Introduction to

WORLD WAR II

Prelude to War . . .

TREATY OF VERSAILLESEnded World War I (July 28, 1919)• Imposed harsh terms on Germany. Germany had to…• Give up much territory• Pay reparations to the Allies• Limit army to 100,000 men• No air force, submarines, tanks, or heavy artillery• Had to admit total guilt for World War I

Treat of Versailles led to

INFLATION IN GERMANY!Economic troubles led prices of goods to

increase while the value of currency decreased

1923:Cost of Bread in Germany: 80 Billion marks

Cost of coffee: 7,000 marks

1 American dollar = 4 Trillion marks

Political & Economic Unrest in Europe

lead to the RISE of

TOTALITARIAN DICTATORS

(Define Totalitarian)

In Italy…MUSSOLINI RISES TO POWER

• Dynamic/charasmatic speaker

• Founded the National Fascist Party

• Fascism – Mussolini’s political philosophy that emphasized the glorification of the State of Italy.– Militaristic– Authoritarian– Anti-Democracy

BlackshirtsMilitary wing of the Fascist party who

used violence against Mussolini’s opponents

Mussolini called himself

“Il Duce” (the Leader)

In Germany . . .

HITLER RISES TO POWER• Born an Austrian . . . Believed in the

superiority & unity of the German peoples

• Lead the National Socialist Party (Nazi’s)– Similar to Italian Fascist party: Nationalistic

& Authoritarian– Promoted belief in the racial superiority of

the German (Aryan) race. – Anti-Semitic – Jews blamed for all of

Germany’s problems

MEIN KAMPF (“My Struggle”)

• Book wrote by Hitler while in prison

• Hitler wrote of his philosophy and goals

• Focused on greatness of Germany and Hitler’s racism towards Jews

Mein Kampf Quotes…“The personification of the devil as the symbol of all evil

assumes the living shape of the Jew.”

“The broad masses of a population are more amenable to the appeal of rhetoric than to any other force.”

“The [Nazi party] should not become a constable of public opinion, but must dominate it. It must not become a servant of the masses, but their master!”

The Aryan Race• “The Master Race” according

to Hitler• Believed German people were

superior in– appearance (blond hair/blue

eyes idea)– intelligence– talent– courage.

• Led to Hitler’s belief that non-Aryans had to be exterminated

“Lebensborn” Project• Project created by Himmler to create “perfect race”

Young women judged “racially pure” (blond hair, blue eyes, German descent) could enter program

Young women impregnated by S.S. officers to create an “Aryan” child

Children given to the S.S. & raised in S.S. sponsored nurseries & schools where they were taught to be servants of Hitler & the 3rd Reich

Hitler appointed Chancellor of Germany in 1933

• Reichstag fire. Nazi’s blame on Communists.• Enabling Act of 1933 – Reichstag gives Hitler

emergency powers. Could act & make laws independent of the Reichstag. Essentially makes Hitler a dictator.

"The government will make use of these powers only insofar as they are essential for carrying out vitally necessary measures...The number of cases in which an internal necessity exists for having recourse to such a law is in itself a limited one."

• Hitler used the Enabling Act to end the Weimar Republic & establish a dictator with himself as “Der Fuhrer” (the leader).

Germans under Nazi rule “The overwhelming majority of Germans did not seem to mind that their personal freedom had been taken away, that so much of culture had been destroyed and replaced with a mindless barbarism . . . The Nazi terror in the early years affected the lives of relatively few Germans and a newly arrived observer was somewhat surprised to see that the people of this country did not seem to feel that they were being cowed.... On the contrary, they supported it with genuine enthusiasm. Somehow it imbued them with a new hope and a new confidence and an astonishing faith in the future of their country.” – William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

Hitler rebuilds a powerful German military

• Defies the Treaty of Versailles

• France & England do nothing about Hitler’s Militarism

• Builds an army of 500,000 men while building industrial infrastructure of Germany

1936: Rome-Berlin Axis FormsTreaty of friendship between Mussolini & Hitler

APPEASEMENTWho was Neville Chamberlain and what was the

doctrine of Appeasement? (p. 744)

The policy of trying to maintain peace through negotiation & compromise with the goal of avoiding a bloody and expensive armed conflict

LEBENSRAUM German: “Living Space”

Hitler’s belief that Germany needed more land and natural resources and had to invade other

nations to get it

HITLER TAKES ACTION• Treat of Versailles: Rhineland controlled by Germany, but de-

militarized• 1936: Hitler sends troops into the Rhineland• England & France ignore this…giving Hitler more confidence.

