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The Australian Anschluss
Hitler threathened to invade German-speaking Austria unless Austrian Nazis were given important governement posts. Austria's chancellor gave in to this demand, but then tried to put matter of unification with Germeny to democratic vote. Hitker then sent troops into Austria and announced the unification of Austria and Gremany. "Resort[ing] to force with its attendant risks." -
The Munich Conference
Britain and France agreed to Hitler's demands, a policy that came to be known as appeasement. They made consessions in exchange for peace. They felt that if they gave him what he wanted, they could avoid war. "A peace with honor ... peace in our time" -
Hitler Demands Danzig
Hitler demanded that the city of Danzig be returned to German control. He requested a highway and railroad across the Polish Corridor, an area that seperated western Germany from the German state of East Prussia. Hitler's new demands convinced Britain and France that war was inevitable. Britain announced that if Poland went to war to defend its territory, Britain and France would come to its aid. This encouraged Poland to refuse Hitler's demands. Hitler then ordered Geman army to invade Poland. -
The Nazi-Soviet Pact
German officials proposed a nonaggression treaty to the Soviets, Stalin agreed. Communism and Nazism were opposed to each other. Hitler had made a deal to free himself against their countries and Poland. They did not know that the treaty also contained a secret deal to divide Poland between Germany and the Soviet Union. Poland resisted Germany onslaught, but its army was outdated. Polish army rode horses and carried lances against German tanks. By October 5,1939 Germans defeated the Polish army. -
The Invasion of Poland
Known as the September campign.German tanks rolled into Poland ahead of the infantry which followed to end any resistance. The bombers supported the swift-moving tanks from the air. -
The Fall of France
Known as the "sitting war"/"Bore war" while American newspaper nicknamed it the "Phony war". Hitler launched a new blizkrieg while German troops parachuted into the Netherlands. British and French expected the German attack but as soon as it began British and French forces raced north into Belgium which was a mistake. The Germans sent their tanks through the open countryside. They easily smashed the French lines while the British and French were trapped in Belgium. -
The Evacuation of Dunkirk
There was no reason why Hitler provided a three-day delay but it gave British time to strengthen their lines and begin the evacuation. Some 850 ships of all sizes from navy warships to small sailboats operated by civilian volunteers headed to Dunkirk from England. Many of them made the 48-mile trip multiple times. French,Dutch, and Belgian ships joined British. British hoped to resue 45,000 troops but ended up saving 338,000 French and British troops by the time evacuation ended. -
The Battle of Britain
Britain did not surrender, Hitler ordered his commanders to prepare to invade. Germany had few transport ships, and the British air force would sink them if they tried to land troops in England. Germany had to defeat the British Royal Air Force in order to invade. The German airforce began to attack British shipping in the English Channel. In mid August, the Luftwaffe launched an all-out air battle to destroy the Royal Air Force.
