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Period: to
Nazi Germany
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Hitler Chancellor
Hitler appointed Chancellor of Germany by President Hindenburg -
Reichstag fire
The Reichstag Fire. A fire which broke out at the Reichstag building was blamed on the Communist Party (KPD). As a result the KPD, which was the second largest party in Germany, was banned. The banning of the Communist party gave the Nazis a clear majority in government. -
Communist Party banned
With the Communist party banned Hitler ordered a new election at which the Nazi party gained 44% of the General election vote. -
Enabling law
Enabling Act gave Hitler power to make laws without consulting the Reichstag for a period of four years -
Gestapo
The Gestapo, Nazi secret police, were formed -
Trade Union
Trade Unions were banned -
Un-german spirit
25,000 'un-German' books burned in an “Action against the Un-German Spirit”. The move was encouraged by Joseph Goebbels, Head of Propaganda. -
P.Ps banned
All political parties except the Nazis were banned -
L.O.N
Germany withdrew from the League of Nations -
Night of long knives
The Night of the Long Knives - 150 leaders of the Stormtroopers SA were executed. Many members of the SA were committed socialists and demanded that Nazi policy embrace socialist aims. This was not a direction the Nazis wished to follow so the SA were eliminated. -
Hindenburg dies
President Hindenburg died. Hitler combined the post of President and Chancellor and called himself Fuhrer. -
Women - Nazi
In a speech to the National Socialist Women's Organization, Hitler defined women's role stating that a woman's " world is her husband, her family, her children, and her home." -
German airforce
Hitler ordered Hermann Goering to establish the Luftwaffe, German airforce, in defiance of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles -
Army expansion
Hitler publicly announced that the German Army was to be expanded. Conscription was introduced. -
Rhineland
Re-occupation of the Rhineland. In contravention of the terms of the Versailles Treaty, Hitler sent German troops to re-occupy the Rhineland. -
Hitler Youth
Law concerning the Hitler Youth made membership of the Hitler Youth compulsory for all boys -
Anschluss - Austria
Anschluss with Austria. Hitler made a triumphant entry into Vienna -
Munich agreement
Munich Agreement - Allies agreed that Germany could have the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia in return for peace -
Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht - Jewish shops and synagogues were destroyed. Following the event the Jewish population was fined for the destruction. -
Czechoslovakia
Hitler invaded and occupied Czechoslovakia in contravention of the Munich Agreement -
Nazi-Soviet pact
Nazi-Soviet Pact - Alliance between Hitler and Stalin which agreed to divide Poland between the two countries. -
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War declaration
Countries declare war on Germany -
The Blitz
Daylight and night bombing raids on Britain (The Blitz) by the Luftwaffe were abandoned. Hitler also delayed and later abandoned plans to invade Britain. -
Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa - 3 million German troops invaded Russia -
Pearl Harbor
Hitler declared war on the United States (11th). Following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December the United States had declared war on Japan. Under the terms of the Anti-Comintern Pack Hitler was bound to declare war on the United States -
Final Solution
Wannsee Conference approved plans for the 'Final Solution'. -
North Africa defeat
German troops defeated at the Second Battle of El Alamein in North Africa