Causes of WWII
SWBAT: explain the causes of World
War II
Do Now: 4/18/13
True or False?
1. World War Two was triggered by Germany's invasion of Poland.
2. The German people thought that the Treaty of Versailles was very fair.
3. Adolf Hitler was elected Chancellor of Germany in June 1933.
4. In 1938 Hitler demanded the Sudetenland region of Hungary.
5. Britain adopted a policy of appeasement towards Hitler.
6. The League of Nations was ultimately a failure.
Events leading to WWII
1. Treaty of Versailles
2. Hitler’s Actions
3. Failure of Appeasement
4. Failure of League of Nations
Failure of Appeasement
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Neville Chamberlain – Prime Minister GB
Munich Agreement 1938
Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy
Sudetenland back to Germany
Hitler invaded Czech: March, 1939
"..a quarrel in a far-away country between
people of whom we know nothing.”
• Committed to aiding Poland if Germany
invaded
Failures of the League of Nations
• Japan invades
Manchuria (1931)
• League orders Japan
out  ignored
• League orders
countries to end
trade with Japan 
WHY doesn’t this
work?
Nuremburg Laws
• September 5, 1935
• Laws for protection of “German blood
and German honor”
• Legal discrimination against Jews
• Clear definition of who was & was not a
Jew
• Eventually included Romani, blacks &
Germans with mental and genetic
deformities
Kristallnacht
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November 9 & 10, 1938
“Night of Crystal” – Night of Broken Glass
Germany, annexed Austria, Sudetenland
Led by Nazi officials – SA & Hitler Youth
German officials announced it was a
spontaneous outburst of public sentiment in
response to the assassination of Ernst vom
Rath
• Jews fined for Nazi’s attack
Invasion of Poland
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1939: Nazi-Soviet Pact
1939 – “September Campaign”
German  September 1, 1939
Soviet Union  September 17, 1939
ENDS: October 6, 1939
Divided Poland among Germany, Soviets &
Slovakia
• Britain & France declare war on Germany
September 3, 1939
Exit Ticket
• How is the invasion of Poland going to
trigger WWII?
• Why do you think this was the MAIN
reason that sides were drawn and war
broke out in 1939?
• What makes Poland worse than other
events leading up to the war?
• How is this similar/different than WWI?
Do Now: 4/18/13
"Leading up to WWII"
1. What was Hitler's "pure German Race"
2. Describe the term "Lebensraum"
3. What alliances did Hitler form that further voided the Treaty of Versailles?
4. WHY was nothing done to stop Hitler's aggressive actions? Explain each
country's reasoning for not getting involved.
"Outbreak of WWII (1939)"
1. Explain the significance of the Nazi-Soviet Non-Agression Pact.
2. After the invasion of Poland, what nations did Stalin move on to conquer next?
3. Why did two sworn enemies, Stalin and Hitler, join together in a pact?
"WWII in the West"
1. Describe the term "blitzkrieg". Why is this significant?
2. What was the outcome of Marshall Philippe Petain's request for an Armistice?
(where was it installed?)
3. Describe the plan "Operation Sea Lion" - Who wins? What is the significance of
the Battle?