paths to ww2
TRANSCRIPT
March 2013 – World History II
Paths to World War II
Western democracies had declared non-intervention in the Spanish Civil War
Hitler is confident that his aggressions will go unchallenged
German Path to War
AppeasementSatisfying reasonable demands of dissatisfied
powers in an effort to maintain peace and stability
Great Britain leads this trend
European Response
Hitler now moves his attention to Austria
Versailles Treaty prohibited any union between Austria and Germany
Hitler wants Anschluss (union) with Austria Insists that Austrians are
a Germanic people who should be incorporated into the Third Reich
German Path to War
Hitler threatens invasion if Austrian Chancellor does not resign
Great Britain and France inform the Austrian Chancellor that they will not help in the event of a German invasion
Chancellor resigns, and Austrian Nazis take control of the government
Hitler orders troops to march into Austria to prevent violence
Austrian leaders declare Austria a province of the German Reich
Anschluss
The Sudetenland, inhabited by Germans, had been taken from Austro-Hungarian Empire and made part of the new Czechoslovakia as part of the Versailles settlement
But he’s just getting started….
The Munich Agreement
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, French Prime Minister Edouard Daladier, German Chancellor Adolf Hitler, Italian leader Benito Mussolini, Italian Foreign Minister
European leaders meet in Munich in September 1938Czechoslovakian representative is not invitedHitler is allowed to annex Sudetenland in exchange
for a promise that he intends no further expansionIn March 1939, Nazi troops seize the rest of
CzechoslovakiaViolation of the Munich Agreement had two effects:
Britain and France are convinced that Hitler will not stop and that they must stand up to him next time
Stalin is convinced that Britain and France will do nothing to stop any further German aggression in Eastern Europe
The Munich Agreement
Signed on August 23, 1939Russia and Germany agree to remain neutral
if the other is involved in warThis means that Germany can invade Poland
and face no interference from the Soviet Union, even if other nations become involved.
Secret Protocol: in exchange for non-aggression, Germany promises to give USSR the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) and part of PolandUSSR denied the existence of this part of the
pact until 1989
Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
Hitler believes that Britain and France will not challenge him and knows that USSR will not act
German forces invade Poland on September 1, 1939
Two days later, Britain and France declare war on Germany
The Second World War has begun
Invasion of Poland