1. Nazi Expansion and the Start of WWII

2. Treaty Of Versailles – Effect on Germany (BRAT)
Blame for WWI
Reparations created economic hardship
Allowed very small Defensive Army
No weapons development!
Lost Territory (Alsace and Lorraine, area to the east etc.)

3. How did Hitler Violate the Treaty?
1. Stopped Reparations payments in the Depression.
2. Built a New Army – in secret
Developed new Weapons (in secret)
The R.A.D. – See film example.
Tanks = “Tractors”
Airplanes = “Gliders”

4. The Search for “Lebensraum”
1937
The Search for “Lebensraum”
Lebensraum = Room to live!
Hitler felt that “'... in order to remain healthy, species must continually expand the amount of space they occupy ...‘” –from Mein Kampf
Called for the Germanic people of the world to unite, and that they needed territory in which to live.

5. Lebensraum - Anschluss
Hitler called for unification of German speaking people!
Annexed Austria - Anschluss = Unification
Europe agreed, since Austria was very much like Germany.
Austria was Hitler’s home.

6. From Anschluss to Appeasement
September 1938
From Anschluss to Appeasement
Hitler demanded the Sudetenland.
Sudetenland = Mostly German speaking area of Czechoslovakia.
Czechs resisted.
Representative of Britain, France, Italy, and Germany met in Munich Conference.
Agreed to give Germany the Sudetenland in exchange for peace

7. Danzig and the Polish Corridor
October 1938
Danzig and the Polish Corridor
Hitler demanded Danzig back – port city – Lost during World War I
Demanded the “Polish Corridor” – between Ger. and E. Prussia
The world sat back and appeased Hitler.

8. Demanded Territory back!

9. The Nazi-Soviet Pact
Germany and Russia made a Non-aggression pact – not an alliance.
Neither side would attack the other.

10. Secret Perks of the Agreement
blocked the Soviets from entering a war against Germany,
and split Poland between the two countries.

11. Poland – Result of Pact
To Germany

12. Adolf Hitler had been a soldier in WWI
Adolf Hitler had been a soldier in WWI. He thought carefully about the reasons why Germany had lost that war. What ideas do you think he came up with?

13. Hitler learned lessons from WWI
Avoid “Two Front” War
How?
Avoid trench warfare
“War of Attrition”
New Tactics
Used latest military technology – airplane, tank, new weaponry

14. Blitzkrieg – ‘lightning war’
Why was Blitzkrieg so successful?

15. “Blitz” in Football?

16. How did Blitzkrieg work?
Luftwaffe (Air force) attacked airfields etc
Parachutists dropped behind enemy
Capture bridges, HQs, Cause Chaos,
Dive bombers, tanks & motorized infantry attack main points.
(Lastly) Infantry occupied and secured captured areas.

17. How did the Nazis use Blitzkrieg across Europe?
Poland
1 Sept. 1939, Germany invaded Poland
Polish outgunned (1 tank brigade and horses against 11 German, 210 aircraft against 850 German)
GB & Fr enter war 3 September 1939

18. How did the Nazis use Blitzkrieg in Europe?
France, Belgium & Holland
May 1940, Nazis attack western Europe
By-passed French Maginot Line
Panzer divisions attacked through Ardennes Forest, S. Belgium
French & BEF forced to retreat to coast -Dunkirk

19. Why were these strategies so successful?
Element of surprise – Allies expected ‘war of attrition’ similar to WWI
French placed too much trust in defences, e.g. Maginot Line
Maginot Line – why do you think the French placed so much trust in this line of defences?

20. Hitler looks to England!
Battle of Britain – RAF (Royal Air Force) defends England against the Luftwaffe. – The “Blitz” puts England under almost constant attacks for 6 months or more.

21. Canceled Invasion Operation Sea Lion – cancelled invasion of England.
German breaks Nazi-Soviet Pact instead!
Shift of focus to East – more to come in Chapter 14.