v Chapter 32 Overview:

Ø Justification & rationale for previous war (WWI):

§ Intellectual sentiments of those engaged in it:

· “War to end all wars”

· “Make world safe for democracy”

· Justification for sacrifice to 10 million deaths

¨ Billions of dollars sown & great upheaval reaped

· The questions asked: was it all worth it?

Ø Appalling reality=> two decades later=> global war (again)

§ WWII would be more global, expensive, and lethal

§ Europe’s democracies would fight for their very existence

§ Against militaristic, nationalistic, totalitarian aggressors

· both in Europe & Asia

Ø Great Britain, US, & USSR vs. Germany, Italy, & Japan

§ Result: victory for the allies, but only an illusive peace

· Cold War erupted between only two superpowers left

¨ Fought along ideological & geo-strategic alignments

Ø Europe became relegated to second-class power status=>

§ - aligned with and subordinate to one of two superpowers

§ These alignments and political, social, & $ competition=>

· Drove global relationships & policies for next 45 years

v The Road to War – again (1933-1939):

Ø WWI, the Versailles Treaty, & the Great Depression

§ Germany focused on Versailles settlement

· Convinced it caused 1923 hyper-inflation

· Other ills and economic & social unrest

§ Hitler & Nazi denounced it as source of all problems

· 1930s economic distress reinforced this view

§ Nazi success based on Nationalism & exploit of above

· Reinforced with strong emphasis on party discipline

· Source of Nazi & Hitler’s success

· Major influence on Hitler’s foreign policy plans

· All FP concentrated in Hitler’s hands

§ Destruction of Weimar Republic major part of plan

Ø Hitler’s Goals & the role of Mein Kampf

§ Hitler’s world view laid out in Mein Kampf

· Although not a rigid blue print- (improvisation)

§ Hitler brilliant improviser=> exploit opportunities

· But to achieve goals=> war likely to be required

§ 19^th cent. racial theories & aims central to Hitler’s ideas:

· Aim: far beyond 1914 borders (Kaiser’s limited vision)

· Bring all German volk under single nation- to include?

§ “New” German nation would include:

· All German parts of former Hapsburg Empire

· Aggressive pursuit of “Lebensraum”- from whom?

¨ Thought worthy only of serving German people

· Racial “purification” process- to remove whom?

· Plan: conquest of Poland & Ukraine (food)

¨ Provide lands for major German resettlements

Ø Destruction of Versailles- Political & diplomatic strategy

§ Initially- direct approach to Hitler’s aims not feasible

· 1^st must make Germany a major military power

· How to do this? (eliminate Versailles constraints)

§ Oct 1933: w/d from Disarmament Conference & League

§ Jan 1934: sign “non-aggression” Pact with Poland

§ Mar 1935: formal renouncement of Versailles arms limits

· Manifested by formation of Luftwaffe

· Reinstatement of conscription (500K men)

§ France dismayed but League ineffective in preventing

· Issued condemnation without any action to support it

· (Japan’s occupation of Manchuria provided example

¨ Sep 1931: League issued condemnation but little else

¨ Japan w/d from League and stays in Manchuria)

· League condemns German rearmament but w/o what?

§ Britain & France’s reaction to German rearmament?

§ Britain & France’s reaction to German rearmament:

· Aside from rhetoric and complaints- nothing

· June 1935: forms Stresa Front=> status quo in Europe

¨ Undermined by Brit separate agreement w/Germany

Ø Germans to rebuild navy to 35% of royal navy

Ø Italy Attacks Ethiopia

§ Mussolini’s revenge for Italy’s 1896 defeat

· Also restoration of Rome’s imperial past glory

· Distract Italians from Fascist corruption & $ problems

§ League of Nations response:

· Condemns aggression & actually votes for $ sanctions

· Imposed arms embargo & limits credits & Italy exports

§ Problem: Britain & France afraid to alienate Mussolini

· Refused to endorse only real war stopping sanction?

· Also fail to stop Italian deployment through Suez canal

· Result: League credibility for collective security?

¨ Worse- Mussolini aligns with whom anyway?

Ø Remilitarization of the Rhineland

§ Hitler assesses West’s political will wrt Ethiopia affair

· Calculates that League & West is virtually impotent

§ Result: Hitler does what against advice of his generals?

