The Germans in World War 2

By marwaterbury

  • Treaty of Versailles

    The Treaty of Versailles forced Germany to say that they were responsible for starting WW1 (even though they didn't), pay 6.6 billion in reparations, reduce their military to 100,000 soldiers, and de-militarize the Rhineland. This treaty was signed because of France's extreme hatred of Germany and thirst for revenge.

  • The Beginning of the Nazi Party

    Anton Drexler was the leader of the German Workers Party, which Hitler joined in 1920. Soon after Hitler joined, he took over as its leader, and he called it the National Socialist German Workers Party, also known as the Nazi Party. Hitler would continue to use the party as a platform to spread his radical socialist beliefs, and white supremacy.

  • Hyperinflation

    Germany paid their first reparation payment in 1921, but they couldn't afford the 1922 payment. The Wiemar Government kept printing marks to keep paying the German workers that were on strike, and they eventually printed so much money that it became worthless.

  • Munich Putsch

    In November 1923, Hitler decided to attempt his Munich Putsch, which was a failed coup attempt, and it resulted in the death of 16 Nazis. Hitler's failed attempt also resulted in his own imprisonment, but he managed to gain useful publicity from his trial and wrote Mein Kampf.

  • The Growth of the Nazi Party

    The Nazis used German citizens' dissatisfaction with the Wiemar Government to gain popularity. They were quite skilled with their usage of propaganda; they advertised themselves as "the party to solve all problems". The Nazi Party gained popularity quickly because the German citizens strongly disliked their current government, and they wanted a new leader.

  • Hitler's Rise to Power & Nazi Germany

    With the Enabling Act, Hitler...
    - Banned opposing parties and put their leaders in concentration
    camps
    - Banned trade unions
    - Put Nazis in charge of all state governments
    After Hindenburg's death, Hitler made himself Chancellor and President, and he called his new role Führer. No major group remained to challenge his authority; he had total power.

  • The Enabling Act

    In March 1933, Hitler called for another election. The Nazis got 288 seats in the election, which was not the majority, so they joined the DNVP/Nationalists to become the majority. After the election, Hitler used this majority to pass the Enabling Act, which allowed him to create laws, without consulting the Reichstag, for the next 4 years.

  • The Spread of Anti-Semitism & Concentration Camps

    The Nazis believed in the superiority of the Aryan race (ethnic Germans). They also believed that anyone who wasn't Aryan needed to be removed from society. This resulted in concentration camps, which many minorities (LGBT, disabled, gypsies) were sent to. Jewish people suffered greatly in Nazi Germany. As Hitler's reign progressed, their lives kept getting worse. In 1935, the Nuremburg Laws were created, which took Jews' German citizenship, and it prevented them from marrying Germans.

  • Re-Occupation of the Rhineland

    After World War 1, the Treaty of Versailles prevented the Germans from having any of their armed forces in the Rhineland. Since Hitler strongly opposed the Treaty, he sent German troops to re-occupy the Rhineland.

  • Kristallnacht

    In 1938, there was an attack on Jewish businesses, homes, and synagogues, causing massive damage. Many Jewish people were arrested and sent to concentration camps.The survivors of the attack received a 1 billion Reichsmark bill to clean up the mess.

  • Invasion of Poland

    Hitler invaded Poland using Blitzkrieg tactics, which meant that German forces quickly invaded using all of their weapons and soldiers immediately, preventing the Polish army from mobilizing fast enough to stop them. The Poles fought back, but they were quickly defeated and occupied.

  • Operation Barbarossa

    Hitler sent his forces eastward with plans to invade the Soviet Union. Moscow seemed open to a German advance, but the harsh weather slowed down the Nazis' advance. The Nazis were not prepared for winter. They struggled to make it to Moscow, where they were met with brutal Soviet counterattacks. Barbarossa had failed. This was known as the crucial turning point of World War 2.

  • D-Day

    Also known as the Battle of Normandy, this was the Allied invasion that resulted in the liberation of Western Europe from the control of Nazi Germany.

  • Hitler Commits Suicide

    He sat in his refurbished air-raid shelter, swallowed a cyanide capsule, and shot himself with a pistol. His wife also committed suicide.

  • Nazi Germany Surrenders, End of WW2

    After Hitler's suicide, Karl Dönitz was left to carry out Nazi Germany's surrender. Dönitz and his allies lost any leverage in terms of negotiating the conditions of the surrender. On May 7th, Dönitz decided to give in to Allied demands of unconditional surrender. This surrender marked the end of World War 2.