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Period: to
Europe 1933-1945
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Hitler took power in Germany
He was to remain Chancellor of Germany until he suicide in 1945
at the end of the Second World War. -
Enabling Law
Democracy came to an end in Germany. This gave Hitler the power to introduce future laws without the agreement of the Reichstag. Hitler became the Dictator of Germany -
Japan left the League of Nations
After the League do nothing about the Japan invasion of Manchurian China, Japan left the League of Nations. -
Withdrew from the League of Nations
Hitler showed his contempt for the Versailles settlement by withdrawing Germany from the League of Nations. At the same time he withdrew Germany from the Disarmament Conference. -
Stalin and Hitler
Stalin made a speech to Hitler stating that the USSR could work with a country that did not threaten it.
Hitler had no interest in good relations with Stalin, and this attempt by Stalin to do a deal with the Nazis was not succesful -
Soviet Union in the League
The Soviet Union became a member of the League of Nations -
Compulsary Conscription in Germany
Hitler instructed to end German disarmament and created a powerful Army. In 1935 he introduced conscription and began to increase the number of German soldiers. The Treatry of Versailles had been completely overturned. -
German troops controlled the Rhineland
Hitler sent troops to the Rhineland even German army was not ready for war. Hitler tried to show the world that the action in the Rhineland was reasonable.
On the other hand, many British people approved of what Hitler had done; this was a German territory.
In the end, the french decided to protest but not to fight -
German Air force
German airforce was close to overtaking in size that of Britain. -
Civil war in Spain
When Spanish Civil War broke out, Germany and Italy sent help to the anti-government side. The Spanish government appealed to the League, and the League did nothing. -
Agreement Italy-Germany
Mussolini made an agreement to work with Hitler. This was called the Rome-Berlin axis. -
The sleeping superpowers 2
The Soviet Union was another source of potencial support against Hitler. Soviet army was large. In 1937 the red army was purged. 35.000 leading officers qere executed. This situation weakened the fighting capacity of the Soviets.
In the late 30s, Britain and France had no powerful allies to fight against Germany. -
The sleeping superpowers 1
In 1937, USA had a small standing army. Roosevelt hated war. The americans were concerned with the need to rebuilt their own country, after the depression. Many americans were not interested in what happened in Europe.
As result, Chamberlain could not expect any help from America in a war with Germany. -
Chamberlain said to Soviet ambassador to London
"If we only could sit down at a table with the Germans and run through all their complaints and claims. That would reduce the tension" -
Invasion of Austria
In February 1938, the Austrian leader, visited Hitler for crisis talks in Germany. Hitler demanded that Nazis be allowed to join the Austrian government and be given control of law and order.
He tried to keep Austria independent, and on 9 March he annonced that there would be a referendum,but he couldn´t.
On 11 march 1938 the German army invaded Austria.
Austria was Hitler ´s country -
There was a change of government in France
The new Prime Minister, Daladier, was not keen on the idea of going to war with Germany over Czechoslovakia. -
Militar action in Czechoslovakia
Hitler let his generals know that he decided to smash Czechoslovakia by militar action in the near future -
Soviet Foreign Minister Litvinov, over Czechoslovakia
The entire diplomacy of the Western powers over the last five years has been an attempt to avoid any resistance to German aggression and to agree to every demand for fear of arousing German disapproval. The Soviet government takes no responsibility for future developments -
South Africa and Australia stays neutral
Chamberlain was told that the south African and the Australian governments would not give military support if war broke out.
That situation influenced Chamberlain more to avoid war with German and the Japan Empire. -
Lord Chamberlain met Hitler
Chamberlein met Hitler in Germany on 15 September.
Hitler complained to Chamberlain about the treatment of the Sudeten Germans. He agreeded with him that this territory should be annexed by Germany. -
French leaders met British leaders
French leaders Daladier and Bonnet came to London and agreeded to support the partition of Czechoslovakia in return for a British promise to defend what was left of the Czechoslovak state. -
Chamberlain met Hitler for second time
Chamberlain met Hitler again with news that the western powers had agreed to his proposals.
Hitler refused to accept the proposal, and made new demands to stay in additional areas of Czechoslovakia, and the claims of Hungary and Poland. -
Wilson met Hitler
Wilson was sent to find a peaceful solution to meet Hitler.
