ORIGINS OF WWII IN EUROPE 1938-1939 What you will learn How Hitler took over Austria How Germany demanded land from Czechoslovakia in 1938 & the reactions

ORIGINS OF WWII IN ORIGINS OF WWII IN EUROPEEUROPE

1938-19391938-1939

What you will learnWhat you will learn

• How Hitler took over Austria• How Germany demanded land from

Czechoslovakia in 1938 & the reactions of other countries

• How Hitler took over the rest of Czechoslovakia in Mar 1939

• How Hitler’s attack on Poland in 1939 led to the outbreak of WWII in Europe

• Why appeasement came to an end

Chronology of EventsChronology of Events

• Austria and the Anschluss, March 1938• The Sudeten Crisis, Sep 1938• German invasion of Czechoslovakia, Mar 1939• The end of appeasement• Hitler and Poland• The Nazi-Soviet Pact, 1939• Hitler invades Poland, 1 Sep 1939• Britain and France declare war on Germany, 3

Sep 1939

Austria and the Anschluss, March

1938

• Hitler – an Austrian• Wanted Austria to be part

of Third Reich• Austrian empire broke up

at the end of WWI – a small independent Austria republic was set up

• Treaty – no union (or Anschluss in German) between these two countries


1938

• Hitler made a number of attempts to take over Austria in 1930s

• The most serious, in 1934, was stopped by Italy

• Mussolini didn’t want a powerful Germany at its border

• Showed support for Austrian govt by sending his troops to Austrian-Italian border


1938• By 1938, Hitler was stronger &

more friendly with Mussolini• Mar 1938 – Germany marched

across the border into Austria• Austrian govt protests were

ignored• Anschluss (union of the two

countries) completed without any resistance

• Many Austrians welcomed the German takeover but not the Austrian Jews

I have only to give an order, and in one single night all your ridiculous defences will be blown to bits. You don’t seriously believe that you can stop me… do you? … I give you for the last time the chance to come to terms.

Hitler to Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg in 1938


1938

• Hitler was right when he calculated that Britain and France would not stop him

• They protested but took no action

• Many Britons had felt the ban on union of Germany and Austria unfair

• Hitler once again took the law into his own hands

The Sudeten CrisisSep 1938

• With Austria part of Germany, With Austria part of Germany, Czech was surrounded by Czech was surrounded by German territoryGerman territory

• Czech – one of the richest Czech – one of the richest countries in eastern Europecountries in eastern Europe

• Had a strong army but was no Had a strong army but was no match for the German troopsmatch for the German troops

• Wanted to avoid war with Wanted to avoid war with GermanyGermany

• Knew they could not stand up Knew they could not stand up against Hitler on their ownagainst Hitler on their own

• Hope that Britain, France and Hope that Britain, France and USSR would help themUSSR would help them


• One Czech problem : many One Czech problem : many different peoples lived theredifferent peoples lived there

• Czechs and Slovaks – 2 main Czechs and Slovaks – 2 main groupsgroups

• Germans, Hungarians, Poles Germans, Hungarians, Poles and Ruthenesand Ruthenes

• Some smaller groups wanted Some smaller groups wanted to join up with neighbouring to join up with neighbouring countries Germany, countries Germany, Hungary, PolandHungary, Poland

• Hitler took advantage of thisHitler took advantage of thisIt (Czechoslovakia) is

the last territorial claim which I have to

make in Europe


• Encouraged different racial Encouraged different racial groups to complain about groups to complain about Czech ruleCzech rule

• Esp the Germans living in Esp the Germans living in Sudetenland in western Sudetenland in western CzechCzech

• Got the Sudeten Nazi party to Got the Sudeten Nazi party to make trouble for the Czech make trouble for the Czech govtgovt

• Didn’t have much idea about Didn’t have much idea about what he hoped to gainwhat he hoped to gain

• Only wanted to stir things up Only wanted to stir things up and see what he could graband see what he could grab

..villages (in Sudetenland) are burned down, attempts are made

to smoke out the Germans with hand grenades and gas…


• Britain and France could see Britain and France could see a crisis developing over the a crisis developing over the SudetenlandSudetenland

• Feared that it might lead to Feared that it might lead to warwar

• Tried to persuade Czech govt Tried to persuade Czech govt to give way to Hitlerto give way to Hitler

• Hoped that this would stop Hoped that this would stop him from causing more him from causing more troubletrouble

• Exactly the Exactly the appeasementappeasement that we were talking about that we were talking about previouslypreviously


• Chamberlain was so anxious to Chamberlain was so anxious to avoid conflict that he made three avoid conflict that he made three trips to Germany in Sep 1938 to trips to Germany in Sep 1938 to speak to Hitlerspeak to Hitler

