HITLER, WWII, AND

POST- WAR GERMANY

o 1889 Hitler is born. His father is a low level customs official in Austria.
o 1909 went to Vienna to be an art student. Rejected when he applied to
art school. Blamed the Jews.
o Began to believe in ideas of Houston Stewart Chamberlain. Stab in the
Back Myth. Hitler was a nationalist. Wanted German supremacy and
excellence.
o Went to Munich (Bavaria) to avoid draft in
Austria. Could not join German Army.
Fought for Bavaria. Wounded twice.
Iron Cross. Never lost idealism.
o 1919 Joined the Deutsche Arbeiter Party
(German Workers Party). Sent by the
army to spy on them. Had the same
ideas as Hitler. Quit army to join them.
HITLER AND THE RISE OF
THE NAZI PARTY
o 1920 renamed the National Socialism German Workers Party (NSDP)
o 1921 Brown Shirts (S.A.) and Strum Abteilung (Storm Troopers)
founded by Ernest Rohm. Military wing of the party.
o 1922 membership at 5-6,000 in Munich. Political club. Anti-
Republican. Anti-Weimar. No voting. No running for office. Ex-
military. Anti-Semitic. Anti-French. Anti-Versailles. Gain strength
when economy fell.
GERMAN WORKERS PARTY
o 1923 15,000 S.A. members
o Hitler joined Kampfbund- association of right wing political groups in
Bavaria. Planned the putsch (coup)
o November 8, 1923- all political rally in a beer hall. Conservative
politics. Rounded up 3,000 S.A. troops. March on Munich.
o Took control of war ministry. Police blocked off the street. Someone
fired a shot. 16 Nazis dead and 3 police dead. Hitler fled.
o November 11, 1923 Hitler was arrested
o 1924- Trial lasted 24 days. Made international news. Hitler sentenced
to 5 years in prison but he only served 9 months. He took full
responsibility. Blamed everyone for not supporting him. Rudolf Hess
helped him write Mein Kampf while in prison.

BEER HALL PUTSCH
o New direction for Nazis. Weimar rebuilding, Nazi party in ruins. Working
outside law had not worked. Urban strategy influenced by Benito Mussolini.
Legal. Control industrial centers. Target working class. Not work so well in
Germany. Things good and they dont want them to change.
o Fhrer myth. Means leader. Divine providence to lead Germany back to
greatness and solve the problems.
o 1927 National Party Rally in Nuremberg-. Large scale. Leaders swore
allegiance to Hitler. Totality of Nazi movement. Message- government
effectiveness. Upper class blind. Virtue of peasants. Destiny of Aryan Race.
o Vertical Organization- Hitler Munich headquarters under Hess Gauleiters
(provisional leaders) Kreisleiters (county leaders) area leaders block
leaders. Well-oiled political machine.
o Horizontal Organization- infiltrate and create social clubs, labor unions, ect.
All economic levels. Grow into national organizations.
o Success because (1) determination for victory, (2) middle class feared rise of
Marx more than Nazis, (3) organized and ready to take advantage of decline.
NEW VISION OF THE NAZIS
o 1929- American stock market crash. Hit Germany hard. Had been
rebuilt on American money. Golden age gone. Pave way for Hitler.
o Numbers grow in the Reichstag. By 1930 there were 107 out of 600.
not go anywhere.
o 1930- Hitler lost election for presidency to Paul von Hindenberg.
o July 1932- 230 Nazis elected to Reichstag. President is the head of the
state and military. Chancellor is in charge of the day to day work of the
Reichstag.
o Hitlers name is more known. Discovers the power of the radio.
Propaganda value of mass communication. Political potential in
airplane. Fly to all of his speeches.
o November 1932- K.D.P. (Communist Party) also growing in numbers
elected to Reichstag. When things get worse their numbers grow more.
FINAL RISE
o Revolution of the youth. Nazi Youth Movement/Hitler
Youth- founded by Von Sirach. 15-18 years of age.
