The Road to War

WORLD WAR II1939 - 1945

The Road to War timelineRearmamentRhineland….March 1936Austria…..March 1938Munich Agreement…Sept 1938Sudetenland…Oct 1938Czechoslovakia…March 1939Nazi-Soviet Pact…August 1939Poland…Sept 1, 1939

RearmamentHitler promised to make Germany

a world powerRestore previous military strengthBegan to rearm in the mid-30s

(army/airforcearmy/airforce/tanks/tactics)

Unemployment dropped from 6 million in 1931 to just over 1 million by 1937

March 1936…RhinelandPrior to WWI it belonged to Germany but

following WW1 it became a demilitarized zone under League of Nation control (occupied by allied troops)

Hitler was determined to get it back & in March 1936 he peacefully invaded.

It was the first outright violation of the Versailles Treaty

The first instance of the appeasement policy(…. more later).

March 1938…AustriaHitler wanted all Germans living within new

German state…..the Reich.Hitler argued that many Germans lived in

Austria so it should be part of Germany.March 1938 Nazi forces entered Austria.Britain & France did nothing…..didn’t want

to risk another war.

Sept 1938…Munich Agreement

Britain, France, Germany met in Munich & decided to give away the Sudetenland

Hoped to save the world from warCzechs were not invited“Peace in our Time”AppeasementHitler promised no more demands for

territory.

Sept 1938…Munich Agreement

Sept 1938…Munich Agreement

Oct 1938…SudetenlandNorthwestern Czechoslovakia (3

million German speaking people living there).

Heavy industry & defensesCzechs wanted to fight but Britain &

France would not support themMunich Agreement allowed Germany

to have the Sudetenland

Oct 1938…Sudetenland

March 1939…Czechoslovakia

Britain, France, stood by as Germany occupied all of Czechoslovakia

Munich Agreement was broken by Hitler

August 1939…Nazi-Soviet Pact

Promise by both not to attack each other in the event of war

Secretly agreed to divide Poland

Germany now could plan for war against Britain & France

Eastern border secure from Soviet attack

Sept 1939…Invasion of Poland

Hitler demanded Polish Corridor be handed back to Germany

Poland refused Germany invaded using

“Blitzkrieg” Britain & France came to

Poland’s aid & declared war on Sept 3, 1939

August ’39…Nazi-Soviet Pact

                                           

August ’39…Nazi-Soviet Pact

                                           

August ’39…Nazi-Soviet Pact

                  

August ’39…Nazi-Soviet Pact

Why Appeasement?1)Define the term “appeasement”.2)Which of the reasons given for why the

British practiced a policy of appeasement with regard to Hitler do you agree with? Disagree with? Respond in writing (point-form) and be prepared to discuss.