The War in Europe

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• The War in Europe

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Lebensraum

• Third Reichs future depended on Lebensraum
• Set sights on Austria and Czechoslovakia
• Some worries it would provoke war
• Germanys problems can be solved only by means
  of force

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Union with Austria

• Hitler meets with Austrian Chancellor-Kurt von
  Schushnigg
• Hitler is demanding and angry with him
• Demands Schushnigg appoint Nazis to Austrian
  govmt
• Schushnigg eventually agrees

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Union with Austria

• On return home-Schuschnigg changes his mind
• Informed Hitler
• Hitler angry
• March12, 1938 march into Austria unopposed

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Union with Austria

• Schuschnigg forced to resign
• Germany announced Anschluss or union with Austria
  was complete
• The world did nothing to oppose Hitler

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Bargaining for the Sudetenland

• Hitler then turns to Czechoslovakia
• Sudetenland-northern Czech. Along German border
• 3 million German-speaking people living there
• Used to be part of Germany

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Bargaining for the Sudetenland

• Hitler said Czechs were abusing Sudeten Germans
• Began massing troops on Czech border
• Britain and France promised to protect
  Czechoslovakia

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Bargaining for the Sudetenland

• Hitler invites French Prime Minister and British
  Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain to Munich
  Germany
• Hitler promised Sudetenland would be his last
  territorial demand

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Bargaining for the Sudetenland

• French and British PMs believe Hitler
• Sept. 30, 1938 sign Munich Pact
• Turned Sudetenland over to Germany without a shot
  being fired

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Bargaining for the Sudetenland

• My friendsthere has come back from Germany
  peace with honor. I believe it is peace in our
  time.
• Neville Chamberlain

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Bargaining for the Sudetenland

• Winston Churchill-Chamberlains political rival
  (and future British PM) thought Munich pact was
  shameful appeasement- giving up principles to
  pacify an aggressor

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Soviets Declare Neutrality

• An attack on Poland would also provoke a
  declaration of war from France and Britain-both
  promised military aid to Poland
• The result would be a two front war for Germany

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Soviets Declare Neutrality

• Stalin decides that he has more to lose than to
  gain in a war against Germany
• August 23, 1939- Soviet Union and Germany sign
  Nonaggression Pact

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Soviets Declare Neutrality

• Nonaggression Pact- Soviet Union and Germany
  would not fight each other
• Agreed to divide Poland between them
• Now no threat of 2 front war
• Polands fate was sealed

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Blitzkrieg in Poland

• September 1, 1939-Germany invades Poland
• 1st test of new Germany military
  strategy-Blitzkrieg
• Means lightning war
• Allowed Germany to take enemy by surprise then
  crush opposition

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Blitzkrieg in Poland

• Britain and France declare war on Germany on
  Sept. 3
• Blitzkrieg worked
• Fighting over in 3 weeks
• Long before France and Britain could respond

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Blitzkrieg in Poland

• During the last week of fighting-the Soviet Union
  attacks Poland from the east
• Germany annexes 2/3 of Polish population
• By end of Sept. Poland ceased to exist
• WWII had begun

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The Phony War

• Quiet for the next few months
• French and British stayed behind Maginot Line
• Defenses along Frances eastern border

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The Phony War

• Germans stayed in Germany
• Quiet broken by Soviets
• Stalin annexes other areas to Soviet Union
• Estonia
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Finland

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The Phony War

• April 9, 1940 Germany invades Denmark and Norway
• Then Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg-overrun
  by May

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Fall of France

• Allied British and French forces outnumbered and
  outgunned
• Retreat to Dunkirk on the English Channel
• 340,000 allied troops flee across the channel on
  anything that will float

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Fall of France

• Italy enters war on side of Germans and invades
  southern France
• Germans move on Paris from the North
• June 21, 1940-French surrender

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Fall of France

• Nazis occupy northern 2/3 of France
• Bottom 1/3 becomes puppet government known as
  Vichy France

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Fall of France

• French general Charles de Gaulle flees to Britain
• Sets up government in exile known as Free France

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Battle of Britain

• Nazis assemble an invasion fleet along the French
  coast in preparation for invasion of Britain
• Nazis attempt to gain air supremacy over Britain
  before they invade

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Battle of Britain

• German Luftewaffe begins bombing British cities
• Nazi planes bomb London every night for 2 months

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Battle of Britain

• British Royal Air Force(RAF) fight excellently
• Radar helped British pilots
• Nazis call off attack on September 17th , 1940