Transcript Path to War (cont.) - History With Mr. Wallace

Chapter Introduction
Section 1: America and the
World
Section 2: World War II Begins
Section 3: The Holocaust
Section 4: America Enters the
War
Visual Summary
Big Ideas
Trade, War, and Migration World War II officially
began with the Nazi invasion of Poland and the French
and British declarations of war on Germany in
September 1939.
Content Vocabulary
• appeasement
• blitzkrieg
Academic Vocabulary
• violation
• concentrate
• regime
• transport
People and Events to Identify
• Anschluss
• Munich Conference
• Maginot Line
• Winston Churchill
• Battle of Britain
Do you think that war could have
been avoided if Europe’s leaders had
not tried to appease Hitler?
A. Yes
B. No
A. A
B. B
0%
A
0%
B
Path to War
European nations tried to prevent war
by giving in to Adolf Hitler’s demands.
Path to War (cont.)
• Europe’s leaders believed that a deal could
be reached with Hitler and war could be
avoided for three reasons:
− They wanted to avoid a repeat of the
bloodshed of World War I.
− Some thought most of Hitler’s demands
were reasonable.
− Many people assumed that the Nazis
would be more interested in peace once
they gained more territory.
Path to War (cont.)
• In late 1937 Hitler called for the unification of
all German-speaking people, including those
in Austria and Czechoslovakia.
− Hitler sent troops into Austria in March
1938 and announced the Anschluss of
Austria and Germany.
The Causes of World War II in Europe, 1935–1939
Path to War (cont.)
• Hitler next announced German claims to the
Sudetenland, an area of Czechoslovakia
with a large German-speaking population.
− At the Munich Conference, on
September 29, 1938, Britain and France
agreed to Hitler’s demands, a policy that
came to be known as appeasement.
The Causes of World War II in Europe, 1935–1939
Path to War (cont.)
• However, in March 1939 Germany sent troops
into Czechoslovakia and divided the country.
− The Czech lands became a German
protectorate.
• A month after the Munich Conference, Hitler
demanded control of Danzig, a part of Poland.
− He also requested a highway and railroads
across the Polish Corridor.
The Causes of World War II in Europe, 1935–1939
Path to War (cont.)
• On March 31, 1939, Britain announced that if
Poland went to war to defend its territory,
Britain and France would come to its aid.
• Poland refused to give in to Germany’s
demands.
• Germany and the USSR signed a
nonaggression pact on August 23, 1939.
What was Hitler’s initial act that
eventually led to war?
A. Declaring war on Poland
A
0%
0%
D
D. Aligning with Russia
A
B
C0%
D
C
C. Dividing Czechoslovakia
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
B. Defying the Treaty of
Versailles
appeasement
accepting demands in order to avoid
conflict