10-15 years in Deutsches. Jungvolk were younger
boys. Parallel organizations for girls.
o Terror- people feared Communists taken their property. Hitler was
anti-Communist. S.A. became guards of private property.
o Myth- Aryan supremacy. Hitler promised to restore Germany to glory.
o Herenvolk- Hitler youth.
o Desperation drove people to Hitler. By 1923 1 out of every 3 people
were unemployed.
o Joseph Goebbels- propaganda minister. August 1932 force another
election. Nazis still fail to get majority. Hitler has to form a coalition.
o 30 January 1933- Hindenberg names Hitler Chancellor. Better than the
Communists having the power. Brings along his friends.
POWER AND CONSOLIDATION
o Made Nazis a part of the Cabinet. Other parties hope to control Hitler.
Dissolve assembly. New elections to try and gain the majority. Get rid of
coalition. Meet with German General Staff. Traditional and worried
about positions. Rebuild army not dissolve it.
o Hermann Goering- head of police in Prussia.
o 4 February 1933- Presidential decree outlawing opposition.
o 27 February 1933- building that housed the Reichstag burned down.
Used this against the communists.
o 28 February 1933- Decree blaming K.P.D. for burning the Reichstag.
Right to take over any state government that could not guarantee law
and order. Suspend all civil rights for duration. Arrested and executed
for treason, arson and inciting riots. No lawyer, no appeal, no suing for
false arrest. Concentration camps opened for political prisoners.

CONTROLLING THE
GOVERNMENT
o S.S. created as an elite part of the S.A. in order to protect Hitler.
o 22 March 1933- Enabling Act: gave dictatorial powers to Hitler. Had to
use violence and intimidation to get it passed.
o Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service- 28% of civil
service replaced.
o Nazification of judiciary- Nazis at every level of the court system.
o 7 April 1933- Law on the Admittance to the Practice of Law: separate the
legal profession.
o Law for the Coordination of States: state governments gone.
o 14 July 1933- Law Against the Founding of Parties- outlaw opposing
political parties.
o 20 July 1933- Hitler/Vatican Reichs Concordat: Vatican recognizes
Hitler. He allows Catholic schools to stay open. The Catholic church stays
out of politics.
o 30 January 1934- Law for the Reformation of the Reich: All state rights to
Berlin
CHANGING THE LAWS
o By 1933 the S.A. numbered almost 3 million. Control of the army but
separate from politics. Restoring the military power brought Rohm and
Hitler together. He wants Hitler to use the S.A. as an army to fight.
Hitler is a little nervous about telling Rohm no.
o Werner von Blomberg- Minister of War. Rohm mad because the public
wants his job. Rohm took power but he does not fit the ideals of the
Nazis.
o Heinrich Himmler is head of the S.S. (Schutzstaffel). Conspiracy against
Rohm. Asked Reinhard Heydrich to assemble a file on Rohm. Falsified
evidence that Rohm took money to overthrow Hitler.
o 30 June 1934- 300 to 400 S.A. leaders were killed, including Rohm.
o 1 July 1934- German General Staff swore oath of loyalty to Hitler.
Gratitude for purge. Hindenberg says thanks for avoiding a revolution.
Public does not know about it for 2 weeks.
o August- Hindenberg died. Hitler combined office of President and
Chancellor. Army is co-opted. S.A. becomes a parade group. S.S. is the
new elite corp. Army never gets back that ground.
NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES
o Physical appearance becomes the key
o Julius Streicher- The Gift of Pilz- worldwide conspiracy. Hand in hand
with Bolsheviks. Marx a Jew. Jews lower than animals. Good v evil.
Landed v rootless. Light v dark.
o Heinrich Himmler- Untermensch- pamphlet. Subhuman. Pictures to
contrast appearance. Given to ever SS member.
o Ostjuden- Eastern European Jew. Traditional Jew. Uneducated. Frighten
Germans. Backwards. Not a true representation of all Jews. Racial
stereotype of Jews.
o Der Sturmer- Himmler the editor. Publish anything. Made all Jews out
to be like the Ostjuden.
