Hitler Nazi Germany Treaty of Versailles Germany loses

Hitler & Nazi Germany

Treaty of Versailles • Germany loses territory. Rhineland area between Germany and France is demilitarized. • German army limited to 100, 000 troops, no tanks or heavy artillery, very limited navy, no airforce, limits placed on training new troops. • War guilt clause – Germany forced to accept all responsibility for the war. Germany must pay reparations (for costs and damages of war) to all Allied nations.

Weimar Germany • After the end of WWI, a new democratic government is established – the Weimar Republic. Parliament = Reichstag • Weimar gov’t forced to accept terms of Versailles treaty because the country is too weak to start fighting again. German people are extremely angry, consider this betrayal. • 1923 – Weimar government stops payment of reparations, France occupies the Ruhr Germany’s richest industrial area • German gov’t begins printing more and more banknotes to counter its debt, resulting in hyper-inflation as money lost its buying power. • Notes in circulation increased from 29. 2 billion marks in November 1918 to 497 quintillion (497 plus 18 zeroes) five years later.

A German bank note from Dec. 1922. Previous value of 1000 marks has been stamped over to read 1, 000, 000 marks.

• Hitler capitalizes on people’s unhappiness with Versailles. Blames Jews & Communists for German defeat in WWI and signing of Versailles. • Munich Putsch (a. k. a. the Beer Hall Putsch) – Hitler & Nazis attempt to overthrow the Weimar gov’t but fail, Hitler sent to jail. • while in jail Hitler writes Mein Kampf (My Struggle) • Hitler & Nazis change tactics and try to win seats in the Reichstag. • 1932 – Nazis win the most seats, but communist support is still high. Hitler named chancellor to counter their influence. Reichstag fire of 1933 – gave Hitler an excuse to increase his power.

Hitler & the rise of Nazi Germany • • 1933 – Hitler uses the Reichstag fire as an excuse to increase his own power via the Enabling Act. Night of the Long Knives (June 1934) – Hitler purges the SA (a. k. a. brown shirts or stormtroopers) to keep them from getting too powerful. From this time on, the SS would become Hitler’s trusted group of henchmen. • Gestapo – Hitler’s secret police. • Nuremberg Laws (1935) – stripped Jews of their status as citizens. • Kristallnacht (Nov. 9 -10, 1938) – “Night of Broken Glass” – the SA, SS, and Gestapo riot against the Jews, burning synagogues, beating Jews to death in the streets, 30, 000 Jews captured and sent to concentration camps.

Jews captured during Kristallnacht are lined up for roll call at Buchenwald concentration camp Example of damage during Kristallnacht

1938 Interior of Berlin synagogue after Kristallnacht

• • After 1933, Hitler also rebuilds the country’s economy very rapidly. He ignored the terms of Versailles and builds up a large army, navy, and air force (Luftwaffe) Starts projects like autobahns and Volkswagen to create employment. Number of unemployed goes from 6 million to less than 1 million. Extensive use of propaganda (Goebbels) to create hatred against the Jews and other enemies of the Nazis and to prepare citizens for the war to come. • Indoctrination took place in schools and through groups such as the Hitler Youth which trained young people in how to fulfill their roles as part of the “master race”

The Fuhrer • Hitler created a cult-like atmosphere around his own personality many citizens worshipped him as a “superman” who could do no wrong. • Hitler adopted the title of “Fuhrer” = leader.

The League of Nations • The League of Nations was U. S. President Woodrow Wilson’s idea. It was created as part of the Versailles treaty. • The League attempted to keep world peace through the use of economic sanctions and international cooperation. • The League had little real power for 2 reasons: (1) the U. S. & USSR never joined. (2) reluctance of nations to use force to keep peace. • The League failed to punish: – Japan for invading Manchuria (1931) – Italy for invading Ethiopia(Abyssynia) (1935) • Rome-Berlin Axis (1936) – Italy & Germany become allies. Japan – 1937 • The failures of the league showed the Axis leaders they would be able to continue their militaristic ways without fear of punishment. **** The League of Nations and Appeasement are examples of liberal governments failures to protect human rights and stand up for freedom against violent dictators ****

Appeasement • • • Appeasement refers to the foreign policy of Western nations when dealing with Hitler in the 1930 s. In particular, Britain & France. Lebensraum – “living space” – Hitler wanted to expand Germany to create a massive country where the master race would have room to flourish. 1936 – Hitler occupies the de-militarized Rhineland. 1938 – Anschluss – Austria becomes part of Germany. Munich Agreement (1938) – Hitler is given the Sudetenland by Neville Chamberlain (Britain) in exchange he has to agree to leave the rest of the country alone. *Appeasement was based on the idea of giving Hitler what he wanted to avoid war. In 1939, he occupied all of Czech. and the other European countries finally realized Hitler’s promises were worthless.