World War II and Post-War World War II and Post-War EuropeEurope

-Key Concepts--Key Concepts-

I. Hitler’s Foreign Policy I. Hitler’s Foreign Policy GoalsGoals

• Made clear in Made clear in Mein Mein KampfKampf

--The Third Reich--The Third Reich

• More than just a More than just a revision of the Treaty revision of the Treaty of Versaillesof Versailles

• The need for The need for “lebensraum”“lebensraum”

• The vast spaces of The vast spaces of Russia were his targetRussia were his target

II. Economic and Social II. Economic and Social Stability through ExpansionStability through Expansion

• Domestic economic Domestic economic policy fit his foreign policy fit his foreign policypolicy

• Territorial Expansion Territorial Expansion came to be seen as an came to be seen as an economic “safety economic “safety valve”valve”

• Aggressive Foreign Aggressive Foreign Policy was undertaken Policy was undertaken to avoid domestic to avoid domestic difficultiesdifficulties

III. Revising the Treaty of III. Revising the Treaty of VersaillesVersailles

• Allies came to believe Allies came to believe that the Treaty was that the Treaty was unworkable by the unworkable by the mid-1930’smid-1930’s

• Rebuilding of German Rebuilding of German Army (March, 1935 Army (March, 1935 radio address)radio address)

• Formation of the Formation of the German Airforce: German Airforce: LuftwaffeLuftwaffe

IV. Revising the Treaty of IV. Revising the Treaty of Versailles (cont)Versailles (cont)

• Reinstating Draft to Reinstating Draft to form an army of 36 form an army of 36 divisions—500,000 divisions—500,000 menmen

• Remilitarization of Remilitarization of the Rhineland the Rhineland (March, 1936)(March, 1936)

• French merely French merely lodged a protest lodged a protest with the League of with the League of NationsNations

V. Aggressive Italian Foreign V. Aggressive Italian Foreign PolicyPolicy

• Invasion of Ethiopia Invasion of Ethiopia (October, 1935)(October, 1935)

• Aid to General Aid to General Franco fighting the Franco fighting the Spanish Civil WarSpanish Civil War

• The Rome-Berlin-The Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis Tokyo Axis (October, 1936)(October, 1936)

VI. The “Anschluss”VI. The “Anschluss”

• The unification of The unification of Austria and Austria and GermanyGermany

• German troops German troops march into Austria march into Austria (March, 1938)(March, 1938)

• Seems to be an Seems to be an example of example of Wilsonian self-Wilsonian self-determinationdetermination

VI. The “Anschluss” (cont)VI. The “Anschluss” (cont)

• No European power No European power was willing to risk war was willing to risk war over such a popular over such a popular invasioninvasion

• Germany now Germany now included territory that included territory that had never been a part had never been a part of the whole Reichof the whole Reich

• Hitler was triumphant Hitler was triumphant and more confident and more confident than everthan ever

1938 British Cartoon after the 1938 British Cartoon after the “Anschluss”“Anschluss”

VII. Czechoslovakia and the VII. Czechoslovakia and the Policy of AppeasementPolicy of Appeasement

• Eastern Europe began Eastern Europe began to clamor for protectionto clamor for protection

• Hitler eyed the Hitler eyed the Sudetenland with desireSudetenland with desire

• Czechoslovakia has a Czechoslovakia has a treaty with Francetreaty with France

• Policy of Appeasement Policy of Appeasement was especially tragic in was especially tragic in the case of the case of CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia

VII. Czechoslovakia and VII. Czechoslovakia and Appeasement (cont)Appeasement (cont)

• Very tense moment Very tense moment for Europe for Europe (September, 1938)(September, 1938)--British Prime Minister --British Prime Minister Neville ChamberlainNeville Chamberlain

• The Munich The Munich Agreement Agreement (September 30, 1938)(September 30, 1938)

• Hitler marches into Hitler marches into Prague and takes the Prague and takes the rest of Czechoslovakia rest of Czechoslovakia (March 15, 1939)(March 15, 1939)

