1. War In Europe and American Neutrality
Mr. White’s US History 1

2. Main Ideas and Objectives
Main Idea: As allied leaders sought to avoid war at all costs, Adolf Hitler, Germany, and other aggressive nations expanded their empires through conquest.
After we finish this section, we should be able to:
Evaluate the decisions Allied leaders made to avoid war in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
Describe Germany’s first steps toward expanding its empire and territory.

3. Hitler Wants Austria
In the Treaty of Versailles, it was forbidden for Germany to merge with Austria
Part of Hitler’s stated plan was the unification of all German-speaking people into a German empire – Austria was his first target
The Austrian chancellor, Kurt Schuschnigg, wanted to put this to a plebiscite, or vote of the people – he expected that the people would vote against unification with Germany

4. Rigged
Before the Austrian government could organize the plebiscite, Austrian Nazis seized the government and removed Schuschnigg from power
The Austrian Nazis then handed power over to the Germany Wehrmacht (army)
Wehrmacht entered and occupied Austria
The Germany government then allowed a plebiscite on whether to unify
Germans claimed that over 99% of the Austrian people voted for unification
None of the other European nations responded to this, especially not the League of Nations

5. Hitler Wants the Sudetenland
Hitler charged the government of Czechoslovakia with abusing Germans living in the Sudetenland (dark purple)
Hitler demanded the Sudetenland become part of Germany, or he would invade Czechoslovakia

6. Chamberlain Meets with Hitler
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain (left) met with Hitler to try to work out the problem without war
Hitler was able to convince Chamberlain that the Sudetenland would be his “last territorial demand”
Chamberlain agreed that Hitler gets the Sudetenland
Chamberlain was proud to have avoided war, claimed “peace in our time.”

7. Appeasement
Another politician in the United Kingdom, Winston Churchill, thought Chamberlain made a bad decision to “appease” Hitler
Churchill thought this would only make Hitler bolder, not satisfy him
Do you agree or disagree? Why?

8. Nazi Aggression Begins
German armies took over the rest of Czechoslovakia
The German armies used new mobile weapons of warfare such as tanks and airplanes to attack weak spots in the opposition’s defenses
Czechoslovakia was quickly subdued

9. Hitler’s Designs on Poland
Poland was a nation that had been created by the Treaty of Versailles, and part of it had been carved out of Germany
As all things with the Treaty of Versailles, Hitler considered it invalid, and began to call for the invasion of Poland
However, the Soviet Union also had an interest in Poland, as it lay between Germany and them

10. The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
Hitler and Stalin of the Soviet Union signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
This was a non-aggression pact – both agreed to not attack each other
They also agreed to respect each others’ claims to territory in Poland
Hitler now knew he could invade Poland without having to worry about the Soviet Union

11. Hitler Invades Poland
Hitler’s SS staged an attack against a German radio transmitter, made to look like an attack by Polish saboteurs
Hitler used this and other staged violence to accuse Poland of attacks on Germany and Germans living in Polish territory
In September of 1939, the German army invaded Poland
The Poles fought valiantly, but…
From the east, the Soviets invaded, as well, and Polish resistance quickly collapsed

12. Declaration of War, Sitzkrieg
Immediately following Hitler’s invasion of Poland, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany, in support of their protective treaty with Poland
French and British troops massed in France, but what followed as a period of very little fighting along the border of France nicknamed the “Sitzkrieg”

13. The Maginot Line
After moving forces back from Poland, Germany attacked France
France had planned to rely on the formidable Maginot line, a system of fortifications along their border with Germany, to protect them
The Germans simply went through Belgium, bypassing the Maginot Line

14. Germany Defeats France
Within several months, French high military command decided that resistance to the Germans was no longer useful
The French surrendered to Germany
Germany allowed France to set up a puppet government in southern France known as the Vichy government

15. The Evacuation at Dunkirk
During the Battle of France, a large force of English and French troops was cornered against the English Channel
British used fishing boots, people’s yachts, ocean liners, cargo boats, etc., to ferry troops from the beach of Dunkirk to England
Over 300,000 men are evacuated from France and saved from capture

16. Battle of Britain After defeating France, Hitler turned to England
To attack England, Germany had to cross the English channel, but first had to take out the British Royal Air Force
After a long air battle in which it appeared that Germany might win, the British gradually defeated the Germans
Hitler called off his invasion of England

17. American Neutrality Through all this, United States remained neutral
President Roosevelt and Congress passed the Neutrality Acts, outlawing arms sales to nations at war or in civil wars
Americans were still very much against getting involved in a European war

18. Main Ideas and Objectives
Main Idea: As allied leaders sought to avoid war at all costs, Adolf Hitler, Germany, and other aggressive nations expanded their empires through conquest.
After we finish this section, we should be able to:
Evaluate the decisions Allied leaders made to avoid war in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
Describe Germany’s first steps toward expanding its empire and territory.