WWII and the Holocaust Date Class Topics Assignments Break assignment • Prelude to War • Read pp. 839-847 (Prelude to War) • Appeasement • Primary Source reading on the • Hitler’s Gamble Chamberlain and Churchill and • Japanese Aggression Appeasement and the Anschluss (below) • The Course of the War • Read pp. 847-855 (The Course of the War) • • Poland & Blitzkrieg Warfare Primary Source reading/listening Churchill on The Miracle at Dunkirk (below) • Battle of Britain • Read pp. 855-862 (The New World Order) • German Invasion of Soviet Russia • Video: Day in Auschwitz (47 min) • The Pacific Conflict • Read pp. 862-end of chapter (The Home • The Grand Alliance Front and the Peace Settlement). • D-Day and The A-Bomb • Read pp. 855-862 (The New World Order) • New World Order • Go through powerpoint • The Holocaust • The Home Front • The End of the War • Redrawing the Map • Emergence of the Cold War Monday, 4/18 • REVIEW WWII and HOLOCAUST HAVE ALL CHAPTER READING FINISHED AND C Day GO THROUGH POWERPOINT. Tuesday, 4/19 • WWII QUIZ STUDY FOR QUIZ! • Cold War Discussion Neville Chamberlain, In Defense Of Appeasement Hitler sought power to build a great German empire in Europe, a goal that he revealed in Mein Kampf In 1935, Hitler declared that Germany was no longer bound by the Versailles Treaty and would restore military conscription. In 1936, Germany remilitarized the Rhineland and in 1938 incorporated Austria into the Third Reich. Although these actions violated the Versailles Treaty, Britain and France offered no resistance. In 1938, Hitler also threatened war if Czechoslovakia did not cede to Germany the Sudetenland with its large German population-of the 3.5 million people living in the Czech Sudetenland, some 2.8 million were Germans. In September 1938, Hitler met with other European leaders at Munich. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain (1869-1940) of Gret Britain and Prime Minister Edouard Daladier (1884- 1970) of France agreed to Hitler's demands, despite France's mutual assistance pact with Czechoslovakia and the Czechs' expressed determination to resist the dismemberment of their country. Both Chamberlin and Daladier were praised by their compatriots for ensuring, as Chamberlain said, "peace in our time." Britain and France pursued a policy of appeasement-giving in to Germany in the hope that a satisfied Hitler would not drag Europe into another war. Appeasement expressed the widespread British desire to heal the wounds of World War I and to correct what many British officials regarded as the injustices of the Versailles Treaty. Some officials, lauding Hitler's anticommunism, regarded a powerful Germany as a bulwark against the Soviet Union. Britain's lack of military preparedness was another compelling reason for not resisting Hitler. On September 27, 1938, when negotiations between Hitler and Chamberlain reached a tense moment, the British prime minister addressed his nation. Excerpts of this speech and of another before the House of Commons, which appeared in his In Search of Peace (1939), follow. Britain and France pursued a policy of appeasement- their prayers for my success. Most of these letters have giving in to Germany in the hope that a satisfied Hitler come from women- mothers or sisters of our own would not drag Europe into another war. Appeasement countrymen. But there are countless others besides- expressed the widespread British desire to heal the from France, from Belgium, from Italy, even from wounds of World War I and to correct what many Germany, and it has been heartbreaking to read of the British officials regarded as the injustices of the growing anxiety they reveal and their intense relief Versailles Treaty. Some officials, lauding Hitler's when they thought, too soon, that the danger of war anticommunism, regarded a powerful Germany as a was past. bulwark against the Soviet Union. Britain's lack of military preparedness was another compelling reason If I felt my responsibility heavy before, to read such for not resisting Hitler. On September 27, 1938, when letters has made it seem almost over- whelming. How negotiations between Hitler and Chamberlain reached a horrible, fantastic, incredible it is that we should be tense moment, the British prime minister addressed his digging trenches and trying on gas masks here because nation. Excerpts of this speech and of another before of a quarrel in a far-away country between people of the House of Commons, which appeared in his In Search whom we know nothing. It seems still more impossible of Peace (1939), follow. that a quarrel which has already been settled in principle First of all I must say something to those who have should be the subject of war. I can well understand the written to my wife or myself in these last weeks to tell reasons why the Czech Government have felt unable to us of their gratitude for my efforts and to assure us of accept the terms which have been put before them