WWII Notes 2: Appeasement and Isolationism AND the Development of Nazi Racial Policy

1. WWII Notes 2: Appeasement and Isolationism AND the Development of Nazi Racial Policy World Wars – Ms. Hamer November 1, 2010

2. The 1920’s

3. Hyperinflation in Germany – Early 1920’s "On 1st November 1923 1 pound of bread cost 3 billion, 1 pound of meat: 36 billion, 1 glass of beer: 4 billion."

4. German Policy of Fulfillment - 1924 • If Germany made the best possible attempt to fulfill the reparation payments, then this would show the Allies how unfair it was. • Previously Germany was arguing the Treaty and refusing to pay. • 1923 France and Belgium had invaded the Ruhr Valley to demand payments in goods like coal

5. 1925 Locarno Treaties • Made “Spirit of Locarno” – idea that peace would remain after WWI… • Guaranteed the common boundaries of Belgium, France, and Germany as specified in the Treaty of Versailles of 1919. • Germany signed treaties with Poland and Czechoslovakia, agreeing to change the eastern borders of Germany by arbitration only.

6. 1926 – Germany joins League of Nations Isn’t this nice?

7. 1928 Kellogg-Briand Pact • All signers of the Pact promised not to use war to settle disputes • Showed the delusions of the time period • Lulled many into a false sense of security • Most major countries signed

8. Dawes Plan – 1924 and Young Plan – 1929 • Plan for Allies to get their reparation money after WWI • Allies would leave the Ruhr Valley • Cycle of money from U.S. loans to Germany, which then made reparations to other European nations, which then used the money to pay off their debts to America, locked the western world's economy on that of the U.S • Young Plan would further lessen the strain of the Dawes Plan

9. Dawes Plan – 1924 and Young Plan – 1929

10. Stock Market Crash of 1929 • Terribly hurt Germany • Had private loans from US withdrawn • 1932 – 1/3 of German workforce was unemployed or working drastically reduced hours • Many business failures • Economic problems fed an anti-republic sentiment in Germany

11. 1930’s

12. Hitler Comes to Power Hitler appointed Chancellor January 1933 Relentlessly attacked the failures of the other parties and the republic Promised to restore Germany’s place in the world – promised to make it work Would break the Treaty of Versailles

13. Domestic Issues • From 1933-1934 Hitler worked on consolidating Nazi power and establishing his totalitarian regime

14. Hitler’s Goals for Germany • Lebensraum: Living Space • Hitler wanted the German population to increase and would need more room and farmland • This would also make Germany economically self sufficient • Room would come from the East (successor states created by WWI)

15. Hitler’s Goals for Germany cont. • Greater German Empire would be racially pure for Germans • Hitler felt that Germany was the last great hope of the best race • Germany would be free of Slavs, Polish, Jews • Hitler discussed the threat of Judeo-Bolshevism with its home in the Soviet Union • The whole world was threatened by Judeo-Bolshevism • Third Reich would crusade against this

16. Hitler’s Goals for Germany cont. • Knew these goals could not be achieved peacefully • Life was struggle – war was necessary to meet these goals • War for Lebensraum and then war against Judeo-Bolshevism • Would require destroying the Treaty of Versailles

17. Hitler’s Early Foreign Policy • Hitler believed that the world would be divided into 4 power blocks: • Germany would dominate the European continent • British would maintain their international empire • Japanese would dominate Asia (Hitler called them the Aryans of the East) • US would dominate the western hemisphere (even though the US was doomed from too much racial mixing)

18. Hitler’s Early Foreign Policy cont. • 1932 Germany was in an international disarmament conference – so they still were when Hitler came to power • Hitler’s reps proposed: Germany would completely disarm if everyone else would • Duh – no. • So Hitler’s reps left the Disarmament Conference • Used this as propaganda at home “world wants to keep Germany oppressed” • Also withdrew from the League of Nations • Hitler played on the fact that Germany should always be treated equally

19. Hitler’s Early Foreign Policy cont. • 1934 signs 10-year nonaggression pact with Poland – though of course it wouldn’t stick – Poland was a part of lebensraum • Germany made this pact to strike a blow at the French alliance system

20. Hitler Fights the Treaty of Versailles • 1935 Hitler stronger politically • Assumed position of Reich President and became chief of the armed forces • Said withdrawing from Disarmament Conf meant that Germany didn’t have to follow the disarmament clause of the Treaty of Versailles

21. Hitler Fights the Treaty of Versailles cont. • March 1935 – Hitler announced that Germany was going to rebuild its Luftwaffe - air force • Only minor outcry from the League of Nations, so one week later Hitler announced conscription to build up an army as well • League protested like with the Luftwaffe, but no one took action

22. Appeasement Begins • Appeasement: giving into a bully so that you hope he will be satisfied and stop • France and GB were still seen as enforcers of the Treaty • June 1935 GB entered into the Anglo-German Naval Agreement without consulting anyone • Recognized Germany’s right to build: • A navy up to 35% of GB’s surface tonnage • Submarine force of 60% of GB’s force • England cut a deal with Hitler on what mattered most to GB – the navy

23. Hitler Remilitarizes the Rhineland – March 1936 • France’s ability to influence events in Germany and its ability to protect itself and its allies in the East was gone • League did nothing again even though France asked it too • Germany made a gamble because France had such a larger army at the time • But the gamble worked because France did not send any troops into the Rhineland

24. Hitler Remilitarizes the Rhineland – March 1936 cont. • Remilitarization of the Rhineland was part of Hitler’s relentless pressure on the Treaty of Versailles • Hitler’s prestige in the international community soared

