Discussion Discussion 

According to this quotation, how According to this quotation, how did Hitler want to put did Hitler want to put Lebensraum into effect with the Lebensraum into effect with the German invasion of Poland?German invasion of Poland?

He wanted to gain land for Germany He wanted to gain land for Germany by annihilating the Polish people.by annihilating the Polish people.

New Order in EuropeNew Order in Europe

Organization of occupied Europe:Organization of occupied Europe: The Nazis controlled the  The Nazis controlled the territory they had conquered either through direct annexation or territory they had conquered either through direct annexation or through the administration of German military or civilian officials.through the administration of German military or civilian officials.

Resettlement in the east:Resettlement in the east: Hitler's plan for eastern Europe  Hitler's plan for eastern Europe involved removing the region's Slavic peoples and replacing them involved removing the region's Slavic peoples and replacing them with ethnic German settlers. Shortly after the conquest of Poland, with ethnic German settlers. Shortly after the conquest of Poland, Heinrich Himmler, the head of the SS, began a program to move a Heinrich Himmler, the head of the SS, began a program to move a million Poles out of western Poland and into southern Poland. After million Poles out of western Poland and into southern Poland. After the war, the Germans hoped to make slave laborers of Poles, the war, the Germans hoped to make slave laborers of Poles, Ukrainians, and Russians and settle Germans on the vacated Ukrainians, and Russians and settle Germans on the vacated lands.lands.

Slave labor in Germany:Slave labor in Germany: By 1944, about 20 percent of  By 1944, about 20 percent of Germany's workforce consisted of forced laborers from elsewhere Germany's workforce consisted of forced laborers from elsewhere in Europe. However, the use of such laborers disrupted industries in Europe. However, the use of such laborers disrupted industries in Nazi-occupied countries and stiffened resistance against the in Nazi-occupied countries and stiffened resistance against the occupying forces.occupying forces.

Discussion Discussion 

Why did the Nazis want to Why did the Nazis want to "Germanize" areas of Europe that "Germanize" areas of Europe that they had cleared of their original they had cleared of their original inhabitants?inhabitants?

The Nazis thought the Germans were a The Nazis thought the Germans were a superior race and that by settling in areas superior race and that by settling in areas cleared of their original inhabitants they cleared of their original inhabitants they would "Germanize" those lands and claim would "Germanize" those lands and claim them for Germany.them for Germany.

DiscussionDiscussion

Why might the Nazis have Why might the Nazis have wanted to use slave labor, wanted to use slave labor, instead of German citizens, to instead of German citizens, to keep their war machine running?keep their war machine running?

The Nazis did not have to pay for this The Nazis did not have to pay for this labor and it freed Germans to do labor and it freed Germans to do other tasks.other tasks.

Background Background 

Early victories in the war allowed Hitler to Early victories in the war allowed Hitler to keep the ravages of war from Germany. keep the ravages of war from Germany. He took food, raw materials, and labor He took food, raw materials, and labor from the territories he conquered. Women from the territories he conquered. Women were spared the struggle of working in were spared the struggle of working in defense industries, since millions of slave defense industries, since millions of slave laborers did the work that could not be laborers did the work that could not be done by German men at the front. Most done by German men at the front. Most forced laborers were worked to exhaustion forced laborers were worked to exhaustion under poor conditions, and many were under poor conditions, and many were killed when they could no longer work. killed when they could no longer work.

Beginnings of the HolocaustBeginnings of the Holocaust

Racial struggle and plan for genocide:Racial struggle and plan for genocide: Hitler  Hitler blamed the Jews for Germany's defeat in World blamed the Jews for Germany's defeat in World War I and for the Great Depression. The Nazis War I and for the Great Depression. The Nazis called for a Final Solution— the extermination of called for a Final Solution— the extermination of the Jewish people.the Jewish people.

The The EinsatzgruppenEinsatzgruppen:: Reinhard Heydrich of the  Reinhard Heydrich of the SS created a special strike force called SS created a special strike force called the the EinsatzgruppenEinsatzgruppen to round up Polish Jews. The  to round up Polish Jews. The Nazis moved Polish Jews to ghettos and tried to Nazis moved Polish Jews to ghettos and tried to starve them to death, but many Jews organized starve them to death, but many Jews organized and fought back. The and fought back. The EinsatzgruppenEinsatzgruppen also used  also used mobile units to round up Soviet Jews and execute mobile units to round up Soviet Jews and execute them on the spot.them on the spot.

Discussion Discussion 

What was the purpose of the What was the purpose of the Einsatzgruppen?Einsatzgruppen?

To carry out the Final Solution or the To carry out the Final Solution or the genocide of the Jewish people.genocide of the Jewish people.

Background Background 

Reinhard Heydrich created Reinhard Heydrich created the the EinsatzgruppenEinsatzgruppen, or "deployment , or "deployment groups," to increase the efficiency of the groups," to increase the efficiency of the killing process his Gestapo or SS (Secret killing process his Gestapo or SS (Secret State Police) had already used in taking State Police) had already used in taking over the German army and its intelligence over the German army and its intelligence services. One of the worst killings took services. One of the worst killings took place in Baby Yar, a ravine outside Kiev, place in Baby Yar, a ravine outside Kiev, Russia, where hundreds of thousands of Russia, where hundreds of thousands of the the Einsatzgruppen'sEinsatzgruppen's victims were dumped  victims were dumped and buried. and buried.