-
Hitler's first Saturday Surprise
On this day Hitler started to rebuild Germany's military in the name of "defense". He started rebuilding the airforce, reinstated the draft, and rearmed the nation. -
Period: to
World War Two
-
Hitler's Second Saturday Surprise
Hitler's second Saturday surprise was to invade the Rhineland. This was important because the Treaty of Versailles dictated that Germany could not expand into the Rhineland, and Hitler completly ignored the Treaty. -
Secret Meetings
Hitler summoned the Austrian Prime Minister to a secret meeting to discuss Germany merging with Austria. He tried to bully the Prime Minister into merging with Germany, and when the Prime Minister refused demanded that the people must decide. -
Anschluss
Hitler sent his troops into Austria on this day. This is important because no one tried to stop Hitler from doing this, and nothing was done afterwords to prevent Hitler from taking more territory. -
Invasion of the Sudetenland
On this day the Sudetenland was compleltly annexed by Nazi Germany. This was important because it was another example of the Nazis breaking the Treaty of Versailles. -
Kristallnacht
On this night Nazis looted and destroyed Jewish shops and homes throughout Germany. This was important because it was reported throughout the world but the US did nothing to help the Jewish refugees that sought refuge in the US. It shows even though nations were against Kristallnacht that they were still anti-semnatic. -
Press Conference
Franklain Delano Roosevelt held a press conference in which he opened with the discussion of Kristallnacht in which he said "The news of the last few days from Germany has deeply shocked public opinion in the United States. Such news from any part of the world would produce a similar profound reaction among American people in every part of the nation. I myself could scarely believe that such things could occur in a twentieth-century civilation. -
Broken Promises
Hitler told the Reichstag thaat other nations were being hypocritical in their complaints of Germany mistreating the Jews. He went on to talk about how the United States mistreated Jews as well. -
Enemies become Allies
On this day Hitler and Stalin signed a non-aggression pact with each other. This is important because it meant that for now Germany's eastern border was safe from attack so it wouldn't have to worry about attacks from Russia. -
Eve of the Storm
On this day the Nazis took a group of concentration camp prisioners to Gleiwitz, a town on the Polish border. Once the prisioners were there, they were put in Polish Army uniforms and shot. -
World War Two Begins
On this day the German Army and SS marched into Poland beginning World War Two. That night Hitler officially declared war on Poland. -
France and Britain
France and Britain declared war on Germany on this day. This was important because they had finally stood up to German expansion under Adolf Hitler. -
Annexation
On this day Nazi Germany and Soviet annexed Poland. This was the first of Germany's numerous conquests during World War Two. -
France Falls
France had been completely defeated by the Nazis on this day in 1940. This meant that the Allies no longer had a front in Europe. -
Hitler Breaks Another Pact
Hitler invaded Russia on this day. This means that the non-aggression pact was meant to hold off a Soviet invasion until after Germany could relocate its troops to the East. Death squads followed behind the German Army to execute any Russians that hadn't been killed b the army. -
Pearl Harbor
Japan attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor on this day in an attempt to destroy the Pacific Fleet. This attack did not sink any of the aircraft carriers the US had in the Pacific. -
Declaration of War
On this day the US declared war against Japan. This was important because it marked the beginning of a true World War. -
Total War
Hitler declared war on the United States on this day. This united 3 of the most powerful countries in the world against Germany.
