Europe’s Path to War

First, a flashback…

The Treaty of Versailles, signed with Germany in June 1918 after World War I, enforced what historians refer to as the “Five Rs:” 1. Responsibility: Germany and Austria had to take responsibility for starting the war. 2. Reparations: Germany had to pay for all the damage the war had caused. 3. Reduction: Germany had to reduce its army and navy and eliminate the air force. 4. Return: Germany had to return all of the territory it won during the war. 5. Rhine River: To protect France from Germany, the Rhine became a demilitarized zone

The Treaty of Versailles emphasized the punishment of Germany, which frustrated many Germans. One problem was that France demanded high payments from the Germans (reparations).

Germany made only one payment and could make no more. France sent troops into industrial areas of Germany to seize German goods as payment. German workers went on strike. Germany printed more money to pay their wages.

Germany suffered from high inflation (a general rise in prices), causing their money to lose its value.

America stepped in to help manage the situation by loaning Germany money Europe was briefly secure and prosperous, until the Great Depression swept the globe.

LET THE VIOLATIONS BEGIN!

Hitler believed Germany needed more land to become a great power. He planned on invading the Soviet Union (Russia), enslaving it’s people and resettling it with German peasants.

In preparation for this takeover, Hitler began rebuilding the German military. Western Europe condemned Hitler’s actions, but did nothing.

Hitler then sent troops into the Rhineland. The Rhineland was supposed to be demilitarized, but Great Britain defended Germany’s actions because the land technically belonged to Germany.

Benito Mussolini of Italy had dreamed of creating a new Roman Empire. In 1935 he invaded Ethiopia, upsetting France and Great Britain, but gaining the support of Germany.

Germany and Italy soon signed a pact creating the Rome-Berlin Axis. Germany then signed the Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan, an agreement to fight communism.

In 1938, Hitler decided to pursue Anschluss (union) with his native land of Austria. He threatened to invade, forcing the Austrian chancellor to allow Nazis to take over the government. Hitler then annexed Austria to Germany.

Hitler next demanded that Germany be given the Sudentenland, a part of Czechoslovakia inhabited by Germans. He announced that he was willing to risk “world war” to get his way.

Europe agreed to meet his demands in the hope that he would be satisfied. Hitler promised to make no more demands and the rest of Europe believed him.

In 1939, Hitler took over the rest of Czechoslovakia. Western Europe finally realized that Hitler’s promises were worthless. When Hitler began demanding the Polish port of Danzig, Great Britain recognized the threat and offered to protect Poland.

France and Great Britain realized that the Soviet Union was the only country powerful enough to fight the Nazis, so they began negotiations with Joseph Stalin, the Soviet dictator.

Hitler didn’t take Western Europe seriously, but he was nervous about their possible alliance with the Soviets. In 1939, Germany offered Stalin Eastern Poland and the Baltic states to get him to sign the Nazi-Soviet Non Aggression Pact.

Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 and two days later Britain and France declared war on Germany. Hitler was willing to promise just about anything because he knew he would eventually break the pact in order to defeat the Soviet Union.