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Hitler's first "Saturday Suprise"
On this day Hitler made his first "Saturday Suprise". He had said that in the name of defense, he was going to rebuild the the German air force, start the draft, and build arms. He said that the German government was ready to agree with any limitation on arms, but no one stepped forward to stop them. -
Hitler's Second "Saturday Suprise"
On this day Hitler made his second "saturday suprise". German soldiers and fighter planes entered the Rhineland, a strip of territory that was 31 miles wide. The Treaty of Versailles had taken the Rhineland away from Germany and Hitler wanted to regain it. -
Germany Takes Austria
Previously before German troops entereed Austria, Hitler met with the Austrian Prime Minister, Kurt von Schuschnigg. During that time Hitler made threats and insults, and said that Austria MUST going the "Greater Germany". On March 11, German troops entered Austria and no one tried to defend Austia because no one had wanted to start another war; therefore Germany succeeded. -
Trying to Appease Hitler
Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain of Britian decided that he would try to appease Hitler because things were starting heat up, and no one wanted a war. Unfortunatly, Chamberlain was unable to do so. Then, Benito Mussolini of Italy invited German, French, nad British leaders to a meeting. They all agreed to give Hitler the Sudetenland. -
Germany Targets Poland
On this day Hitler took a group of prisoners from a concertration camp and had them get dressed in Polish army uniforms, then they were killed. The next day the German army marched into Poland saying that they were retaliating on a "attack on Gleiwitz". Hitler had declared war on Poland. -
Cnquests in the East
Once Poland surrendered, Hitler did not hesitate to incorporate the land they gained into Germany and call it Warthegua. From then on Poles were required to do certain things. For example, Poles who worked in shops had to tip their hats as people of the state, party, and armed forces entered. -
Conquests in the West
By June 22, Germany had conquered Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and France. At this point the Nazis had taken control of almost all of Europe. The countries that they did not conquer were Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, and Sweden, all of which were neutral. -
The Invasion of Russia
On this day Hitler ordered an invasion on Russia. SS units were ordered to murder anyone considered an enemy of the state. Also, the soldiers were given two goals to complete: 1. "the total annihilation of the false Bolshevist doctrine, of the Soviet State, and of its armed forces." 2. "the pitiless extermination of alien treachery and cruelty, and thus the protection of the lives of the German forces in Russia." -
The U.S. Enters the War
On this day the U.S. had entered the war. The day before, Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese, and the U.S. had declared war on them. Since the Japenese were allies with Germany, the Japenese asked the Germans for support. Hitler agreed to support the Japenese, and declared war on the U.S.
