Download Unit 3 - Lesson 1 - Rise of Hitler

World War II – The Rise of Hitler
• Adolf Hitler was born on 20
April 20 1889 in a small
Austrian town that bordered
Germany.
• In Old German, Adolf means
“noble wolf.”
• Hitler was a poor high school
student. At the age of 16,
Hitler dropped out.
• He tried to become an artist,
but by age 21 in 1910, he was
penniless and homeless.
World War II – The Rise of Hitler
• During this time, he started
holding anti-Semite views.
• Due to different religious
practices and costumes
(…especially Orthodox Jews),
Hitler claimed Jews were natural
enemies of the Aryan race.
• Socialism was growing in
Europe, and Hitler linked many of
the economic problems in
Austria to Socialism. Many
leaders of Socialism were
Jewish.
• In 1913, Hitler moved to
Germany.
World War II – The Rise of Hitler
•
At the start of WWI in 1914, Hitler entered
the German army.
•
He saw active duty as a message runner.
•
He was wounded twice and survived a gas
attack.
•
For his service, he earned First and
Second Class Iron Cross medals. He was
never promoted… perhaps because he was
not a German citizen.
•
Hitler was shocked when Germany
surrendered in 1918. The German army
was still in France, and Hitler was
convinced the soldiers had been “stabbed
in the back” by politicians in Germany.
•
How would Hitler respond to the Treaty of
Versailles that forced Germany to destroy
its military, give up land and pay for war
damages?
World War II – The Rise of Hitler
•
Hitler’s response to the Treaty of Versailles
…he despised it. He began to use
“international Jewry”, communists and
weak German politicians as scapegoats for
the loss.
•
He joined the German Workers Party, and
by 1921, he was a high ranking official. He
began using the swastika as a party
symbol.
•
Hitler introduced his 25-point program that
included the Final Solution for Jews
(exclusion from society, ghettos, eventual
annihilation). Would this idea make Hitler
popular…even within his own party?
•
On 29 July 1921, he introduced himself as
the Fuehrer of the National Socialist Party.
What is the possible acronym of the
National Socialist Party?
World War II – The Rise of Hitler
•
The acronym of the National Socialist Party
is NAZI.
•
His associates included Rudolf Hess,
Hermann Göring and Ernst Röhm.
•
On 8 November 1923, Hitler tried to use
force to overthrow the government in
Bavaria, a province of Germany. The coup,
known as the Beer Hall Putsch, failed. In
1924, Hitler was sentenced to five years in
jail for conspiracy to commit treason.
•
Hitler would serve only one year…due to
good behaviour and the view he was not a
threat to the public.
•
The coup had failed, but Hitler became
noticed. If force and military action had
failed, what do you would he do next?
World War II – The Rise of Hitler
Mein Kampf
•
In English, it means “My Struggle”.
•
It is an autobiography and a description of Nazism.
•
Hitler began writing the chapters in prison, but it was
completed after his release with the help of Rudolf
Hess.
•
In the book, Hitler explains (1) propaganda as a
means to control crowds, (2) “Jewish Peril” – the
Jewish conspiracy to control the world, (3) the need
for Germany to attain its natural destiny, and (4) the
division of races and the necessary war to eliminate
Judeo-Bolshevik.
•
Even before Hitler became Germany’s leader, Mein
Kampf was very popular. He was able to buy a
Mercedes while still in prison.
•
What do you think happens next?
World War II – The Rise of Hitler
•
Hitler becomes politically active.
•
Within the Nazi Party, he centralizes power (i.e., only he
can elect party officials).
•
The Great Depression hit Germany harder…perhaps
harder than any other European country. The German
unemployment rate was more than 50%. The German
mark was worthless. The German government tried a
variety of programs to offset the Depression, but they
failed. In addition, the USA demanded Germany repay the
loans the USA gave to Germany to rebuild after WW1.
•
Hitler linked the Treaty of Versailles to Germany’s
economic woes and limited position within Europe. He did
not blame only Jews; rather, he linked the Treaty to other
political parties in Germany.
•
What would Hitler say about the Depression and the Treaty
of Versailles to gain support from the German public?
World War II – The Rise of Hitler
•
Hitler promised to tear up the Treaty of Versailles
•
Hitler promised to create jobs.
•
Hitler promised to restore Germany’s glory and
ensure a greater share of the “world’s economic
pie”.
•
Hitler promised to rebuild Germany’s military
machine.
•
Hitler promised to remove Jews and other
unwanted groups from jobs and positions of
power.
•
Hitler promised to respect WWI veterans with
larger pensions.
•
Do you think Hitler won the next German
election?
World War II – The Rise of Hitler
• In 1932, Hitler became a German citizen.
• Hitler did not win the 1932 German election.
No one won a clear majority. So, Hitler was
asked to form a coalition government with
other parties.
• By 1933, the Nazi Party held the greatest
number of seats in the German Parliament.
