The War in Europe

1939-1940

The Treaty of Versailles• Formally ended WWI• Imposed harsh terms

on Germany–Lost land–Limited military

• Angered many Germans–Felt “stabbed in the

back”

100,000 De-militarised

The Military Clauses

The Great Depression & The Weimar Republic

• A global depression devastated economies

• German economy was ruined– Rampant inflation– Extremely high unemployment

• Little faith in Weimar Republic– Signed Treaty of Versailles

• Conditions led rise to political instability– Communists– Freikorps

Inflation in the Weimar Republic

The Rise of the Nazis

• Political instability led to the rise of the Nazi Party– Adolf Hitler elected chancellor in 1933– Blamed Jews & communist for

Germany’s troubles

• Germany begins rearming itself– Ignored Treaty of Versailles

restrictions– Improved economy through military

spending

Nazi Promises

• Restore German power and its economy

Events Leading to War in Europe

• March 1936: Demilitarized Rhineland• March 1938: German-Austrian Anschluss• Sept. 1938: Sudetenland• March 1938: Czechoslovakia• Sept. 1939: Poland invaded • April 1940: Norway & Denmark• May 1940: Belgium, Netherlands, France• June 1940: France surrenders• July 1940: Battle of Britain begins

Appeasement• Germany remilitarizes as U.K.

& France watch• Hitler demands the

Sudetenland– A part of Czechoslovakia with

Germans• Hitler met with Neville

Chamberlain at Munich in September

• U.K. & France agree to appease Hitler

German Pre War Expansion1. 1936 – Germany occupies the Rhineland.2. 1938 – Germany annexes Austria3. 1938 – Germany demands and gets the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia.4. 1938 – Germany marches into and annexes the rest of Czechoslovakia.

German Rearmament

• Secret effort since it violated the Treaty of Versailles

• Set up fake companies to manufacture vehicles and train pilots

• Rearmament led to high employment rates

• Germany developed a top-notch army

The Axis is formed1. 1936 - Germany and Italy

create an alliance called the Rome/Berlin Axis.

2. Germany and Japan sign an anti-communist pact. Italy later signs the pact.

3. Germany, Italy and Japan now form the Axis powers under the cover of fighting world wide communism.

Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression PactIn 1939, the Germans signed and agreement never to go to war with Russia

Hidden in the pact was an agreement to divide up Poland once they were defeated.

When Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Russia also invaded from the East claiming the new nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Invasion of Poland•September 1st, 1939• Germany invades

Poland w/1,000,000 troops.

•Soviets invade from the east

•Poland defeated in 26 days.

•Britain and France declare war on Germany.

Blitzkrieg•Means “Lightning War” (fast mechanized warfare)

Step 1: Dive bombers and

artillery.

Step 2: tanks smash through the enemy

and encircle them.

Step 3: Infantry units move in and destroy the enemy.

The Phony WarFollowing the fall of Poland, war came to a halt.

April 1940, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway.

The nonaggression pact with Russia secures the German Eastern Front.

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