§ 7 March 1936: deploys small force into DMZ of where?

· Major gamble: breached Versailles & Locarno

· British & French offer only feeble protests

· Hitler further emboldened by his gamble’s success

¨ Future impact on general staff’s future advice?

§ Why not a stronger response from Britain & France?

· British popular support for France’s defense

· French political domestic situation & security focus

¨ Role of Maginot Line

§ Result: West pursues what kind of policy toward Hitler?

· Led by whom and based on view of Ger. grievances?

· Major assumption: Hitler’s aims have acceptable limits

· Therefore correct policy: negotiate & make concessions

¨ Avoid war at all costs through appeasement policy

§ Reality of situation=> Brits unable pursue firmer policy

· Allowed armed forces to deteriorate since end of WWI

· Rapid rearmament would require major expenditures

· Also fear it could start arms race (factor in last war)

§ Result: Germany steadily rearmed despite West’s actions

· Fr generals prepare to fight the last war- Maginot Line

· Brits hope for best- Chamberlain pursues appeasement

Ø Spanish Civil War (Map 32-1)

§ Franco & the Falangists vs. the Republic

· Refused to accept election defeat (Feb 1936)

· July: Franco launched Civil War from Morocco (Map)

¨ Bloody three year conflict unfolds=> divides Europe

§ Choosing up sides- along ideological lines

· Germany & Italy support Spanish Fascists counterparts

¨ Reinforce with troops, supplies, & airpower

· Soviets support Republic w/advisors & equipment

¨ Individual liberals from Europe & US volunteer

§ Rome-Berlin Axis

· Germany & Italy grow closer together during war

· Japan joins too=>third actor of Axis powers

§ Test Bed for Tactics, doctrine, & weapons

· Close air support & strategic bombing tactics

¨ Guernica (Picasso painting of event)

· Major venue to test doctrine & tactics for WWII

§ Meanwhile Brits & French adhere to strict neutrality

· Forbid all arms exports (appeasement followed)

· US follows similar course- Spain’s republic suffers

§ By early 1939: Fascists control Spain

Ø Austria & Czechoslovakia (Cz) (Map 32-2)

§ Hitler attempts to take control of Austria

· Uses propaganda, intimidation, & threats- all fail

§ Austrian Premier von Schuschnigg announces plebiscite

· Test voter preference toward Anschluss on 13 Mar’38

· Hitler’s view toward Austria’s holding plebiscite?

§ Anschluss

· Hitler invades Austria on 12 March 1938

¨ Nazi supporters cheer German army

· Major strategic significance of Anschluss?

¨ Besides for the Austrians=> who else?

¨ Who is now surrounded on three sides?

¨ France also committed in an alliance to defend Cz

§ Hitler’s motive toward Cz

· Very existence considered an affront to Germany

· Cz was democratic, liberal, & pro-West

· Created as check on potential German expansion west

· Allied to France & USSR (Germany’s arch enemies)

· 3.5 million ethnic Germans reside in Sudentenland

· What was Hitler’s ultimate aim toward Cz?

§ What was Britain’s PM’s position on Sudentenland?

· What was his motive for pursuing this course?

§ Neville Chamberlain & appeasement

· Determined to avoid another war at all costs

· Pressured Cz to make further concessions to Hitler

§ Sudetenland=> never enough

· Sept 12, 1938: Hitler make provocative speech

¨ Results in ethnic German riots in Sudentenland

¨ Government of Cz declares martial law

· Hitler’s intervention appeared imminent

¨ Chamberlain pursue appeasement

¨ Goes to Berchtesgarten & accepts Hitler’s demand

Ø Sudetenland to be surrendered to Hitler w/o fight

· Britain & France force Cz government into compliance

¨ Threaten to abandon Czechs if they fail to agree

Ø (they already had)

· Hitler then demands immediate German occupation

Ø Betrayal at Munich

§ France & Britain prepare for war

§ Mussolini proposes conference at last minute

· Principals meet 29 Sept 1938 in Munich (pix p. 912)

§ What are the results of the Munich Conference?

§ Results of Munich Conference:

· Hitler gets virtually all his demands agreed to

· Sudetenland becomes part of Germany (Map)

· Strategic impact: Cz lose means to defend itself

¨ Defense stripped from Cz & occupied by Germans

· Hitler then claims he has no more territorial demands

§ “Peace in our time”?

