The War in Europe

Lebensraum

• Third Reich’s future depended on Lebensraum

• Set sights on Austria and Czechoslovakia

Union with Austria

• Hitler meets with Austrian Chancellor-Kurt von Schushnigg

• Hitler is demanding and angry with him

• Demands Schushnigg appoint Nazis to Austrian govmt

• Schushnigg eventually agrees

Union with Austria

• On return home-Schuschnigg changes his mind

• Informed Hitler

Union with Austria

• Schuschnigg forced to resign

• Germany announced Anschluss or union with Austria was complete

Bargaining for the Sudetenland

• Hitler then turns to Czechoslovakia

• Sudetenland-northern Czech. Along German border

Bargaining for the Sudetenland

• Hitler said Czechs were abusing Sudeten Germans

• Began massing troops on Czech border

Bargaining for the Sudetenland

• Hitler invites French Prime Minister and British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain to Munich Germany

• Hitler promised Sudetenland would be his last territorial demand

Bargaining for the Sudetenland

• French and British PMs believe Hitler

• Sept. 30, 1938 sign Munich Pact

Bargaining for the Sudetenland

• “My friends…there has come back from Germany peace with honor. I believe it is peace in our time.”

– Neville Chamberlain

Bargaining for the Sudetenland

• Winston Churchill-

Soviets Declare Neutrality

• An attack on Poland would also provoke a declaration of war from France and Britain-both promised military aid to Poland

Soviets Declare Neutrality

• Stalin decides that he has more to lose than to gain in a war against Germany

Soviets Declare Neutrality

• Nonaggression Pact- Soviet Union and Germany would not fight each other

Blitzkrieg in Poland

• September 1, 1939-Germany invades Poland

• 1st test of new Germany military strategy-Blitzkrieg

Blitzkrieg in Poland

• Britain and France declare war on Germany on Sept. 3

• Blitzkrieg worked

Blitzkrieg in Poland

• During the last week of fighting-the Soviet Union attacks Poland from the east

The Phony War

• Quiet for the next few months

• French and British stayed behind Maginot Line

The Phony War

• Germans stayed in Germany

• Quiet broken by Soviets

The Phony War

• April 9, 1940 Germany invades Denmark and Norway

• Then Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg-overrun by May

Fall of France

• Allied British and French forces outnumbered and outgunned

Fall of France

• Italy enters war on side of Germans and invades southern France

Fall of France

• Nazis occupy northern 2/3 of France

Fall of France

• French general Charles de Gaulle flees to Britain

Battle of Britain

• Nazis assemble an invasion fleet along the French coast in preparation for invasion of Britain

Battle of Britain

• German Luftewaffe begins bombing British cities

Battle of Britain

• British Royal Air Force(RAF) fight excellently