Hitler demanded that he be made Chancellor
of Germany. NOTE: 63% of Germans did not
vote for Hitler. They failed to vote with a
unified voice against the Nazi.
• This action did not make Hitler the supreme
leader of Germany. His political competition
was the Communist Party AND the role of
Chancellor was below the German President.
• What do you think Hitler did next?
World War II – The Rise of Hitler
•
To get rid of the Communists, Hitler created a crisis.
He ordered the German Parliament to be burned AND
blamed the Communists for the fire. He immediately
passed the “Law for the Protection of the People and
State” that basically outlawed the Communist Party.
•
With no opposition, Hitler won the next election by a
landslide.
•
By recognizing the “liberty” of the Catholic-based
Centre Party, Hitler was able to get the 2/3 majority in
the Parliament to enact the “Enabling Act” which
allowed him to make new laws without the German
Parliament approval.
•
In 1934, the President suddenly died, and Hitler
passed a law making him both Chancellor and
President. The German army swore oath to Hitler and
not the state.
•
Finally, he passed a law that outlawed all other
political parties. What was the only party left?
World War II – The Rise of Hitler
• Next, Hitler passed the “Temporary Law for
the Coordination of the States and the
Reich.” Under this law, states were
required to conform to the German
Parliament. Hitler installed a Nazi Party
member as the leader of each state.
• The police forces were combined to form
the SS and the Gestapo. Soon afterwards,
Germany became a police state.
• Next, Germany withdrew from the League of
Nations.
• Finally, Hitler was invited to invade Austria.
• Why do you think all these event are
important?
World War II – The Rise of Hitler
•
Hitler begins to rebuild Germany’s economy.
•
He encourages women not to work…making jobs for
men.
•
Roads and railways are built throughout
Germany…for later troop movement.
•
He rebuilt the German army and navy. By 1935, the
German military was bigger than France’s army.
•
Hitler reoccupied the Rhineland (…lost in WWI in the
Treaty of Versailles).
•
In 1936, the Spanish Civil War begins. The war was
between Loyalists or Republicans (Communists)
and the Nationalists. Canada makes a law making it
illegal for Canadians to join a foreign army. Over
1200 Canadians including Dr. Norman Bethune
joined the Republican forces secretly. Hitler
supported the Nationalists. Hitler used Spain as a
training grounds for new military tactics including
the Blitzkerg.
World War II – The Rise of Hitler
Elsewhere…at the same time…
•
In 1931, Japan invades Manchuria (China).
Some of the most notorious war atrocities
occur during this invasion. Canada and
many other nations are in the depths of the
Great Depression. Needing Japan as an
economic trading partner, the nations of
the world do nothing.
•
In 1935, Mussolini and Italy invade
Abyssinia (Africa). The Canadian delegate
to the League of Nations proposes a
boycott on trade with Italy that includes
Canadian oil. Italy needs oil for its war
machines. The suggested boycott is
rejected in Canada. Catholic Canadians
have sympathy for Italy because it is home
for the Pope.
•
In 1936, Germany, Italy and Japan sign a
pact. It was later expanded to include
Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. This is
the Axis Powers.
World War II – The Rise of Hitler
• Between 1933 and 1939, many Jews fled
Germany.
• On 9 November 1938, a German-Jewish
student, upset that his parents were not
allowed to leave Germany, shot and killed a
German immigration official in Paris. That
night, Jews were attacked in Germany. The
event is called Kristallnacht or “Night of
Broken Glass” because the streets were
covered by broken glass.
• The event was planned. In two days, 1,000
synagogues were ransacked, 7,000 Jewish
businesses destroyed, dozens of Jews
were killed, Jewish cemeteries were looted,
30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent
to concentration camps and a Jewish
curfew was imposed. The “Final Solution”
had begun.
World War II – The Rise of Hitler
•
After the “invited conquest of Austria”, Hitler looked at
the Sudentenland of Czechoslovakia. Hitler noted that
many people of German descent lived in this area, and
that they wanted to be part of Germany. The Czechs
were ready to fight, but the world was not. British
Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and French
Premier Dadodian agreed to the German occupation of
Sudentenland at the 1938 Munich Conference.
Chamberlain declared the agreement as “peace in out
times”, but by March 1939, Germany controlled all of
Czechoslovakia.
•
In 1938, Hitler is made Time Magazine’s “Man of the
Year.”
•
In August 1939, Germany signed a Non-Aggression
Pact with the Soviet Union. The two nations agreed
not to fight each other and divide Poland.
•
In September 1939, Hitler demanded the Polish
Corridor awarded to Poland in the Treaty of Versailles
be returned to Germany. Poland refused and Germany
invaded Poland.
World War II – The Rise of Hitler
•
These are two famous paintings about the Spanish Civil War.
•
One is by Salvador Dali called Soft Construction with Boiled Beans
(Premonition of Civil War). It shows war as self-fulfilling and selfmutilating.
•
The other is by Pablo Picasso depicting the bombing of the city of
Guernica by German forces. The air raid killed 1,600 civilians. The
painting depicts suffering.