VIII. Why Did the Western VIII. Why Did the Western Democracies Appease Hitler?Democracies Appease Hitler?

• Widespread PacifismWidespread Pacifism• Increasing Guilt over Increasing Guilt over

the harshness of the the harshness of the Treaty of VersaillesTreaty of Versailles

• Hitler and Mussolini Hitler and Mussolini seen as a protection seen as a protection against further against further communist advancescommunist advances

• Britain and France Britain and France were far too weak were far too weak internally to oppose internally to oppose HitlerHitler

• U.S. isolationismU.S. isolationism

IX. The Invasion of PolandIX. The Invasion of Poland

• German displeasure German displeasure with the Polish corridorwith the Polish corridor

• British and French British and French abandon appeasementabandon appeasement

• Nazi-Soviet Non-Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact Aggression Pact (August, 1939)(August, 1939)

• British announced British announced support for Poland—support for Poland—Hitler hesitatesHitler hesitates

• Invasion of Poland—Invasion of Poland—September 1, 1939September 1, 1939

Anonymous Cartoon, 1939Anonymous Cartoon, 1939

Life Magazine Cartoon Life Magazine Cartoon (September 1, 1939)(September 1, 1939)

X. A Brief Look at World X. A Brief Look at World War IIWar II

• Nazi “Blitzkrieg”Nazi “Blitzkrieg”• The “Sitzkrieg” or The “Sitzkrieg” or

Phony War (winter of Phony War (winter of 1939-1940)1939-1940)

• Russia at war with Russia at war with Finland (November, Finland (November, 1939-March, 1940)1939-March, 1940)

• Impact of the Russo-Impact of the Russo-Finnish WarFinnish War

• German attack on German attack on Norway and Denmark Norway and Denmark (April 9, 1940)(April 9, 1940)

X. World War II (cont)X. World War II (cont)

• Tension Between Tension Between France and EnglandFrance and England

• General Manstein General Manstein proposes a derivation proposes a derivation of the old Schlieffen of the old Schlieffen PlanPlan

• German attack on German attack on France (May 10, 1940)France (May 10, 1940)

• The miraculous The miraculous evacuation at Dunkirk evacuation at Dunkirk (May 27-June 4, 1940)(May 27-June 4, 1940)

German Invasion of France—German Invasion of France—May, 1940May, 1940

Evacuation at Dunkirk, Evacuation at Dunkirk, June 4, 1940June 4, 1940

Soldiers walk across vehicles in the water to Soldiers walk across vehicles in the water to get to ships in deeper water—Dunkirk get to ships in deeper water—Dunkirk

EvacuationEvacuation

X. World War II (cont)X. World War II (cont)

• The Fall of FranceThe Fall of France

-- “Vichy” France in the -- “Vichy” France in the southsouth

--Charles de Gaulle --Charles de Gaulle escapes to Londonescapes to London

• The Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain (June-December, 1940)(June-December, 1940)

--The “Blitz”--The “Blitz”

--Leadership of --Leadership of Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill

Londoners Sleep in the Tube Londoners Sleep in the Tube During the Battle of BritainDuring the Battle of Britain

X. World War II (cont)X. World War II (cont)

• Crucial Delay of Crucial Delay of Invasion of Russia to Invasion of Russia to help out Italian forces in help out Italian forces in Greece (April-May, Greece (April-May, 1941)1941)

• Invasion of Russia—June Invasion of Russia—June 22, 1941 (“Operation 22, 1941 (“Operation Barbarossa”)Barbarossa”)

• Initial Hesitation by Initial Hesitation by Stalin and a Soviet Stalin and a Soviet military disastermilitary disaster

• Hitler divides troops Hitler divides troops towards Leningrad and towards Leningrad and KievKiev

X. World War II (cont)X. World War II (cont)

• German Troops in German Troops in suburbs of Moscow by suburbs of Moscow by early October, 1941early October, 1941

• German Troops began German Troops began to sufferto suffer

• Soviet Counterattack Soviet Counterattack and Moscow is saved and Moscow is saved (December 5-6, 1941)(December 5-6, 1941)

• The Battle of The Battle of Stalingrad Stalingrad (September, 1942-(September, 1942-January, 1943)January, 1943)

