Section 1 Hitler’s Lightning War Chapter 32 World War II Section 1 Hitler’s Lightning War

Rise of Hitler Hitler joined new political group that wants to overturn Treaty of Versailles Called National Socialist German Workers’ Party (aka Nazism) First attempt to take over Germany in 1923 fails, goes to jail for 5 years for treason

Cont Writes Mein Kampf in jail Hitler’s beliefs and goals for Germany Burned down the Reichstag, blamed Communists 1933, becomes chancellor (legally), call him Der Furher formed the SS (Schutztaffel), they killed hundreds of Hitler enemies Gestapo – secret police

Cont Used propaganda to build a following Burned books that went against Nazi beliefs Used Jews as scapegoats for all Germany’s troubles

Rise of Mussolini Benito Mussolini (Fascist) marches on Rome in October 1922 Fascism promotes extreme nationalism Demand to put Mussolini in charge Mussolini is called Il Duce

Testing the League In 1935, Italy took over Ethiopia Ethiopia appeals to the League of Nations, which does nothing Hitler takes control of the Rhineland Buffer zone between Germany and France that the Treaty didn’t allow Germany to go into League of Nations does nothing Using appeasement: give into demands to maintain peace

Cont Hitler and Mussolini form alliance called the Axis Powers in 1936 Hitler starts calling Germany the Third Reich (German Empire) Hitler moves army into Austria, annexes it Moves army into the Sudetenland (part of Czechoslovakia) Hold the Munich Conference where British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, uses appeasement

Cont At Munich Hitler promised to not take anymore land, 6 months later he took the rest of Czechoslovakia Mussolini takes Albania Hitler signs a ten year nonaggression pact with Joseph Stalin (leader of USSR, replaced Lenin)

Germany’s Lightning Attack Part of nonaggression pact was that Germany and USSR would split Poland In September 1939, German troops invade Poland with new war strategy called blitzkrieg Lightning war 2 days following Poland’s invasion, France and Britain declare war on Germany Before France and GB can do anything Poland is divided up

The Soviets Make Their Move Gets eastern part of Poland Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia fall without struggle, Finland does USSR to many troops (largest in world), takes down Finland

The Phony War France and Britain station their troops on the Maginot Line Defense border between France and Germany Hitler launches surprise attack into Denmark and Norway in April 1940 4 hours after attack, Denmark falls 2 months later Norway falls

Fall of France Hitler then takes Netherlands, Luxembourg Allied troops pinned in Dunkirk Using 850 ships, the British rescue 338,000 soldiers June 14, 1940 Paris falls June 22, 1940 France surrenders Charles de Gaulle sets up the Free French military and an exile gov’t in London

Battle of Britain Now Great Britain stands alone Winston Churchill is their prime minister Promising never to surrender, they take on huge air strikes from the Luftwaffe

Cont London gets hit hard, but Britain never surrenders Britain used radar and a German code breaking machine called Enigma to hold off Germany

Axis Forces Attack North Africa Mussolini goes into Egypt, but gets pushed back by Britain Hitler sends Erwin Rommel, the Desert Fox, to save his Axis partner The Desert Fox pushes the British back

The War in the Balkans Threatening force, Hitler convinces Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary to join Axis Powers Invade Greece and Yugoslavia Greece falls in 11 days Yugoslavia falls in 17

Hitler Invades Soviet Union Invasion of Soviet Union is called Operation Barbarossa Starts June 1941 Germany pushes USSR back 500 miles Stalin issues scorched earth policy Nazis surround Leningrad, cut off all supply lines, destroy food warehouses People start to eat cow and horse feed, then cats and dogs, then crows and rats 1 million people die in Leningrad, but they refused to fall

Cont Hitler is impatient and starts to go after Moscow Like with Napoleon, German troops aren’t prepared for winter and are going to get pushed back in 1943 Germans lose 500,000 lives in attack on Moscow

The US Aids its Allies 1935-1937 US passes Neutrality Acts Can’t sell arms or lend money to nations at war 1941, pass Lend Lease Act President can lend or lease arms to nations vital to our defense