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World War II. Appeasement. Re-armament of Germany. Between 1933 and 1935, Hitler began to re-arm Germany. This included the creation of the Deutsch Luftwaffe (‘German Air Force’). By 1935, Germany had more planes than Britain. The creation of the Luftwaffe violated the Treaty of Versailles.
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World War II Appeasement
Re-armament of Germany • Between 1933 and 1935, Hitler began to re-arm Germany. • This included the creation of the Deutsch Luftwaffe (‘German Air Force’). • By 1935, Germany had more planes than Britain. • The creation of the Luftwaffe violated the Treaty of Versailles.
Re-armament of Germany Black cross, logo of German Luftwaffe, 1935-1945 German poster. The inscription reads: "our Luftwaffe".
Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers in formation circa 1939–1940. From Aircraft of the Fighting Powers Vol I, England 1940.
Reoccupation of Rhineland • In 1936, Hitler reoccupied the demilitarized Rhineland. • This also violated the Treaty of Versailles. • Britain said Hitler had a right to do so. • It is like “… going into his own backyard.” • France opposed it, but was not willing to take military action over it.
Reoccupation of Rhineland “If the French had marched into the Rhineland, we would have had to withdraw with our tails between our legs, for the military resources at our disposal would have been wholly inadequate for even a moderate resistance.” - Hitler
Anschluss of Austria • In March of 1938, German troops crossed the border into Austria. • The next day, Hitler declared Anschluss, the political union of the two countries. • This was specifically prohibited by the Treaty of Versailles. • The Chancellor of Austria called a vote to see if the people of Austria wanted Anschluss.
Anschluss of Austria • The Nazis claimed law and order had broken down and sent in troops to oversee the vote. • Unsurprisingly, the Austrians voted 99% in favour of the Nazis. • Britain and France were not prepared to oppose Hitler’s move because the people of Austria appeared to have voted for Anschluss in overwhelming numbers.
Anschluss of Austria Hitler receives an ovation in the German Reichstag "nach dem Anschluss" – “Night of Anschluss”.
Anschluss of Austria In March, 1938, Germany declared Anschluss, the political union of the two countries.
The Munich Agreement • Hitler looked to Czechoslovakia next. • In the summer of 1938, Hitler demanded that Czechoslovakia turn over an area at the Czech-German border known as the Sudetenland. • This area was populated by some 3.5 million German-speaking people whom Hitler wanted to include in the Third Reich.
The Munich Agreement • Britain, France and Russia all warned Hitler not to attack the Sudetenland. • On May 30, 1938, Hitler informed his staff of his “…unalterable decision to smash Czechoslovakia by military action in the near future.” • War appeared inevitable.
The Munich Agreement • British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain was appalled by the prospect of war. • He thought war could be avoided by a policy of appeasement. • Appeasement is a policy of giving in to some demands of an aggressive nation in order to avoid war. • Mackenzie King supported appeasement.
The Munich Agreement • On September 29, 1938, a four power conference was held in Munich, Germany that involved the British, French, Italians and Germans. • It was agreed that on October 10, Germany would be given the Sudetenland, and control over the rest of Czechoslovakia, as long as Hitler went no further.
The Munich Agreement • In a private meeting, Hitler assured Chamberlain he had “… no more territorial demands in Europe.” • Chamberlain returned to Britain and proclaimed the Munich agreement meant “peace for our time.” • Winston Churchill called the agreement “…a total and unmitigated defeat.”
The Munich Agreement The Munich Agreement gave control of the Sudetenland to Germany.
The Munich Agreement Hitler signs the Munich agreement.
The Munich Agreement Chamberlain holds the paper containing the resolution to commit to peaceful methods signed by both Hitler and himself on his return from Germany in September 1938. He said: “My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time.” Peace for our time!
What is happening in this photo? "The tragedy of this Sudeten woman, unable to conceal her misery as she dutifully salutes the triumphant Hitler, is the tragedy of the silent millions who have been `won over' to Hitlerism by the `everlasting use' of ruthless force."
The Inevitability of War • Hitler was not satisfied with the Munich agreement. • In 1939, he annexed the rest of Czechoslovakia. • Chamberlain realized that Hitler had lied, and began to mobilize Britain. France did the same.
The Inevitability of War • Hitler was worried about Russia interfering. • Stalin was worried about Germany attacking. • On August 23, 1939, a Nazi-Soviet non-aggression pact called the Molotov-Ribbentrop Treaty was signed.
Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov signs the German-Soviet non-aggression pact. Behind him are German foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.
The Inevitability of War • On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. • Germany deployed a style of warfare known as blitzkrieg (“Lightning war”). • By October 1, Poland was over-run, although Poland never surrendered to Germany.
The Inevitability of War • On September 3, 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany. • King wanted Canada to formally approve a declaration of war, and so the House of Commons was recalled from its summer recess to debate the declaration. • On September 10, 1939, Canada declared war on Germany.
Canada’s official proclamation of war with the German Reich as of September 10th, 1939.
