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HITLER’S RISE TO POWER
Shortly after the First World War, Germany found itself in crisis. Germany had
set up a democracy (Weimar Republic) and had managed to avoid a dictatorship
during the 1920’s, but only just. Various groups tried to take power and several
open revolts occurred from extreme right wing and left wing parties (political
instability). Germany also faced rapid inflation to the point where the mark
became worthless and her currency ultimately collapsed. Resentment also ran high
among Germans against the Treaty of Versailles whose terms seemed harsh and
unfair. In this climate, Hitler began building the National Socialist Party (the Nazi
party). However, as long as the German economy could offer reasonably full
employment groups like Hitler’s could not gain power.
Unfortunately this situation changed with the onset of the Great Depression. By
1930 Germany was faced with massive unemployment and 40% of Germans found
themselves jobless. Hitler’s party began to gain support. His promise to free
Germany from the humiliating Treaty of Versailles appealed to German pride and
he offered the Germans a target for their political and economic crisis and
declared a race war on the Jews. Hitler offered solutions to the problems of
Germany and in 1933 he was elected to power with 37% of the votes.
The Communists were immediately eliminated from the Assembly and the power of
the other parties was severely restricted. Trade unions, news media, schools and
churches were brought under his control and any dissent was crushed by his brown
shirted storm troopers ( this is known as totalitarianism – all aspects of life were
controlled by the Nazi Party). Hitler closely regulated the economy and through
public works projects such as road building and careful investments unemployment
began to fall and prosperity began to return. Hitler also implemented progressive
social programs in areas such as health care, and through mass rallies, powerful
speeches and appeals to German pride he convinced many Germans to put faith in
and follow him – their leader, the fuehrer. Thus when, in 1934, Hitler and his Nazi
Party assumed complete power and dissolved the Parliament few people seem to
have felt strong opposition.
Hitler’s anti-Semitic views, as written in his book, Mein Kampf (1925), became
reality when, in 1935, laws were passed depriving Jews of their civil and commercial
rights and by 1941 the Nazi state was carrying out the deliberate extermination
of Jews throughout occupied Europe.
THE ROAD TO WAR
After gaining total control of Germany, Hitler began the expansion of the Nazi
Reich (state). First, in 1936, he marched into the Rhineland (which although
German was, according to the Versailles Treaty, to be free of German forces). He
then joined Austria to Germany – the Anschluss (also forbidden by the peace
treaty). The Western democracies were preoccupied with their own problems and
felt powerless to stop Hitler the dictator (an authoritarian, non-democratic leader)
– some even sympathised with Hitler. In 1938 the prime ministers of France and
Great Britain approved his take over of the Sudetenland (the Munich Agreement)
in exchange for Hitler’s guarantee that he would stop. Unfortunately, their
attempts at appeasement (giving Hitler what he wanted in hope that he would stop
there) did not work. Hitler invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia, then after making
a deal with Russia attacked Poland on the first of September 1939. By this time it
became clear Hitler’s aggressive territorial expansion would not end and France
and Great Britain declared war on September 3, 1939. To support Britain and help
stop Hitler’s conquest of Europe, on September 10, the Canadian Parliament voted
to declare war on Germany.
World War Two
Hitler’s generals had developed a new style of warfare known as blitzkrieg
(lightning campaign). In this style of warfare soldiers, tanks and air support were
coordinated to move together. Poland stood little chance against the German army
and by September, 29 Poland collapsed. The late fall of 1939 and winter of 1940
were known as the phoney war because although Germany, France and Britain were
at war, no fighting (except for at sea) took place. Then in April of 1940, the
German army overran Denmark and Norway, and then in May Hitler launched an
offensive against Holland, Belgium and France. Hitler’s modern army and his
blitzkrieg tactics proved to be deadly. Germany and her ally Italy now controlled
Western Europe. Hitler then turned his sights on Britain. Before invading the
island, Hitler had to get control of the air over the English Channel. The Battle of
Britain began in the summer of 1940. Hitler was not able to defeat the British air
force; therefore he did not invade England. In the late spring of 1941 Hitler
turned his sights east and invaded Russia, and in fact much of WWII was fought
between the Germans and the Russians. Although Hitler experienced initial
success in Russia, he was not able to defeat her. In December of 1941, Japan (also
allied with Germany and Italy – known as the Axis powers) attacked various targets
in the Pacific, including the American navy at Pearl Harbour in Hawaii. To support
his ally, Hitler also declared war on the Americans. In 1943, the Americans,
British and Canadians (known as the Allies) invaded Sicily and Italy, and in 1944 the
allies landed in France (D-day). With the Russians attacking Germany from the
east and the Americans, Canadians and British attacking Germany from the west, it
was only a matter of time before Germany was defeated. In the late spring of
1945 Hitler killed himself and Germany surrendered. War against the Japanese in
the Pacific continued until August of 1945 when the Americans dropped the first
atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan and then the second one on Nagasaki.
CANADA’S ROLE
Overseas
Canadians played an important role in the overseas war effort. Canadian fighter
pilots helped defeat Hitler’s air force during the Battle of Britain. Canadian
bomber crews attacked Hitler’s military and industrial installations in Nazi
occupied Europe. Canadians soldiers participated in the unsuccessful raid on the
French port of Dieppe, as well as the successful invasions of Sicily and Italy.
Canadian soldiers successfully drove the Germans out of the Italian town of
Ortona at Christmas in 1943 and were involved in removing the Germans from their
mountainous stronghold, Monte Cassino, south of Rome. Canadians successfully
captured their own section of beach (Juno) during the D-day landings. Canadians
helped capture and destroy sections of the German army at Falaise and Canadians
are recognized for liberating much of the Netherlands. Throughout the war,
Canadian sailors (especially corvette crews) protected convoys (groups of ships
sailing together – from Canada to Europe – for protection against German U-boats).
