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Germany Takes Over
People: Hitler
Countries: Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia
Hitler met with his top military advisors secretly to plan to takeover and absorb Austria and Czechoslovakia into the Third Reich. Germany needed more land in order to grow and expand their country. His advisors did not agree because they thought that this would start war. -
Germany and Austria's Unification
Countries: Germany, Austria
Hitler led German troops into Austria to try and takeover. Austria was his first and primary target because 6 million of its citizens were Germans who would be in favor of the unification with Germany. On March 13, 1938, one day after they marched into Austria, Germany announced that its Anschluss, or union, with Austria was finally complete. -
Munich Agreement
People: Hitler, French premier Édouard Daladier, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain
Countries: Germany, Czechoslovakia, France, Britain
Hitler, Daladier, and Chamberlain all met to try and avoid war because France and Britain promised to protect Czechoslovakia. They all agreed to sign the Munich Agreement, which turned Sudetenland, the part of Czechoslovakia on the western border where the German-speaking people lived, over to Germany without starting war. Winston Churchill, Chamberlain -
The German Offensive Begins
German troops lead by Hitler poured into the remints of Czechoslovakia. Hitler said “By nightfall Czechoslovakia ceased to exist.” After defeating Czechoslovakia, Hitler looked towards Poland to defeat next. He decided he could make most of the Poles go on his side because many of them were Germans and he would say that they were being mistreated by the native Poles and they needed his protection. -
The Hitler-Stalin Pact
Hitler and Stalin made a pact known as The Hitler-Stalin Pact which stated that they would not attack each other. It also stated that when Hitler defeated Poland, Stalin would get some of the land. Hitler and Stalin made the pact because it benefited both of them and made it easier to reach their political goals. Hitler also knew that the only country powerful enough to stop him was Stalin so he knew he needed to make a pact and vice versa. This shocked everyone giving their different views on t -
Britain and France Declare War
Britain and France declared war on Germany to help their allies, Poland. But by the time they tried to step in all the major fighting was over and Poland ceased to exist. This was the start of World War II. -
Germany's Takeover Poland
Germany’s air force roared over Poland raining bombs on military bases, airfields, railroads, and cities. German tanks spread terror and confusion on the countryside of Poland. Germany also used a new war technique to defeat Poland known as blitzkrieg. Blitzkrieg made use of the advance technology to take the enemy by surprise and then quickly crush all opposition with force. This technique was extremely successful. -
The Phony War
Hitler launched a surprise attack on Denmark and Norway to “protect these countries.” His ulterior motive was to create bases along the coasts to strike Great Britain. This was the start of The Phony War, which was when French and British troops sat staring into Germany waiting for something to happen. After defeating Denmark and Norway Hitler turned against Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxemburg which ended by May. The Phony War finally ended. -
France and Britain Fight On
The Germans trapped 400,000 British and French soldiers. Then Italy entered the war on the side of Germany and invaded France. On June 22, 1940, at Compiegne, Hitler handed French officers his terms of surrender. Germans would occupy the North Pole of France. Also a Nazi-controlled puppet government would be set up in Vichy in southern France. After France fell, French General Charles de Gaulle fled to England, where he set up a government-in-exile. -
Summer Invasions
Countries: Germany, France, Britain
Germans began to create invasion fleets along the French coast. The German naval force could not complete with that of Britain’s because theirs was so strong. This led Germany to launch an air war hoping to gain control of the skies. To do this, the Luftwaffe was forced to make bombing runs over Britain. -
Britain Fights Back
Countries: Germany, Britain
The Royal Air Force (RAF) fought back against Germany. The RAF shot down over 185 German planes because they had the ability to use radar to track the flight paths of the German planes. Only 26 of the RAF aircrafts were lost during the fight. Overall, Germany lost more in this battle than Britain did. Six weeks after this Hitler called of the invasion.
