1. Crisis and Conflict Chapter 4: War in Europe An Enquiry Approach to Modern World History Secondary 3

2. In a nutshell   After World War I (1914-18), there was a widespread desire to avoid another war.   Many efforts were made to establish international peace. Nevertheless, World War II (1939-45) broke out.   Who was to blame? 2 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006

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5. Causes of WW2 1. Hitler’s foreign policy and actions 2. Failures of League of Nations 3. Appeasement 4. Nazi-Soviet Pact 5. Invasion of Poland 5 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006

6. 6 Why was peace threatened in the 1930s? (part 1) What were the immediate causes of World War II in Europe? (part 2) Events in the 1930s that made Europe a less peaceful place and war a greater possibility Events in 1939 that triggered the war Causes of War in Europe

7. 7 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Hitler’s foreign policy and actions  Once Hitler came to power in 1933, he pursued a very aggressive foreign policy that threatened the peace in Europe.  His foreign policy aims included:

8. 8 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006  The Treaty was unfair as it was designed to keep Germany weak.  Hitler wanted to make the military strong and regain the land that was lost.  To achieve this, he had to break the terms of the Treaty. 1. To break the Treaty of Versailles

9. 9 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 E.g.1 Rearmament  In 1933, Hitler pulled Germany out of the League of Nations and began rearming Germany.  In 1935, Hitler increased the size of the army to 550,000 men, and reintroduced conscription for all male citizens. Production of arms such as battle planes and warships also increased sharply.

10. 10 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Aggressive rearmament: In 1933, Hitler announced that he was increasing the size of the army from 100 000 to 300 000 men. In 1935, he increased the size of the army to 550 000 men. Illustration showing rearmament in Germany during the 1930s. What does it tell you about the changes in Germany at that time?

11. 11 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Conscription: Hitler reintroduced compulsory military service for all male citizens in 1935.

12. 12 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 E.g.2 Remilitarization of the Rhineland   Hitler sent troops into the Rhineland in March 1936. .  This broke the Treaty of Versailles. It was a bluff – the German army was not ready for war and had orders to retreat if they met any resistance. But, Britain and France did nothing.

13. Link 1 (why destroying Versailles was important to Hitler)  By destroying Versailles, Hitler was able to make Germany a strong military power again.  This would strengthen the defense of Germany, and restore her prestige and reputation in the world community. 13 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006

14. Link 2 (why breaking Versailles led to outbreak of war)  Thus, Hitler’s policy to destroy TOV threaten the stability of Europe and forced other countries to rearm and get ready for war.  This increased tension between Germany and her neighbours, making war more likely. 14 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006

15. 15 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006  Hitler wanted to create a Greater Germany uniting all lands containing German-speaking people, esp. Austria. Hitler also felt that Germany’s growing population needed more lebensraum or living space. So he had to get the land by conquering countries in eastern Europe such as Poland, Czechoslovakia and Russia.Hitler also felt that Germany’s growing population needed more lebensraum or living space. So he had to get the land by conquering countries in eastern Europe such as Poland, Czechoslovakia and Russia. He believed that the Aryan race was genetically superior and destined to rule over others. So Germany had the right to invade eastern Europe and make the Slav peoples (such as the Poles and the Russians) their slaves.He believed that the Aryan race was genetically superior and destined to rule over others. So Germany had the right to invade eastern Europe and make the Slav peoples (such as the Poles and the Russians) their slaves. 2. To expand German territory

16. 16 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 2. To expand German territory

17. 17 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006  Hitler wanted Austria to unite with Germany although the Treaty of Versailles forbade a political union (or Anschluss in German) between these two countries.  Hitler encouraged the Nazi Party in Austria to stir up trouble for the government. E.g.1 Anschluss

18. 18 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006  In March 1938, German troops marched across the border into Austria.  Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg was pressured to resign.  The League of Nations protested but took no action. E.g.1 Anschluss

19.   In Sep 1938, Hitler bullied France and Britain into giving him the Sudetenland, a part of Czechoslovakia, in order to protect the German- speaking people living there.   In March 1939, Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia and took control.   In Sep 1939: Hitler invaded Poland and provoked the Second World War 19 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 E.g.2 Invasion of Czechoslovakia and Poland

20. 20 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Link 1 (why expanding German territory was important to Hitler)   When the German territory was expanded, it meant that Germany had more resources, which would boost the Germany economy, and it increased Germany’s prestige among other nations.

21. 21 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Link 2 (why expanding German territory led to war)   Expanding German territory increased hostility among the other nations because their peace and security was threatened by Germany and thus it led to war.

