2. Nazi Conquest of Europe 1936-1941

3. “I Will Return to Germany what was once German.” Adolf Hitler

4. Occupation of the Rhineland 1936 n German troops re-enter the Rhine in violation of the Versailles Treaty. n French troops do nothing to stop this. n German Generals do not remove Hitler as a result.

5. Anschluss with Austria n German and Austrian Nazi’s force Austria’s government to accept annexation in the spring of 1938. n This ‘bloodless’ coup legitimizes Hitler’s claim to power in Germany.

6. Not all Austrian’s favored the Anschluss…

7. Czechoslovakia 1938-39 n 3 million Germans live in western Czech. n These Sudeten Germans cry out for Germany to save them. n German troops occupy without a struggle.

8. “Czechoslovakia is like a dagger pointed at the heart of Germany, I must have it.”

9. The “Dagger”

10. Munich Conference 1938 Appeasement is born n France, England, and the Czech. Meet with Germans, Italians at Munich. n Chamberlain and Daladier agree to let Hitler keep everything he’s seized if he promises to stop.

11. Hitler was willing to back down had the Allies pushed him at Munich. Their weakness gave Hitler new strength and credibility with his Generals

12. Hitler invades eastern Czech. 1939 Allies warn that the next move will mean war. TOO LITTLE TOO LATE

13. SOVIET - NON AGGRESSION PACT - AUG. 1939 n Hitler and Stalin forge an “alliance of convenience” and seal POLAND’S fate. n Sept. 1, 1939 German troops BLITZKRIEG into Poland.

14. FALL OF THE WEST SPRING OF ‘40 NORWAY NORWAY DENMARK DENMARK HOLLAND HOLLAND BELGIUM BELGIUM LUXEMBOUR G LUXEMBOUR G FRANCE FRANCE

15. Hitler’s greatest moment... Accepting France’s surrender in June of 1940 At the very site of WWI surrender

17. Hitler’s First Tragic Mistake n Allowing the British and Commonwealth troops to escape to England at Dunkirk

18. Hitler’s Second Tragic Mistake n Impatient with England and the failed Battle of Britain n Hitler decides to tear up the Soviet Non- Aggression Pact and launch his armies against the Soviets. n Operation “Barbarrosa”

19. Hitler’s Two Front War n Hitler vowed that he would never make the same mistake that Kaiser Wilhelm made in the first world war that doomed Germany. n Flushed with success and overconfident, Hitler breaks that vow by attacking to the east. n He now had England in the West and the Soviet Union in the East. n The results would be disastrous for Germany

21. Hitler’s Third Fatal Mistake n Declaring war on the U.S. following Pearl Harbor proved disastrous for Germany.

22. The results of waiting “an extra hour” for Germany.