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1935 Hitler
In 1935, Hitler began to stop listening to the Treaty of Versailles. He increased his air force along with his army. This event helped lead to war. Other countries tried to negotiate with Germany but instead they should have just stopped Germany all together. Germany now knew that it could get away with other violations. -
Czechoslovakia
After annexing Austria, Germany wanted to annex the Sudetenland which was a part of Czechoslovakia. Czechoslovakia did not want to give up their precious land. Britain, France, and the Soviet Union promised to back Czechoslovakia if Germany invaded. Germany's actions here began to stir other countries emotions and motives. This event helped lead to war by allowing countries to make alliances. -
Anschluss
Hitler believed that all German-speaking people should be united into one country. In March, Hitler announced that Austria and Germany were now united. This event made the country of Czechoslovakia scared. Germany was coming for them next and the people of Czechsolovakia did not want to be a part of the German empire. -
Munich Conference
The Munich Conference was when representatives from Britain, France, Italy, and Germany agreed to meet to discuss the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia. At the end of the conference, the countries gave in to Germany and allowed them to take control of the Sudetenland. This helped lead to war because Britain, France, and Italy began their practice of appeasement. This meant that the countries would give in to Germany's demands in order to keep peace. -
Danzig
A month after Germany took Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland, they wanted Poland's Danzig. The reason for this was because the city was more than 90% German. Britain and France promised that if Germany invaded Poland, they would defend Poland no matter what. Germany could now either start a war or prevent one from happened. -
Nazi-Soviet Pact
The Nazi-Soviet Pact occured because Germany did not want to have to fight against the USSR. To prevent the USSR from fighting against Germany, Hitler signed a nonagression pact with the USSR's leader. Germany secretly promised half of Poland to the USSR during this agreement. This event led to war be letting Britain and France know that Germany was going to invade Poland. -
Poland, Britian, France
On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland to claim Danzig. Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. This single event led to many other countries joining the war to create a second world war. -
Blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg, otherwise known as a lightening war, was the type of invasion that Germany used on Poland. Germany used large numbers of massed tanks to break through Poland's boarders. By doing this, Britain and France delcared war. -
Poland Fell
German's blitzkreig attack worked on Poland. On October 5, 1939, Poland's military fell to Germany. Hitler now had control of millions of Jews in which he intented to exterminate. -
Phony War or Bore War
During this part of WWII, western Europe remaind very quiet. Germany referred to this as the sitzkrieg, Britain referred to this as the Bore War, while the United States referred to this as the Phony War. The western countries were waiting for Germany to attack. -
Invasion of France
In order to protect themselves after WWI, France build the Maginot Line. This was a line of concrete bunkers and fortifications that ran along France's boarder with Germany. Germany was smart enough to go around this line when invading France. They went through the Ardennes Mountains with tanks which quickly demolished the small amout of British and French soldiers that were there. Germany had now succesfully invaded France and planned to take over. War was now inevitable. -
Evacuation at Dunkirk
While invading France, the Germans trapped the Allied forces in Belgium and began pushing them towards the English Channel. In order for the Allied forces to survive, they would have to escape by the sea. Unfortunately, Germany had captured all of the ports except Dunkirk. For reasons unknown, Hitler ordered a three day halt. Britain took advantage of this time and sent ships in to evacuate soldiers. At the end of the three day, over 300,000 men had been saved. Allied forces could not fight back -
French Surrender
On June 22, France surrendered. Germany occupied northern France and the Atlantic coastline. They then installed a puppet government in Vichy for the rest of France. This was when a French leader ruled but was under direction from Hitler and other German leaders. Britain was in trouble because Germany was gaining land very quickly. -
Battle of Britain
After France fell, Winston Churchill delivered a speach saying that they would never give up. Germany's air force, the luftwaffe, decided that in order to bring Britain down, they would have to defeat the Royal Air Force. On August 23rd, German bombers accidentally bombed London so the next night, Britain bombed Berlin. After this, the Royal Air Force brutally destroyed the luftwaffe. Britain was finally starting to fight back aggressively.
