rome-
Berlin Axis with military agreement
Nazi – Soviet Pact
•Hitler and Stalin pledged not to attack one another
•August 1939
•Secret pact to divide Poland
September 27, 1940Japan, Germany, ItalyAgreed to provide
military assistance to one another.
Recognized spheres of influence. Gives Germany and Italy
control of EuropeGives Japan control of
Asia
Tripartite Agreement
Neutrality Acts of 1935Prohibits export
of arms to “belligerent countries”
Pursued policy of Isolationism
What's the U.S. doing?
Germany – We know about
Territorial Expansion (Don't write, just envision)
ItalyInvades Ethiopia, 1935 Invades Albania, April
1939JapanInvades Manchuria, 1931Invades mainland China,
1937Soviet Union
Invades Eastern Poland, 1939Invades Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland
1939
Sept. 1, 1939 – Hitler invades Poland
Sept 3, 1939 – France and Great Britain declare war on Germany
Poland – The Last Straw
What will this war be like?
• Overwhelming offensive force Fast-moving aircraft –
Luftwaffe – German Airforce Armored tanks –
Panzer tank Surprise• Very successful – Poland was defeated within one month
Germany’s Battle TacticBlitzkrieg – “lightning war”
At War?British and French
station troops along the Maginot Line.
Phony War (Sitzkrieg)
….. And everybody waited
…. And waited
German troops waited on the other side.
Write what you think are TWO causes of World War 2.
After the Phony War, World War 2 will begin in earnest.
Battle ProjectsName 4 or 5 people you would like to work
with in a group.
On Your Notecards…..