Hitler and Immediate Causes

1. Hitler and Immediate Causes 1939

2. Munich Conference

3. Mussolini, Hitler, Daladier, Chamberlain

4. Results of Munich • Hitler put Europe on the brink of war • Aggressor, Britain and France sough peace • Clear Poland would be next • Britain and France issue another warning • Appeasement was at an end • Britain and France unaware Germany has been meeting with Soviet Union

5. Results of Munich • One of the most controversial agreements in history • Nazi-Soviet Pact • Agreed not to attack one another, secretly agreed to divide Poland • Short-term benefit for Hitler, no risk of a two-front war • Would gain staging area for future invasion of Soviet Union

6. Cartoon Analysis

7. Why Did Germany Sign? • Hitler wanted to avoid a war on two fronts • Did not believe Britain and France would intervene if he allied with Stalin • Economic aid from USSR would negate impact of Anglo-French blockage • Hitler would deal with the West before the Soviet Union

8. Why Did USSR Sign? • USSR would not have to get involved in a war in the West • Already faced a threat from Japan in the East, Army had been weakened by Stalin’s purges • Gave Stalin time to prepare for war, always hope that Germany and the West would weaken each other in the war and USSR would be left strongest • Stalin would gain half of Poland and opportunity to take Finland and Baltic States • Germany was still the USSR’s major trading partner

9. The Invasion of Poland • Most immediate cause of WWII • Poland had been created after WWI, given land corridor through former German territory • Danzig was meant to be a free city for Poles to use • Knew this would cause future tension, Germans never accepted it • Nazis came to power there after Hitler

10. The Invasion of Poland • Poland was also threatened by the Soviets • 1920, Red Army had invaded and attempted to consolidate control of Eastern Europe • Poles had rallied at Warsaw, key for national identity, important so that they not make concessions in 1939 • Hitler demanded Danzig in 1939, Poles respond by mobilizing • March 1939, Britain and France guarantee support • Saw the issue as between German ambition and Polish determination to defend themselves • Hitler invades September 1, war declared • Maybe not the enemies he had envisioned

11. Appeasement • British policy throughout 1930s • May have encouraged Hitler • Further alienated the USSR • Stalin thought it was meant to start conflict between him and Germany • Hitler gambled on this with Poland • Was Hitler acting or reacting? • The fault Hitler’s or other European statesmen? • Case against appeasement • With more territory, Germany became better defended, had more soldiers, workers, materials, industry • Britain had not even prepared by 1939 • Had led to Nazi-Soviet Pact

12. Justification for Appeasement • Shaped foreign policy since WWII • Situation was complex for Chamberlain though • British economy down, rearmament difficult • Memories of WWI • People had to want war • Hitler’s demands were seen as just revision of Versailles • Many thought it was too harsh • Munich was the end

13. Chamberlain • Thought there were three key issues to be resolved • Territorial grievances • Economic problems • Absence of raw materials • Appeasement would lead to a more moderate Germany, which would benefit the world • Himself, did not believe in peace at any price • Would not have been prepared to fight Hitler in 1930s

14. France • France took the lead from Britain, could not have acted alone • Rhineland had not been policed effectively • Focused on rebuilding of Maginot Line • Government was suffering internal division • Thought military response may build support for Nazis • Overall, fears of communism did not help, Hitler may have been lesser of two evils