Conflict in Europe 1935 - 1945

1. Conflict in Europe1935 - 1945 By S. Angelo Head Teacher History East Hills Girls Technology High School 2009

2. Growth of European tensions • Dictatorships in Germany & Italy • League of Nations and collapse of collective security • Abyssinia • Spanish Civil War • Britain, France and the policy of appeasement: - assessment • Significance of the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact

3. Path to the Dictatorship in Germany

4. Dictatorship in Germany

5. Dictatorship in Germany

6. Dictatorship in Italy

7. HITLER’S AIMS • NEWTON • Hitler-Papen gov’t 1933 • Emergency Decree 28/2/1933 • Elections – 43.9% NSDAP • Goebbels – propaganda • Enabling Act • Vatican Concordat • Political parties banned • Germany leaves League of Nations • 1934 Hitler visits Mussolini in Venice • Pro-Nazi coup lead to murder of Dollfuss – Schuschnigg – Austrian Chancellor • Death of Hindenburg – Hitler becomes Fuhrer • Totalitarianism • 1935 – rearmament; allied confusion • 1936 – Rhineland & Spain • 1937 – alliance with Italy – seeks alliance with Britain • Mussolini visits Berlin • Hossbach Memorandum on Lebensraum • Italy, Germany & Spain – Anti-Comintern Pact • Lord Halifax visits Hitler at Berchtesgaden • 1938 – Austria & Sudentenland • CANTWELL • Hitler – frustrated artist • Fought in WWI & profound nationalist – common with Mussolini • Drexler et al formed a German Worker’s Party to revolutionise the nation – 1919 (just before the creation of the Fascist Party) • Drexler saw the potential in Hitler to be an outstanding orator – another trait he had in common with Mussolini • Hitler’s Brownshirts & Mussolini’s Blackshirts – indoctrinated militia • Mein Kampf & Doctrine of Fascism • Nazi salute came from Mussolini’s Blackshirts • Hitler & Mussolini arrested • Hitler & Mussolini recognised need for public support • Hitler & Mussolini resorted to violence if necessary to achieve aims

8. HITLER’S AIMS • WEBB • Ideology – lebensraum & racial purity • Pragmatist – pursue policies that achieved short term gains even if it contradicted his long term gains • Opportunist • Revisionist • Autarky – self sufficiency • France first • Creation of GrossDeutschland • Poland, Czechoslovakia • Anschluss • Said what people wanted to hear • Not military dominance but equality • Peaceful Europe • Return of territory taken in 1919 • Bulwark against spread of communism • Last territorial demand in Europe • DENNETT & DIXON • Rescue the German people from the shame of defeat in WWI • Free Germany from restrictions of Treaty of Versailles • Could only be achieved “by the sword” • Supported by military • Harnessed economic strength of Germany • Germany still relied on imported raw materials (iron ore, copper, rubber, oil) • Built up military strength – but still under equipped & short of munitions • German navy could not match Britain’s

9. MUSSOLINI’S AIMS • NEWTON • Mussolini’s attack on Abyssinia was a blow against the Stresa Front • Invasion of Abyssinia caused concerns for Britain & France • Hoare-Laval Pact – Britain & France wanted to buy off Mussolini & divide Abyssinia up - collapse of negotiations • Hitler noted western powers preferred “appeasement” to confrontation • This showed weakness of Britain & France • Mussolini sent 1000s of troops to help Franco • Mussolini proposed the Munich Agreement that led to Germany gaining the Sudentenland • CANTWELL • Totalitarian Regimes • Extensive legal & constitutional changes • Elimination of political opponents & parties • Propaganda • Reduction of personal freedoms & rights • Economy & workforce accountable to State • Direct impact on culture and society (youth groups, education, • women, art, music, church) • Use of terror & repression • Secret police forces • Control of media & publishing • National armies for aggressive purposes • Intolerance of alternate political systems • Single dictator as leader • Belief regimes could not be defeated

10. MUSSOLINI’S AIMS • WEBB • Major social, economic & political problems post WWI • Hoped to make territorial gains at Peace Conference – not met • High unemployment, civil disorder – Mussolini grabbed power in 1922 with march on Rome • Set up Corporate State; Secret police • Major expansion in primary & secondary education • Improved working conditions • Hydro-electric schemes • Pontine marshes drained • Lateran Accord – Vatican & Italy • Italian strength & military glory • Foreign policy similar to Germany • Land; rearmament; conscription, military strength • SERIOUS MAJOR EUROPEAN POWER • DENNETT & DIXON • Pledged to restore Italy to its former glory • Roman/Italian empire • Invaded Abyssinia 1935 • Italy had been poorly treated by the Treaty of Versailles • Program of modernisation hindered by • Small scale primary industry • Reliance on imports (raw materials – coal, oil, scrap iron, copper, rubber) • Britain controlled naval bases at Gibraltar & Suez & could blockade Italian supplies • Italy relied on British ships

11. HISTORIANS • Medlicott: The Coming of War in 1939 • Hitler’s aims remained the same - lebensraum • Hitler was an opportunist • Kershaw: Hitler 1936-45 – Nemesis • Expansion • Hitler used politics to restore Germany’s greatness • Taylor: Origins of the Second World War • War produced the demand for lebensraum • Mack Smith: Mussolini • Italians needed to have their character forged in battle • Mussolini proud of the terrorist methods used by them in Spanish Civil War • Thomson: Europe Since Napoleon • Hitler main beneficiary from Italian-German relationship & Spanish Civil War • Hitler kept Mussolini pre-occupied in Spain while extending German influence in the Balkans: Italy was Germany’s “cat’s paw”