Hitler’s March to War

From foot-soldier to F ü hrer Hitler’s rise from corporal to Fuhrer was remarkable Sixteen years (1917-1933) separate these two pictures Hitler’s rise is unprecedented in history From defeated and demoralized corporal to one of the most powerful men on the planet Key Question: How far was Hitler responsible for the outbreak of the Second World War?

Hitler’s rise from corporal to Fuhrer was remarkable

Sixteen years (1917-1933) separate these two pictures

Hitler’s rise is unprecedented in history

From defeated and demoralized corporal to one of the most powerful men on the planet

Key Question: How far was Hitler responsible for the outbreak of the Second World War?

Hitler’s Plans Hitler’s plans were not secret Mein Kampf , written in 1924, outlined his three main objectives 1) Abolish the Treaty of Versailles! Called (G) signers ‘The November Criminals’ Some terms already not enforced (reparations payments ended w/ Great Depression) 2) Expand German Territory! H wanted all (G) lands <WWI returned, Austria joined to (G), and German minorities in other countries included in a new, Greater Germany Carve out empire in East for ‘Lebensraum’ 3) Defeat Communism! Hated & despised Bolsheviks, believing they helped defeat (G) in WWI & wanted to control (G) & the world

Hitler’s plans were not secret

Mein Kampf , written in 1924, outlined his three main objectives

1) Abolish the Treaty of Versailles!

Called (G) signers ‘The November Criminals’

Some terms already not enforced (reparations payments ended w/ Great Depression)

2) Expand German Territory!

H wanted all (G) lands <WWI returned, Austria joined to (G), and German minorities in other countries included in a new, Greater Germany

Carve out empire in East for ‘Lebensraum’

3) Defeat Communism!

Hated & despised Bolsheviks, believing they helped defeat (G) in WWI & wanted to control (G) & the world

Hitler’s Actions: Timeline Invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia Invaded Poland 1939 Took over Austria Took over the Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia 1938 Tried out (G)’s new weapons in the Spanish Civil War Made anti-Communist alliance w/ Italy 1937 Reintroduced conscription Sent troops into Rhineland Made anti-Communist alliance w/ Japan 1936 Held massive rearmament rally in (G) 1935 Tried to take over Austria but Mussolini prevented him 1934 Took (G) out of League of Nations Began rearming (G) 1933 ACTION DATE WAR!

Hitler’s Actions Timeline makes it appear as if Hitler planned WWII step by step Accepted view by historians until 1960 1960s: (E) historian AJP Taylor disagreed H gambler, not planner H took logical next step to see what he could get away w/ w/o going to war w/ (E) & (F) H bold and kept his nerve Allies gave in in each crisis Allied behavior emboldened H to go for more According to Taylor, Allies are to blame for letting H get away with so much Both interpretations are defensible Expect an essay prompt on this issue

Timeline makes it appear as if Hitler planned WWII step by step

Accepted view by historians until 1960

1960s: (E) historian AJP Taylor disagreed

H gambler, not planner

H took logical next step to see what he could get away w/ w/o going to war w/ (E) & (F)

H bold and kept his nerve

Allies gave in in each crisis

Allied behavior emboldened H to go for more

According to Taylor, Allies are to blame for letting H get away with so much

Both interpretations are defensible

Expect an essay prompt on this issue

Focus Task: Hitler & the Treaty of Versailles Draw up a table like this one to show some of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles that affected Germany As you work through your notes fill out the columns of the ‘Versailles Chart’ The Polish Corridor given to Poland Sudetenland taken into the new state of Czechoslovakia Germany forbidden to unite w/ Austria The Rhineland to be a demilitarized zone Germany’s armed forces to be severely limited The response from Britain & France The reasons he gave for his actions What Hitler did & when Terms of the Treaty of Versailles

Draw up a table like this one to show some of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles that affected Germany

As you work through your notes fill out the columns of the ‘Versailles Chart’

Rearmament 1933: 1000s of unemployed drafted into army Reduced unemployment & built military Claimed only reason to rearm was because other nations had not disarmed Withdrew from L of N (Like Japan earlier) 1934: L of N disarmament conference fails L of N members not willing to disarm Members used military to reduce unemployment, not willing to change 1935: Massive ‘Proclamation of Freedom to Rearm Rally’

