WORLD WAR II BEGINS

Chapter 24 Section 2

“Peace in Our Time”

By 1940, Hitler had rebuilt the German army and was bent on conquest European leaders didn’t try and stop Hitler

Gave into his demands

What were the 3 reasons European leaders believed Hitler could be satisfied and war could be avoided? (pg. 714 1st column 2nd paragraph)

Austrian Anschluss

In late 1937, Hitler called for the unification of all German speaking people 1st two targets: Austria and Czechoslovakia

What was his reasoning for taking these lands? In Feb. 1938, Hitler threatened to invade

Austria if Austrian Nazis were given gov’t posts Austrian Chancellor gave into demands

Weeks later he tried to put unification with Germany to a democratic vote

In response Hitler sent troops into Austria in March= Anschluss->unification of Austria and Germany

Austrian Anschluss

Austrian Anschluss

Munich Crisis and Appeasement

Shortly after annexing Austria, Hitler stated he wanted the Sudetenland, area of Czechoslovakia with large German-speaking pop. Why was it going to be more difficult for

Hitler to take the Sudetenland? (pg. 714 2nd column 1st paragraph)

Czechs opposed Germany’s demands France threaten war and U.S.S.R. promised

assistance

Munich Conference

Munich Conference

Neville Chamberlain

Munich Crisis and Appeasement

To prevent war reps. from Britain, France, Italy, and Germany met at the Munich Conference Sept. 29, 1938, Britain and France agreed to

give into Hitler's demands->appeasement Gave Germany the Sudetenland and if Czechs

didn’t want to they would have to fight Germany on their own

In March of 1939, Hitler captured the rest of Czechoslovakia Appeasement failed

Danzig and the Polish Corridor After Munich Conference->Hitler focused on

Poland In Oct. of 1938, demanded Danzig->Baltic Sea

port Also wanted a railroad across the Polish Corridor

->connect Germany w/ East Prussia France and Britain stated that if Germany

invaded Poland they would declare war May 1939-> Hitler ordered German army to

prepare for a Polish invasion Also ordered his foreign minister to begin

negotiations with U.S.S.R.

Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact

Signed on August 23, 1939, stated Germany and USSR wouldn’t go to war against each other USSR wanted to divide capitalist nations in

war Shocked the world b/c Nazism and

Communism opposed each other Agreed to split Poland b/w themselves

Nonaggression Pact

War Begins

On Sept. 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland from the west, Soviets from the east Sept. 3 Britain and France declared war on

Germany, WWII had begun German Blitzkrieg led to quick

conquest of Poland in 26 days

Invasion of Poland

Fall of France

Germans referred to situation w/ France as the Sitzkrieg-> sitting war Britain and France were defensive waiting for

German attack Built up concrete bunkers along the Maginot

Line-> bordered Germany Allowed for Hitler to take Poland, Norway, and

Denmark Secured northern flank

In order to avoid the Maginot Line, Hitler would have to attack through the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg

Fall of France

Britain and France predicted German attack through Belgium->big mistake Germans sent their tanks and forces

through the Ardennes Mountains of Luxembourg->French didn’t think this could be done

Germans smashed through French lines and proceeded to trap British and French forces in Belgium

Miracle at Dunkirk

Germans pushed France and Britain toward English Channel Captured all ports but Dunkirk-> British and

French Troops headed there for evacuation Used 850 ships to evacuate estimated 338,000

troops Was called the “Miracle at Dunkirk”

Three weeks later, on June 22, 1940, France surrendered Hitler created puppet gov’t-> Vichy gov’t

under Charles Petain

Miracle at Dunkirk

Miracle at Dunkirk

Britain Remains Defiant

Hitler anticipated British surrender after France fell Winston Churchill had other plans

Read Churchill’s speech to Parliament, June 4, 1940

British Remain Defiant

Germany had to cross the English Channel to invade Britain Hitler new in order to invade Britain they had

to defeat the RAF (British Royal Air Force) Battle of Britain (began in June of 1940)

RAF vs. Luftwaffe Luftwaffe started w/ bombing British

shipping In mid-August, Luftwaffe focused on

destroying RAF, by bombing strategic targets

Battle of Britain

Battle of Britain

Battle of Britain

British Remain Defiant

On Aug. 23, German bombers bombed London Britain responded with the bombing of Berlin the

following night Enraged Hitler and he changed his focus-> wanted to

terrorize British citizens into surrender->continued bombing London

British were outnumbered but had one major advantage->radar Showed the locations of German planes

Day after day, British inflicted more losses on the Germans Led to Hitler calling off the invasion on Oct. 12, 1940

Battle of Britain

Battle of Britain

Battle of Britain

British Radar

British Radar

British Radar