World War II: 1939-1945
Path to War
o In March of 1935, Hitler announced the creation of German air force and a policy
of conscription to enlarge the size of the army
o Britain followed a policy of appeasement, giving in to the demands of another
country in hopes to keeping the peace
Appeasement: When you give in to someone’s demands because you’re
too tired of fighting
o Hitler sought new allies to help him acquire Lebensraum (living space) for the
new German empire
o Hitler formed a military pact with Fascist Italy, the Rome-Berlin Axis, then created
a military alliance with Japan (AKA the Anti-Comintern Pact against communism)
Both hated communism
Used to be close allies before WWI
Both mistreated by the Treaty of Versailles
Japan westernized about the same time as when Germany and Italy came
to power
All were fighting other countries at the same time
o Before the pact between the three, two of the three Axis powers had initiated
conflicts that would become the theatres of war in WWII
o Alliance between these three nations became the Axis Powers
o Hitler supported the Fascist-Spanish nationalist government during the Spanish
Civil War
o Hitler created the German Empire, the Third Reich
Named the Third Reich because the Nazi perceived that time period as
the third glorious age of Germany
Planned to take Austria (birthplace) under German rule
, Uses threat of invasion to pressure the Austrian chancellor into giving
more power to the Austrian Nazi party, becomes part of Third Reich in
March 1938
September 1938, Hitler issued demand to Czechoslovakia for the border
territory of the Sudetenland
Seized control of all of Czechoslovakia in 1939 when he saw that the
British were not willing to stand up to his illegal land grabs
Rising Tension
o Poland, Soviet Union, France, Britain, all worried about German power
o Poland asks Britain for backup, given that Germany was looking at Poland for
land
o Germany talks to Soviet Union, and agree to both take over Poland and split it
Sign the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact on August 23, 1939
Both promised to not attack each other
Germany attacked Poland on September 1, 1939, claiming that Poland
had attacked Germany first
Stalin agreed to stand by the invasion of Poland in exchange for Soviet
control of Eastern Poland
o This marks the official start of WWII - Britain backs up Poland
“The Phony War”
o Britain and France declare war on Germany, but nothing happens because
nobody has money
o Spent the first few weeks getting their militaries ready
Britain and France have to build their military
Germany has to march their military across Germany from Poland
o Germany’s Early Victories and Challenges
Path to War
o In March of 1935, Hitler announced the creation of German air force and a policy
of conscription to enlarge the size of the army
o Britain followed a policy of appeasement, giving in to the demands of another
country in hopes to keeping the peace
Appeasement: When you give in to someone’s demands because you’re
too tired of fighting
o Hitler sought new allies to help him acquire Lebensraum (living space) for the
new German empire
o Hitler formed a military pact with Fascist Italy, the Rome-Berlin Axis, then created
a military alliance with Japan (AKA the Anti-Comintern Pact against communism)
Both hated communism
Used to be close allies before WWI
Both mistreated by the Treaty of Versailles
Japan westernized about the same time as when Germany and Italy came
to power
All were fighting other countries at the same time
o Before the pact between the three, two of the three Axis powers had initiated
conflicts that would become the theatres of war in WWII
o Alliance between these three nations became the Axis Powers
o Hitler supported the Fascist-Spanish nationalist government during the Spanish
Civil War
o Hitler created the German Empire, the Third Reich
Named the Third Reich because the Nazi perceived that time period as
the third glorious age of Germany
Planned to take Austria (birthplace) under German rule
, Uses threat of invasion to pressure the Austrian chancellor into giving
more power to the Austrian Nazi party, becomes part of Third Reich in
March 1938
September 1938, Hitler issued demand to Czechoslovakia for the border
territory of the Sudetenland
Seized control of all of Czechoslovakia in 1939 when he saw that the
British were not willing to stand up to his illegal land grabs
Rising Tension
o Poland, Soviet Union, France, Britain, all worried about German power
o Poland asks Britain for backup, given that Germany was looking at Poland for
land
o Germany talks to Soviet Union, and agree to both take over Poland and split it
Sign the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact on August 23, 1939
Both promised to not attack each other
Germany attacked Poland on September 1, 1939, claiming that Poland
had attacked Germany first
Stalin agreed to stand by the invasion of Poland in exchange for Soviet
control of Eastern Poland
o This marks the official start of WWII - Britain backs up Poland
“The Phony War”
o Britain and France declare war on Germany, but nothing happens because
nobody has money
o Spent the first few weeks getting their militaries ready
Britain and France have to build their military
Germany has to march their military across Germany from Poland
o Germany’s Early Victories and Challenges
