WORLD WAR II ORIGINS:

WORLD WAR II ORIGINS:GERMANY & THE RISE OF NAZISM, 1919-39CRITICAL TERMSADOLF HITLERERNST ROHMRUDOLF HESSPAUL von HINDENBURG

STURMABTEILUNG (SA)FREIKORPSSCHUTZSTAFFEL (SS)THE BEER HALL PUTSCHMEIN KAMPFLEBENSRAUMGROWTH OF NAZI PARTY TIMELINE 1919: TREATY OF VERSAILLES IMPOSES HARSH TERMS ON GERMANYADOLF HITLER SETTLES IN MUNICH JOINS NSDAP(i.e. The Nazi Party)1920: NAZI PARTY GROWS TO 3000 MEMBERSHITLER BECOMES LEADER OF PARTY1923: HITLER LEADS THE BEER HALL PUTSCHHITLER SENTENCED TO PRISON1925: MEIN KAMPF PUBLISHEDMEMBERSHIP RISES TO 27,0001929: NAZI MEMBERSHIP REACHES 108,000GREAT DEPRESSION DEVASTATES GERMAN ECONOMY1932: HITLER RUNS FOR PRESIDENT, LOSES, BUT GETS 37% OF VOTE1933: JANUARY: HITLER NAMED CHANCELLOR OF GERMANYFEBRUARY: THE REICHSTAG FIRETHE REISCHSTAG FIRE DECREE PASSED CIVIL LIBERTIES SUSPENDED IN GERMANYTHE ENABLING ACT PASSED HITLER NOW HAS RIGHT TO RULE BY DECREE1934: PRESIDENT HINDENBURG DIES HITLER BECOMES FUHRERNIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES1936: GERMANY REOCCUPIES THE RHINELAND

BASIC GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE: WEIMAR REPUBLIC, GERMANY, 1919 1933 NAZI SEIZURE OF POWER, 1933-34NAZI ORIGINS1918-19: NATIONAL SOCIALIST GERMAN WORKERS PARTY (NSDAP) NAZI FORMEDWHERE? BAVARIA (S. GERMANY), CITY OF MUNICH IS FOCUSWHO? DISPLACED / DISGRUNTLED WAR VETERANS FRONTKAMPFER FORMER FREIKORPS MENPOOR, DISPLACED, UNEMPLOYED WORKERSTRAITS:MILITARY STYLE ORGANIZATION (UNIFORMS {KHAKI SHIRTS, BOOTS, etc.}, PARADES, ETC.)ABSOLUTE LOYALTY TO THE PARTY AND NATION WAS SUPREMEHIGHLY RACIST, esp. ANTI-SEMITICRACIAL IDEOLOGY EMPHASIZED SUPREMACY OF THE ARYAN RACEPOLITICAL IDEAS:GERMANY HAD BEEN BETRAYED BY A CONSPIRACY OF JEWS & COMMUNISTS @ END OF WWI (STABBED IN THE BACK THEORY)GERMANY HAD TO REGAIN ITS HONOR HOW?:ERADICATING / IGONORING THE TREATY OF VERSAILLESTERRITORIAL EXPANSION INTO NATIONS / LANDS WHERE GERMANY COULD FIND THE RESOURCES IT NEEDED TO BECOME GREAT AGAINELIMINATING / ENSLAVING THOSE RACES INFERIOR TO THE GERMANS NAZI RISE TO POWER: KEY INGREDIENTS NAZI PARTYBASIC BELIEFS &PRINCIPLES

NAZI IDEOLOGY: BASIC CONCEPTSIDEADEFINITION1. ERADICATION OF THE VERSAILLES TREATY2. UNITY OF ALL GERMANS3. AUTARKY

4. LEBENSRAUM

SOCIAL DARWINISM JEWISH/COMMUNIST THREAT THE FUHRER CONCEPT

NAZI PROPAGANDA KEY ELEMENTSHOW DID THE NAZI PARTY CONVERT GERMANS TO THEIR IDEAS IN THE 1920s/1930s?

EIN VOLK, EIN LAND, EIN FUHRER!!!Translation:One People, One Nation, One LeaderADOLF HITLER, SPEECH PRACTICE PHOTOS

12ADOLF HITLER,SPEECH PRACTICEPHOTO

NAZI RALLY NUREMBERG, 1934

NAZI RALLY, NUREMBURG, 1938 (R)

SIDEWALK IMAGE, BERLIN, 1936 (BELOW)

Nazi PropagandaPoster, 1930s:The NSDAP secures the community.

Youth serves the Fuhrer.

ADOLF HITLER PORTRAYED AS THE GERMANICMESSIAH

HITLER YOUTH, NUREMBERG, 1938

LEAGUE OF GERMAN GIRLS CHAPTER, 1937

60,000 Reich Marks: That is what this person suffering from hereditary defects costs the German Community during his lifetime. Fellow citizen that is your money, too.

