Open Aggression In Search of War 1938 1939

Open Aggression: In Search of War, 1938 -1939 Chapter 4 Review Lecture

Chapter Overview • Consolidation of power and goals of race and space before WWII started: • • • Anschluss Czechoslovakia Kristallnacht Hitler-Stalin Pact T-4 Program

In dramatic ways, Hitler began to realize his goals of race and space even before he got the war he wanted. • Race and Space both at home and abroad

The Anschluss March, 1938

The Anschluss • Violation of Treaty of Versailles • Most Austrians supportive • Antisemitic acts increased: seizure of property, harassment, public humiliation • European countries did nothing • Jews and asocials targeted right away

Sudetenland Czechoslovakia September, 1938

Sudetenland • • Hitler claimed that this part of Czechoslovakia belonged to Germany because so many Germans lived there Munich Conference: Allies appeased Hitler, gave him Sudetenland told him that he would have to stop after that • • The Czechoslovak government had no choice because the Allies were not going to help them Within months, Hitler took over the rest of Czechoslovakia • Part was taken as German territory, part was a protectorate

Kristallnacht: The Night of Broken Glass November 9 -10, 1938

Picture and Video Testimonies • http: //yadvashem. org/yv/en/exhibitions/kristallnacht/photos. asp • http: //yadvashem. org/yv/en/exhibitions/kristallnacht/video. asp

Overview • • Pogrom in both Germany and Austria prompted by the government, who used a pretense to motivate the population to destroy Jewish property and synagogues and kill Jews Stormtroopers and other Nazis participated as well as other citizens. • • They destroyed Jewish-owned homes, businesses, and synagogues, and beat, raped, and robbed from Jews They publically humiliated Jews They killed Jews They sent almost 30, 000 Jews to concentration camps

Reaction • The German public wasn’t all in favor of the pogrom, but there was no general outcry • Many Jews wanted to leave Germany • The German government required the Jews to pay for the damage done during the pogrom--$500 million • Expansion of concentration camps (lagers)

Expansion of the Concentration Camps As a result of increased aggression

How camps changed as war neared • • More and more camps were built after Dachau The focus was either on regional groups or a specific demographic • • E. g. camps just for Gypsies Various groups targeted, often in waves: Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Catholics, criminals, Communists, and Social Democrats

Diplomacy Hitler’s False Promises

Diplomatic Agreements • • • “Hitler’s approach to foreign policy was to talk peace and plan for war” (p. 93). 1933—Concordat with the Vatican 1934 --Non-Aggression Pact with Poland 1939—Pact of Steel (Italy) 1939—German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact • Non-aggression as well as the secret part that said that Germany and the USSR would divide Poland among them when the war started