Transcript Germany at War - Lagan History Zone

Germany at War
1939-45
Did Hitler want War?
What was the experience of War like for Germans?
 Was there any opposition to Hitler?
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Hitler’s Attitude to War
‘War is a continuation of
policy by other means’
Hitler believed that the only way to achieve his aims was through
war
• LEBENSRAUM: Living space in the East
• TRIUMPH OF THE ARYAN RACE – Holocaust ; Greater Germany
• DESTRUCTION OF VERSAILLES – Anschluss 1938
Germany at War
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Germanys experience of War broke down
into two distinct periods:
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1939-1941 BLITZKRIEG
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1941-1945 TOTAL WAR
1) 1939-1941 BLITZKRIEG
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Germans used tactics called Blitzkrieg –
‘Lightning war’ – The use of surprise and
supreme force to win
They used this to invade Poland in 1939,
then later most of Europe including France
in 1940
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The German people had been worried about
the possibility of war but they were hugely
happy with all Hitler’s conquests
Germany could even grow richer and more
powerful with each new conquest
1941-1945 TOTAL WAR
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In 1941 things started to change for Germany
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Military defeats in Africa and Stalingrad in Russia
hit Germany for the first time
Casualties began to increase significantly with heavy
fighting in Russia
Civilians began to suffer from intensive bombing,
rationing, long factory hours and food shortages
1945 DEFEAT
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In May 1945 Hitler committed Suicide
and Germany at last surrendered