1. MUNICH CONFERENCE
Prior to the Conference:
Hitler’s growing strength convinced Mussolini that he would seek an alliance with Germany.
In Oct 1936, the two dictators reached an agreement that became known as the Rome-Berlin Axis.
A month later, Germany also made an agreement with Japan.
Germany, Italy and Japan came to be called the Axis Powers.

2. Hitler and Mussolini, in July 1936, helped Francisco Franco of Spain become a Fascist dictator.
The bombing of the ancient Basque city of Guernica in Spain inspired Pablo Picasso’s painting called, Guernica.

3. Using the geometric forms of Cubism, Picasso shows a city and people that have been torn to pieces.
Unnatural angles and overlapping images of people, severed limbs, and animals reflect the suffering and chaos caused by the attack.
At the left, mother cries over her dead child.
In the center, a horse screams and a soldier lies dead.
At right, a woman falls from a burning house.

4. The Munich Conference
A Chance to Avoid War?

5. The Munich Conference Neville Chamberlain Édouard Daladier Adolf
Prime Minister
Neville Chamberlain
Prime Minister
Édouard Daladier
Dictator
Adolf
Hitler
Dictator
Benito Mussolini

7. The Munich Conference Should Italy get to keep Ethiopia as a colony?
(the Abyssinia Crisis)
In October of 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia. Italy’s industrialized military killed nearly 300,000 Ethiopians and took complete control by May of 1936.
Should Italy get to keep Ethiopia as a colony?

8. The Munich Conference

9. The Munich Conference
Should Germany be allowed to keep control of Austria?

10. The Munich Conference
Czechoslovakia (the Sudetenland Crisis)
In April 1938, Germany announced plans to annex western Czechoslovakia. Ethnic Germans living there want the merge. However, the Czech government protested and asked France and Britain for protection.
Should Germany get to take over western Czechoslovakia?

11. Policy of Appeasement
Appeasement is the act of giving in to an enemy’s demands in hopes of avoiding further conflict.
The British and French prime ministers agreed to Hitler’s demands, without consulting Czechoslovakian leaders, in the hopes that this would avoid a war in Europe.

12. The Munich Agreement
The settlement of the Czechoslovakian problem, which has now been achieved is, in my view, only the prelude to a larger settlement in which all Europe may find peace. This morning I had another talk with the German Chancellor, Herr Hitler, and here is the paper which bears his name upon it as well as mine. Some of you, perhaps, have already heard what it contains but I would just like to read it to you: ' ... We regard the agreement signed last night and the Anglo-German Naval Agreement as symbolic of the desire of our two peoples never to go to war with one another again.'
My good friends, this is the second time in our history that there has come back from Germany to Downing Street peace with honor I believe it is peace for our time. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. And now I recommend you to go home and sleep quietly in your beds.
Britain and France let Germany take control of Czechoslovakia
In exchange for western Czechoslovakia, Hitler promised to not invade or annex any other countries.

13. Nazi—Soviet Pact
Britain and France asked the Soviet Union to join them in stopping Hitler’s aggression.
As Stalin talked to Britain and France, he also made a bargain with Hitler.
On August 23, 1939, Hitler and Stalin signed the Nazi—Soviet Pact that stated they would never attack one another. This was a nonaggression pact.
Though Hitler hated Communism, the need for his lebrensraum made it necessary for him to have land. He chose Poland.
Hitler promised Stalin that if he invaded Poland, he would eliminate the “undesirables” and give Stalin the eastern part of the country. Stalin agreed, and actually invades Poland from the east.

14. Less than 6 months after the Munich meeting, Hitler took Czechoslovakia.
Soon after, Mussolini seized Albania
Then, Hitler demanded that Poland return the former German port of Danzig. The Poles refused and turned to Britain and France for aid.
But appeasement had convinced Hitler that neither nation would risk war.

16. 1) It strengthened Hitler’s power and prestige within Germany
Hitler later admitted that he would have backed down if the French and British had challenged him.
The German reoccupation of the Rhineland marked a turning point in the march toward war
1) It strengthened Hitler’s power and prestige within Germany
2) The balance of power changed in Germany’s favor
France and Belgium were now open to attack from German troops.
3) Weak response by France and Britain encouraged Hitler to speed up his expansion.

17. Isolationism
Many Americans supported isolationism, the belief that political ties to other countries should be avoided.
Isolationists argued that entry into WWI had been a costly error.
Beginning in 1935, Congress passed three Neutrality Acts. These laws banned loans and the sale of arms to nations at war.

18. But what if you give a mouse a cookie?

47. THE END

48. Think About It!
You probably realized the book can be seen as a metaphor or allegory to what was happening before WWII began.
In a few well written paragraphs, analyze If You Give A Mouse A Cookie. In your analysis be sure to include
Who or what is the mouse?
Who or what is the boy?
What is giving in to the mouse’s demands called?
Analyze 3-5 things the mouse asked for
NOW: relate these items to specific instances discussed about Hitler’s reign and/or actions for power