1933:

1000s of unemployed drafted into army

Reduced unemployment & built military

Claimed only reason to rearm was because other nations had not disarmed

Withdrew from L of N (Like Japan earlier)

1934:

L of N disarmament conference fails

L of N members not willing to disarm

Members used military to reduce unemployment, not willing to change

1935:

Massive ‘Proclamation of Freedom to Rearm Rally’

Rearmament 1936: H reintroduces conscription Rearmament popular w/ Germans Nazi support increased dramatically Pride restored to nation Humiliation of T of V partially erased Britain helped dismantle Versailles 1935: signed agreement allowing (G) a navy 35% as large of (E) navy (violation!!!) (E) believed restrictions on (G) in T of V too strict, (G) not able to defend itself (E) feared Central Europe was too weak to face growing Soviet power (F) really hacked off, but what could they do?

1936:

H reintroduces conscription

Rearmament popular w/ Germans

Nazi support increased dramatically

Pride restored to nation

Humiliation of T of V partially erased

Britain helped dismantle Versailles

1935: signed agreement allowing (G) a navy 35% as large of (E) navy (violation!!!)

(E) believed restrictions on (G) in T of V too strict, (G) not able to defend itself

(E) feared Central Europe was too weak to face growing Soviet power

(F) really hacked off, but what could they do?

Proportion of German spending that went to armaments, 1935-1940

German armed forces in 1932 and 1939 1932 1939 1932 1939 1932 1939 Warships Aircraft Soldiers Fill out the first row of your ‘Versailles Chart’ What factors allowed Hitler to get away with rearming Germany? (30) (95) (36) (8,250) (100,000) (950,000)

Fill out the first row of your ‘Versailles Chart’

What factors allowed Hitler to get away with rearming Germany?

The Saar plebiscite (G)’s Saar region run by L of N since 1919 1935: L of N held promised plebiscite for Saar residents whether to stay under L of N control or return to (G) control > 90% voted for return to (G) Entirely legal, w/in terms of T of V Overwhelming success & morale boost for H

(G)’s Saar region run by L of N since 1919

1935: L of N held promised plebiscite for Saar residents whether to stay under L of N control or return to (G) control

> 90% voted for return to (G)

Entirely legal, w/in terms of T of V

Overwhelming success & morale boost for H

Remilitarization of the Rhineland Rhineland a key industrial region Coal, steel, iron center (needed for rearmament) March 1936: Hitler’s first major risk Ordered troops moved into Rhineland Direct violation of T of V Direct violation of Locarno Treaties (1925) If Allies responded H would be humiliated Probable loss of power / military coup Why did Hitler do it? (F) & (R) just signed mutual defense pact H claimed (G) was under threat from (F) & (R) H knew (E) felt T of V too harsh (E) would probably not intervene

Rhineland a key industrial region

Coal, steel, iron center (needed for rearmament)

March 1936: Hitler’s first major risk

Ordered troops moved into Rhineland

Direct violation of T of V

Direct violation of Locarno Treaties (1925)

If Allies responded H would be humiliated

Probable loss of power / military coup

Why did Hitler do it?

(F) & (R) just signed mutual defense pact

H claimed (G) was under threat from (F) & (R)

H knew (E) felt T of V too harsh

(E) would probably not intervene

Remilitarization of the Rhineland Would (F) let him get away with it? (G)’s army no match for French army H gave orders for army to retreat in (F) sent troops in to oppose (G) troops Hitler’s gamble paid handsomely L of N dealing w/ Mussolini’s Abyssinian Crisis (if you don’t know, look it up in your reading) L of N condemned move but did nothing (F) divided because of elections (no candidate wanted to be remembered as the man who took France back into war) Allies did not know how weak (G) army was (F) would not act w/o (E)’s support

Would (F) let him get away with it?

