Build Up To World War II
The Road to World War II
On your own copy of this picture, add labels to explain what the cartoonist suggests Hitler is doing?
Who are the other people in this picture and what does the cartoonist think of them?
January 1933: Hitler became
Chancellor of Germany
Hitler soon ordered a programme of rearming
Germany
Hitler visits a factory and is enthusiastically greeted. Many
Germans were grateful for jobs after the misery of the depression years.
March 1936: German troops marched into the Rhineland
The Rhineland was a region of Germany that was ‘demilitarised’ after the Treaty of Versailles.
Germany was not allowed to have troops in the region.
Hitler’s actions showed how he was willing to directly challenge the treaty. March 1938: Nazi
Germany annexed Austria
Again, this went against the terms of the Treaty of Versailles which banned
Germany from uniting with Austria.
However, the arrival of
German troops was met with great enthusiasm by many
Austrian people.
March 1939: Germany invaded Czechoslovakia
Hitler had ordered the occupation of a part of
Czechoslovakia known as the
Sudetenland (in October
1938). Many hoped that that this would be the last conquest of the Nazis.
However, in March 1939, he ordered his troops to take over the remainder of
Czechoslovakia. This was the first aggressive step that suggested that a war in
Europe would soon begin.
August 1939: Germany and Russia signed a non-aggression pact
Hitler and Stalin (the Russian leader) signed a ‘nonaggression pact’.
They promised that neither country would attack the other in the event of war.
As part of the deal, Hitler promised Stalin part of Poland, which he planned to invade soon. This photo shows the Russian foreign minister signing the pact, whilst Stalin stands smiling in the background
Stalin
Hitler
The non-aggression pact was surprising. Hitler and Stalin were seen as natural enemies.
When Hitler talked of taking over new land for Germany, many thought that he meant Russia.
On your own copy of this picture, add labels to explain what the cartoonist suggests Hitler is doing?
Who are the other people in this picture and what does the cartoonist think of them?
January 1933: Hitler became
Chancellor of Germany
Hitler soon ordered a programme of rearming
Germany
Hitler visits a factory and is enthusiastically greeted. Many
Germans were grateful for jobs after the misery of the depression years.
March 1936: German troops marched into the Rhineland
The Rhineland was a region of Germany that was ‘demilitarised’ after the Treaty of Versailles.
Germany was not allowed to have troops in the region.
Hitler’s actions showed how he was willing to directly challenge the treaty. March 1938: Nazi
Germany annexed Austria
Again, this went against the terms of the Treaty of Versailles which banned
Germany from uniting with Austria.
However, the arrival of
German troops was met with great enthusiasm by many
Austrian people.
March 1939: Germany invaded Czechoslovakia
Hitler had ordered the occupation of a part of
Czechoslovakia known as the
Sudetenland (in October
1938). Many hoped that that this would be the last conquest of the Nazis.
However, in March 1939, he ordered his troops to take over the remainder of
Czechoslovakia. This was the first aggressive step that suggested that a war in
Europe would soon begin.
August 1939: Germany and Russia signed a non-aggression pact
Hitler and Stalin (the Russian leader) signed a ‘nonaggression pact’.
They promised that neither country would attack the other in the event of war.
As part of the deal, Hitler promised Stalin part of Poland, which he planned to invade soon. This photo shows the Russian foreign minister signing the pact, whilst Stalin stands smiling in the background
Stalin
Hitler
The non-aggression pact was surprising. Hitler and Stalin were seen as natural enemies.
When Hitler talked of taking over new land for Germany, many thought that he meant Russia.