Transcript posted 4/30/09

Road to War & Early World War Two
(1930s)
Intro
Steps Toward War
A. Rhineland (1936)
B. Austria (1938)
C. Sudetenland (1938)
1. Mood
2. Conference
D. Poland
III. German Conquest (1939-42)
A. Poland
B. France
C. Battle of Britain
D. Russian Invasion
I.
II.
Key Terms
•
•
•
•
Munich Conference
Neville Chamberlain
Appeasement
Nazi-Soviet Pact
• Blitzkrieg
• Axis & Allies
Rome/Berlin Axis
(Mussolini & Hitler Become Allies)
Steps-Rhineland
(1936)
• Demilitarized by Versailles
Treaty (no troops allowed)
• March, 1936 German troops
occupied it
• France protested, but that
was all
Steps-Austria
(1938)
• Hitler called for Nazi’s in
Austrian cabinet
• 1938 German troops
occupied Austria
• Plebiscite was held: 99.7%
of Austrians approve
annexation with Germany
Hitler with Seyss-Inquart,
Austria’s last Chancellor
Steps-Sudetenland
(1938)
• Hitler demanded Sudetenland (part of Czechoslovakia)
because of its large German-speaking population.
• Czechoslovakia refused Hitler’s demands.
The “Mood” In Europe (1938)
• “Oxford Debate”
• Everyone wanted peace so a conference was
organized to avoid bloodshed
Munich Conference
(1938)
Agreement
1. Germany received the
Sudetenland.
2. Hitler promised not to seek
more territory.
Results
Neville Chamberlain
(British Prime Minister)
1. Hitler was convinced no one
would stand up to him.
2. French & British were
determined to fight if Hitler
made more demands.
Munich & Appeasement
• Appeasement-giving in to
the demands of another.
• Following Munich,
Appeasement became a
“dirty word.”
Hitler & Mussolini in Munich
Steps-Poland
• Hitler demanded Poland’s port city of Danzig but
the Poles wouldn’t give in.
• Hitler was ready to fight, but concerned about
USSR, so…
Nazi-Soviet Pact
(1939)
1. Agreement between Germany & USSR; agreed
not to attack one another for 10 years.
2. In a secret provision the two nations divided
Poland in half:
3. One week later Germany invaded Poland and
WWII began.
WWII Themes
• Technology-from the Blitz to A-bomb & in between
• Diplomacy-Allies cooperate
• “Total War”-civilian casualties
Poland Faces A Blitzkrieg
(September 1, 1939)
• Blitzkrieg- “Lightening
Warfare”
New Technologies = Success
• Air attacks combined with
rapid troop movement
• Poland fell within one
month
German air force
targeted railroads
WWII Alliances
(1939)
Allies
• Great Britain
• France
Axis
• Germany
• Italy
• Japan
France Falls To Germany
• 1940 France fell to
Germany in 6 weeks
(successful Blitz)
Victorious German Soldiers
The British Stand Alone: Battle of Britain
• Cities were bombed
June, 1940-June 1941
• British radar helped &
radio influenced
morale
London under fire
Russian Invasion
• June, 1941 Germany
invaded Russia (in violation
of previous treaty)
• German “Blitzkrieg” again
VERY successful (initially)
Hitler switched
tactics
WWII Alliances
Allies
• Great Britain
• France
• USSR
Axis
• Germany
• Italy
• Japan
Pearl Harbor Attack
(12/7/41)
• 19 Ships sunk
• About 2,000
dead
USS Arizona explosions kill about 1,100
WWII Alliances
•
•
•
•
Allies
Great Britain
France
USSR
US
Axis
• Germany
• Italy
• Japan
Road to War & Early World War Two
(1930s)
Intro
Steps Toward War
A. Rhineland (1936)
B. Austria (1938)
C. Sudetenland (1938)
1. Mood
2. Conference
D. Poland
III. German Conquest (1939-42)
A. Poland
B. France
C. Battle of Britain
D. Russian Invasion
I.
II.
Key Terms
•
•
•
•
Munich Conference
Neville Chamberlain
Appeasement
Nazi-Soviet Pact
• Blitzkrieg
• Axis & Allies