Hitler Begins to Move Lebensraum Increase German living

Hitler Begins to Move

Lebensraum • Increase German “living space” • Hitler believes Germany should have more territory in Europe • To accomplish this he needs to build economically and militarily

Rearmament • 1933 Hitler begins to rearm country • Train soldiers, place in reserves, by 1935 Wehrmacht has 300, 000 soldiers • Train pilots in civilian/commercial airplanes, by 1935 Luftwaffe has 2, 500 warplanes, by 1939 8, 250 warplanes • Train naval and submarine crews abroad, by 1939 had 95 warships • Publicly announces rearmament in March 1935 and compulsory military conscription; number served 1935 -1945 over 20 million

Treaty Violations • Rearmament and conscription • March 7, 1936 Hitler moves troops into the Rhineland in violation of the Treaty of Versailles • “Anschluss” in Austria • Czechoslovokia

Hitler’s Alliances • October 1933 Hitler removes Germany from the League of Nations • Rome-Berlin Axis: Italy; they call themselves the “Axis Powers” • Anti-Comintern Pact: Japan; Italy later signs also; they use this as an excuse to aggressions claiming to fight communism

Austria • Nazi Party born in Austria • Austria agrees to a union with Germany (Anschluss), then backs down • German army marches into Austria unopposed • Violation of Treaty of Versailles but no action taken

Czechoslovakia • Sudetenland: important defensive region in western Cz. –Many Germans live here –Nazi Party grows in strength –Hitler announces he will annex to protect Germans –Violation of Treaty of Verailles

Czechoslovakia • Munich Conference-1938 –Britain, France, Italy, Germany – give in to Hitler on Sudetenland –Allies abandon Czechoslovakia • Germany invades the rest of CZ 1939 -no response from Allies

Preparations for War • Britain and France realize they can’t continue to ignore Hitler (Appeasement) • Want an alliance with Soviets but can’t come to an agreement • 1939 Hitler announces agreement with Stalin: Nazi-Soviet Pact; agree to nonaggression towards each other in case of war

World War II • September 1, 1939 Hitler announces annexation of Danzig (Free City)port city in Poland • Also invades Poland (26 days) • France and Great Britain had agreement to protect Poland – Declare war on Germany Sept. 3, 1939

Vocabulary • Axis Powers • Anti-Comintern Pact • Munich Conference • Appeasement • Nazi-Soviet Pact • Danzig