1. How did Hitler’s aims point to war?
By the end of the lesson you will:
Understand the appeal and motivation of the Nazi Party
Have discussed, noted and prioritised the sequence of events leading up to war in 1939

2. Nazi ideology
In 1919, Adolf Hitler joined a small right-wing group called the German Workers' Party. He took over as its leader, and changed its name to the National Socialists (Nazis).
The party developed a 25-Point Programme, which - after the failure of the Munich Putsch in Hitler explained further in his book 'Mein Kampf‘.

3. The Nazi ideology:
Lebensraum - the need for 'living space' for the German nation to expand.
A strong Germany - the Treaty of Versailles should be abolished and all German-speaking people united in one country.
Führer - the idea that there should be a single leader with complete power rather than a democracy.
Social Darwinism - the idea that the Aryan race was superior and Jews were 'subhuman'.
Autarky - the idea that Germany should be economically self-sufficient.
Germany was in danger - from Communists and Jews, who had to be destroyed.

4. The appeal of the Nazis
In the 1920s, the Nazis tried to be all things to all people. The 25-Point Programme had policies that were:
Socialist - eg farmers should be given their land; pensions should improve; and public industries such as electricity and water should be owned by the state.
Nationalist - all German-speaking people should be united in one country; the Treaty of Versailles should be abolished; and there should be special laws for foreigners.
Racist - Jews should not be German citizens and immigration should be stopped.
Fascist - a strong central government and control of the newspapers.
The Nazis did not appeal to:
working men who voted Communist
intellectuals such as students and university professors
They were popular with:
nationalists and racists
farmers
lower middle-class people such as plumbers and shopkeepers who were worried about the chaos Germany was in
rich people worried by the threat from Communism

5. Study the 25 point programme
Study the 25 point programme. For each point plot it in a Venn diagram according to who the point would appeal to.
Nationalist / Racist
Farmer
Lower middle class
Rich people

6. Conclusions
Which group are most attracted to the Nazis according to your Venn diagram?
Use the Venn diagram to write a paragraph summing up who the Nazis appealed to and why
Alternatively draw a propaganda poster for the Nazis appealing to either one specific group, or combining it to show a mass appeal

7. Further developing your thinking ….
Now study the 25 point programme again.
How might it lead to war; or at least some future conflict with other countries?
“The Nazi aims might lead to war because …….”

8. Hitler’s foreign policy
It is easy to blame Hitler for starting the war.
Hitler's aims were aggressive, and he openly stated them in his book "Mein Kampf" in 1924:
Destroy the Treaty of Versailles.
Create a Greater Germany (a country of all the German people).
Lebensraum (living space) to conquer land for Germany in Eastern Europe.

9. Once he came to power, Hitler set about doing exactly what he had said he would do:
Rearmament
Remilitarisation of the Rhineland
1938 - Anschluss with Austria
The annexation of the Sudetenland
The invasion of Czechoslovakia
The invasion of Poland

11. Read the relevant pages to find out more. Make any necessary notes.
Date
Event
What happened
1933
League of Nations
Hitler leaves the League of Nations.
1934
Austria
Hitler tries to take power in Austria. Austrian Nazis murder the chancellor, Dolfuss. Italy moves its army to the border and Hitler backs down.
1935
Saar
Page 49
As planned in the Treaty of Versailles, the people of Saar (which had been given to France for 15 years) vote to return to Germany.
Rearmament
Page
Hitler increases the size of the German army to half a million members. Britain, France and Italy do nothing.
Anglo-German Naval Treaty
Britain helps Germany break the Treaty of Versailles by signing an agreement to allow Germany a navy one-third of the size of Britain's.
1936
Rhineland Pg
German troops re-occupy the Rhineland. They are given orders to retreat if France offers any resistance. France does nothing.
Guernica
Pg 52
Hitler tests his armed forces when German bombers, which are helping the Fascists in the Spanish Civil War, bomb the Spanish town of Guernica. Civilians in Britain and France are frightened.
1937
Anti-Comintern Pact Pg 52
Alliance of Germany, Japan and Italy against communism
1938
Anschluss
Pg 53
Hitler occupies Austria. First, Hitler encourages the Austrian Nazis to demand a union with Germany. Then he invades when the Austrian chancellor announces a vote to see what Austrians want. After the German invasion, 99 per cent of Austrians vote "Ja". Britain and France do nothing.
Sudetenland Pg
Hitler bullies France and Britain into giving him the Sudetenland.
1939
Czechoslovakia
Hitler invades Czechoslovakia and takes control.
Poland
Hitler invades Poland and provokes the Second World War.
Page numbers are for Walsh.
Read the relevant pages to find out more. Make any necessary notes.

12. Homework task
Who was Engelbert Dollfuss, and what was the Dollfuss Affair all about?
How did the Dollfuss Affair help contribute to the later Anschluss between Germany and Austria?

13. Which event most suggested that Hitler wanted and intended war?
Saar Plebiscite
Anglo-German Naval Agreement
Diamond 9 : Sort the events into the most likely to lead to war, down to the least likely.
Invasion of Poland
Re-occupation of the Rhineland
Anschluss
German
Rearmament
Spanish Civil War
Which event most suggested that Hitler wanted and intended war?
Appeasement
Anti-Comintern Pact

14. Template

15. How did Hitler’s aims point to war?
Now check that you have:
Understood the appeal and motivation of the Nazi Party
Discussed, noted and prioritised the sequence of events leading up to war in 1939