In the Pacific in 1941, Canadians attempted, unsuccessfully, to defend the British
colony of Hong Kong from the Japanese invasion. Canadians were also involved in
hundreds of smaller operations in both the Pacific and European theatres of war.
At Home
The economic contribution made by Canada to the war effort is little short of
miraculous. Canadian industries produced everything from bullets and guns to
jeeps, aircraft and ships. Canadian farms produced crops and meat for the war
effort and Canadian fishers sent large portions of their catches overseas.
Canadian mines produced the metals and minerals necessary to make war materials.
In short, Canada had become an economically significant country. Rationing
(government limited the amount a person could buy) also became a way of life for
Canadians. Ration cards where necessary to buy gasoline, butter, sugar, meat, tea
and coffee. Canadian women again went to work in factories, on farms and in
numerous other jobs, and unlike WWI, this time they filled non combative roles in
the military. The British Commonwealth Air Training Program (a program that
trained pilots from all over the world) was a very significant contribution.
Conscription came again, but due to Prime Minister King’s careful handling of the
situation, the reaction in Quebec was less severe than during WWI. A low point in
Canada’s history occurred when the property of Japanese Canadians was taken and
they were interned in camps for fear that they might be spies.
WHAT CAUSED GERMANY TO BECOME SO AGGRESSIVE?
Economic
Trouble
in the 1920s
Political
Instability
Treaty of
Versailles
Hitler and the
Nazis
The Great
Depression
(unemployment)
HITLER’S RISE TO POWER WORKSHEET
In 1933 Hitler came to power legitimately through elections. Shortly after, the
democratic process in Germany ended and Hitler began to create a totalitarian
regime. Although the Western democratic countries such as France, Britain and
Canada became very concerned about Nazi Germany, little action was taken to stop
Hitler.
1. Describe conditions in Germany after WWI. How did Germans feel about the
Treaty of Versailles?
2. Explain how Hitler and the Nazis came to power. When Hitler announced the
start of the third Reich, what did he mean?
3. What countries did Hitler invade before WWII started? Define appeasement
and explain how this allowed Hitler to continue his aggression. What terms of the
Treaty of Versailles did he break?
4. List several ways Hitler and the Nazi Party kept the people of Germany under
control.
5. Hitler was very anti-Semitic. Define anti-Semitism and outline the views
expressed by Hitler in his book Mein Kampf. List several ways in which the Jewish
people were persecuted.
6.
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Create a time line in your notes and put on the following:
Treaty of Versailles
Hitler gains control of Parliament
Nuremberg Laws
German troops enter Rhineland
Hitler annexes Austria (Anschluss)
Munich Agreement
Hitler invades Sudetenland
Hitler invades rest of Czechoslovakia
Germans sign non aggression pact with Soviets
Germany invades Poland
France and Britain declare war
Canada declares war
HITLER’S RISE TO POWER QUIZ
Name: ___________________
1. Shortly after the First World War, Germany found itself in crisis. Germany had
set up a democracy (Weimar Republic) and had managed to avoid a dictatorship
during the 1920’s, but only just. Various groups tried to take power and several
open revolts occurred from extreme right wing and left wing parties resulting in
___________________. Germany also faced _______________ to the point
where the mark became worthless and her currency ultimately collapsed.
________________ also ran high among Germans against the
____________________ whose terms seemed harsh and unfair. In this climate,
Hitler began building the National Socialist Party (the Nazi party). However, as
long as the German economy could offer reasonably full employment groups like
Hitler’s could not gain power.
first choices: Treaty of Versailles, rapid inflation, political instability, resentment
2. Unfortunately this situation changed with the onset of the Great Depression.
By 1930 Germany was faced with massive _________________and 40% of
Germans found themselves jobless. Hitler’s party began to gain support. His
promise to free Germany from the humiliating Treaty of Versailles appealed to
_________________ and he offered the Germans a target for their political and
economic crisis and declared a race war on the ____________. Hitler offered
solutions to the problems of Germany and in 1933 he was ______________ to
power with 37% of the votes.
second choices: elected, German pride, unemployment, Jews
3.
The Communists were immediately eliminated from the Assembly and the
power of the other parties was severely restricted. Trade unions,
______________, _______________and churches were brought under his
control and any dissent was crushed by his _________________ ( this is known
as _______________________ - all aspects of life were controlled by the Nazi
Party).
third choices: storm troopers, news media, totalitarianism, schools
4.
Hitler’s _____________views, as written in his book____________
became reality when, in 1935, laws were passed depriving Jews of their
___________and by 1941 the Nazi state was carrying out the deliberate
________________ of Jews throughout occupied Europe.
fourth choices: rights, anti-Semitic, extermination, Mein Kampf
5. After gaining total control of Germany, Hitler began the expansion of the Nazi
Reich (state). First, in 1936, he marched into the _______________. He then
joined Austria to Germany – the ____________. The Western democracies were
preoccupied with their own problems and felt powerless to stop Hitler. In 1938
the prime ministers of France and Great Britain approved his take over of the
_________________ in exchange for Hitler’s guarantee that he would stop.
Unfortunately their attempts at __________________ did not work. Hitler
invaded the rest of ___________________, then after making a deal with Russia
attacked ______________ on the first of September 1939. By this time it
became clear Hitler’s aggressive territorial expansion would not end and France
and _______________declared war on September 3, 1939. To support Britain
and help stop Hitler’s conquest of Europe, on September 10, the
____________Parliament voted to declare war on Germany.
fifth choices: Poland, Rhineland , Great Britain , Anschluss, Sudetenland, Canadian,
appeasement, Czechoslovakia