Ch. 27 The Deepening of the European Crisis: World War II Major Concepts: Totalitarian states were able to rearm and expand their territory due to the weak League of Nations. Inability of western Europe to overcome the Great Depression. Fear of another world war.

Prelude to War (1933-1939) FQ: What were Hitler’s foreign policy goals, and what steps did he take to achieve them between 1933 and 1939? How did Japan’s policies lead to war in Asia?

The Role of Hitler Hitler described his firm belief in Lebensraum (living space) and his ideological plans for racial supremacy and empire in Mein Kampf. Hitler viewed the Russian Revolution as an opportunity to acquire more land to the east which would allow German peasants to resettle the land while using the Slavic population as slave labor. Until 1937, traditional conservatives agreed with Hitler’s foreign policy of expansion.

The “Diplomatic Revolution” (1933-1936) “Hitler’s ability to rearm Germany and fulfill his expansionist policies depended initially on whether he could convince others that his intentions were peaceful.” -Spielvogel, p. 829

German Rearmament 1935 – Hitler was convinced Germany could break some of the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles without serious British or French opposition. New air force was created and a military draft would expand Germany’s army from 100,000 to 550,000 troops. Anglo-German Naval Pact allowed Germany to build a navy that would be 35% of the British navy. This started the policy of appeasement.

appeasement The policy, followed by the European nations in the 1930s, of accepting Hitler’s annexation of Austria and Czechoslovakia in the belief that meeting his demands would assure peace and stability.

Occupation of the Rhineland March 7, 1936 – Hitler sent German troops into the demilitarized Rhineland with little fear of any consequences. The British viewed this occupation as reasonable and allowed it to happen without any response.

New Alliances Hitler and Mussolini grew closer after Germany offered support to Italy in Ethiopia and they both supported General Francisco Franco in the Spanish Civil War in 1936. Also in 1936, Japan and Germany signed the Anti-Comintern Pact and agreed to maintain the fight against communism.

The Path to War in Europe (1937-1939) Ongoing Rearmament -planning for a new type of war known as blitzkrieg or “lightning war” -Dramatic increases to air force, tanks, navy and overall enlistment in Nazi Germany.

Union with Austria After threatening Austria with invasion, Hitler was able to force Austrian chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg to appoint an Austrian Nazi in charge of the government. 1937 – Hitler “legally” annexed Austria with little pushback from France and Britain.

Czechoslovakia Germans wanted autonomy for the Sudentenland (mountainous northwestern border area of Czechoslovakia – home to 3 million ethnic Germans. Hitler was interested in Czechoslovakia’s most important frontier defenses and industrial resources of the area. The British, French, Germans, and Italians all met at the Munich Conference (September 29, 1938) where they agreed to nearly all Hitler’s demands without input from the Czechs or Russians. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKA-lhWFbsE (Munich Agreement)

Poland France and Britain started to become more concerned after Hitler’s aggression in Czechoslovakia and looked to the Soviet Union as an unlikely ally. Hitler, however, negotiated his own nonaggression pact with Stalin on August 23, 1939 and paved the way to invade Poland.

The Path to War in Asia Population growth: 1870 – 30 million By 1933, the Japanese Empire included Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), Manchuria, and the Marshall, Caroline, and Mariana Islands. Economy was devastated by the great depression. Population growth: 1870 – 30 million 1933 – 80 million

Japanese Goals in East Asia 1937 – Japanese forces raped and killed thousands of innocent civilians of Nanjing, China. After Germany signed their nonaggression pact with the Soviets, Japan turned their focus toward the Pacific theater where they eventually would go to war with the U.S.