· Chamberlain returns to Britain a national hero

· Claims he had achieve “honorable peace”

¨ Czechs not so sure - Sole dissenting Brit?

§ Appeasement would prove even short term failure

· 15 Mar 1939: Hitler occupied Prague

¨ terminates Czech independence

¨ Also ended illusion of Hitler’s true aims (for most)

Ø Chamberlain still holds to appeasement policy

Ø 75% of British public now disagree- war worth it

· War would eventually be waged – but at disadvantage

¨ No preparation or defensive position against Hitler

§ Germany soon put pressure on Poland to restore Danzig

· Demands rr & highway through Polish corridor – why?

· 31 Mar’39: Brits declare Br-Fr guarantee of Poland

· Problem: unbeknownst to Brits- USSR talking w/whom?

Ø Nazi-Soviet Pact

§ Western Europe & Soviets explored possible agreement

· Problem: both distrust each other=> causes hesitation

· Meanwhile Soviets felt left out of Munich discussions

¨ Secretly meet & negotiate with Nazis

§ 23 Aug 1939 - Nazi-Soviet non-aggression pact

· Secret provisions of pact: divide Poland between them

¨ Russia to annex Baltic states & Bessarabia (Rom.)

· Germany’s strategic objective achieved – which was?

¨ Keep Russia from interfering w/invasion of Poland

¨ Cleared way for invasion -no eastern front (for now)

§ Sept 1,1939: Germany invades Poland

· Brits & Fr drawn into general war against Germany

¨ The exact opposite of all their policy & strategy aims

v World War II (1939-1945)

Ø WWII truly more global, lethal, & total in contrast to WWI

§ Fought across Europe & Asia & both hemispheres

· Throughout world’s oceans & in North Africa

§ Mobilized all men & women & all their resources

· Full economic production capacity achieved

· Blockades established & SS interdiction pursued

· Civilian populations directly targeted & bombed

Ø German Conquest of Europe (Maps)

§ Poland never stood a chance when Blitzkrieg started

· Polish C3 overwhelmed & way behind battle timeline

· Polish Calvary valiantly charge tanks & machine guns

· German planes bomb front & rear positions

· Confusion of battle paralyzes Poland’s defenses

§ Soviets pile on from east to avoid being left out of plunder

· Absorb Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia, & Lithuania

· Nov 1940: attack Finland- but Finns initially hold

¨ Finns finally compelled to give territory & bases

Ø Still able to maintain independence

§ “Phony War” ensues for approximately 6 months

· France hides behind Maginot Line & waits

· Brits try to make up lost ground: rearm & blockade

§ April 1940: Hitler invades Denmark & Norway (Map)

· Strategic aim: acquire bases within range of where?

¨ Sought by German Navy & Luftwaffe commanders

§ May 10, 1940: Battle of France begins with Blitzkrieg

· 3 Army Groups attack through Belgium & Ardennes

¨ Army Group B exploits Brit & Fr expectations

¨ Army Group A conducts main thrust to south

¨ Army Group C hold line along West Wall

§ As Guderian breaks through, France begins to collapse

· British BEF & Fr forces withdraw to Dunkirk enclave

¨ 340K Allied forces evacuated across Channel (Map)

§ France surrenders to Germany by 22 June 1940

· Petain signs armistice (same rail car as in WWI)

¨ French government established in Vichy

Ø Collaborate with German occupiers

· Meanwhile De Gaulle’s Free French resist

· Germans occupy northern France (base for what?)

Ø Battle of Britain

§ Who replaced Chamberlain as British Prime Minister?

· Appeasement policy bankrupt & officially terminated

§ What are Hitler’s initial objectives toward Britain?

§ Hitler’s initial objectives wrt Britain:

· Convince Brits to give him free hand in Europe

¨ Churchill’s response? (a “no brainer”- why?)

§ Churchill inspired British (US) people during war crisis:

· Promises only “blood, sweat, and tears…”

· Asserts: “…we will never give up.”

· Established close relationship with FDR

¨ Military & Naval talks produce war aims & plans

¨ Initial problem: US still committed to isolation

¨ FDR convinced Nazi victory not in US interests

Ø Transfers military supplies, “Lend Lease” DDs

Ø Provides convoy shipping to Brit