Rise of HitlerRise of Hitler

World War II: Hitler’s War?

Introduction0 Problems in peacekeeping

in the 1920s0 Aggressive expansion in

the 1930s0 Winston Churchill though,

called WWI “Hitler’s War”0 Had a master plan for

dominating Europe0Reunite German Empire

and conquer Eastern Europe

0War was inevitable0Turning point 1935:

Germany rearmed

Origins of Hitler

0 Had fought in WWI, blinded by a gas attack0 Heard of the German surrender

while in the hospital0 Catalyst for politics

0 Germany had almost realized domination of Eastern Europe0 Lost when defeated on

Western Front0 Both Russia and Austro-

Hungarian Empires have fallen0 Germany not in that bad of a

spot0 Could not accept losses,

reparations

Ambitions

0 Foreign policy shaped by these factors

0 1919, Hitler became a member of the German Workers’ Party0 Renamed National Socialist

German Workers’ Party in 1920

0 Hitler its leader by 19210 Key objectives

0 Union of all Germans0 End to Treaty of Versailles0 Strong state0 National army0 Exclusion of Jews

Attempts at Power

01923, Nazis attempt to seize power from Weimar Republic0 Munich Beer Hall Putsch0 Failed, Hitler sent to

prison for nine months0Wrote Mein Kampf

0 Autobiography and political philosophy

0 Racist and authoritarian theories

0 Racial purity and Lebensraum

Transformation of Nazi Party

0 Did not do well in German elections of 1928

0 Hitler wrote a ‘Secret Book’ in this year0 Developed foreign policy from

Mein Kampf0 Stated there would be a

struggle between US and German/British Empires

0 Wrote about admiration for Mussolini and anger towards Chancellor Gustav Stresemann, who sought to return Germany to pre-1914 borders0 Thought it was far too limited,

wanted the USSR

Rise to Power

0 Failures of the League0 Economic crisis particularly

influential on Weimar Germany0 Mass unemployment led to

Nazi Party’s success at the polls

0 Hitler came to power legally0 Conservatives like

President General von Hindenburg thought he could be controlled

0 Became Chancellor in January 1933

Support for Hitler

0Aggressive foreign policy objectives are what got him elected0 Would have to attack

Versailles and those who signed it

0 People believed he would restore prestige

0 Had support of other right-wing groups

Consolidation of Power

0 1933-34 consolidated control0 Gained the control of the

army and industrialists who sought rearmament

0 Regime was totalitarian, rights of citizens subordinate0 Geared domestic policy to

needs of expansionist foreign policy

0 Military conscription and rearmament helped economy

Hitler and Short-Term Causes of WWII

Revising the Treaty of Versailles

0 1933-35 Hitler tries to revise Treaty of Versailles

0 Attacked reparations, had been suspended, announced they would not be resumed0 Most had already accepted this

0 Decision to rearm caused the real problem0 Withdrawal from Disarmament

Conference 19330 Increased military spending

34-35 by five times0 Withdrew from League in 33,

rest of the world economically down

Subsequent Steps

0 Non-Aggression Pact with Poland in 19340 Secured his eastern border for

now0 Undermined Franco-Polish

Alliance0 Sought to unify Austria with

Germany 0 Pro-Nazi coup in Austria

unsuccessful though0 Re-united Saar with Germany0 1935, announced compulsory

military service, armaments program, declared existence of 500,000 army and air force

European Response0 Britain, France, Italy

created Stresa Front0 Did not say how they

would stop Hitler0 Meaningless in a month

when Britain and Germany signed a Naval Agreement0Allowed for a larger

German navy, Britain’s individual attempt at limiting him

0 Hitler intimidating Europe0 League cooked after

Abyssinia Crisis in 1935

German Remilitarization

0 1936 turned his attention to western border

0 Versailles had made the Rhineland a demilitarized zone0 Key for France

0 Hitler’s army and confidence growing

0 Sent 10,000 troops and 23,000 armed police into the Rhineland in March 19360 No response from British or

France0 Division in France, British

against resistance

Hitler in Spanish Civil War

0 Italy and Germany grew closer as a result of Abyssinian Crisis

0 Together supported Franco

0 Nevermore than 10,000 Germans, 70,000 Italians

0 Wanted to test out Germany’s improved forces

0 Responsible for Guernica in 1937

Building Support

0 Rome-Berlin Axis created in late 1936

0 Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan same time

0 Italy joined the pact in 1937

0 Thought they could use Japan to counter Britain and Russia in Asia0 Would meet less

resistance to his expansionist aims in Europe

Hossbach Memorandum

0 August 1936 Hitler launched Four Year Plan to prepare German economy for war

0 1937, called a meeting in the Reich0 Key military leaders present0 Opened by saying how important

the discussion was, said it was essentially his will

0 Key aim was preserve racial community

0 Set a time-table, pre-19430 Considered threats from France

and seizing territory0 Focused on concrete armament0 Three people who opposed him

here all were replaced

Anschluss

0 March 1938, Hitler sent troops into Austria0 Encountered no military

resistance0 Britain said it had been

wrong to force a separation between Germany and Austria, lol

0 Austrian Chancellor had called for a popular vote

0 99.75% for Hitler0 Now had Austrian forces,

gold and iron

Takeover of Czechoslovakia

0 Next action against the Sudetenland

0 Czech leader appealed for help from Britain and France

0 France agreed, Britain agreed, USSR will

0 May 1938, Hitler said he would fight for it

0 Czechs had strong army and guarantees of support

Munich Conference0 British PM Chambelain met with

Hitler Sept. 19380 Originally compromised, asked for

parts of Czech that wanted in0 Second meeting Hitler increased

his demands, wanted all Sudetenland

0 Britain mobilized its nacy0 Final meeting, Britain, France, Italy

give Hitler an ultimatum, gave him the land he wanted but nothing more0 Did not consult with Czechs or

Soviets0 Renewed arms race0 March 1939, Hitler occupied rest

of Czech