Hitler was not in the mood, and told Wilson that he was going to smash the Czechs. -
Munich Conference
The Munich Conference began on 29 september. A day later the British and french Prime Ministers agreed with Hitler on the terms of the annexation of the Sudetenland.
Czechoslovakia was not represented at he conference.
Britain and France simply agreed to give Hitler what he wanted. -
German General Jodl, wrote about the Munich Agreement
The Pact of Munich is signed. Czechoslovakia as a power is out. The genius of the Fuhrer and his determination not to avoid the risk of world war have again won us victory without the use of force -
Invasion of Czechoslovakia
German troops marched unopposed into the Sudentenland.
The Czech President, Benes, was forced to go into exile. -
Stalin speech
Britain an France have rejected the policy of collective security and have taken up a policy of non--intervention and neutrality. The policy of non-aggression is a way of encouraging aggression. Britain and France are encouraging the Germans to march east. They are saying to Germany, "just start war on the Bolsheviks and everything will be all right" -
USSR treaty with France and Britain
Soviet prime Minister, Litvinov, outlined the basis for a treaty to France and Great Britain. This would have involved all three promising to defend the existing borders of the states of Eastern Europe from German attack, and each country promising to help the others in case of German attack
The soviets waited for six weeks and realized that he Western allies were not serious about an alliance. -
Ribbentrop, the German Prime Minister view
It is certain that within a few months not one Frenchman nor a single Englishman will go to war for Poland -
Hitler conversation with Carl Burckhardt, the High Commissioner of the League of Nations in Danzig
Everything that I undertake is directed against Russia; if the West is too stupid and too blind to understand this, then I will be forced to reach an understanding with the Russians, smash the West, and then turn all my concentrated strength against the Soviet Union. I need Ukraine so that no one can starve us out against us in the last war -
Failure in Leningrad
British, French and Soviet leaders met for talks in Leningrad. Soviets delegates asked British and French if they could ensure a right of passage for Soviet troops trough Polish and Romanian territory. They answered was no.
The soviets were exasperatesd about it, and the talks ended in failure on 21 August. -
Hitler vision
Our enemies have men who are below average. No personalities. No masters. No men of action. Our enemies are little worms. I saw them at Munich. They will be to cowardly to attack. My only worry is that Chamberlain or some other such pig of a fellow will come at the last moment with proposals. -
Hitler sends a letter to Stalin
After the failures of the talks among the Soviets, the British and the French, Hitler took the unusual step of writing a personal letter to Stalin offering high level talks in Moscow. Stalin was impressed by this.
Stalin replied to Hitler the next day -
Soviet Union - Germany Treaty
In Moscow Ribbentrop, German Foreign Minister met Stalin.
They signed a Non-agression treaty,and they agreed to carve up most of the territory that lay between their two countries. The Soviet Union was offered to control Finland, Latvia, Estonia; Lithuania, And parts of Belarus and Ukraine that were ruled by Poland -
Hitler Invaded Poland
On september 1st, Hitler invaded Poland. After the pact with the soviets, HItler thought that without and alliance among URSS, France and Britain, the western countries would not feel strong enogh to risk a war with Germany.
Hitler did not realise that Britain and France were prepared for war -
SECOND WORLD WAR IS DECLARED
On 3 September the French and the British governments declared war on Germany.
They could do very little to stop a German victory in Poland. By the end of the month, Polish resistance had collapsed. -
Soviet forces invaded Poland
Soviet army controlled part of eastern Poland. This was part of the deal Hitler had struck with Stalin. Stalin also moved his troops into the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and estonia -
Mining of Norwegian Seas
British and French started mining the Norwegian waters. Hitler responded by invading Norway and Denmark. That led to a political crisis in Britain and France. Both prime ministers were forced to resign. -
Invasion of France, Belgium and the Netherlands
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=4iRi1GxClWU</a> In may 1940, the Netherlands, Belgium and France were invaded and rapidly defeated by German forces.