22. 22 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Summary of Hitler’s actions/ aims  1935 - Rearmament (Destroy TOV)  1936 - Remilitarization of the Rhineland (Destroy TOV)  1938 - Anschluss with Austria (Expand territory – create a Greater Germany)  1938 - The occupation of the Sudetenland (Expand territory – create a Greater Germany)  1939 - The invasion of Czechoslovakia (Expand territory – Lebensraum)  1939 - The invasion of Poland (Expand territory – Lebensraum)

23. 23 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 3. To fight Communism  Hitler hated Communist ideology and wanted to conquer Soviet Union to destroy Communism.  E.g. Hitler blamed the Communists for Germany's defeat in World War One, and he feared that the Communists were trying to take over Germany.  Also, the Soviet Union had vast lands and Hitler believed that the superior German race would be able to farm the land better than the “inferior people of the East” Ba ck Ba ck

24. 24 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Link 1 (why defeating communism was important to Hitler)   Prove supremacy of Nazism over Communism and enhance prestige of Hitler over Stalin

25. 25 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Link 2 (why defeating communism led to war)   Not needed

26. 26 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Failure of the League of Nations The League of Nations was too weak to maintain peace in the 1930s a. a.Failure to stop aggression by major powers b. b.Failure to make countries disarm

27. 27 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 a. Failure to stop aggression  E.g. Abyssinian Crisis (1935-36): Mussolini wanted to increase Italian influence in Abyssinia and made plans to invade it. Abyssinia asked the League of Nations for help.  The League had a long debate before deciding to ban the sale of rubber and metal to Italy. But this was not fully implemented as no country wanted a war with Italy and there were fears that any ban would also affect their own economies.  As a result, Italy completed its takeover of Abyssinia in May 1936 without opposition to its aggression.

28. Impact?  League’s failure to stop aggression made it look weak and powerless. It became clear that if a strong nation was prepared to go against the League, the League could do nothing about it.  This encouraged aggression from ambitious countries like Nazi Germany and threatened international peace 28 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006

29. 29 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006  The League tried but failed to encourage countries to disarm.  E.g.1 1932 Disarmament Conference. Countries like France refused to disarm out of fear of Germany. Hitler declared that if other countries did not disarm, then Germany had the right to build up its armed forces. So Hitler pulled out of Conference and began rearming Germany.  E.g.2 Anglo-German Naval Treaty 1935. Britain helped Germany break the Treaty of Versailles by signing an agreement that allowed Germany to build a navy one-third of the size of Britain's Navy. b. Failure to carry out disarmament Ba ck Ba ck

30. Impact?  League’s failure over disarmament led to arms race in Europe and increased hostility between countries, making war more likely. 30 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006

31. 31 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006  By the mid 1930s, the members of the League of Nations no longer believed that it could protect countries that were being attacked.  Efforts at collective security had failed.  The League officially ended in 1946. The League of Nations was too weak to maintain peace in the 1930s

32. 32 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Ba ck Ba ck The League of Nations was too weak to maintain peace in the 1930s Which one of these reasons do you think illustrates the League’s greatest weakness?

33. 33 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Reasons for failure of League of Nations to maintain peace in 1930s   Self-interest of leading members like Britain and France  neither was prepared to abandon their self- interest in times of crisis to support the League. E.g. Anglo-German Naval Treaty, Hoare-Laval Pact   Absence of leading countries like USA, the richest and most powerful country in the world. Impact?   Ineffective punishments: moral condemnation and economic sanctions did not work

34. 34 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Reasons for failure of League of Nations to maintain peace in 1930s   Lack of army: could not protect countries from attack   Decisions were slow: the League met too infrequently and took too long to make decisions. This paralyzed the League, making it difficult to act decisively in a crisis.   Treaty of Versailles was seen as too harsh: made some countries unwilling to resist Hitler when he started to break the terms of the Treaty

35. 35 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 The policy of appeasement  One main reason for the failure of collective security was the policy of appeasement.  Appeasement means the practice of avoiding war by giving in to the aggressive demands made by a country. Neville Chamberlain, the British PM most closely associated with appeasement.

36. 36 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Reasons for adopting policy of appeasement To buy time Britain hoped appeasement would give it some time to modernize its armies. The German army on the other hand had been growing steadily. Lack of US support US policy of isolation meant that Britain and France were left to face the threat of Germany alone. Economic problems The British economy had been damaged by World War I and Great Depression. Its efforts at rebuilding its economy would be destroyed by another war. Memories of World War I Britain was keen to avoid another war that would cause millions of lives. Fear of Communism Most Britons felt that a strong Germany would prevent the spread of Communism, which to them was a greater threat. Attitudes towards the Treaty of Versailles Most Britons felt that the Treaty had been too harsh on Germany.

37. 37 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 How appeasement worked  The Sudetenland Crisis of 1938 is the key example of appeasement in action.  Three million Germans were living in the Sudetenland area, near the Western borders of Czechoslovakia.  In 1938, Hitler encouraged Germans in Sudetenland to demand a union with Hitler's Germany. The Czech government refused. Hitler threatened war.

38. 38 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 The Munich Agreement Anxious to avoid war, British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain made three trips to speak to Hitler. First visit:   Hitler threatened to go to war with Czechoslovakia if the Sudetenland was not given to Germany.   Chamberlain was so keen to avoid war that he agreed to see what concessions he could persuade the Czech government to make.

