1. The Road to War Canadian History 1201 March 2005

2. The Road to War zRearmament zRhineland….March 1936 zAustria…..March 1938 zSudetenland…Sept 1938 (MUNICH) zCzechoslovakia…March 1939 zNazi-Soviet Pact…August 1939 zPoland…Sept 1, 1939

3. Rearmament zHitler promised to make Germany a world power zRestore previous military strength zBegan to rearm in the mid-30s (army/airforcearmy/airforce/tanks/ tactics) zUnemployment dropped from 6 million in 1931 to just over 1 million by 1937

4. March ’36…Rhineland zPrior to WWI & Versailles it belonged to Germany but following WW1 it became a DMZ under League of Nation control (occupied by allied troops) zHitler was determined to get it back & in March 1936 he peacefully invaded. zIt was the first outright violation of the Versailles Treaty zThe first instance of the appeasement policy(…. more later).

5. March ’38…Austria zHitler wanted all Germans living within new German state…..the Reich. zAnschluss (Union) zHitler argued that many Germans lived in Austria so it should be part of Germany. zMarch ’38 Nazi forces entered Austria. zBritain & France did nothing…..didn’t want to risk another war.

7. March ’38…Austria

8. Sept ’38…Sudetenland zNorthwestern Czechoslovakia (3 million German speaking people living there). zHeavy industry & defenses zCzechs wanted to fight but Britain & France would not support them zMunich Agreement allowed Germany to have the Sudetenland

10. Sept ’38…Munich Agreement zBritain, France, Germany met in Munich & decided to give away the Sudetenland zHoped to save the world from war zCzechs were not invited z“Peace in our Time” zAppeasement zHitler promised no more demands for territory.

11. Sept ’38…Munich Agreement

13. March ’39…Czechoslovakia zBritain, France, stood by as Germany occupied all of Czechoslovakia zMunich Agreement was broken by Hitler

14. August ’39…Nazi-Soviet Pact zPromise by both not to attack each other in the event of war zSecretly agreed to divide Poland zGermany now could plan for war against Britain & France zEastern border secure from Soviet attack

15. Sept ’39…Invasion of Poland zHitler demanded Polish Corridor be handed back to Germany zPoland refused zGermany invaded using “Blitzkrieg” zBritain & France came to Poland’s aid & declared war on Sept 3, 1939

16. August ’39…Nazi-Soviet Pact

17. August ’39…Nazi-Soviet Pact

18. August ’39…Nazi-Soviet Pact

19. August ’39…Nazi-Soviet Pact