World War II Begins This is a picture of the German invasion of Poland.

Hitler Seeks More Land Hitler claimed Germany needed to take more areas for lebensraum (living space). According to the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was not even supposed to have an army to pursue such goals. On 3/12/1938, Hitler absorbed Austria into Germany. He asserted that there were many German speaking people in this area and they supported the transition. Hitler’s next target was Czechoslovakia. The Nazi’s claimed Germans were being mistreated in this area and took the western boundary of the Czech’s called the Sudetenland. Copyright, USHistoryTeachers.com All Rights Reserved.

Hitler began to expand Germany by conquering areas in Europe.

Hitler took the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia.

Pursuing Appeasement European nations were becoming anxious and wanted to reach an agreement for Hitler to stop invading other areas. On 9/30/1938, the Munich Agreement was achieved. Edouard Daladier, Premier of France, and Neville Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister, met with the Nazi regime to discuss a settlement on the issue. The leaders of France and Britain felt that, if Hitler was allowed to keep the Sudetenland, he will would stop invading other areas, so they agreed Germany could keep the area. Copyright, USHistoryTeachers.com All Rights Reserved.

The Munich Agreement: Chamberlain, Daladier, Hitler, Mussolini

Many asserted that appeasement would NOT work because it would just embolden Hitler to pursue the same actions. This picture depicts Hitler as a monster that would not stop taking land in Europe, despite the Munich Agreement.

“Britain and France had to choose between war and dishonor “Britain and France had to choose between war and dishonor. They chose dishonor. They will have war.” – Winston Churchill Churchill later became Prime Minister of Britain.

The Munich Agreement Fails Hitler broke the agreement. He falsely claimed “Germans were mistreated” in Poland and invaded the country. This was a hostile move. Britain, France, and Russia, those passive when other areas were taken, could attack if Poland fell to Hitler. On 8/23/1939, Stalin and Hitler signed a Nonaggression Pact and agreed to divide Poland. Copyright, USHistoryTeachers.com All Rights Reserved.

Blitzkrieg in Poland “Lightning War” On 9/1/1939, German planes bombed Poland and tanks invaded after the onslaught. This vicious tactic, called blitzkrieg, assured a quick victory. France and Britain could not respond in time. Though they had hoped that Hitler would stop after taking the Sudetenland, Hitler kept going. In 1939, Stalin invaded Poland and took the Eastern half. Stalin and Hitler split the region in an attempt to avoid war with each other. Copyright, USHistoryTeachers.com All Rights Reserved.

Hitler took the Western half of Poland and Stalin took the Eastern half.

a Nonaggression Pact to divide Poland to avoid war with each other. Despite having contrasting governments, Fascism vs. Communism, Hitler and Stalin signed a Nonaggression Pact to divide Poland to avoid war with each other.

Nazi Germany was heavily industrialized and was able to unleash a massive “blitzkrieg” attack on Poland.

The Nazis were heavily industrialized and had several different types of planes. The Nazis were heavily industrialized and had many planes.

Germany’s invasion of Poland. Germany’s invasion of Polansd. Germany’s invasion of Poland.

Germany’s invasion of Poland.

German soldiers invade Poland Germany’s invasion of Poland. German soldiers invade Poland during the Blitzkrieg.

Hitler’s Invasion Intensifies In April of 1940, Hitler took Denmark and Norway to “defend their independence,” Actually, he wanted to restrict Great Britain from using these areas. He also had taken over Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg by May of 1940. Since becoming leader of Germany, Hitler had violated the Treaty of Versailles and the Munich Agreement. It was clear he wanted nothing less than all of Europe. Copyright, USHistoryTeachers.com All Rights Reserved.

had taken over much of East Asia. Before WW II ended, Hitler had taken over most of Europe. On the other side of the world, Japan, who joined in an alliance with Hitler, had taken over much of East Asia.

Germany VS. France & Britain -On 9/3/1939, France and Britain declared war on Germany. Appeasement had failed and all out war was the only remaining course of action. Germans sent tanks through wilderness areas thought to be impassable and invaded Allied territory. The Germans forced the Allied troops to the beach of Dunkirk. Over 300,000 French, British, and Belgium troops fled to England to escape the Nazis. Copyright, USHistoryTeachers.com All Rights Reserved.

The Nazis forced the Allied troops to the beach of Dunkirk The Nazis forced the Allied troops to the beach of Dunkirk. The soldiers escaped and fled to England.

Dunkirk to rescue the Allied troops. As the Nazis invaded France and Belgium, many ships, some even commercial, arrived at Dunkirk to rescue the Allied troops.

Britain Remains Free Benito Mussolini was a strong supporter of Hitler. Italy invaded from the South and France fell to Hitler. Nazi’s bombed targets in London through war planes. Britain used radar to detect attacks and this prevented Hitler from successfully invading Britain. The Royal Air Force defended Britain from Germany and Charles de Gaulle set up a government in exile for France in Britain. Copyright, USHistoryTeachers.com All Rights Reserved.

Invasion of Poland Invasion of Holland

THE END

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