Discussion Discussion 

How might political agreements How might political agreements sometimes lead to war?sometimes lead to war?

While political agreements can lead to While political agreements can lead to renewed commitments among allies, they renewed commitments among allies, they can also cause anger and resentment can also cause anger and resentment among opposing countries. Pacts might among opposing countries. Pacts might lead to war when one or more countries lead to war when one or more countries feel betrayed by another.feel betrayed by another.

Racial Supremacy Theory and German MilitarismRacial Supremacy Theory and German Militarism

Idea of "Aryan" superiority:Idea of "Aryan" superiority: Adolf Hitler  Adolf Hitler believed that Germans belonged to a so-called believed that Germans belonged to a so-called Aryan race that was superior to other races.Aryan race that was superior to other races.

Desire to expand to the east:Desire to expand to the east: Hitler wanted a  Hitler wanted a larger population of Germans and planned to take larger population of Germans and planned to take over lands to the east to accommodate this over lands to the east to accommodate this growth.growth.

Violations of Treaty of Versailles:Violations of Treaty of Versailles: Germany  Germany violated the Treaty of Versailles by creating an air violated the Treaty of Versailles by creating an air force and sending troops into the demilitarized force and sending troops into the demilitarized Rhineland.Rhineland.

Beginning of Britain's appeasement Beginning of Britain's appeasement policy:policy: Britain initially avoided the use of force in  Britain initially avoided the use of force in addressing Nazi Germany's territorial expansion.addressing Nazi Germany's territorial expansion.

Discussion Discussion 

Why did Hitler believe that Why did Hitler believe that Germany had the right to expand Germany had the right to expand into other lands?into other lands?

He believed the Germans were He believed the Germans were members of a superior race and were members of a superior race and were meant to build a great German meant to build a great German civilizationcivilization

Background Background  As German troops marched into the As German troops marched into the

Rhineland, Hitler ordered his forces to Rhineland, Hitler ordered his forces to retreat if France intervened. The French retreat if France intervened. The French outnumbered the Germans, and they also outnumbered the Germans, and they also might have received help from might have received help from Czechoslovakia and possibly Poland. Yet Czechoslovakia and possibly Poland. Yet the French general overestimated German the French general overestimated German troop strength, and French politicians troop strength, and French politicians insisted on waiting for support from Britain insisted on waiting for support from Britain before using force. Support from Britain before using force. Support from Britain never came, and German troops were never came, and German troops were allowed to remain in the Rhineland. allowed to remain in the Rhineland.

DiscussionDiscussion

What was meant by the What was meant by the comment that the Germans were comment that the Germans were "going into their own back "going into their own back garden"?garden"?

Germany was sending troops into its Germany was sending troops into its own lands.own lands.

DiscussionDiscussion

Why do you think the Treaty of Why do you think the Treaty of Versailles prohibited such an Versailles prohibited such an action?action?

It was meant to protect the nations It was meant to protect the nations to the west of Germany.to the west of Germany.

DiscussionDiscussion

Why do you think France was Why do you think France was given the right to use force given the right to use force against Germany if it violated against Germany if it violated this provision?this provision?

France shared a border with France shared a border with Germany in the Rhineland.Germany in the Rhineland.

Axis Alliance and Further AggressionAxis Alliance and Further Aggression

Germany joins with Italy and Japan:Germany joins with Italy and Japan: In 1936,  In 1936, Hitler signed alliance agreements with Italy and Hitler signed alliance agreements with Italy and Japan.Japan.

German annexation of Austria:German annexation of Austria: Hitler used the  Hitler used the threat of force to persuade Austria to unite with threat of force to persuade Austria to unite with Germany, thereby continuing to expand territory Germany, thereby continuing to expand territory under his control.under his control.

Occupation of the Sudetenland:Occupation of the Sudetenland: Germany's  Germany's next move was to invade the Sudetenland in the next move was to invade the Sudetenland in the northwestern part of Czechoslovakia, where many northwestern part of Czechoslovakia, where many ethnic Germans lived.ethnic Germans lived.

Discussion Discussion 

How do you think Germany's new How do you think Germany's new agreements and alliances affected agreements and alliances affected Hitler's international plans?Hitler's international plans?

Hitler became convinced that neither Hitler became convinced that neither France nor Britain would provide much France nor Britain would provide much opposition, possibly because Germany was opposition, possibly because Germany was a world power with strong allies.a world power with strong allies.

Failure of Appeasement PolicyFailure of Appeasement Policy

Munich Conference:Munich Conference: At the Munich Conference of 1938,  At the Munich Conference of 1938, Britain agreed to allow Hitler to occupy the Sudetenland in Britain agreed to allow Hitler to occupy the Sudetenland in the hope that Germany's expansion would end. It did not.the hope that Germany's expansion would end. It did not.

Appeasement fails:Appeasement fails: The failure of Britain's appeasement  The failure of Britain's appeasement policy became clear when German troops moved beyond policy became clear when German troops moved beyond the Sudetenland to take over the rest of Czechoslovakia.the Sudetenland to take over the rest of Czechoslovakia.

Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact:Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact: To prevent Western  To prevent Western Europe from getting help from the Soviet Union in the event Europe from getting help from the Soviet Union in the event of a German attack on Poland, Hitler negotiated a of a German attack on Poland, Hitler negotiated a nonaggression pact with Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.nonaggression pact with Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.

Invasion of Poland and outbreak of war:Invasion of Poland and outbreak of war: When Poland  When Poland refused to give Germany its port of Danzig, Hitler attacked refused to give Germany its port of Danzig, Hitler attacked in September 1939, starting World War II.in September 1939, starting World War II.

Discussion Discussion 

How did the policy of How did the policy of appeasement affect Hitler's appeasement affect Hitler's plans?plans?   

Hitler became bolder because he was Hitler became bolder because he was convinced that Western democracies convinced that Western democracies would not take action against him.would not take action against him.

Discussion Discussion 

What did Hitler hope to achieve What did Hitler hope to achieve by invading other lands?by invading other lands?

He hoped to build an Aryan racial He hoped to build an Aryan racial state that would dominate Europe for state that would dominate Europe for a thousand years.a thousand years.