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Period: to
Germany Expansion
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Secret Meeting
Hitler had a secret meeting with his military, saying in order to grow they would need the lands of its neighbors (take other lands) They were hesitant about this but Hitler said in order to achieve this, they would have to a risk. -
Targeting Austria
Austria was the first target. Six million Germans in Austria favored unification with Germany. Hitler's troops marched into Austria unopposed. -
Anschluss
Germany announced that it's Anchluss, or union, with Austria was complete. U.S. and the rest of the world did nothing. Hitler massed troops on Czech boarder, in which France and Britain promised to protect Czechosluvakia. Hitler then invited French premier Edouard Daladier and Bristish prime minister Neville Chamberlain to meet with him in Munich where he said his last territorial demand would Sudetenland. -
Munich Agreement
Sudetenland signed the Munich Agreement, which turned Sudetenland over to Germany without any violence. Winston Churchill's view on signing the Munich Agreement was a policy of appeasement. (giving up principles to pacify an aggressor.) -
Czechoslovahia
Churchill was right when he said Hitler was not done expanding the Third Reich. Toops went to what remained of Czchoslovahia and took over. Hitler's next target was Poland. -
Declaring War
Hitler began charging Germans in Poland were being mistreated by the Poles. Many thought he was bluffing, because if he were to attack Poland, there would be conflict between the Soviet Union and Germany. France and Britain would most likely declar war, for they promised military aid for Poland. -
Nonaggression Pact
Stalin signed a nonaggression pact, facist Germany and communist Russia committed to never attack each other. Germany and the Soviet Union also signed a pact, secretly, dividing Poland between them. -
Lightning War
German Luftwaffe, or German air force, dropped bombs on Poland's military bases, airfields, railroads, and cities. Germany used their newest strategy, blitzkrieg, or the lightning war, which made use of advances in military technology. Two days later, Britain and France declared war on Germany. -
RAF
On a signle day the RAF (Royal Air Force) shot down 185 German planes, and the RAF only lost 26 of theirs. Hitler called off the invasion of Britain. German still bombed Britain's cities and Britain bombed German cities right back.