25. 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin • Americans remember Jesse Owens’ victory and Hitler having to acknowledge the success of an African American

26. 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin cont. • World had come to Berlin – Germany was back • Germany also won the Olympics on points

27. End of the Treaty of Versailles It was basically dead by 1936

28. Propaganda Used by Hitler Propaganda Clip

29. PAUSE TO DO MAPS!!!

30. Welcome Back Germany Time February 13, 1933 The National Government will carry out the great work of reorganizing the economic life of our people by means of two great four-year plans: 1) salvation of the German farmer, with the object of maintaining the nourishment and therewith the vital basis of the nation; and 2) salvation of the German worker by a powerful and comprehensive attack on unemployment. . . . Read more:http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,745146-2,00.html#ixzz0X5DXAzVJ • Hitler had brought Germany back to the world scene with the remilitarization of the Rhine, the 1936 Olympics, and the 4 year plan • 4 year plan: would make Germany economically self-sufficient in 4 years!

31. Hitler as a Speaker • Hitler’s speaking routine: • He warmed himself up, then spoke about foreign policy, which always focused on how unfairly Germany had been treated and about how he wanted Germany to have its place in the sun again. • Until about 1938, Hitler constantly reminded people that all he wanted was peace • He was a soldier in the trenches of WWI…how could he want anything else?

32. Video Clip of the Fuhrer SpeakingWWII Clip 1 You know he used to practice his gestures in front of a mirror…

33. Issues in Europe

34. France Weakens France felt it would have to deal with Germany on its own because England had basically bailed when America refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles Depression was bad, but not as bad as elsewhere It did cause political fragmentation that led to a lack of consensus about what to do about the German challenge

35. Maginot Line • Line of intense fortifications that stretched the length of the French/German border • Symptomatic of French problems – still stuck in the idea of WWI • No ideas of mobility that could be used in a future war • Odd since the last two times that Germany had attacked they used the Ardennes in 1870 and Belgium in 1914

36. Maginot Line

37. Why Wasn’t the Maginot Line Along the Belgian Border? • France had promised to protect Belgian sovereignty • Engineering issues • High water table • Would cost too much…not compared to a war! • Faith in French army – largest on the continent in the mid 1930’s (except Soviets)

38. French Foreign Policy • Still looking for allies • Mistrusted the British • Thought the Americans were too isolationist • France began to ally itself with Eastern European countries that it felt would help it against Germany, because the Soviet Union was out too • Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Romania, and Belgium in the West • But none of these had real power.

39. Soviet Union’s Foreign Policy Entered the League of Nations September 1934 Wanted collective security arrangements 1935 signed a deal to protect Czechoslovakia if someone attacked them AND if France held up their deal to protect them Communist parties in Western Europe should ally themselves with socialists and liberals against fascists

40. Italy’s Foreign Policy • Was worried about the spread of Germany into Austria • Mussolini invaded Ethiopia in 1935 • Permanently drove a wedge between Italy and England/France • By 1936 Mussolini was talking about a Rome/Berlin Axis

41. Germany Begins War Plans

42. November 1937 –Top Secret Goals Meeting • For Lebensraum, Germany would have to attack the East • Needed to prepare for a 2 front war since this might lead to problems with France • Within weeks the Minister of War and Commander of Army and Foreign Minister were all removed • They had all voiced concern about this plan • Hitler would become the Minister of War and Commander of the Army

43. February 1938 Austrian Anschluss • Austrian Nazis had tried to take over Austria in 1934 – were all in jail now • Early 1938 Austrian chancellor began asking for protection of Austrian sovereignty • Hitler found out and invited the chancellor to Germany to discuss issues with Hitler • He was brought to the Eagle’s Nest

44. February 1938 Austrian Anschluss PART 2 • Hitler demanded freeing of Austrian Nazis • Hitler also demanded absorption of Austria by Germany (Anschluss = Link Up) • Chancellor of Austria said let me think about it and made it back to Austria • Called for a plebiscite on March 13th (referendum) • Upset Hitler and he demanded Austria call off referendum or face war

45. February 1938 Austrian Anschluss PART 3 • German troops spilled over the border into Austria and announced the annexation of Austria on March 12, 1938 • Mild international response • Hitler justified it as what Wilson wanted at Versailles – borders by ethnic boundaries Cheering crowds greet Nazis entering Vienna on March 15, 1938

46. Summer 1938 – The Sudetenland • Borderlands of Czechoslovakia that contains mostly ethnic Germans • Hitler encouraged ethnic Germans in this region to demand autonomy • Czechoslovakia prepared to defend itself • Hitler didn’t want a war, but planned for Germany to invade by October 1st

47. Summer 1938 – The Sudetenland Part 2 • Mussolini also didn’t want a war over this tiny region so he allied with Chamberlain who would use appeasement • Why had Chamberlain been focused on appeasement? • Thought French army was unreliable and weak • Americans were isolationist and focused on their own needs • Was worried that a war would lead to the crumbling of the British empire and the rise of real American power (ironic)

49. September 30, 1938 – The Munich Conference • England, France, Italy, and Germany presided over the annexation of the Sudetenland by Germany • No Czechoslovakia at the meeting! • MAJOR move of appeasement • Chamberlain was seen as a hero at the time From left to right: Chamberlain, Daladier, Hitler, and Mussolini before signing the Munich Agreement

50. September 30, 1938 – The Munich Conference PART 2 • Why did Chamberlain practice appeasement here? • Wanted to avoid war • No real army, but strong navy and air force • Thought that this was the lesson to learn from WWI • Wanted to make acceptable concessions to Germany • Was charmed with Hitler and thought that he was a man you could make a deal with • Chamberlain also thought he didn’t have many options