Appeasement and German territorial expansion...APPEASEMENT A diplomatic policy aimed at avoiding war...
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APPEASEMENT AND GERMAN TERRITORIAL EXPANSION
Transcript of Appeasement and German territorial expansion...APPEASEMENT A diplomatic policy aimed at avoiding war...
APPEASEMENT AND GERMAN
TERRITORIAL EXPANSION
APPEASEMENT
A diplomatic policy aimed at avoiding war by
making concessions to another power.
In this context it focuses on the concessions made
by Britain and France to Germany.
Goal was to avoid war!
"appeasement" has been used as a synonym for
weakness and even cowardice since the 1930s
PLAYERS
Germany - Adolf Hitler (Aggressor)
Appeasers
Neville Chamberlain (Great Britain)
REASONS FOR APPEASEMENT
Chamberlain himself was a pacifist at heart.
People wanted peace – there was not enough
public support for war – memories of WW1 were
still fresh
Treaty of Versailles was considered unfair
so... many British people sympathised with
Hitler's demands
The Western leaders felt that Hitler could be
trusted to keep his word.
Britain too weak for war in 1938, needed time to
re-arm so... appeasement bought Britain a year
to re-arm.
Fear of Communism so... people let Hitler grow
strong because they thought a strong Germany
could stop
REASONS FOR GERMAN EXPANSION
Pan- Germanism
Desire to unify all the German-speaking populations
of Europe in a single nation-state.
Major goal of Hitler due to the changes made to the
German border by the Treaty of Versailles.
Lebensraum
German for "habitat" or literally "living space“
An important component of Nazi ideology
Its aim was to provide extra space for the growth of
the German population, for a Greater Germany
Hitler's book Mein Kampf stated that it should be
found in the East (Poland and USSR) where,
according to the Nazis, the people were inferior.
http://www.bideford.devon.sch.uk/history/hitler_a
ims.html#
[W]ithout consideration of "traditions" and prejudices, it [Germany]
must find the courage to gather our people and their strength for an
advance along the road that will lead this people from its present
restricted living space to new land and soil, and hence also free it
from the danger of vanishing from the earth or of serving others as
a slave nation.
--- Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf 1
TIMELINE
German Rearmament (1935)
Began in secret
Violation of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles
Introduced conscription and increased spending on
arms (compare to western nations)
Ex. - Increased airforce to 8,250 by 1939
NUREMBURG RALLIES
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7gAL5IXX-
c&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&sa
fe=active
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS-
nQgLehpE&feature=related&safety_mode=true&
persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
REMILITARIZATION OF THE RHINELAND
(1936)
Rhineland – region of Germany that bordered
France and other western European nations such
as Belgium and Holland.
Germany was not allowed to have any military
force, building or armaments in the Rhineland
area according to the provisions of the Treaty of
Versailles.
On the morning of March 7th, 1936, 32,000
German soldiers moved into the region.
The British and French did nothing.
Missed opportunity at this point - Hitler
gambled - at this point he could have been
defeated if a show of force was made.
"The forty-eight hours after the march into the
Rhineland were the most nerve-racking in my
life. If the French had then marched into the
Rhineland we would have had to withdraw with
our tails between our legs, for the military
resources at our disposal would have been wholly
inadequate for even a moderate resistance.”
•Adolf Hitler
ANSCHLUSS (MARCH,1938)
The occupation and annexation of Austria into
Nazi Germany .
Another violation of the Treaty of Versailles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ9AC7GH9Sc
&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&saf
e=active
SUDETENTLAND (SEPTEMBER,1938)
Appeasement at its worse.
Area along the German - Czech border, mainly
inhabited by ethnic Germans (Pan-Germanism).
Hitler demanded that it be returned to Germany.
The region contained most of the Czech
armament factories and their strongest border
fortifications.
The issue was resolved in September at a
meeting known as the Munich Conference.
In attendance were
Chamberlain
Daladier
Hitler
Mussolini
No representative of Czechoslovakia was asked
DECISION (SEPTEMBER 29,1939)
The region would be handed Germany.
In return Hitler promised to make no more
territorial demands in Europe.
Britain and France informed the Czech
government that they were free to resist but
would receive no help .
CHAMBERLAINS FAMOUS “PEACE IN OUR
TIME” STATEMENT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmH5A6QsqR
Y&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&s
afe=active
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFb_Ik_4jz0&f
eature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safet
y_mode=1&safe=active
It is the last territorial claim which I have to
make in Europe, but it is the claim from which I
will not recede and which, God-willing, I will
make good.
Adolf Hitler
Referring to The Sudetenland, speech at Berlin
Sportpalast September 1938
Well, he [Chamberlain] seemed such a nice old
gentleman, I thought I would give him my
autograph as a souvenir.
Adolf Hitler
After Munich Agreement September 1938
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
In March of 1939, six months after Munich,
German troops enter Czechoslovakia, taking over
the rest of the country.
REALIZATION
Western Powers finally realize that Hitler will
not stop – begin to prepare for war on two fronts:
Rearmament
Alliances – USSR
SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER
August 23, 1939 - Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression
Pact is signed (Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact).
Result of secret negotiations between the two
countries.
Surprising considering the stated hatred that
Hitler had for the Soviets.
DETAILS
Official – the two sides would not go to war
against each other.
Unofficial – they would divide Poland between
them along with some territory in the Baltic
region.
SEPTEMBER 1, 1
Germany invades Poland
WW2 begins