in the German memorandum. Yet I believe after my talks However much we may sympathize with a small nation with Herr Hitler that, if only time were allowed, it ought confronted by a big and powerful neighbour, we cannot to be possible for the arrangements for transferring the in all circumstances undertake to involve the whole territory that the Czech Government has agreed to give British Empire in war simply on her account. If we have to Germany to be settled by agreement uncle conditions to fight it must be on larger issues than that. I am myself which would assure fair treatment to the population a man of peace to the depths of my soul. Armed conflict concerned . between nations is a nightmare to me; but if I were convinced that any nation had made up its mind to dominate the world by fear of its force, I should feel that it must be resisted. Under such a domination life for people who believe in liberty would not be worth living; but war is a fearful thing, and we must be very clear, before we embark on it, that it is really the great issues that are at stake, and that the call to risk everything in their defense, when all the consequences are weighed, is irresistible. For the present I ask you to await as calmly as you can the events of the next few days. As long as war has not begun, there is always hope that it may be prevented, and you know that I am going to work for peace to the last moment. Good night . Winston Churchill, A Disaster of the First Magnitude On October 5, 1938, Britain's elder statesman Winston Churchill (1874- 1965) delivered a speech in the House of Commons attacking the Munich agreement and British policy toward Germany. I will begin by saying what everybody would like to world war, and all that mass of moderate opinion and ignore or forget but which must nevertheless be stated, popular opinion which dreaded war, and some elements namely, that we have sustained a total and unmitigated of which still have some influence upon the German defeat, and that France has suffered even more than Government. Such action would have given strength to we have . all that intense desire for peace which the helpless . And I will say this, that I believe the Czechs, left to German masses share with their British and French themselves and told they were going to get no help from fellow men . the Western Powers, would have been able to make . I do not think it is fair to charge those who wished to better terms than they have got-they could hardly have see this course followed, and followed consistently and worse-after all this tremendous perturbation . resolutely, with having wished for an immediate war. I have always held the view that the maintenance of Between submission and immediate war there was this peace depends upon the accumulation of deterrents third alternative, which gave a hope not only of peace against the aggressor, coupled with a sincere effort to but of justice. It is quite true that such a policy in order redress grievances . After [Hitler's] seizure of Austria to succeed demanded that Britain should declare in March . I ventured to appeal to the Government . straight out and a long time beforehand that she to give a pledge that in conjunction with France and would, with others, join to defend Czechoslovakia other Powers they would guarantee the security of against an un- provoked aggression. His Majesty's Czechoslovakia while the Sudeten-Deutsch question was Government refused to give that guarantee when it being examined either by a League of Nations would have saved the situation. Commission or some other impartial body, and I still …All is over. Silent, mournful, abandoned, broken, believe that if that course had been followed events Czechoslovakia recedes into the dark- ness. She has would not have fallen into this disastrous state. suffered in every respect by her association with the …France and Great Britain together, especially if they Western democracies and with the League of Nations, of had maintained a close contact with Russia, which which she has always been an obedient servant. She has certainly was not done, would have been able in those suffered in particular from her association with France, days in the summer, when they had the prestige, to under whose guidance and policy s has been actuated influence many of the smaller States of Europe, and I for so long. believe they could have determined the attitude of …Life in this country, as in other Liberal and Democratic Poland. Such a combination, prepared at a time when countries, have a perfect right to exalt the principle of the German dictator was not deeply and irrevocably self-determination, but it comes ill out of the mouths of committed to his new adventure, would, I believe, have those in totalitarian States who deny even the smallest given strength to all those forces in Germany which element of toleration to every section and creed within resisted this departure, this new design.