(G)’s army no match for French army

H gave orders for army to retreat in (F) sent troops in to oppose (G) troops

Hitler’s gamble paid handsomely

L of N dealing w/ Mussolini’s Abyssinian Crisis (if you don’t know, look it up in your reading)

L of N condemned move but did nothing

(F) divided because of elections (no candidate wanted to be remembered as the man who took France back into war)

Allies did not know how weak (G) army was

(F) would not act w/o (E)’s support

Rhineland in Context

The new Germany buries the ghost of Versailles. In 1936 Hitler violated one of the major provisions of the treaty by entering the demilitarized Rhineland. Source Otto Flecher in Brennessel, 1936

The Spanish Civil War 1936: Civil War! Republican government & Pro-government Communist forces fought right-wing (Fascist) rebels General Francisco Franco H saw war as opportunity to fight communism & give troops combat experience 1937: Guernica! (G) ‘Condor Legion’ (Luftwaffe) purposely targeted civilians to demoralize enemy After bombers passed fighters strafed survivors with machine guns and cannon L of N looked on w/o interfering

1936: Civil War!

Republican government & Pro-government Communist forces fought right-wing (Fascist) rebels General Francisco Franco

H saw war as opportunity to fight communism & give troops combat experience

1937: Guernica!

(G) ‘Condor Legion’ (Luftwaffe) purposely targeted civilians to demoralize enemy

After bombers passed fighters strafed survivors with machine guns and cannon

L of N looked on w/o interfering

The Anti-Comintern Pact, 1936-7 Hitler found he had friends Mussolini also heavily involved in Spanish Civil War Japan despised communism & Soviet power in Asia 1936: (G) & (J) sign anti-Comintern pact 1937: (I) joined pact ‘ Comintern meant Stalin’s ‘Communist International’ organization which promoted world-wide communism (G) (I) (J) united against Soviet Union New alliance called ‘Axis’ alliance. The name stuck

Hitler found he had friends

Mussolini also heavily involved in Spanish Civil War

Japan despised communism & Soviet power in Asia

1936: (G) & (J) sign anti-Comintern pact

1937: (I) joined pact

‘ Comintern meant Stalin’s ‘Communist International’ organization which promoted world-wide communism

(G) (I) (J) united against Soviet Union

New alliance called ‘Axis’ alliance. The name stuck

Anschluss with Austria, 1938 Hitler’s homeland, Austria Mainly ethnic Germans Many supported anschluss H failed in 1934 because Mussolini opposed H succeeded in 1938 (Mussolini now ally) Strong Nazi Party in Austria H had (A) Nazis riot & protest, demanding anschluss H pressured (A) Chancellor Schuschnigg to agree to anschluss Schuschnigg asked for (E) & (F) help, got no support March 1938: Schuschnigg ordered plebiscite but H, fearing loss, sent troops in Under watchful eye of (G) army anschluss plebiscite was 99.75% in favor (har har har) (E) Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain believed (A) & (G) should be united

Hitler’s homeland, Austria

Mainly ethnic Germans

Many supported anschluss

H failed in 1934 because Mussolini opposed

H succeeded in 1938 (Mussolini now ally)

Strong Nazi Party in Austria

H had (A) Nazis riot & protest, demanding anschluss

H pressured (A) Chancellor Schuschnigg to agree to anschluss

Schuschnigg asked for (E) & (F) help, got no support

March 1938: Schuschnigg ordered plebiscite but H, fearing loss, sent troops in

Under watchful eye of (G) army anschluss plebiscite was 99.75% in favor (har har har)

(E) Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain believed (A) & (G) should be united

Fin

PSDs on Hitler’s March to War Any account of the origins and course of the Second World War must give Hitler the leading part. Without him a major war in the early 1940s between all the world’s great powers was unthinkable. British historian Professor Richard Overy, writing in 1996 Is Professor Overy correct in his assessment? We demand equality of rights for the German people in its dealings with other nations, and abolition of the Peace Treaties of Versailles and St. Germain. From Hitler’s Mein Kampf , 1923-24 We turn our eyes towards the lands of the east … When we speak of new territory in Europe today, we must principally think of Russia and the border states subject to her. Destiny itself seems to wish to point the way for us here. Colonization of the eastern frontiers is of extreme importance. It will be the duty of Germany’s foreign policy to provide large spaces for the nourishment and settlement of the growing population of Germany. From Hitler’s Mein Kampf

Any account of the origins and course of the Second World War must give Hitler the leading part. Without him a major war in the early 1940s between all the world’s great powers was unthinkable.

