UNIT 3: THE ROAD TO WWII

WWII starts in 1939 - 1945

● Beggins when hitler invades poland
● Starts because of Hitler and some thing hitler did not did

HITLER'S PLAN:
Hitler worn/advised this things were going to happen, it wasn't a surprise (Mein Kampf)
3 of his ideas will shape the path to wwii
● Abolishment of TOV
● Expansion of German territory (not enough for all germans, need to regain germans
living in other countries, colonis/territories lost)
● Defeat of communism

OTHER CAUSES NOT HITLER FAULT:

● Economic depression (Great depression; Japan invades / Hitler gain power /
● Post war treaties: TOV (germans really angry it should have been less bad)
● Actions of leading powers: GB and FR (both allow Germany to do this things), USA
(muchos beneficios por vender armas), and USSR

REARMAMENT:
1933: Begins in secret as to deal with unemployment / Germany se va de LON
1935: Massive military rally (demuestran lo q estan armando) and Anglo German naval
treaty (allow germany to have up to 35% of GB naval, no es fácil de chequear / GB regain
good relation and when TOV GB wanted not to be to harsh with G)
1936: Conscription is reintroduced (tov forbids it)

SAARLAND:
● Small place between Germany and France, inside Rhiland
● In TOV was given to LON for 15 years
● 1920 - 1935: Ya pasaron los 15 años, LON has to decide what to do give it to G or Fr
● People living there has to vote whether to be part of Fr or G (PLEBISCITE)
● They used to be Germans / speak german, hay partidos políticos (Nazis living there
use violence / threats to defeat people voting Fr)
● Germany technically regain territory legally (people vote)
● Regain industries for instance carbon

THE RHINELAND
One of Hitlers biggest gambles
1936: Decides to remilitarize the rhineland
Hitler knows in that moment France was stronger than G / ordena remilitariza pero si un solo
francés los ve y les pega un tiro se vuelven
France deja q G remilitarize (piensan q G les ganaba)

Reasons for remilitarizing:

● France signed alliance with USSR (mostly against Hitler, reason for being
threatened, se están preparando para atacar y él no hizo nada)
● GB won't probably be against G remilitarizing his borders
 ● French were going through elections (los candidatos no están buscando pelea)
● LON busy with Abyssinian Crisis

THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR (Facism wins)

● Fought between Republicans and Nationalists (fascists) led by Francisco Franco =
Spanish Hitler
● Primera guerra fuerte desde WWI (armas peores, tanques grandes, aviones
bombardean)
● War gained international dimension - Democracy vs Facism was at stake
● GB and Fr refuse to intervene (avoid WWII), G and It publicly stated they wouldn't but
they although did
● Hitler used this war to gain experience, prove new army and G force
● Over 50 countries helped by sending volunteers (nose volunteer el country pero
personas que quieren)
● The Soviet Union sent thousands of volunteers
● War used by G and IT to test armies, specially Germany's Air force

Consequences:
● Gave Chamberlain (GB) the idea that wars should be avoided at all costs
● Strengthened bond between Hitler and Mussolini
● German and Italian troops gain experience
● Facism took over Spain
● Gave Hitler idea he could form alliance with GB

CAUSES OF WWII
France was going through elections
Spanish Civil War (same happened in wwii fascism vs democracy / germany test armament)

THE AXIS
● During and after SCW , Musolini and Hitler begin to have a good relation
● 1936: were began realize they have similar ideas, create “Rome-Berlin” Axis informal
alliance (recognise they can have an alliance)
● 1936: Germany and Japan signed an Anti-Comintern Pact (anti communist)
● 1937: Italy joins Anti-Comintern Pact and the alliance is formally formed “The Axis”
so the Rome-Berlin Axis is formal now
● Why Japan? Because they were a military superpower, nationalistic and fascist

JAPAN
● Showa (Japanese form of fascism)
● Ruled by Emperor Hirohito (not important)
● In fact Military dictatorship ruled under the influence of General Tojo (like Hitler)
● Trying to expand over Asia (specially China and Islands of the Pacific)
● Compete with USA because of this islands
● 1937: Invaded China
ANSCHLUSS WITH AUSTRIA 1938
● TOV stated: Germany and Australia cannot be joined (+plata, soldados, recursos)
● Germany trying to join both into one country (Austria feel Germans and used to be
close to them)
● 1934: attempted to reunite with Austria but Mussolini stopped him
● 1938: They now are allies, he wont stop him

HOW HITLER ACHIEVE THIS UNION?

