Germany at War 1939-45
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Transcript of Germany at War 1939-45
Germany at Germany at WarWar 1939-451939-45
Did Hitler want War? What was the experience of War like for
Germans? Was there any opposition to Hitler?
Hitler’s Attitude to War
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
‘‘War is a continuation War is a continuation of policy by other of policy by other
means’means’
Germany at War Germanys experience of War broke
down into two distinct periods: 1939-1941 BLITZKRIEG
1941-1945 TOTAL WAR
1) 1939-1941 BLITZKRIEG
Germans used tactics called Blitzkrieg – ‘Lightning war‘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
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 In 1941 things started to change for
Germany 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 In May 1945 Hitler committed
Suicide and Germany at last surrendered