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Austria and Czechoslovakia fall
Hitler believed that in order to grow or prosper Germany needed to gain more land of its neighbors. He wanted to take action to turn Austria and Czechoslovakia into the Third Reich. -
Union with Austria
German troops marched into Austria and a day later Germany was announced that its union or Anshluss with Austria was complete. -
Munich Agreement
A document signed by Chamberlain which was a settlement permitting Nazi Germany's annexation of portions of Czechoslovakia. After signing it, and returning home, he belived that there wouldn't be war however Churchill wasn't on the same page. He believed that they had adopted a shameful policy of appeasement. Churchill said they then had to choose between war and dishonor and he chose war. -
Czechoslovakia taken without a fight
After Austria, Hitler targeted Czechoslovakia. Early on, France and Britain both agreed to protect the chech's however, that changed when Hitler invited Edouard Daladier and British prime minister Neville Chamberlain to meet with him in Munich. Both believed when Hitler told them this would be his "last territorial demand" so when they signed the Munich agreement, Czechoslovakia was handed over without a single shot being fired. -
The German Offensive Begins
On march 15, German troops over took he remains of Czechoslovakia. That night Hitler stated "Czechoslovakia has ceased to exist." -
The Soviet Union Declares Nuetrality
In the Spring of 1939, Hitler began his well-known routine on Poland. Many people believed that he was bluffing because why would he start the same kind of war that weakened Germany once already. Poland started to get frustrated, and during this, people were taken back because on August 23, Russia and Germany, two countries who once hated each other agreed to never attack each other again. Germany and the Soviet Union also signed a secret pact agreeing to divide Poland between the two. -
Bitzkreig In Poland
On September 1, 1939, the German Air Force took flight over Poland. They drop bombs on military bases, airfields, railroads, and even cities. At the same time, German tanks circled around the countryside causing much confusion to the people. This was the first test of Germany's newest military strategy, the blitzkrieg, or lightning warm. They made many advances in military technology to take the enemy by surprise and then quickly crush the opposition. -
The Phony War
After the fall of Poland, French and British troops aligned along friends eastern border and sat staring into Germany. They were ready for something to happen. The blitzkrieg had way to what the Germans called that sitzkreig or sitting war and what lots of people referred to as the phony war. On April 9, 1940 Hitler launch a surprise invasion on Denmark and Norway. Hitler also turn on the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg which were all invaded by may. -
The Fall Of France
The German offensives trapped about 400,000 British and French soldiers as they fled to the beaches and English Channel. A few days later both France and Germany closed in Paris as they attacked from both sides. On June 22, 1940, everyone watched Hitler hand French officers his terms of surrender. Finally, when French fell, Charles De Gaulle fled to England to set up a government-in-exile. Here he stated " France has lost a battle, but France has not lost the war." -
The Battle of Britain
In the summer of 1940, Germans assembled invasion fleet along the French coast and launches an air war at the same time. The Luftwaffe began making bomb runs over Britain attempting to take over the skies completely by destroying their air force. Hitler had 2,600 planes at his disposal. On August 15, 2,000 planes took flight over Britain. Every night for two solid months bombers pounded London.
