 The Treaty of Versailles left Germans Extremely dissatisfied.  Did not prevent them from growing into a powerful State  League of Nations did not have the resources to defend against aggressors  ( Japan/ Manchuria, Italy/ Abyssinia and Later Germany)  Led to a policy of Appeasement ( Making pacts with dictators in order to satisfy their demands with out going to war

 Many British people agreed with Hitler that the Treaty of Versailles was unfair.  Hitler attacked communists and unionist an idea which many of British conservatives shared  Many British people wanted peace.  Many people in Britain felt that events in Europe were not Britain's business.  Believed a strong Germany would stop westward expansion of communism

 In order to do this he believed he must achieve three secondary objectives  Destroy the Treaty of Versailles  Expand German territory.  Destroy Communism

 Disarmament would be broken by building of Air Force, Navy, and Army  League issued Stresa Front ( A strongly worded protest to Germanys rearmament)  The allies did not follow through on their threats  After the failure of the Stresa Front lead to the signing of a mutual assistance pack between Soviet Russia, France, and Czechoslovakia

 Germanys western Frontier would reinforced by remilitarizing the Rhineland Region  The French and British did nothing to stop the Germans.

 Hitler believed Germans needed more Lebensraum (living space)  The only way to do this was to expand eastward into Russia and Poland.  He had a desire to unite all German speakers into the Reich (A central European empire)  German boundaries would now spread into Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland

 The menace of Russia hangs over Germany. All our strength is needed to rescue our nation from this international snake.  Hitler, Mein Kampf (1924)

 The Nazis were Fascists the exact opposite of the Russian Communists  Hitler blamed the Communists for Germany's defeat in World War One, and he feared that the Communists were trying to take over Germany.  Anti-Comintern Pact signed by Germany, Italy and Japan. Each pledges to support the others in conflicts against communism.

 SAAR PLEBISCITE  Conscription and Re-Armament  Rhineland  Austria  Munich  Czechoslovakia  USSR/Nazi Pact  Poland

 he Treaty of Versailles had put the Saar under the control of the League of Nations for 15 years.  In 1935 the inhabitants of the Saar voted to return to Germany.  The Saar plebiscite is cited by many historians as the first step to war.

 Hitler began to build up his armed forces. In 1935 he introduced conscription (calling up men to the army).  This broke the Treaty of Versailles, but Britain and France let him get away with it.

 Hitler invaded the Rhineland on 7 March This broke the Treaty of Versailles.  It was a bluff – the German army had only 22,000 soldiers and had orders to retreat if they met any resistance.  But once again, Britain and France did nothing.

 In 1938, Hitler took over Austria.  First, Hitler encouraged the Austrian Nazis to demand union with Germany.  Then Hitler invaded Austria (11 March 1938).  This broke the Treaty of Versailles but once again Britain and France did nothing.

 In 1938, Hitler tried to take over the Sudetenland( German Speaking region of Czechoslovakia).  First, Hitler encouraged the Sudeten Nazis to demand union with Germany.  Then, Hitler made plans to invade Czechoslovakia.  Neville Chamberlain (French Prime Minister) appeased Hitler. At Munich, on 29 September 1938, Britain and France gave Hitler the Sudetenland.

 On 15 March 1939, Hitler’s troops marched into the rest of Czechoslovakia.  This, for most British people, was the time when they realized that the only thing that would stop Hitler was a war.

 In summer 1939, Hitler began to unfold his plan to take over Poland.  First, the Germans in Danzig demanded union with Germany. Then, Hitler threatened war.  Chamberlain promised the Poles that Britain would support them if Germany attacked Poland.  In August 1939, Hitler made a secret treaty with Russia. He thought this would stop Britain & France helping Poland.

 In April 1939, Chamberlain announced the 'Polish Guarantee' - a promise to defend Poland if Hitler invaded (this was the event which ended appeasement).  On 1 September 1939, Hitler invaded Poland.  On 3 September 1939, Chamberlain declared war on Germany.

 In 1939, he invited Lord Halifax, the British Foreign Secretary to go to Russia to discuss an alliance against Germany.  with war in Poland looming, the British eventually sent an official. He travelled by slow boat. He did not have authority to make any decisions, and had to refer every question back to London.  Russians asked if they could send troops into Poland if Hitler invaded.  The British refused. The talks broke down.

 In August 1939, Hitler sent Nazi Officials to russian.Theye offered a Nazi-Soviet alliance – Russia and Germany would not go to war, but would divide Poland between them  Stalin knew Hitler was lying, but he did not trust the British either – the Munich Agreement had convinced him that Britain and France would never dare to go to war with Hitler.

 Stalin had two choices:  If he made an alliance with Britain, he would end up fighting a war with Hitler over Poland.  If he made an alliance with Germany, he would get half of Poland, and time to prepare for the coming war with Germany.  He chose the latter. On 23 August 1939, he signed the Pact with Hitler.