We did my groups discussion today
Hitler’s takeover of countries before Poland
1933 | Oct 19th --Germany left the League of Nations. |
1935 | Germany broke the military clauses of the Treaty of Versailles |
1936 | German troops reoccupied the Rhineland. Rome-Berlin Axis signed Guernica |
1938 | Anschluss with Austria. Sudetenland handed to Germany as a result of the Munich conference. |
Germany leaves League of Nations
In 1926 Germany joined the league of nations
initially kept out under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles
when they joined, they remained a member for seven years
In January 1933, Adolf Hitler became German Chancellor
at the time, the league was trying to limit the countries’ army sizes
Japan was the first to leave after this proposal
Germany left only a few years later on October 19th 1933
Rearmament
Hitler increases the size of the German Army
for 2 years he secretly increased the size of the army
increased it to 500,000 members
Britain, France, and Italy do nothing about it
wasn’t a huge surprised because of Hitler’s view of the Treaty of Versailles in ”Mein Kampf”
Guernica
Hitler tests his new Blitzkrieg armed forces
German bombers helping Fascists in Spanish Civil War
bomb the Spanish town of Guernica
was a sudden and overwhelming military attack that caught them by surprise
Civilians of Britain and France are frightened
Munich Agreement
Settlement that allowed Nazi Germany to take over part of Czechoslovakia called Sudetenland
September 30 1938- early morning
This is regarded as a failed appeasement act. GB and France thought Hitler was just trying to reunite the German blood in Europe. So they decided to give Hitler Sudetenland so he would be happy and stop taking over countries
Great Britain, France, Italy, and Germany were the countries that were at the Munich Conference… with no representation from Czechoslovakia
After Hitler invaded Sudetenland, he invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia then Poland in 1930.
Anschluss with Austria
In the mid 1930’s, there was a rise in Nazi support in Austria.
German troops re-occupy the Rhineland Rome-Berlin Axis signed.
Background of Rhineland itself - it was actually a part of Germany set aside by the treaty of Versailles and was not to have German troops on it although politically Rhineland was part of Germany they did not feel they had total control over it.
1936 he ordered his troops that if France stepped in to defend at all they should immediately retreat but this never happened over 32000 soldiers marched across the border into Rhineland
Britain and France did not step in because Britain did not see what Germany was doing as that bad and France just did not have the support or power to take on Nazi troops
Under the Treaty of Versailles Germany was not allowed to set up soldiers in Rhineland
Everyone knew the Germans would send troops, but the question was when would they send them on March 7, 1936
the British were not prepared to take any action.
the French would not act without british support.
this act was Hitler's first illegal act sense coming into power 1933
Britain and France did not know what to do about Hitler’s actions.
In 1938, German troops were gaining popularity in Germany.
On March 9, 1938, the Austrian Chancellor announced that the German people could decide for themselves if they wanted to be a part of Hitler’s Germany.
If the people would have said no, Hitler’s purpose for invasion would have been ruined.
Hitler and his troops were going to invade Austria.
The Chancellor of Austria called off the decision by the people.
On March 12, 1938 German troops marched into Austria unopposed. They were greeted on the streets of Vienna by cheers from Austrians.
On March 13, 1938, Austria was annexed into Germany.
Anschluss means “connection” in German.
This surrounded Czechoslovakia on 3 fronts.
This also broke the Treaty of Versailles.
The French had built the Maginot line, a series of forts on the German border and felt secure behind it.
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