Hitler’s Five Steps to War (The Drift to war)

Between 1936 and 1939 Hitler took 5 steps that eventually led to war Preparations: From 1935, Hitler built up the German army until they were much more than the 100,000 men permitted by the Treaty of Versailles He made an alliance with Mussolini by signing the Rome-Berlin Axis in 1936

Step 1: The Rhineland Under the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was forbidden from entering the Rhineland In March 1936 Hitler’s army occupied the Rhineland France and Britain took no action This lack of response encouraged Hitler to continue

Step 2: Austria Hitler believed that all German-speaking people should be united in a greater Germany The people of Austria spoke German and many of them supported the Nazis Hitler created Anschluss (unity) with Austria by invading it in March 1938

Step 3: The Sudetenland Hitler now demanded control over the German-speaking western part of Czechoslovakia (The Sudetenland) Czechoslovakian leader asked Britain and France for help The British and French prime ministers met Hitler at a conference in Munich There they decided to appease (ignore) Hitler

They allowed him to invade the Sudetenland and he promised not to invade any other territories in return!

Step 4: The rest of Czechoslovakia Within months Hitler invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia to make “living space” for his “master race” Britain and France promised that if Hitler invaded Poland (which seemed to be next on his “living space” list) then they would declare war on Germany

Step 5: Poland Stalin and Hitler made an agreement called the Nazi-Soviet Pact Under the pact they divided Poland between them and agreed not to attack each other for the time being. Hitler was now free to invade Poland, which he did on 1 Sept 1939 Two days later, Britain and France declared war on Germany. WORLD WAR 2 had begun.