Treaty of Versailles:
Territorial
Germany lost land to France, Belgium, Denmark, Czechoslovakia, Poland
Also lost overseas colonies
Military
Germany's army reduced to 100,000 men- kept reserves- trained 100,000 men, then released them, then trained 100,000 more
German army not allowed tanks
Allowed only 6 capital naval ships and no submarines
The Rhineland was made into a demilitarized zone (DMZ)No German soldier or weapon was allowed into this zone
The Allies were to keep an army of occupation on the west bank of the Rhine for 15 years
Financial
Loss of vital industrial territory would be a severe blow to Germany's economy
Coal from the Saar and Upper Silesia in particular
Germany had to pay $33 billion to the Allies (Britain and France)
General
1. Germany had to admit full responsibility for starting the war. Clause 231- the infamous "War Guilt Clause".
2. Germany was forbidden to unite with Austria- Austrians are ethenic Germans
3. A League of Nations was set up to keep world peace
German Reaction to the Treaty:
There was anger throughout Germany when the terms were made public
The Treaty was seen by many Germans as being forced on them and the Germans had no voice, no choice but to sign it
German representatives in Paris knew that they had no choice as Germany was incapable of restarting the war again
Many right wing groups such as the Nazis believed in the Dolchstoss Theory (Stab in the Back Theory)- Germany's representatives in Paris stabbed the Germans in the back
Blamed the "November Criminals" (the Weimer Republic) for accepting the treaty
Created the perfect storm for the Nazis to rise to power
"In troubled times, people bring in more radical governments" - Jon McCain
Adolf Hitler
Born in 1889 in Austria- poor family- Mother was Klara Hitler, Father was Alois Hitler
Family moved to Germany when he was three
Had 5 siblings, 3 died in infancy
His brother Edmund, whom we was very close with, died in 1900
After his brother's death, Hitler changed and became more moody and withdrawn
Had more issues at school and with his dad
Both parents died when he was pretty young- his dad in 1903 and his mom in 1907
All 3 deaths had a huge negative impact on the young Hitler
In Mein Kamp, Hitler said he first became anti-Semitic (anti-Jew) during his time in Vienna, Austria
Vienna, Austria- 1905-1913
Hitler failed to get into the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna two different times
Started selling paintings in the streets of Vienna
Very poor, homeless for a while
In WWI, he failed his physical examination to get into the Austro-Hungarian army in 1914
Moved to Munich, Germany and joined the Germany army when WWI broke out in 1914
Hitler in WWI
Wounded twice while servingInjured by a shell explosion
Temporarily blinded by a mustard gas attack, heard about the end of the war while in the hospital
There is a story that Hitler could have been shot by the British soldier, Henry Tandey, but was spared
After WWI
Hitler starts spying on the new Nationalist Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi) for the German military
Hitler quickly realized that this group discussed topics that he believed in
Hitler dropped out of the military and joined the NazI party and quickly rose to become the leader
Hitler found out that he had the power of speech and persuasion during this time
Beer Hall Putsch - 1923- Nazis tried to overthrow German government and failed
Trial - 1924- Hitler got off easy for treason- helped him become more well-known throughout Germany
Sentenced for 5 years, only served 9 months for good behavior- wrote Mein Kamp (My Battle/Struggle) during this time
Hitler's Rise to Power
Hitler is appointed Chancellor in 1933
President Paul von Hindenburg dies shortly after and Hitler dissolves the Weimer Repbulic
Early Actions of Hitler
Drops out of League of Nations
Starts rearming Germany
Rearms the German Rhineland area
Nobody stopped Hitler- appeasement- the last thing they wanted was another war
Anschluss (Union) with Austria- 1938- Germany annexed Austria in 1938
Wanted to "re-uninte German-speaking people)
Munich Conference- 1938- Germany was given the parts of Czechoslovakia that are over 50% German-speakingFrom this conference came the policy of appeasement- giving Hitler what he wants in order to avoid war
Chamberlain was seen as a hero at the time: "Peace for our time"Hitler was given the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia
Hitler promised he was done taking over territories
Hitler wanted to re-unite all German-speaking people
Policy of appeasement- but you can't appease someone who wants it all
Winston Churchill- Opposed Appeasement
"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last."
Hitler takes over all of Czechoslovakia- March, 1939
Soviet-German Non-Aggression Pact
Russia and Germany both agreed that they are not going to fight one another
Russia gave raw materials to Germany in exchange for money and weapons
Both agreed to stay neutral if the other entered the war
Secretly agreed to invade and split Poland. Germany would the the western half and USSR gets the eastern half
Russia would get Finland, Estonia, and Latvia and Germany would get Lithuania
How did the World React to this?
Shock
Poland was "stuck between a rock and a hard place"
Hitler thought it would force Great Britain and France to back out of their promise to help Poland if attacked
How very wrong he was
German/USSR invasion of Poland- Blitzkrieg (lightning warfare)
Hit the enemy like lightning
Cause chaos
Germany on one side, Russia on the other- Poland never stood a chance
Sitzkrieg- The Phony War- Winter 1939/40
War was officially declared, but no one was fighting
Britain and France were just waiting out the winter and preparing to fight
Ended that spring
Miracle of Dunkirk
Germany was pushing the British and French armies back towards the city of Dunkirk
Hitler commanded the military to wait on the outskirts of the city
In this extra day or so, most British and French troops were able the be evacuated back to Britain
France's "Impenetrable" Maginot Line
Defensive barrier on border of Germany and France
As impenetrable as the Titanic was unsinkable
France Surrenders in June, 1940
France was divided
The Vichy GovernmentLed by Henri Petain
Southern France
Hitler's lapdogs
The French ResistanceFree French Underground
General Charles De Gaulle
The MaquisStill lived in France, but didn't conform to Hitler
Spied on and sabotaged Nazis
Hitler's alliance with Japan cost him the war
After Pearl Harbor, US declared war on Japan
Germany declared war on the US
Nazi Goals for Battle of Britain
Destroy the Royal Air Force (before invasion was possible- hopefully by 9-15-1940)
Attack and destroy the British Navy
Attack British troops
Once air control was gained, the invasion of Great Britain would begin
Germany never succeeded in achieving the first goal
German bombers did so poorly against the Royal Air Force that they started bombing at night only
Great Britain was helped a lot by radar and Ultra (the British way of intercepting and deciphering German code- no one knew about it for decades)
Operation Sea Lion- German plan to attack Great Britain, never happened
Battle of Britain
Royal Air Force
"Never was so much owed by so many to so few"- Winston Churchill
VS
Luftwaffe
German/Nazi Air Force
Messerschmitt Bf 109
Herman Goering
Results
In May, 1941, Germany decided to focus on attacking British ships and ports and thus stopped attacking cities
British losses-around 40,000 civilians killed, 46,000-139,000
German losses-3,363 aircrew and 2,265 aircraft
Britain won by the fact that Germany did not achieve their goals and Britain never surrendered (just like Churchill said)
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