A NEW PEOPLE, OFFICIAL NSDAP MAGAZINE

JOSEPH GOEBBELS, NAZI MINISTER OFPROPAGANDA

GERMAN-AMERICAN BUND RALLYPROPAGANDA POSTER,FEBRUARY, 1939

GERMAN-AMERICAN BUND RALLY, MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NYC, 1939

POWER STRUCTURE, NAZI GERMANYNAZI SENIOR LEADERSHIP Adolf Hitler, Fuhrer of Germany

ADOLF HITLER

THE GERMAN MILITARY STRUCTUREGERMAN MILITARY: THE WERMACHTCOMPONENTS:HEER: GERMAN ARMY (INFANTRY, ARMOR, ARTILLERY, etc.)LUFTWAFFE: GERMAN AIR FORCE (including airborne /paratrooper units)WAFFEN SS: SS COMBAT UNITS (infantry, armor, military police) SERVED IN COMBAT ALONG W/ ARMYKRIEGSMARINE: GERMAN NAVYPOINTS OF NOTE: THERE IS NO MARINE TYPE OF ORGANIZATION IN THE GERMAN MILITARY STRUCTURE, UNLIKE THE U.S. (USMC) OR THE U.K. (ROYAL MARINES)ALL AIRBORNE (PARATROOPER) UNITS IN THE WERMACHT WERE PART OF THE LUFTWAFFE, NOT THE GERMAN ARMY. THIS IS DISTINCTIVE FROM MANY NATIONS (U.S., U.K., RUSSIA, etc.) WHERE AIRBORNE UNITS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS A DIVISION OF THE ARMY WWII GERMAN WERMACHT STRUCTURE S.S. GROUPINGS & STRUCTUREUNIQUE GERMAN MILITARY TERMS SCHWERPUNKT Focus of an attack BATTLEFIELD STRATEGY DEVELOPED BY GERMANY IN THE LATE 1930sA COMBINED-ARMS METHOD OF WARFARE EMPLOYING A COMBINATION OF THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS:ARMORAIR POWERAIRBORNE UNITSINFANTRY MOBILITY & ASSAULTARTILLERYBASED ON THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVESNEUTRALIZING ENEMY AIR POWER AT THE OUTSET OF ANY CAMPAIGNUSE OF AIRBORNE ELEMENTS TO DISRUPT ENEMEY COMMUNICATIONS & RESERVE SUPPORTSIMULTANEOUS USE OF INFANTRY ASSAULT, TANK (PANZER) ASSAULT & ARTILLERY SUPPORT TO NEUTRALIZE ENEMYS MOBILITYARMORED THRUST (PUNCH)THROUGH ENEMY LINES TO PENETRATE INTO ENEMY RESERVE AREAS ULITMATE GOAL: ENCIRCLEMENT OF ENEMY UNITS, DESTRUCTION OF UNITS, AND BREAKOUT INTO OPEN COUNTRYSIDEARMOR, INFANTRY MOBILITY CAN THEN BE USED TO DISRUPT ENEMYS ABILITY TO RECOVERCALLED BLITZKRIEG (translation = LIGHTNING WAR )BY ENGLISH & WESTERN MEDIA

GENERAL HEINZ GUDERIAN,GERMAN ARMY;Considered the author / creator of Blitzkriegwarfare

Basic BlitzkriegBattle Sequence

BLITZKRIEG: noun: war conducted with great speed and force; specifically: a violent surprise offensive by massed air forces and mechanized ground forces in close coordination

Definition from Merriam-Webster DictionarySCHWERPUNKTMEANING:noun: The point of focus; an area of concentrated effort, especially in a military operation.

ETYMOLOGY:From German Schwerpunkt(center of gravity, focal point), from schwer (weighty) + punkt (point)

THE INVASION OF POLANDWhen? September 1, 1939Causes:German-Soviet Non-Aggression Treaty (Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact) allowed Germans to invade from the WestSoviets invade from East on Sept. 17th Hitlers belief in need for German LebensraumHitlers racial theory: Poles were Slavic people, therefore they were target for enslavement or exterminationPoland had large Jewish population they would be targeted for exterminationThe Polish Corridor issue (See map) Polish Corridor problem tied to Hitlers belief in unification of all German people (like the Sudetenland)Long-range goal: Poland would provide preparation area for eventual invasion of RussiaNon-aggression treaty would lull Stalin into believing Soviet borders were secure

INVASION OF POLAND (contd.)DATES: Sept. 1, 1939 Oct. 1, 1939TRIATS:Germans use Blitzkrieg tactics to overwhelm the PolesPolish forces are obsolete and planning on a defensive strategyPoles do not anticipate fighting a two-front war (never anticipated Russian invasion from East)WHY ARE GERMANS SUCCESSFUL?Poles have no adequate forces in the following areas:Aircraft (WWI-style planes)Armor German Panzer units are more advanced / modernInexperience: Poles are less battle-tested than German troopsGeography: Polish terrain is ideal for Blitzkrieg tactics (flat land, few major cities) Russian invasion ruins Polish defense plansPoles trust alliance guarantees from French and British-Expect Western allies will attack Germans and force Germany into two-front warRESULTS:Poland ceases to exist as sovereign nationPoland divided between Germany and Soviet UnionGerman military gains valuable combat experience Blitzkrieg continues to improve Germans learn lessonsGermans are better prepared for 1940 attack on FranceSurviving Polish forces flee to Britain Polish Government-in-Exile is formedPolish military / air units formed as part of British military OTHER ISSUES: The Holocaust begins in full-forceINVASION OF POLAND,SEPTEMBER,1939