39. 39 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Second visit:  Chamberlain offered to transfer to Germany all those parts of Sudetenland where more than fifty per cent of the inhabitants were German.  Hitler however threatened to go to war again if Sudetenland was not transferred to Germany immediately. Third visit:  Final meeting, Munich, 29 Sep  Signing of Munich Agreement: without asking Czechoslovakia - Britain and France gave the Sudetenland to Germany.

40. 40 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006  For Hitler, this was a great triumph as he made important territorial gains without fighting.  In fact it only served to encourage him further.  For Chamberlain, this seemed like proof that appeasement worked.  For the Czechs, it was a great disaster and the first step towards their annihilation. The Munich Agreement Ba ck Ba ck

41. 41 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Effect of appeasement   Appeasement encouraged Hitler to become more aggressive and take over more countries as he knew that Britain and France were unwilling to stop him.   This increasing aggression would threaten the peace and stability in Europe, making war more likely.

42. 42 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 A cartoon by the British cartoonist David Low appeared in the Evening Standard newspaper in July 1936. Hitler goose-steps across the ‘spineless leaders of democracy’ towards his goal: ’Boss of the Universe’. The first 3 steps are labelled ‘Rearmament’, ‘Rhineland’ and ‘Danzig’. What is the message of this cartoon?

43. 43 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Interpretation: thumbing one’s nose: a sign of contempt. goose-step: German army march – growth of German military spineless leaders of democracy: leaders of western democracies giving way to Hitler Rhineland, Rearmament: examples of appeasement Message Author is warning that Hitler needed to be confronted, or he would continue trying to take over more countries.

44. 44 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 A Hitler is THE LIAR “The Sudetenland is the last problem that must be solved and it will be solved. It is the last claim which I have to make in Europe. The aims of our foreign policy are limited. We only want to save the German people. Ten million Germans have been living outside the frontiers of the Reich. These were Germans who wanted to return to the Reich as their homeland.” Hitler making a speech in 1938 In March 1939, Hitler went back on his promises and invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia, which are not occupied by German speaking people.

45. 45 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Britain ended the policy of appeasement The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact Hitler’s invasion of Poland What were the immediate causes of World War II in Europe?

46. 46 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 end of appeasement  Britain and France had been rearming for some time in the event that appeasement fails.  The German invasion of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 finally convinced them that Hitler could not be trusted.  More aggressive action was needed to deal with Hitler.  Poland looked likely to be the next victim. Hitler wanted to reunite East Prussia with Germany by taking the Polish Corridor.  In March 1939, Britain and France signed an agreement with Poland promising to go to its aid if Germany was to invade. Ba ck Ba ck

47. 47 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact  Hitler’s next target was Poland, particularly the Polish corridor and Danzig. the Polish corridor and Danzig.  But he was wary of the possible interference from the USSR.  Stalin was wary of German aggression, but attempts to reach a deal with Britain and France failed.

48. 48 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact  On 23 August 1939, Germany and USSR signed the Nazi- Soviet Non-Aggression Pact. Terms of the Pact:  The USSR was to stay neutral in any war between Germany and Poland.  Secret clause: Both agreed to divide Poland between them.  Germany took western Poland, while the USSR took eastern Poland that it had lost at the end of World War I.

49. 49 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact  The world was amazed by this alliance of enemies. Why did Stalin sign?  Stalin did not believe Hitler would keep his word, but he needed time to build up his forces against future German attack.  Stalin would have to go to war if he allied with Britain and France, but could have half of Poland without a war if he allied with Hitler.  It was a marriage of convenience, until Hitler broke his promise and invaded Russia in 1941.

50. 50 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006  The Nazi-Soviet pact allowed Hitler to risk a war with Britain and France, knowing that he did not have to fight the Russians in the Eastern Front at the same time.  As such, this pact released Hitler to attack Poland in 1939, leading to the outbreak of WW2. Ba ck Ba ck Impact of the Nazi-Soviet Pact

51. 51 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Source 17, p.166

52. 52 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006

53. 53 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Hitler’s invasion of Poland  The Nazi-Soviet pact cleared the way for Germany’s invasion of Poland.  On 1 Sep 1939, Germany invaded Poland from the west. Hitler was confident Britain and France would continue their policy of appeasement.  This time Britain and France kept their promise to Poland and declared war on Germany. Ba ck Ba ck

54. 54 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Effect of invasion of Poland  By invading Poland, Hitler had taken one gamble too many and forced Britain and France to stand up to Hitler. So the invasion of Poland was the trigger that sparked off WW2.

55. 55 Crisis and Conflict: War in Europe Copyright 2006 Causes of World War II in Europe Hitler’s foreign policy Economic problems Appeasement Failure of the League of Nations to stop aggression by other countries Ways World War II could have been avoided A fairer Treaty of Versailles? Join forces with the USSR? Fight Hitler while he was still weak? Support collective security in the League? to stop rearmament Summary