CULTURE AND QUESTION OF
RACE
o 1933-September 1935
o Intimidate and remove all Jews for professional jobs
o Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service- removed from
government jobs. Model for future laws.
o Law for the Revocation of Naturalization and Annulment of German
Citizenship- Ostjuden immigrants lost citizenship.
o Hereditary Farm Law- denied right of Jews to inherit land.
o Jews remained hopeful.
o Central Association of German Jews (C.V.)- Protect and/or secure jobs for
German Jews. Plan for Jewish emigration. Legally and socially protect Jews
against Nazi abuse. Organize relief efforts. Protect and maintain culture.
Advise Jews to hold on and out wait the Germans.
FIRST PHASE
1933~70,000 left
1934~24,000 left
1935~26,000 left
1936~25,000 left
1937~27,000 left
1938~150,000 left
In 1933 there were 600,000 Jews in Germany
By 1940 almost half of the German Jewish population and 80% of those Jews
under the age of 40 had left.

o Nuremberg Racial Laws- 15 September 1935- included the Law for the
Protection of German Blood and Honor- all citizenship gone. Special
legislation just for Jews. No intermarrying. Forbidden to employ Aryan
maid under the age of 45. All Jewish mixed breeds defined by percent's.
o 1938-April- Fundamental Decree Regarding the Reporting of Jewish
Property- all Jews report property to officials.
o June- regulations defining Jewish businesses.
o August- forced to add Israel and Sarah as middle names
o 9 November- Kristallnacht- 200 synagogues destroyed; 7,500 Jewish
shops looted; 100 Jews killed; 30,000 sent to camps. A Polish student
murders a German secretary in Paris and Nazis use this as an excuse
for violence.
o 12 November- Decree on Eliminating Jews from German Economic
Life- confiscate all Jewish property.
o Decree on the Penalty Payment by Jews- blame for all past problems
and demand payment from them.
o Trying to make the situation so horrific they will leave Germany
SECOND PHASE
o Rearmament- cadres of 24 divisions. They are the nucleus. Tanks.
Mechanized the cavalry. Air force. Do this quietly. Do not want to anger
the allies before they are ready.
o 12 March 1935- Hitler ignores the military restrictions in the Versailles
Treaty. Install a draft. Peacetime force of 36 divisions. General Staff and
public support.
o German officer corps goes from 3,000 to 28,000 in 5 years.
o Trenches. Air force is a tactical weapon. Supporting unit. Hitler used
land based approach. Strategy- blitzkrieg v trench warfare.
o 1936- Germany remilitarized the Rhineland. General Staff wants to wait.
Not ready to face England and France. Hitler gambles England and
France were not ready.
o Very little fighting. Worked. England okay with Hitler getting strong in
order to keep France in check. Hitler convinced of Allied weakness and
the cowardice of his generals.
o 1937- Hitler increases the pace of rearmament and cleans house in the
military.
PREPARING FOR WAR
o Hitlers goals: repudiation of Versailles Peace Treaty. Revival of place as
a military and diplomatic power. Conquer Eastern Europe and Soviet
Union which creates living space in the east.
o 1936- March- 200,000 German troops enter the Rhineland. Establish
central Europe block. Cut off Russia and western Europe. Excuse used
was self-determination. German people under German rule.
o 1937- pressure Austria. Was a German state.
o 12 March 1938- Anschluss- take over Austria. Do it with little
bloodshed. Invited the Germans in.
o 30 September- Munich conference- Hitler, Mussolini, Chamberlain,
and Daladier. Discussing what to do with the Sudetenland. Give it to
Hitler. Appeasement.
DRIVE TO WAR
o 1939- took the rest of Czechoslovakia. Appeasement was not working.
o Turned attention to Poland which had been reestablished as a country
after WWI. Germans lived there.
o 31 March- England came out and guaranteed the independence of
Poland. April- France did the same. Neither is ready for war though.
o 23 August- Soviet Union and Germany sign the Non-Aggression Pact.
Stalin knew he would have to face Hitler sooner or later but he was not
ready for that now. No allies at this time either. Stall for now. Hitler
need Soviet Union to not get upset when he takes Poland. Agrees to split
it with them.
o Secured Soviet alliance so there wont be a two
front war.
o 1 September 1939- invaded Poland.
o WWII has begun.

