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World War II and Post-War Europe

World War II and Post-War Europe. -Key Concepts-. I. Hitler’s Foreign Policy Goals. Made clear in Mein Kampf --The Third Reich More than just a revision of the Treaty of Versailles The need for “lebensraum” The vast spaces of Russia were his target.

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World War II and Post-War Europe

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  1. World War II and Post-War Europe -Key Concepts-

  2. I. Hitler’s Foreign Policy Goals • Made clear in Mein Kampf --The Third Reich • More than just a revision of the Treaty of Versailles • The need for “lebensraum” • The vast spaces of Russia were his target

  3. II. Economic and Social Stability through Expansion • Domestic economic policy fit his foreign policy • Territorial Expansion came to be seen as an economic “safety valve” • Aggressive Foreign Policy was undertaken to avoid domestic difficulties

  4. III. Revising the Treaty of Versailles • Allies came to believe that the Treaty was unworkable by the mid-1930’s • Rebuilding of German Army (March, 1935 radio address) • Formation of the German Airforce: Luftwaffe

  5. IV. Revising the Treaty of Versailles (cont) • Reinstating Draft to form an army of 36 divisions—500,000 men • Remilitarization of the Rhineland (March, 1936) • French merely lodged a protest with the League of Nations

  6. V. Aggressive Italian Foreign Policy • Invasion of Ethiopia (October, 1935) • Aid to General Franco fighting the Spanish Civil War • The Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis (October, 1936)

  7. VI. The “Anschluss” • The unification of Austria and Germany • German troops march into Austria (March, 1938) • Seems to be an example of Wilsonian self-determination

  8. VI. The “Anschluss” (cont) • No European power was willing to risk war over such a popular invasion • Germany now included territory that had never been a part of the whole Reich • Hitler was triumphant and more confident than ever

  9. 1938 British Cartoon after the “Anschluss”

  10. VII. Czechoslovakia and the Policy of Appeasement • Eastern Europe began to clamor for protection • Hitler eyed the Sudetenland with desire • Czechoslovakia has a treaty with France • Policy of Appeasement was especially tragic in the case of Czechoslovakia

  11. VII. Czechoslovakia and Appeasement (cont) • Very tense moment for Europe (September, 1938) --British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain • The Munich Agreement (September 30, 1938) • Hitler marches into Prague and takes the rest of Czechoslovakia (March 15, 1939)

  12. VIII. Why Did the Western Democracies Appease Hitler? • Widespread Pacifism • Increasing Guilt over the harshness of the Treaty of Versailles • Hitler and Mussolini seen as a protection against further communist advances • Britain and France were far too weak internally to oppose Hitler • U.S. isolationism

  13. IX. The Invasion of Poland • German displeasure with the Polish corridor • British and French abandon appeasement • Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact (August, 1939) • British announced support for Poland—Hitler hesitates • Invasion of Poland—September 1, 1939

  14. Anonymous Cartoon, 1939

  15. Life Magazine Cartoon (September 1, 1939)

  16. X. A Brief Look at World War II • Nazi “Blitzkrieg” • The “Sitzkrieg” or Phony War (winter of 1939-1940) • Russia at war with Finland (November, 1939-March, 1940) • Impact of the Russo-Finnish War • German attack on Norway and Denmark (April 9, 1940)

  17. X. World War II (cont) • Tension Between France and England • General Manstein proposes a derivation of the old Schlieffen Plan • German attack on France (May 10, 1940) • The miraculous evacuation at Dunkirk (May 27-June 4, 1940)

  18. German Invasion of France—May, 1940

  19. Evacuation at Dunkirk, June 4, 1940

  20. Soldiers walk across vehicles in the water to get to ships in deeper water—Dunkirk Evacuation

  21. X. World War II (cont) • The Fall of France -- “Vichy” France in the south --Charles de Gaulle escapes to London • The Battle of Britain (June-December, 1940) --The “Blitz” --Leadership of Winston Churchill

  22. Londoners Sleep in the Tube During the Battle of Britain

  23. X. World War II (cont) • Crucial Delay of Invasion of Russia to help out Italian forces in Greece (April-May, 1941) • Invasion of Russia—June 22, 1941 (“Operation Barbarossa”) • Initial Hesitation by Stalin and a Soviet military disaster • Hitler divides troops towards Leningrad and Kiev

  24. X. World War II (cont) • German Troops in suburbs of Moscow by early October, 1941 • German Troops began to suffer • Soviet Counterattack and Moscow is saved (December 5-6, 1941) • The Battle of Stalingrad (September, 1942-January, 1943)

  25. XI. An Uneasy Alliance • Lend-Lease Aid to the Soviets • Atlantic Charter (August, 1941) • US entry into the war (December 8, 1941) • British diplomacy with Stalin • Allied Strategy against the Germans • War in North Africa

  26. XI. An Uneasy Alliance (cont) • Invasion of Sicily and Italy (July-August, 1943) • Teheran Conference (November 28-December 1, 1943) • Opening of a Second Front—the Invasion of Normandy (“Operation Overlord”) • From D-Day to V-E Day • Yalta Conference—February, 1945

  27. XII. Nazi Treatment of Occupied Peoples • Germany and its “allies” during the War • A German “New Order” • Treatment of Occupied Peoples -- “Mongrelized peoples” --Treatment of Slavs • The importance of “orderly reproduction” or scientific breeding

  28. XIII. Nazi Treatment of the Jews • Early Approach: Restrictions • More acute problem with the invasion of Poland • Warsaw Ghetto (October, 1940) • SS Murder Squads • Establishment of Death camps in Poland --Auschwitz • Reaction when camps were discovered

  29. Arrival at Auschwitz

  30. Entry Gate of Auschwitz

  31. The Condemned Unclothe and Sort Clothes and Shoes

  32. The Condemned are sent to the Showers

  33. Empty Cans of Zyklon B

  34. Bodies were then Cremated

  35. XIV. Resistance Movements to Nazi Terror • Warsaw Ghetto uprising (April, 1943) • Death Camp Uprisings (1942-1943) • Some simply gave in to Nazi tyranny • Resistance organized all over occupied Europe • Turning Points in European resistance to Nazi rule

  36. XV. Legacies of World War II • Shift in Global Power • Beginning of the Atomic Age—anxiety living under the mushroom cloud • Change in traditional American foreign policy of isolationism • Irrationality of Nazi atrocities jarred confidence of western civilization

  37. XVI. The Cold War: 1945-1989 • Origins --Case Study: Stalin and the Polish government --Potsdam Conference: July, 1945 • Key Events • Unraveling in 1989

  38. XVII. De-Colonization and Beyond • Reasons • Process • Results • A New World of Terror

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