Rise of Hitler World War II: Hitler’s War?

Introduction 0 Problems in peacekeeping in the 1920s 0 Aggressive expansion in the 1930s 0 Winston Churchill though, called WWI “Hitler’s War” 0 Had a master plan for dominating Europe 0 Reunite German Empire and conquer Eastern Europe 0 War was inevitable 0 Turning point 1935: Germany rearmed

Origins of Hitler 0 Had fought in WWI, blinded by a gas attack 0 Heard of the German surrender while in the hospital 0 Catalyst for politics 0 Germany had almost realized domination of Eastern Europe 0 Lost when defeated on Western Front 0 Both Russia and Austro- Hungarian Empires have fallen 0 Germany not in that bad of a spot 0 Could not accept losses, reparations

Ambitions 0 Foreign policy shaped by these factors , Hitler became a member of the German Workers’ Party 0 Renamed National Socialist German Workers’ Party in Hitler its leader by Key objectives 0 Union of all Germans 0 End to Treaty of Versailles 0 Strong state 0 National army 0 Exclusion of Jews

Attempts at Power , Nazis attempt to seize power from Weimar Republic 0 Munich Beer Hall Putsch 0 Failed, Hitler sent to prison for nine months 0 Wrote Mein Kampf 0 Autobiography and political philosophy 0 Racist and authoritarian theories 0 Racial purity and Lebensraum

Transformation of Nazi Party 0 Did not do well in German elections of Hitler wrote a ‘Secret Book’ in this year 0 Developed foreign policy from Mein Kampf 0 Stated there would be a struggle between US and German/British Empires 0 Wrote about admiration for Mussolini and anger towards Chancellor Gustav Stresemann, who sought to return Germany to pre-1914 borders 0 Thought it was far too limited, wanted the USSR

Rise to Power 0 Failures of the League 0 Economic crisis particularly influential on Weimar Germany 0 Mass unemployment led to Nazi Party’s success at the polls 0 Hitler came to power legally 0 Conservatives like President General von Hindenburg thought he could be controlled 0 Became Chancellor in January 1933

Support for Hitler 0 Aggressive foreign policy objectives are what got him elected 0 Would have to attack Versailles and those who signed it 0 People believed he would restore prestige 0 Had support of other right-wing groups

Consolidation of Power consolidated control 0 Gained the control of the army and industrialists who sought rearmament 0 Regime was totalitarian, rights of citizens subordinate 0 Geared domestic policy to needs of expansionist foreign policy 0 Military conscription and rearmament helped economy

Hitler and Short-Term Causes of WWII

Revising the Treaty of Versailles Hitler tries to revise Treaty of Versailles 0 Attacked reparations, had been suspended, announced they would not be resumed 0 Most had already accepted this 0 Decision to rearm caused the real problem 0 Withdrawal from Disarmament Conference Increased military spending by five times 0 Withdrew from League in 33, rest of the world economically down

Subsequent Steps 0 Non-Aggression Pact with Poland in Secured his eastern border for now 0 Undermined Franco-Polish Alliance 0 Sought to unify Austria with Germany 0 Pro-Nazi coup in Austria unsuccessful though 0 Re-united Saar with Germany , announced compulsory military service, armaments program, declared existence of 500,000 army and air force

European Response 0 Britain, France, Italy created Stresa Front 0 Did not say how they would stop Hitler 0 Meaningless in a month when Britain and Germany signed a Naval Agreement 0 Allowed for a larger German navy, Britain’s individual attempt at limiting him 0 Hitler intimidating Europe 0 League cooked after Abyssinia Crisis in 1935

German Remilitarization turned his attention to western border 0 Versailles had made the Rhineland a demilitarized zone 0 Key for France 0 Hitler’s army and confidence growing 0 Sent 10,000 troops and 23,000 armed police into the Rhineland in March No response from British or France 0 Division in France, British against resistance

Hitler in Spanish Civil War 0 Italy and Germany grew closer as a result of Abyssinian Crisis 0 Together supported Franco 0 Nevermore than 10,000 Germans, 70,000 Italians 0 Wanted to test out Germany’s improved forces 0 Responsible for Guernica in 1937

Building Support 0 Rome-Berlin Axis created in late Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan same time 0 Italy joined the pact in Thought they could use Japan to counter Britain and Russia in Asia 0 Would meet less resistance to his expansionist aims in Europe

Hossbach Memorandum 0 August 1936 Hitler launched Four Year Plan to prepare German economy for war , called a meeting in the Reich 0 Key military leaders present 0 Opened by saying how important the discussion was, said it was essentially his will 0 Key aim was preserve racial community 0 Set a time-table, pre Considered threats from France and seizing territory 0 Focused on concrete armament 0 Three people who opposed him here all were replaced

Anschluss 0 March 1938, Hitler sent troops into Austria 0 Encountered no military resistance 0 Britain said it had been wrong to force a separation between Germany and Austria, lol 0 Austrian Chancellor had called for a popular vote % for Hitler 0 Now had Austrian forces, gold and iron

Takeover of Czechoslovakia 0 Next action against the Sudetenland 0 Czech leader appealed for help from Britain and France 0 France agreed, Britain agreed, USSR will 0 May 1938, Hitler said he would fight for it 0 Czechs had strong army and guarantees of support

Munich Conference 0 British PM Chambelain met with Hitler Sept Originally compromised, asked for parts of Czech that wanted in 0 Second meeting Hitler increased his demands, wanted all Sudetenland 0 Britain mobilized its nacy 0 Final meeting, Britain, France, Italy give Hitler an ultimatum, gave him the land he wanted but nothing more 0 Did not consult with Czechs or Soviets 0 Renewed arms race 0 March 1939, Hitler occupied rest of Czech