Germany at War 1939-45

Germany at Germany at WarWar 1939-451939-45

Did Hitler want War? What was the experience of War like for

Germans? Was there any opposition to Hitler?

Hitler’s Attitude to War

Hitler believed that the only way to achieve his aims was through war

• LEBENSRAUM: Living space in the East

• TRIUMPH OF THE ARYAN RACE – Holocaust ; Greater Germany

• DESTRUCTION OF VERSAILLES – Anschluss 1938

‘‘War is a continuation War is a continuation of policy by other of policy by other

means’means’

Germany at War Germanys experience of War broke

down into two distinct periods: 1939-1941 BLITZKRIEG

1941-1945 TOTAL WAR

1) 1939-1941 BLITZKRIEG

Germans used tactics called Blitzkrieg – ‘Lightning war‘Lightning war’ – The use of surprise and supreme force to win

They used this to invade Poland in 1939, then later most of Europe including France in 1940

The German people had been worried about the possibility of war but they were hugely happy with all Hitler’s conquests

Germany could even grow richer and more powerful with each new conquest

1941-1945 TOTAL WAR In 1941 things started to change for

Germany Military defeats in Africa and Stalingrad in Russia

hit Germany for the first time Casualties began to increase significantly with

heavy fighting in Russia Civilians began to suffer from intensive bombing,

rationing, long factory hours and food shortages

1945 DEFEAT In May 1945 Hitler committed

Suicide and Germany at last surrendered