o Poland had an army of 1.7 million against
Germanys 1,750,000. Within 3 weeks Poland
had surrendered. This gave Hitler the change
to try out tank warfare and blitzkrieg.
o He was confident England and France would
not do anything to help Poland.
o 3 September 1939- England and France
declare war on Germany.
o 17 September 1939-Soviet forces entered
eastern Poland. Best division of ethnic groups.
Becomes the new border. Push towards Hitler.
o France waits for Germans to attack instead of
attacking them. If they had attacked Hitler
they may have won the war. He had no troops
along the border because he did not think
France would declare war.
o Fall 1939- Britain had 26 divisions (14,000 men), plans for 29 more.
Smallest standing army. 600 bombers. France had 100 divisions and more
tanks than Hitler. Germany had 100 divisions and 1200 bombers. Shocked
Britain and France would declare war. Neither did anything. Fear strong.
Lack of confidence in leaders. Why fight for Poland?
o Maginot Line- October 1939 to April 1940. Phony War. tanks behind
and wait. No bombers used on either side. Only attack if you are attacked
first. Soldiers lose confidence.
o April 1940- Nazis took Denmark and Norway. Norway became a place to
hid ships and subs. Denmark gave them control of the straits.
o 12 May- broke through to France. Speed caught everyone off guard
including Hitler. Thought it had to be a trap.
o 24 May- Dunkirk- halt just short of there. Rescued 338,000 English and
French troops. Allowed British to move thousands of boats to rescue
soldiers.
o 22 June- French give up the north. Create Vichy France in the south.
Surrender in the same rail car where the Germans were forced to sign the
armistice in 1918.
WWII
o Battle of Britain- Phase One: 13 August- mid
September. Plane to plane combat. First major
air battles. Dog fights. Phase Two: mid
September to mid November. Bombing of
industrial towns. Tactical bombing. Phase
Three: mid November to winter. Terror
bombing. Strategic bombing.
o Radar/enigma- British invented radar.
Warning system. British got a copy of the
enigma. Used to relay orders. Broke secret
code. Identify agents in England. Feed
misinformation to Germany.
o By October Hitler had given up on Britain
and was planning Operation Barbarossa.
o U.S. unofficially involved. Trade with Britain
only. Fall of 1940 FDR election for 3
rd
term.
Lend Lease Act.
o 22 June- Operation Barbarossa began. 3 million German troops. 3 separate
groups- northern sent to Leningrad, middle sent to Moscow and southern sent
to Kiev. Stalin knew it was coming just hoped it would be later.
o 28 June- 200,000 Soviet troops captured at Biolstok-Minsk
o July- 300,000 Soviet troops captured at Smoliknsk
o September- 650,000 Soviet troops captured at Kiev. 200,000 Soviet troops
captured at Wjasma
o 7 December- Hitler ordered soldiers to dig in. rainy season. Winter. Soldiers
know reality. Soviets mobilize 2 million more soldiers.
o Hitler is mad because they have not take Moscow yet. Baltic people see the
Germans as liberators. That view did not last long.
o Einstazgruppen- death squads.
o Siege of Leningrad- lasted 900 days. 1 million died.
o 1942- need the oil fields in the south. 2,000 mile long supply lines. Send 3
million men to the south. Very hostile fighting around Stalingrad. 19
November- Soviet counter attack surrounded the German 6
th
Army.
o 2 February 1943- 90,000 German troops surrendered. 195,000 had died.
Only 5,000 would see home. No retreat for the Germans. Could have made it if
they had been allowed to move back and meet with reinforcements. Turning
point in the war.
o Nuremberg Trials- tried the top Nazi officials responsible for the
Holocaust.
o United Nations created in 1945
o 1945 February- Yalta Conference. Decided to divide Germany up into
four zones of occupation- Soviet, American, British and French.
o July- Potsdam. Reparations go to the Soviets because they lost the most
during the war. Take it out of Germanys industry.
o Soviet Union and the U.S. are now the world powers.
o Tension between the communist Soviet Union and
the democratic U.S. soon led to the Cold War.
POST-WWII