-
The Austrian Anschluss
Starting in February 1938, Hitler began threatening to invade Austria which was a German-speaking country. This would occur unless the Austrian Nazis were given important government posts. Austrians chancellor subjected to Hitler's request, but tried to put the matter of unification with Germany to a democratic vote. Hitler, frightened by the result, sent troops into Austria in March and announced the Anschluss (unification) of Austria and Germany. -
The Munich Conference
Sudetenland, an area of Czechoslovakia, was next on Hitler's list. It was a German-speaking country. The Czechs resisted against Hitlers demands. Representavies of Britain, France, Italy, and Germany agreed to meet in Munich to decide the fate of Czechslovakia. At the conference, Britain and France followed Hitlerś demands which became a policy known as appeasement. In other words, they made concessions in exchange for peace. Czechoslovakia was told to give up Sudetenland to the Germans. -
Hitler Demands Danzig
A month after the Munich Conference, Hitler demanded Danzig between returned to the Germans. Danzig was more than 90% German, but had been under Poland control since WWI. Hitler also wanted a highway and railroad across the Polish Corridor. These new demands convinced Britain and France that war was unavoidable. In May, 1939 Hitler ordered Germany to prepare to invade Poland. He also ordered his foreign minister to to negotiate with the USSR. -
The Nazi-Soviet Pact
Nazis proposed a nonaggression treaty toward the Soviets, and Stalin agreed. His theory was turning the capitalist countires against each other would protect the USSR. If the treaty followed through, Germany would go to war with Britain and France, and the USSR would be safe. The nonaggression pact was signed on August 23, 1939. Communism and Nazism were totally different, and this pact had shocked the world. Hitler had made the deal to free himself from war against countries and Poland. -
The Invasion of Poland
Nazi Troops wearing Polish uniforms staged a phony invasion on Germany. They had damaged minor installments on the German border. They wanted people to believe Poland invaded them first. On September 1st, Germany had began invading Poland, a day after Poland "invaded them". Two days after Poland was invaded, Britain and France declared war on Germany. -
The Fall of France
At this time, Europe had been at war for 9 months. This war, also known as the "Phoney War" came to a conclusion when Germany conducted an invasion of France and the small countries. Germany's attack plan was named Case Yellow. This plan threatened to encircle French and British divisions to the north, stationed on the Belgian Frontier. -
The Evacuation of Dunkirk
This evauation was codenamed Operation Dynamo, also known as Miracle of Dunkirk. This was the evacuation of allied soldiers and the harbour of Dunkirk, France. Around 198,000 British and 140,000 French and Belgian troops were saved. This operation was chsoen due to the surrounding of Belgian, British, and French troops by German soldiers. -
The Battle of Britain
This battle was a very significant turning point in the war. This battle had ended when Germany's Luftwaffle had failed to gain superiority over the Royal Air Force. Even though the German's had spent months targeting air bases, Military posts, and the people of Britain.
