Sec. 1: Axis Aggression

Ch. 14: World War II, 1930-1945

Timeline of Events Leading to WWII

1933: Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany

1933-39: begins rearmament & military build-up in Germany

1936: Reoccupies the Rhineland

Spring,1938: Annexes Austria (Anschluss)

Sept. 1938: Munich Conference (gets Sudetenland); Takes all of Czechoslovakia

1939: Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact

Sept. 1, 1939: German invasion of Poland

Germany Expands, 1933-1939Hitler came to power in 1933

Attacked Treaty of Versailles

Lebensraum = living space

Begins rebuilding military (pretext-resist spread of communism)

German Aggression, 1933-36

GERMANY REARMS1933-1939

GERMAN REOCCUPATIONOF THE RHINELAND, 1936

The Spanish Civil War, 1936 Germany, Japan, and Italy join alliance

known as the Axis PowersThe Spanish Civil War, 1936

Spanish nationalists (fascists) under Gen. Francisco Franco tries to overthrow the existing Republican govt. in Spain

Hitler & Mussolini supported Franco while the Republicans backed by USSR & U.S. independents

Franco’s Nationalists win, adding another fascist govt. to Europe

Picasso’s Guernica

Annexation of Austria, 1938GERMANY ANNEXES AUSTRIA ANSCHLUSS, 1938

Hitler claims that Austrian government is “mistreating” German residents.

He is simply enforcing their protection from discrimination

Forces Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg to turn over govt.

The Czechoslovakian Crisis, 1938

The Sudetenland

The Munich Conference, Sept. 1938

Hitler and Mussolini invite reps from Britain (N. Chamberlain) & France (E. Daladier) to discuss Germany’s situation in Sudetenland

Chamberlain follows policy of appeasement (gives in to Hitler in exchange for promise of no more land grabs); “Peace in Our Time”

Hitler moved into remainder of Czechoslovakia by end of 1938

Hitler and Chamberlain shaking hands at Munich

Conference, 1938

Cartoonists’ Views on Appeasement

War Begins in 1939 Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact

Hitler signs agreement with Stalin (USSR): states that neither would attack each other and they would split Poland

Invasion of Poland- September 1, 1939 Germany invades Poland -Sept.,1939; Stalin attacks from

East Sept. 3 – Britain & France declare war

Blitzkrieg warfare Speed and close air-to land coordination By mid-June 1940, Hitler in control of Denmark, Norway,

Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France!

Battle of Britain, Summer 1940 Britain stood alone against Nazi

onslaught Germans try to bomb England into

submission British helped by dev. of radar German Luftwaffe killed thousands in

London Blitz, but British refuse to surrender

RAF victories and stubborn leader, Winston Churchill who vows never to surrender, convinces Hitler not to invade Britain

Never have so many owed so much to so few… Sir Winston Churchill

Invasion of Soviet Union, 1941 June, 1941: Hitler breaks his pact

with Stalin and invades USSR (Operation Barbarossa) German blitzkrieg once again effective

as German units race across Soviet Union

Winter to the rescue Harsh winter sat in and slowed German

advance The Red Army of USSR did not collapse

and began to turn the tide