XI. An Uneasy AllianceXI. An Uneasy Alliance

• Lend-Lease Aid to the Lend-Lease Aid to the SovietsSoviets

• Atlantic Charter Atlantic Charter (August, 1941)(August, 1941)

• US entry into the war US entry into the war (December 8, 1941)(December 8, 1941)

• British diplomacy with British diplomacy with StalinStalin

• Allied Strategy against Allied Strategy against the Germansthe Germans

• War in North AfricaWar in North Africa

XI. An Uneasy Alliance XI. An Uneasy Alliance (cont)(cont)

• Invasion of Sicily and Invasion of Sicily and Italy (July-August, 1943)Italy (July-August, 1943)

• Teheran Conference Teheran Conference (November 28-(November 28-December 1, 1943)December 1, 1943)

• Opening of a Second Opening of a Second Front—the Invasion of Front—the Invasion of Normandy (“Operation Normandy (“Operation Overlord”)Overlord”)

• From D-Day to V-E DayFrom D-Day to V-E Day• Yalta Conference—Yalta Conference—

February, 1945February, 1945

XII. Nazi Treatment of XII. Nazi Treatment of Occupied PeoplesOccupied Peoples

• Germany and its “allies” Germany and its “allies” during the Warduring the War

• A German “New Order”A German “New Order”

• Treatment of Occupied Treatment of Occupied PeoplesPeoples

-- “Mongrelized -- “Mongrelized peoples”peoples”

--Treatment of Slavs--Treatment of Slavs

• The importance of The importance of “orderly reproduction” “orderly reproduction” or scientific breedingor scientific breeding

XIII. Nazi Treatment of the XIII. Nazi Treatment of the JewsJews

• Early Approach: Early Approach: RestrictionsRestrictions

• More acute problem More acute problem with the invasion of with the invasion of PolandPoland

• Warsaw Ghetto Warsaw Ghetto (October, 1940)(October, 1940)

• SS Murder SquadsSS Murder Squads• Establishment of Death Establishment of Death

camps in Polandcamps in Poland--Auschwitz--Auschwitz

• Reaction when camps Reaction when camps were discoveredwere discovered

Arrival at AuschwitzArrival at Auschwitz

Entry Gate of AuschwitzEntry Gate of Auschwitz

The Condemned Unclothe and The Condemned Unclothe and Sort Clothes and ShoesSort Clothes and Shoes

The Condemned are sent to The Condemned are sent to the Showersthe Showers

Empty Cans of Zyklon BEmpty Cans of Zyklon B

Bodies were then CrematedBodies were then Cremated

XIV. Resistance Movements to XIV. Resistance Movements to Nazi TerrorNazi Terror

• Warsaw Ghetto Warsaw Ghetto uprising (April, 1943)uprising (April, 1943)

• Death Camp Uprisings Death Camp Uprisings (1942-1943)(1942-1943)

• Some simply gave in to Some simply gave in to Nazi tyrannyNazi tyranny

• Resistance organized Resistance organized all over occupied all over occupied EuropeEurope

• Turning Points in Turning Points in European resistance to European resistance to Nazi ruleNazi rule

XV. Legacies of World War XV. Legacies of World War IIII

• Shift in Global PowerShift in Global Power• Beginning of the Beginning of the

Atomic Age—anxiety Atomic Age—anxiety living under the living under the mushroom cloudmushroom cloud

• Change in traditional Change in traditional American foreign American foreign policy of isolationismpolicy of isolationism

• Irrationality of Nazi Irrationality of Nazi atrocities jarred atrocities jarred confidence of western confidence of western civilizationcivilization

XVI. The Cold War: 1945-XVI. The Cold War: 1945-19891989

• OriginsOrigins--Case Study: Stalin --Case Study: Stalin and the Polish and the Polish governmentgovernment--Potsdam --Potsdam Conference: July, Conference: July, 19451945

• Key EventsKey Events• Unraveling in 1989Unraveling in 1989

XVII. De-Colonization and XVII. De-Colonization and BeyondBeyond

• ReasonsReasons

• ProcessProcess

• ResultsResults

• A New World of A New World of TerrorTerror