• First visitFirst visit : Hitler’s mountain : Hitler’s mountain home in Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, home in Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, Southern GermanySouthern Germany

• Hitler threatened to go to war Hitler threatened to go to war with Czech if the Sudetenland with Czech if the Sudetenland was not allowed to rule itselfwas not allowed to rule itself

• Chamberlain was so keen to Chamberlain was so keen to avoid war that he agreed to see avoid war that he agreed to see what concessions he could what concessions he could persuade the Czech govt to makepersuade the Czech govt to make


• Second visitSecond visit : Godesberg in : Godesberg in the Rhinelandthe Rhineland

• Offered to transfer to Offered to transfer to Germany all those parts of Germany all those parts of Sudetenland where more Sudetenland where more than 50% of inhabitants than 50% of inhabitants were Germanwere German

• Hitler decided to push for Hitler decided to push for moremore

• Threatened to go to war Threatened to go to war again if Sudetenland was not again if Sudetenland was not transferred to Germany transferred to Germany immediatelyimmediately


• At the same time, he encouraged At the same time, he encouraged Czech’s other neighbours, Poland Czech’s other neighbours, Poland and Hungary, to press their and Hungary, to press their claims around Czech’s bordersclaims around Czech’s borders

• Chamberlain went home Chamberlain went home dismayed but still determined to dismayed but still determined to avoid waravoid war

• Czech govt meanwhile tried to Czech govt meanwhile tried to persuade Britain and France to persuade Britain and France to stand up to Hitler with no stand up to Hitler with no successsuccess

• France and USSR had an France and USSR had an agreement with Czech to go to agreement with Czech to go to their aid if it was attackedtheir aid if it was attacked


• Third visitThird visit : 29 Sep 1938 : 29 Sep 1938• Conference at Munich, the Conference at Munich, the

main city of Bavaria in main city of Bavaria in southern Germanysouthern Germany

• Held at the suggestion of Held at the suggestion of MussoliniMussolini

• Reps from Britain, France, Reps from Britain, France, Italy and GermanyItaly and Germany

• BUT NO CZECH REPS BUT NO CZECH REPS PRESENT!!!!!PRESENT!!!!!


• Almost everything that Hitler Almost everything that Hitler asked for was givenasked for was given

• Within days, Germany was in Within days, Germany was in control of the whole control of the whole SudetenlandSudetenland

• At the same time, it was At the same time, it was agreed that border areas agreed that border areas would be transferred from would be transferred from Czech to Hungary and Czech to Hungary and PolandPoland

• Czech lost a lot of territory Czech lost a lot of territory and some of its main and some of its main industriesindustries


• All sides were fairly happy All sides were fairly happy except oneexcept one

• For Hitler – a great triumphFor Hitler – a great triumph• He made important gains He made important gains

without fightingwithout fighting• Chamberlain – proof that Chamberlain – proof that

appeasement workedappeasement worked• Britons and French happy Britons and French happy

that war was avoidedthat war was avoided• Czech – a great disaster and Czech – a great disaster and

the first step towards their the first step towards their annihilationannihilation

The real triumph is that it has shown that

representatives of four great powers can find it possible to agree on a way of carrying out a difficult and delicate

operation by discussion instead of by force of

arms………..

Germans in Sudetenland thanking Hitler!

GERMAN GERMAN INVASION OF INVASION OF

CZECHOSLOVAKICZECHOSLOVAKIAA

GERMAN GERMAN INVASION OF INVASION OF

CZECHOSLOVAKICZECHOSLOVAKIAA

German invasion of German invasion of Czechoslovakia, Mar 1939Czechoslovakia, Mar 1939

• Hitler had no intention of Hitler had no intention of keeping his promise when keeping his promise when he took over the he took over the Sudetenland in Sep 1938Sudetenland in Sep 1938

• Britain and France had Britain and France had given way too easily over given way too easily over itit

• He thought that they were He thought that they were unlikely to oppose him if unlikely to oppose him if he took over the rest of he took over the rest of the countrythe country

It (Czechoslovakia) is the last territorial

claim which I have to make in Europe


• Czech was much weaker Czech was much weaker than before – unlikely to than before – unlikely to be much resistancebe much resistance

• Had already sowed the Had already sowed the seeds of discontentment seeds of discontentment between the Czechs and between the Czechs and the Slovaksthe Slovaks

• He promised the Slovaks He promised the Slovaks living in eastern Czech living in eastern Czech their own state if they their own state if they joined himjoined him


• German soldiers poured into German soldiers poured into Czech in Mar 1939Czech in Mar 1939

• For the first time, Hitler had For the first time, Hitler had taken over lands where non-taken over lands where non-German livedGerman lived

• Unlike previously, he could Unlike previously, he could not hide his evil intentions not hide his evil intentions under the pretense of uniting under the pretense of uniting the Germansthe Germans

