2. The Road to War: 1919-1939

3. Europe 1919-1938

4. German Geographic Problems-- World War I short Atlantic coast narrow access to the North Sea the Alps limit movement south Britain controls Gibraltar and the seas. Germany had inadequate resources to fight a two front war for very long.

5. German Geographic Problems-- World War I

6. The Treaty of Versailles Austria-Hungary was dissolved Russia became communist Germany loses land to France and Poland

7. The Treaty of Versailles This infuriated many Germans, including a young corporal named Adolf Hitler

8. Hitler in Prison By 1924, Hitler led the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) or Nazis led an unsuccessful coup attempt sent to jail wrote Mein Kampf- -or My Struggle.

9. Mein Kampf tells his master plan Germans are Aryan race – the Master Race. – others, esp. Jews and Slavs, are “sub- human.” blames the Jews –for Germany’s defeat –links them to communism. “Lebensraum”

10. Lebensraum “room to live” in the East occupied by Slavs, Jews, Poles, and other “sub- humans.”

11. Hitler in Power By 1935, Hitler was “führer” or leader of Germany.

12. The Rhineland, 1936 No German troops allowed under the Treaty of Versailles Hitler marches in

13. The Rhineland, 1936 Hitler cancels the Treaty of Versailles Begins to rearm Germany British and French do nothing –Want a strong Germany as a buffer between them and Soviet Union –Felt Hitler was the lesser of two evils

14. German Geographic Problems couldn’t win a two front war Britain & France might object to plans Britain controlled the seas. Western Front Eastern Front

15. Lebensraum meant taking Poland

16. Germany and Poland short border with Poland Poles would fight fanatically.

17. Czechoslovakia Hitler wanted to go around the Polish defenses. That meant Czechoslovakia.

18. Czechoslovakia Sudetenland mountains occupied by Germans Czechs had it heavily fortified

19. Austria would go through Austria

20. The Anschluss of Austria--March 1938 Austrian Nazi party wanted to join Germany. Italy and Spain abandoned Austria Hitler forces Austrians to give up planned elections Nazi put in charge of the gov’t. the Wehrmacht--the German army--asked to “restore order.”

21. The Sudetenland--Autumn 1938 Hitler said that Germans were being persecuted should be part of “Greater Germany” The Czechs--strong army and mountains

22. The Sudetenland--Autumn 1938 The Czechs asked for British and French help Hitler –said--surrender the Sudetenland or fight. – called the Munich Conference Germany, Italy, Britain, and France invited. Not Czech. or Soviet Union

23. The Sudetenland--Autumn 1938 Br. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Fr. Premier Eduard Daldier appease Hitler agreed to no further expansion

24. Appeasement To allow an aggressor to take what he wants rather than to fight him. was criticized by many, Chamberlain and Daldier chose to believe Hitler The Czechs gave up in October 1938. Who’s this??

25. March 1939 March 1939, takes the rest of Czechoslovakia. British and French again did nothing, but begin to rearm Poland and the Soviet Union got scared

26. Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact Hitler preparing to invade Poland. Britain/France supported Poland Nazis talk to Joseph Stalin Stalin needed time –purges had killed off his army officers –“commissars” controlled officers

27. Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact August 1939 –allowed Hitler to invade Poland Stalin –got eastern half of Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania –Time to prepare Poland would be isolated. WONDER HOW LONG THE HONEYMOON WILL LAST?

28. Poland--August 1939 Hitler-- Germans in Poland were being persecuted. staged a fake attack on a radio station

29. September 1, 1939 The Wehrmacht crashes into Poland.