Nazi’s march into the Rhineland

THE ANSCHLUSS• Hitler was born an Austrian and dreamed of uniting the

people of Germany & Austria• Anschluss – German for “link-up”• Hitler annexes Austria by marching troops south into

Austria

Anschluss was popular in Austria

THE SUDETENLANDWestern parts of Czechoslovakia with many

Germans . . . What do you think Hitler wanted to do?

MUNICH CONFERENCE• Hitler talks of invading Czechoslovakia• Neville Chamberlain (PM of Great Britain)

meets Hitler in Munich.• Hitler informs him that he plans to invade

Czech.• Chamberlain agrees to allow Hitler to annex

the Sudetenland • Chamberlain then signs peace treaty with

Hitler and declares . . .

“PEACE IN OUR TIME”

Appeasement: Chamberlain vs. Churchill

...the settlement of the Czechoslovakian problem, which has now been achieved is, in my view, only the prelude to a larger settlement in which all Europe may find peace. This morning I had another talk with the German Chancellor, Herr Hitler, and here is the paper which bears his name upon it as well as mine (waves paper to the crowd - receiving loud cheers and "Hear Hears"). Some of you, perhaps, have already heard what it contains but I would just like to read it to you ...

Appeasement: Chamberlain vs. Churchill

"We have suffered a total and unmitigated defeat...you will find that in a period of time . . .Czechoslovakia will be engulfed in the Nazi régime. We are in the presence of a disaster of the first magnitude...we have sustained a defeat without a war, the consequences of which will travel far with us along our road...we have passed an awful milestone in our history, when the whole equilibrium of Europe has been deranged, and that the terrible words have for the time being been pronounced against the Western democracies: "Thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting". And do not suppose that this is the end. This is only the beginning of the reckoning. This is only the first sip, the first foretaste of a bitter cup which will be proffered to us year by year unless by a supreme recovery of moral health and martial vigour, we arise again and take our stand for freedom as in the olden time."

TREATY OF VERSAILLES: Worthless?• Treaty: Germany must remain

disarmed.– Hitler: Remilitarizes Germany

• Treaty: Rhineland to be buffer zone between France and Germany (no German military)

- Hitler: Moves troops into the Rhineland

• Treaty: Austria & Germany cannot unite- Hitler: Anschluss brings Austria into Nazi Germany

Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact• Hitler fears two-front war, sends Foreign

Minister Ribbentrop to Moscow• Germany & USSR sign a Non-Aggression

Pact– Agreed not to attack each other– Soviets agree to stay neutral if Germany

invades Poland or goes to war against the Western powers.

– Agreed that Poland would be divided between the two between Germany & USSR.

WHY WOULD THIS SCARE THE BRITISH & FRENCH?

HITLER DOESN’T STOP• Shortly after the Munich Agreement, Hitler

invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia. • September 1939: Germany invades Poland

BLITZKRIEG• “Lightning Warfare”• “Penetration in depth by

armored columns, usually with preceding aerial bombardment to reduce enemy resistance.” (Dictionary of Historical Terms)

September 3, 1939FRANCE & BRITAIN DECLARE WAR ON NAZI GERMANY

• France & Britain form the Allies against Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy

• Don’t attack immediately . . . Wait for Hitler’s next move

• Sitzkrieg (“phony war”) – Winter of 1939/1940. Hitler didn’t attack.

Hitler’s next move: France

Maginot LineLine of fortification along France/German border to defend France against German invasion

May 1940: Hitler attacks France byInvading the Netherlands & Belgium

DUNKIRK• Germany traps Allied soldiers (France, British, &

Dutch) soldiers at the beaches of Dunkirk• Allied troops miraculously escape Nazis by

crossing the British Channel (Rescue at Dunkirk). 340,000 Allied troops saved.

BATTLE OF BRITAIN• German Luftwaffe (Air Force) bombs Britain to

terrorize the British.• Churchill inspires courage and confidence.• Britain stops the invasion. Hitler’s first defeat.

“Their finest hour”

“We shall fight…”