• In the same month, he also In the same month, he also seized Memel, a German seized Memel, a German town which is part of Lituaniatown which is part of Lituania

The End of Appeasement

• Britain and France had been rearming for some time in the event that appeasement failed

• The German invasion of Czech finally convinced them that Hitler could not be trusted

• More aggressive action was needed

• Poland looked likely to be the next victim

• In Mar 1939, Britain and France signed an agreement with Poland promising to go to its aid in the event of a German invasion

• But still desperate to avoid war

Hitler & Poland

• Hitler was annoyed about Britain and France’s support for Poland

• But he didn’t take it too seriously

• After all, France had made similar promises to Czech but failed to keep them

• Did not stop him from making demands on the Polish govt to hand over the Polish Corridor

Hitler & Poland• This was an area on the

German-Polish border which had been given to Poland at the end of WWI and which contained many Germans and Poles

• This was to allow Poland access to the Baltic Sea

• The city of DanzigDanzig had also come under the control of the League of Nations

Hitler & Poland

• He also demanded Danzig, which had been placed under the control of the League of nations – mostly inhabited by Germans

• Hitler probably expected to get his own way without fighting as in Czech

• Expected Britain and France to give in at the last moment

• But he was ready to risk a war to achieve his aim

THE NAZI-SOVIET PACT 1939THE NAZI-SOVIET PACT 1939

• This pact came as a great surprise to the world• The two leaders were known to be arch enemies• For years, Hitler had attacked communism and Stalin

had done his best to prevent growth of German power• It was simply unthinkable for them to sign an

agreement – and they did!• Nazi-Soviet Pact 1939

– USSR to stay neutral in any war between Germany and Poland

– Secret clause : Both agreed to divide Poland between them

– Germany took the west; USSR eastern Poland that it lost at the end of WWI

Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov signs the Nazi-Soviet Non-aggression Pact while German Foreign Minister Von Ribbentrop and Soviet leader Stalin look on under a portrait of Lenin, August 23, 1939.

Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov signs the Nazi-Soviet Non-aggression Pact while German Foreign Minister Von Ribbentrop and Soviet leader Stalin look on under a portrait of Lenin, August 23, 1939.

THE NAZI-SOVIET PACT 1939THE NAZI-SOVIET PACT 1939

• The pact allowed Hitler to risk a war with Britain and France, knowing that he did not have to fight the Russians as well

• Britain and France had tried to get Stalin to join them at the last moments to support Poland

• It was too late as Stalin doubted their sincerity to support Poland after his many overtures to them and after Czechslovakia

• To Britain, the pact was a big blow as war with Germany became more likely.

HITLER HITLER INVADES INVADES POLANDPOLAND

German troops in Warsaw, Poland in Sep 1939

Map of Europe on the eve of WWII

HITLER INVADES POLANDHITLER INVADES POLAND

• The Nazi-Soviet Pact gave Hitler confidence to force Poland to give in to his demands

• USSR will not fight him; Britain and France unlikely to go to war

• Even if they did, they were so far away that they couldn’t do much

• However, the Polish govt did not behave like the Czech govt

“The whole people will fight with determination for Polish freedom and independence. Nothing will be given up without a fight…. The danger from the air will not daunt Poland.”

Printed in a Polish newspaper, Aug 1939

HITLER INVADES POLANDHITLER INVADES POLAND

• The Polish government refused to grant any of Hitler’s demands

• Hitler decided that an invasion was inevitable

• 5 am, 1 Sep 1939 : the Luftwaffe started bombing targets all over Poland.

• 6 am, 1 Sep 1939 : German forces crossed the Polish border

BRITAIN AND FRANCE DECLARE WARBRITAIN AND FRANCE DECLARE WAR

• Even at the last minute, Chamberlain was still hoping to come to some agreement with Hitler

• However, the British parliament exerted great pressure on him to declare war

• Message to Hitler condemning his action : handed over in Berlin – 9 am 3 Sep 1939

• Gave Germany two hours to withdraw its troops from Poland

• Otherwise Britain would declare war on Germany

• No reply from Hitler – war was declared• Later the same day, France followed

BLITZKRIEGBLITZKRIEG

The Germans used the technique of “blitzkrieg” which means “lightning war”. It began with the airforce bombing important sites behind Polish lines. Then tanks with infantry followed this up. It relied on strong armoured divisions and airforce.

AFTERNOTEAFTERNOTE

Britain and France were unable to act quickly enough to help Poland. Although the Polish army fought hard, their men and horses were no match for tanks and aircraft. Within a month, Poland had been defeated.

Documents

ORIGINS OF WWII IN EUROPE 1938-1939 What you will learn How Hitler took over Austria How Germany demanded land from Czechoslovakia in 1938 & the reactions