The Tragedy of Appeasement
The War Unfolds
Focus Question
In a short response of one to three sentences, describe the tests you took over the last two days
Totalitarian states Soviet Union (Stalin)
Dominated by the Communists Italy (Mussolini)
Dominated by the Fascists Germany (Hitler)
Dominated by the Nazi Party Japan (Military Leaders)
Rise of Nazi Germany Nazism built on a strong sense of German
destiny All Germans should live in one country▪ Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer ▪ One People, One Country, One Leader
Germans (Aryans) a “Master Race”, destined to rule
To thrive, Germans needed living space (Lebensraum)
Nazi rise to power Attempted abortive putsch in 1923
Armed revolt did not work Ideas outlined in Mein Kampf (My Struggle)▪ Use democratic means to suborn
democracy Played on desperation of the German people
“Stabbed in the back by traitors” Promised economic stability Promised greatness
Gained popularity Use of simple arguments and nationalist
imagery Continued to gain seats in the Reichstag By 1932, the Nazis were the largest party in
the Reichstag Nazis demanded Hitler be appointed
Chancellor (Head of Government)
Seized control Reichstag fire, February 1933
Used as an excuse to take power Banned left-wing political parties Passed the Enabling Act, giving
the cabinet legislative power Rival political parties eliminated German Army bought into the regime
Night of the Long Knives (June 1930) Potential disloyal Nazis purged
Expansion Slowly overturned Versailles
Reoccupied the Rhineland (1936) Rebuilt German army
Kristallnacht and the Nuremberg Laws Slow Process of eliminating German Jews Stripped Jews of civil rights and privileges Forced Jews into ghettos
Expansion Anschluss (unification) of Austria (1938) Turned sights on the Sudetenland
Appeasement Largely German district in Czechoslovakia
Germany demanded the region Czechoslovakia refused
Conference held in Munich in 1938 Britain and France agreed to the transfer “Peace in our time”
Promise Broken March 1939: Germany annexed the rest of
the country August 1939: Nonaggression Pact with USSR
Secret agreement to divide Poland Shocked the world
September 1, 1939: Germany invasion of Poland
U.S. Reaction As war threatened, many became concerned Fear of U.S. involvement Senate hearings on World War I
War blamed on arms manufacturers Took steps to prevent
the U.S. involvement
Neutrality Acts Designed to keep U.S. from war
1935: No arms sales to belligerent nations 1936: No loans or credit to belligerent nations 1937: U.S. could not ship goods to
belligerents
Tied the hands of the U.S.
FDR’s efforts FDR and his cabinet recognized the threat Prepare the U.S. for involvement
Quarantine Speech 1937 Cash-and-Carry 1939 Lend-Lease 1940
German invasion of Poland, September 1, 1939 World War II begins
Atlantic Charter August 1941
Pearl Harbor Japanese attack brings U.S. into the war U.S. sets strategy in motion
Initial outrage against Japan Determined to defeat Germany first
Summary
If you had to describe today’s lesson to an absent classmate, explain what you feel would be the most important thing to understand.
Top Related