GERMAN ARMORED UNITS AND COMMAND VEHICLES

German Army units crossing the Polish border, 9/1/39

Hitler & German troops, Poland, 1939

German Infantry outside Warsaw

POLISH CAVALRY, 1939

GERMANS OUTSIDE WARSAW

GERMAN ARMY INFANTRY, 1939

VICTORY PARADE, WARSAW, 1939

VICTORY PARADE, WARSAW, 1939

Messerschmidt Me-109 Fighter(top) Heinkel He-111 Bomber (below)

GERMAN Me / Bf-109 Fighter

German He-111 Heinkel Bomber

STUKA DIVE BOMBER

GERMAN STUKA DIVE BOMBER

STUKA DIVE BOMBERS

GermanPanzerVariants

German Armored Personnel Carrier

WWII STANDARD GERMAN INFANTRY WEAPONSTop: Kar98 Mauser RifleBottom: MP40 Machine Pistol

Top: MG42 Machine GunBottom: (R) Model 24 Grenade; (L) Luger P08 Pistol

Waffen-SSPanzergrenadierwith standardcombat equipment

WAFFEN SS GRENADIERS

THE PHONY WAR, 1939-40When? October, 1939 May, 1940Where? Western Europe, specifically France-Germany border areasWhat ?Period of little, or no, military activity / action between Germans and Western allies (French, British, Dutch, etc.)Sporadic military probing maneuvers on the border while Germans transfer forces from the East to WestGerman build-up of forces in West is rapidSome limited air action Symbol of the period: Frances MAGINOT LINE (define)Result?Germans have time to adequately plan for invasion of FranceFrench led to believe that the Maginot Line will deter Germans from an invasionCalled the Maginot Mentality Misguided belief that fixed fortifications could discourage, and prevent, a successful invasionBritish grow less confident in French military competence

Underground RailSystem inside theMaginot Line

MAGINOT LINE CUTAWAY

1940 Invasion of France and The Low Countries

THE INVASION OF FRANCEWHEN? May - June, 1940WHERE? FRANCE, BELGIUM, HOLLAND (The Netherlands)WHO?AXIS: GERMANY, ITALYALLIES: FRANCE, U.K, CANADA, BELGIUM, HOLLAND, etc.OPPOSING FORCES:AXIS: 141 WERMACHT DIVISIONS 3,350,000 TROOPS 2,445 TANKS5,638 AIRCRAFT7,378 ARTILLERYALLIES: 144 DIVISIONS3,300,000 TROOPS3,384 TANKS2,935 AIRCRAFT13,974 GUNSCASUALTIES:AXIS: 49,000 KIA, 110,034 WIAALLIES: 360,000 KIA & WIA; 1.9 MILLION CAPTURED

RESULTSREMAINDER OF FRENCH & BRIT. ARMIES ARE SURROUNDED & EVACUATED FROM DUNKIRKFRANCE & LOW COUNTRIES NOW PART OF NAZI EMPIREFRANCE DIVIDED INTO TWO PRIMARY OCCUPATION ZONES:NORTHERN FRANCE: GERMAN ZONESOUTHERN FRANCE: VICHY FRANCE w/ PUPPET GOVT. SET IN VICHY FRANCEGERMANS NOW HAVE GOOD STAGING GROUND FOR POSSIBLE INVASION OF BRITAINBRITAIN IS ISOLATED FROM THE REST OF EUROPE HITLER CAN NOW CONCENTRATE HIS FORCES TO THE EAST FOR PLANNED RUSSIAN INVASION GERMAN INFANTRY WITH FRENCH PRISONERS

Plan of Fort Eben Emael,Belgium(top view)

EBEN EMAEL FROM EAST BANK OF ALBERT CANAL

GERMAN LUFTWAFFE RECRUITING POSTERS

GERMAN FALLSCHIRMJAGER GLIDER

LUFTWAFFE GLIDER DURING TRAINING MANEUVERS

GERMAN PARAS DURING TRAINING MANEUVERS

JUNKERS Ju-52 TRANSPORT PLANE

JUNKERS Ju-52 TRANSPORT

GERMAN PARATROOPERS CELEBRATE THE FALL OF EBEN EMAEL, 1940

HITLER CONGRATULATES FALLSCHIRMJAGR AT EBEN EMAEL

EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK

ALLIED TROOPSBEING EVACUATEDFROM DUNKIRK

DUNKIRKEVACUATION

GERMAN TROOPS MARCH PAST THE ARC de TRIOMPHE,PARIS, JUNE, 1940

HITLER AND STAFF OFFICERS IN FRONT OF THE EIFFEL TOWER, PARIS, FRANCE,JUNE, 1940