Germany took direct control of much of France, leaving part of the south/ south east of the country under a puppet French government in Vichy. At this point it seemed that Hitler had virtually won the war -
Churchill came to power in the UK
Churchill assumed as a Prime Minister of the Great Britain -
The Battle of Britain
Having defeated France, Hitler prepared an invasion of Britain. The german airforce, the Luftwaffe, set out to win control of the air over Britain.German planes bombed military sites, factories and London. The clash of the two airforces became known as THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN. Although there were heavy losses on both sides, the RAF won the battle and Hitler was forced to put off his plans for an invasion of Britain -
Italy goes to SWW
In 1940, when it looks as if Germany was going to win the Second World War, Mussolini joined forces with Hitler, and went to war against Britain and France.
The italian attempt to share Hitler´s victory went disastously wrong. They were defeated in North Africa and Greece. Hitler was obliged to send German forces to help his ally. -
Hitler turns east
One of the great turning points of the war. It was known as "Operation Barbarossa" The Germans forces penetrated deep inside de Soviet Union capturing cities such as Smolensk and Kiev. Stalin was taken completely by surprise.
When the German forces were moving to Moscow, the campaign began to go wrong for Hitler.The german army reached the suburbs of the Soviet capital but met with fierce resistance and failed to capture the city. German troops were not equipped for the freezing Russian winter. -
The Holocaust
In July 1941 the German leadership decided on a "final solution" to the question of how Jewish people should be treated by the Nazi authorities. Death camps were set up to exterminate the Jewish population. There can be no doubt that Hitler personally approved the decision. -
The attack of Pearl Harbor
While the battle of Moscow raged, the most powerful country in the world, the USA, became involved in the war. On 7 December 1941 the Japanese went to war against the USA with a surprise attack on the US naval base of Pearl Harbor.
In the early months of 1942 japanese forces seized control of much of Eastern Asia and the islands of the Pacific -
USA declares war to Japan, Germany and Italy
USA joined USRR and Britain to fight against the axis. This was to swing the balance of the war decisively against Germany. -
Battle of Midway
USA stopped the tide of of Japanese conquest at the battle of Midway Island.
American forces began a slow process of capturing the islands of the Pacific from the Japanese. -
The Batlle of Stalingrad
In summer of 1942 Germans renewed their attack on the USSR.
They concentrated in capture the southern city of Stanlingrad.
After a fierce battle that leat until winter, the German army surrendered at Satlingrad in January 1943.
This was a crucial event. It proved that the red army could beat the German army. After that Germany was on the defensive and the war began to go against Hitler -
Battle of El Alamein
German army was defeated in north Africa by British forces at the Battle of El Alamein. By March 1943 the Germans and Italians had been completely driven out of north Africa. -
Allies in Italy
British and Americans forces landed in Italy in 1943. The Germans put up stiff resistance to the liberation of Italy. Rome was taken in June 1944 but it was not until 1945 that the whole of Italy was under British and American control. -
Germans abandoned Leningrad
In January 1944 the Germans abandoned the siege of Leningrad, which had been going on for two years. By the summer of 1944 the Germans were in retreat across the Soviet Union -
D Day
France was invaded on 6 June 1944. By August the British and American forces had reached Paris.
The Germans launched a counter-attack in December 1944 in the Ardennes area of Belgium. After some early success the German -
Invasion of Philippines
In October 1944 American soldiers invaded the Philippines. Over 170.000 Japanese soldiers were killed before the capital, Manila, was taken -
Meeting at Yalta
It took place in the USSR, betwen 4 and 11 February 1945. Stalin refused to leave the Soviet Union so the two Western leaders had to go to him.
The USSR gained a huge amount of territory from eastern Poland. Germany should be divided in four zones; French, Soviet, British and American: USSR agreed to help in the war against Japan, in return the USSR gained control of island territories north of Japan.
The leaders agreed to the setting up of the UNITED NATIONS -
Mussolini is killed
Mussolini was captured and killed by anti-fascist fighters in April 1945. His body was put on public with his lover, Clara Petracci on a public display in Milan -
Hitler´s suicide
German power in Europe finally collapsed in April 1945. Soviet forces captured berlin and Hitler commited suicide. -
Germany surrendered
The German forces surrendered on 8 May 1945, but the war continued against Japan. -
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The American government was very worried at the japanese resistance. This would cause a huge loss of life if they invaded and tried to conquer the islands of Japan.
A new weapon, the atomic bomb was dropped in the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. -
Japan surrenders
The devastation caused by the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki forced the Japanese government to surrender on 14 August 1945.
The Second World War was over.