British historian Professor Richard Overy, writing in 1996

Is Professor Overy correct in his assessment?

We demand equality of rights for the German people in its dealings with other nations, and abolition of the Peace Treaties of Versailles and St. Germain.

From Hitler’s Mein Kampf , 1923-24

We turn our eyes towards the lands of the east … When we speak of new territory in Europe today, we must principally think of Russia and the border states subject to her. Destiny itself seems to wish to point the way for us here. Colonization of the eastern frontiers is of extreme importance. It will be the duty of Germany’s foreign policy to provide large spaces for the nourishment and settlement of the growing population of Germany.

From Hitler’s Mein Kampf

PSDs on Hitler’s March to War We must not forget that the Bolsheviks are blood-stained. That they overran a great state [Russia], and in a fury of massacre wiped out millions of their most intelligent fellow-countrymen and now for ten years have been conducting the most tyrannous regime of all time. We must not forget that many of them belong to a race which combines a rare mixture of bestial cruelty and vast skill in lies, and considers itself specially called now to gather the whole world under its bloody oppression. The menace which Russia suffered under is one which perpetually hangs over Germany. Germany is the next great objective of Bolshevism. All our strength is needed to raise up our nation once more and rescue it from the embrace of the international python … The first essential is the expulsion of the Marxist poison form the body of our nation. From Hitler’s Mein Kampf I am convinced that Hitler does not want war … what the Germans are after is a strong army which will enable them to deal with Russia British politician Lord Lothian, January 1935

We must not forget that the Bolsheviks are blood-stained. That they overran a great state [Russia], and in a fury of massacre wiped out millions of their most intelligent fellow-countrymen and now for ten years have been conducting the most tyrannous regime of all time. We must not forget that many of them belong to a race which combines a rare mixture of bestial cruelty and vast skill in lies, and considers itself specially called now to gather the whole world under its bloody oppression. The menace which Russia suffered under is one which perpetually hangs over Germany. Germany is the next great objective of Bolshevism. All our strength is needed to raise up our nation once more and rescue it from the embrace of the international python … The first essential is the expulsion of the Marxist poison form the body of our nation.

From Hitler’s Mein Kampf

I am convinced that Hitler does not want war … what the Germans are after is a strong army which will enable them to deal with Russia

British politician Lord Lothian, January 1935

PSDs on Hitler’s March to War At that time we had no army worth mentioning … If the French had taken any action we would have been easily defeated; our resistance would have been over in a few days. And the Luftwaffe [air force] we had then was ridiculous – a few Junkers 52s (transport planes) from Lufthansa and not even enough bombs for them … Hitler looks back on his gamble over the Rhineland some years after the event Hitler has got away with it. France is not marching. No wonder the face of G ö ring and Blomberg [Nazi leaders] were all smiles. Oh, the stupidity (or is it paralysis?) of the French. I leant today that the German troops had orders to beat a hasty retreat if the French army opposed them in any way. Written by William Shirer in 1936. He was an American journalist in Germany during the 1930s. He was a critic of the Nazi regime and had to flee Germany in 1940. What do the above sources disagree about? Why might they disagree about it? Fill out row 2 of your Versailles Chart. Would you regard the reoccupation of the Rhineland as a success for Hitler or a failure for the French and English? Explain

At that time we had no army worth mentioning … If the French had taken any action we would have been easily defeated; our resistance would have been over in a few days. And the Luftwaffe [air force] we had then was ridiculous – a few Junkers 52s (transport planes) from Lufthansa and not even enough bombs for them …

Hitler looks back on his gamble over the Rhineland some years after the event

Hitler has got away with it. France is not marching. No wonder the face of G ö ring and Blomberg [Nazi leaders] were all smiles. Oh, the stupidity (or is it paralysis?) of the French. I leant today that the German troops had orders to beat a hasty retreat if the French army opposed them in any way.

Written by William Shirer in 1936. He was an American journalist in Germany during the 1930s. He was a critic of the Nazi regime and had to flee Germany in 1940.

What do the above sources disagree about? Why might they disagree about it?

Fill out row 2 of your Versailles Chart.

Would you regard the reoccupation of the Rhineland as a success for Hitler or a failure for the French and English? Explain