● Hitler knows Austria is having issues so he sent a message to the Nazi party in
Austria (told them to aprovechen de los problemas y revelence, hacer caos)
● He told Austria's Chancellor (Schuschnigg) Anschluss was the only solution
● Schuschnigg seeked help from Fr and GB (Hitlers enemies) but they ignored him, he
had no more options but he didn't want to be the one who gives up
● Call PLEBISCITE
● 1938: German troops march over to Austria to see what happened (mucha gente
quería la unión y al resto los amenazó)
● Plebiscite result: 99.75% votes in favor

CONSEQUENCE ANSCHLUSS:
1. Germany gets the Austrian army
2. Germany gets Austria's resources
3. Germany recovers a great part of German people that were living outside germany
4. Hitler went directly against TOV

HASTA ACA ES LO QUE HIZO HITLER

¡RECAP!
● Describe the process of German Rearmament
● Why was Hitler aable to Remilitarize the Rhineland?
● Why can we consider the Spanish civil war as a cause for WWII?
● Describe the Anschluss between Austria and Germany?

GB AND FR FAULT
POLICY OF APPEASEMENT (decison)
● No es algo formal ni firmaso (nombre q se le puso mucho despues a lo q hicieron)
● GB and FR recognised that they didn't want a war with Germany
● They are going to try not to confront Hitler to avoid a war with him or at least delay
that war until being prepared

Some British people were against and other in favor

IN FAVOR
● People thought Hitler was trustworthy
Thought he would end up doing sth if you give him what he wants

● Fear of Communism
Some people is afraid of communism and want H because he is against it

● Memories of the WW
 Britain and France remembered what happened, didn't want to go through that again

● Britain needs more time to rearm

Only have some ships

● USA
Fr and GB are not sure the USA would join, they need them

● The British Empire

GB afraid beginning war and colonies take advantage of it and reveal

● TOV
Some people, GB, thought the TOV was too harsh so when hitler did things against it
they thought it was okay

● Economic Problems
Most countries are still going through the effect of the great depression, nobody can
afford the war

AGAINST
● They have to stop him before it is too late
Some people thought that if we don't stop Hitler now, and let him do the things he
want, in the future he will be too powerful

● Hitler Allies
if we don't stop him now his allies will start doing the same

● Soviet Union
Everyone knows Hitler is against the soviet union, Stop him because if not the Soviet
Union will be against FR and GB too, need the Soviet Union in favor

CZECH FEARS
● Czech prime minister knew they would be Hitlers next objective (He destroyed TOV)
● Ask GB and Fr for help
● France guarantees and promise they would follow him if Germany does sth, GB felt
obligated to do the same
● Chamberlain (Prime minister of GB) asked Hitler if he would do sth with Czech
● Hitler promised nothing would happen to Czecho (he lied)

WHY CZECHOSLOVAKIA?
● Created after TOV
● It had been created with German territory
● There were Germans nationals there
● Had a modern army
● Had resources (he can join an take this)

THE WORLD PREPARES FOR WAR

● 1938: Henlein (leader of NAZIS in Sudetenland) order to make trouble and demand
to be part of Germany, hitler puede decir que ellos mismos lo piden
● May: Hitler made it clear he intended to fight if necessary (nunca había dicho
que estaba dispuesto a entrar en guerra)
● He threatened Czechoslovakia with being German or war
● Czecholosvakia was ready for war, had allies (france) and a modern army
● World prepare for war
SUDETENLAND
Border between Germany and Czech, important for both
● Czech: have resources and people
● Germany: Many Germans living here

TIMELINE WHY WAR DOESN'T START YET

CRISI POINT
September: Chamberlain flew to meet Hitler as a last effort to avoid war
For the furst time Hitler accepts he has been overdemanding

HITLERS PRIOMISES