Origins Of WWII in Europe
20 October 2004 (Lecture
#23)
Nazi
Expansionism
o
Militarizes
Germany; provides more jobs in economy and army ŕ Keynesian spending ŕ good for the economy
o
Occupies
the Rhineland; nobody stops him (political turmoil in France; Spain in a Civil
War)
o
Austrian
referendum says no (Hitler agitator makes government unstable; Hitler invades
and annexes it)
o
No
retaliation – Hitler proves Germany is great and can openly defy the Treaty of
Versailles
o
France
and UK decide to believe him (meeting in Munich)
o
France
and UK cede half of Czech to Germany
o
Czechs
have no say
o
Shows
Hitler that he could get away with almost anything
o
Gives
Hitler the power to beat France
o
This
was the final chance to stop Hitler
o
Hitler
quickly breaks his promise – invades the rest of Czech
o
Hitler
offers to Russia to split Poland (secret part of a NAP)
o
Stalin
agrees because he believes France and England will not stand up to Germany
o
He
thinks this is best because it puts off what he sees as an upcoming war with
Germany
§
He
gets half of Poland and time to prepare
o
Germany
invades Poland three weeks after this
o
France
falls in five weeks
o
Germany
fights and loses it war for air superiority over England though
§
Prevents
an expansion of the invasion to the UK
o
Russian
army not recalled until three hours before the invasion
o
German
army passes trains carrying war supplies into Germany
Conclusions