Transcript Nazi Aggression Leads to WWII

Nazi Aggression
Leads to World War
Two
The Weimar Republic ruled Germany from the end of
WWI until Hitler rose to power
Nazi’s begin to rise to power in the early 1920s
In prison he writes
about his political
and social
philosophies
1933- Nazis Gain
Power
• One of Hitler’s first acts was to withdraw
Germany from the League of Nations
• Hitler openly
1935
declares that
Germany will
rebuild its militaryin clear violation of
the Versailles
Treaty
• French and British
take no action
Germany Economy
Rises
March 1936: The
Rhineland
• in Germany, on
border with France
• Versailles Treaty
had required it to
be demilitarized to
protect France
• Hitler announced it
would be remilitarized.
• British and French
October 1936: RomeBerlin Axis
• Germany & Italy form a
military alliance known as
the Axis (Hitler said the
world would revolve on
an axis from Rome to
Berlin)
• Japan joined the Axis
soon after
March 1938: Union with
Austria
• Nazi forced march
into Austria to claim
it as part of the
German “Third
Reich”
• Austrian
government does
not resist
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September 1938: The
Sudetenland
Sudetenland territory in Czechoslovakia
valuable territory: mining, good farmland, huge
arms factories, heavily fortified to defend against
possible German attack
3 million residents there were German-speaking
Hitler demanded it be given to Germany
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September 1938: Munich
Conference
British and French leaders
meet with Hitler over
Sudetenland
follow policy of
appeasement: giving into
demands in order to avoid
war
allow Hitler to take the
Sudetenland if he promises
not to take any more land
March 1939
• Nazis threaten the rest of
Czechoslovakia and establish indirect
control
August 1939: NaziSoviet Non-Aggression
Pact
• Hitler & Stalin make secret
agreement
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if either goes to war, the
other will not attack
when war happens will
divide Poland between
themselves
Other countries shocked,
start to prepare for war, but
take no action
August 1939: NaziSoviet Non-Aggression
Pact
September 1, 1939
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Nazis invade Poland
Blitzkrieg- lightning war- very swift,
heavy invasion- planes, tanks,
artillery, etc.
Sept 3rd -Britain and France
declare war on Germany
World War Two has begun!