1. Hitler’s Expansion

2. Context
Hitler has eliminated rivals in the military through the Blomberg-Fritsch Affair
Now in a position to execute more aggressive foreign policy
Working towards revision of Versailles, Lebensraum and Generalplan Ost
Order of Attack
Austria 1938
Sudetenland 1938
Rest of Czechoslovakia 1939
Poland 1939
Western Europe 1940
USSR 1941

3. Anschluss, 1938 Had signed an Austro-German agreement in 1936
Secretly gave pro-Nazi politicians a role in the government
1938, Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschniss alarmed by the activities of the Austrian Nazis and requests a meeting with Hitler
Hitler launches into attack

4. Anschluss, 1938 Two hour rant by Hitler, demanding
The release of Nazi agitators
Lifting the formal ban against the Nazi Party
The appointment of Nazi ministers
Assimilation of the two nations
Schuschnigg calls for a plebiscite, but Hitler decides to intervene prior and marches the Wehrmacht into Austria on March 12
Subsequent April vote confirms the incorporation of Austria into the Reich

5. Sudeten Crisis, 1938
Hitler turned his attention to Czechoslovakia, reasons
Hitler considered the Slavs untermenschen
Many Czechs had resisted Austrian rule
Czechoslovakia was an example of successful ethnic blending, which Hitler could not accept
The Sudetenland held a major German demographic
Czechoslovakia was a major supporter of the League and an ally of France and the USSR

7. Sudeten Crisis, 1938
Sudetenland was a natural border provided for the Czechs after WWI which had then been fortified with a strong army
Many of the Sudeten people had resented their fall from the old Austro-Hungarian Empire
Grievances rising as a result of the Depression
Sudeten Germans led by Konrad Heinland, demanding self-determination
Propped up by Hitler, though the Fuhrer at first did not want to use force

8. Sudeten Crisis, 1938 Hitler changed his mind with the May Crisis
Unfounded rumors of German troops massing on the Sudetenland border
Czech, British and French mobilization
Made Hitler seem as if he had backed down
Summer of 1938, began to order further agitation by the Sudeten Germans
Heinland actually granted them self-determination, but Hitler now desired conquest

9. Sudeten Crisis, 1938
British PM Neville Chamberlain now organizes an intervention, desperately trying to avoid the war
Three meetings
Berchtesgaden, Sept 15
Agreed Sudetenland would be transferred to Germany
Godesberg, Sept 22
Hitler furious, looking for an excuse for war
Now insists that the Hungarians and Poles get their own territory as well
Czechs rejected these terms

10. Sudeten Crisis, 1938 Three meetings (cont.) Munich, Sept 29
German occupation
Czechs would be allowed to leave and Germans allowed to enter
Poland was to be given Teschen
Hungary was to be given South Slovakia
Germany would guarantee remaining Czechoslovakian independence
Notes on Munich
Benes nor Stalin invited
Mussolini acting as mediator
Brtain and France told the Czechs they would not be supported unless they accepted the terms

11. Liquidation of Czechoslovakia
Czech Pres. Eduard Benes resigns
Oct. 21, Hitler orders the “liquidation of the remainder of the Czech state”
Czechs had just lost 70% of industry, 66% of population and natural defenses
Hitler urges continued agitation in Czechoslovakia
Czech Pres. Emil Hacha orders troops to suppress uprising
Hitler used this as an excuse to invade the rest of Czechoslovakia on March 15
Britain no longer works with Germany

12. Poland, 1939 Clear that Hitler’s next target is Poland
Part of the TOV that had been greatly resented by the Germans
Particularly West Prussia and the “free city” of Danzig
Germans proposed that the corridor be returned to allow for access to East Prussia
Refused

14. Poland, 1939 Early March, Hitler asks Lithuania to turn over Memel
With no support, Lithuania is forced to accept
March 30, Britain creates a new Anglo-Polish Treaty, pledging assistance
Hitler was furious: “I’ll cook them a stew that they’ll choke on.”
Declared the Anglo-German Naval Agreement and his 1934 Non-Aggression Pact with Poland
Began preparations for Operation White, the limited invasion of Poland

15. Pact of Steel, May 1939
Affirmed the alliance between Hitler and Mussolini
Italy still wary of full-scale conflict and admits it will not be ready for three-four years
Hitler intent on immediate war with Poland

16. Nazi-Soviet Pact
Both the West and Hitler approached Stalin for an alliance
Hitler needs temporary protection against two-front war
Stalin had shown desire to work with the West
Joined the League in 1934, pact with France I 1935
Undone by the Munich Agreement
Now Stalin seeking an alliance with either side for practical reasons
First to an agreement was Hitler in August of 1939
Pledged to remain neutral in a third-party attack
Included secret protocols for the division of Northern and Eastern Europe

20. Nazi-Soviet Pact Why did Hitler sign? Why did Stalin sign?
Now had a free hand in Poland
Assured he will not fight a two-front war
Secured valuable raw materials from the USSR
Why did Stalin sign?
Kept the Soviets out of war – facing the Japanese in the East and the effects of 1937 military purges
Hoped that Germany and the West would weaken one another and he would be left standing
Hoped to get territorial gains – half of Poland, Finland, the Baltics
Mechanical goods from Germany

21. Outbreak of War Hitler did not believe Britain and France would act
Gave a last minute proposal to Britain to leave the Empire alone and agree to later disarmament if the Poles gave up the corridor
Not accepted by either Britain and Poland
Hitler fabricated an attack by Polish nationalists along the German border
Sept. 1, invasion of Poland had begun
Britain presented an ultimatum
With no response, two days later Britain and France declare war on Germany

22. Polish Conflict
Hitler using “blitzkrieg’ style, quickly defeats Poland
Divided up between Germans and Poles at Molotov-Ribbentrop Line
Germans now transport forces to the West
Britain and France did very little until the next spring
Was referred to as the Phoney War

23. Hitler Takes Over Europe
Occupied Denmark and Norwegian ports in April 1940
Attacked Holland, Belgium and France in May 1940
British miracle at Dunkirk to continue fighting
Moved south through France, which surrendered six weeks later
Planned the invasion of Britain, Operation Seal Lion, but needed control of the English Channel
Thwarted by the Royal Air Force in the Battle for Britain throughout the summer of 1940
Switched to the bombing of British cities, which still had limited effect
June 1941, returns to original war aims, invades the Soviet Union