Germany

Treaty of Versailles (1919) - Clemenceau's Views (France)

Clemenceau wanted Germany to pay for France's damages and wanted to ensure that Germany was weakened

Treaty of Versailles (1919) - Lloyd George's Views (Britain)

Lloyd George wanted to preserve Britain's naval supremacy and enlarge the empire. He was more lenient than Clemenceau, but had to acknowledge the anti-German sentiment in Britain.

Treaty of Versailles (1919) - Wilson's Views (USA)

Wilson wanted a just system of international relations held in place by an international body (i.e. League of Nations).

Causes of German Defeat in WWI - German Armistice

Germany troops lost in a 1918 offensive, had low morale, and suffered an influenza outbreak. German General Ludendorff (handler of war efforts) believed better armistice terms would be gained from a civilian government, so he handed power over to Prince Max of Baden.

Causes of German Defeat in WWI - Domestic Problems

Germany faced strikes, political unrest, mutiny from soldiers at Kiel, and food shortages caused by Allied blockades.

Causes of German Defeat in WWI - "Stab In The Back" Theory

The armistice was a shock to German citizens. The theory explains Germany's defeat by blaming the new socialist government for agreeing to an armistice when Germany was close to winning the war.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (1918)

a peace treaty between Bolshevik Russia and the Central Powers that ended Russia's involvement in WWI; Russia gave up territory to the Central Powers.

Key Points of the Treaty of Versailles

League of Nations created; Rhineland demilitarized and occupied; Alsace-Lorraine returned to France; Germany army and navy restricted; War Guilt Clause; reparations

Mein Kampf - Gross Deutschland (Anschluss)

emphasized the unification of Austrian Germans and German minorities (including Czechoslovakia and Poland) with Germany

Mein Kampf - Race & Living Space (Lebensraum)

The new, greater Germany would only include 'pure' Germans ("superior Aryan race"). These beliefs became more popular at the end of the 19th century due to Social Darwinism. The Aryan race would need more space from the East taken from 'inferior' nations.

Early Anti-Semitism

If Jewish influence went unchecked, it would result in "national race TB", meaning that the German race must be protected against inferior blood.

Kapp Putsch (1920)

Some members of Freikorps (paramilitary, right-wing groups of ex-soldiers) attempted to overthrow the government. Workers in Berlin went on strike in favor of the government, and the coup collapsed.

Occupation of the Ruhr (1923)

French and Belgium troops invaded the Ruhr (industrial heartland of Germany) to force Germany to pay reparations. The German government ordered "passive resistance" and strikes, denying the French German goods and raw materials. The German government paid the workers; as a result, inflation turned into hyperinflation, alienating the middle classes.

Munich Putsch (1923)

Led by Hitler, the Nazi Party attempted to overthrow the Weimar Republic. The coup was a failure, leading Hitler to be arrested. During his time in prison, Hitler wrote "Mein Kampf" and decided on a 'legal path' to revolution.

Gustav Stresemann

(chancellor of Germany, 1924-1929) Stresemann halted hyperinflation and negotiated the Dawes Plan with the USA in order to regenerate the economy. Electoral support for the Nazis was limited due to economic recovery, which allowed Stresemann to take these actions.

Kellog-Briand Pact (1928)

Germany, France, and the USA agreed to outlaw war as a foreign policy tool. This pact was later signed by 62 other countries.

Locarno Treaties (1925)

A series of agreements whereby Germany, France, Belgium, Great Britain, and Italy mutually guaranteed peace in Western Europe.

Great Depression in Germany

The Weimar was dependent on US loans, therefore US stability, so the Great Depression wrecked Germany. Unemployment rose from 2.8 million (1929) to 8.8 million (1932).

Nazi Polarization of the Great Depression

Hitler promoted the Nazi Party as one that would provide food and jobs during the economic crisis. He criticized Stresemann's policies of collaboration with the West and believed that Germany did not benefit as much from the policies as other countries did.

*The acute economic crisis made Hitler's domestic and foreign promises more attractive to the German people.

Steps to Hitler's Dictatorship

1. Reichstag burnt down (1933)

2. Enabling Act (1933)

3. Night of Long Knives (1934)

4. Paul von Hindenberg (Pres. of Weimar Republic) died (1934)

Steps to Hitler's Dictatorship - Reichstag Burns Down (1933)

The Reichstag was burnt down, and the Nazis claimed it was a communist plot. A decree was passed suspending freedom of the press, of speech, and of association. In the next election, the Nazis won 43.9% of the votes.

Hitler Becomes Dictator

In the 1932 presidential elections, Hitler ran for the Nazis and won 36% of the vote. Leading members of the German government believed that Hitler and the Nazis would be useful and that they could control Hitler. President Hindenberg agreed to the plan, but as chancellor Hitler became dictator.

Steps to Hitler's Dictatorship - Enabling Act (1933)

This act gave Hitler the power to pass laws without the Reichstag's consent. This would allow him to rule by decree for 4 years, essentially making him dictator.

Steps to Hitler's Dictatorship - The Night of Long Knives (1934)

The SA (Sturmabteilung - paramilitary organization that violently enforced Nazi Party norms), under Ernst Röhm, was becoming a potential threat and an embarrassment to the Nazis. Hitler used the SS (Schutzstaffel - personal bodyguard unit) to purge the SA and kill other enemies (about 200 killed).

Steps to Hitler's Dictatorship - Hitler's Merging of Offices

President Hindenberg of the Weimar Republic died, leading Hitler to merge the officers of chancellor and president. He became the Führer of Germany.

Concentration Camps

Established as early as 1933, concentration camps dealt with political enemies (i.e. Jews, Romas, homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses)

Nuremberg Laws (1935)

Pure Aryan Germans were forbidden from having a relationship with Jews. These laws effectively stripped Jewish people of their rights as citizens as only those of Aryan blood could retain full political rights.

(Historiography) Hitler's Plans - Intentionalists

Intentionalists argue that Hitler had a definite program with clear phases: (1) end the Treaty of Versailles and ally with Britain and Italy, (2) defeat France, and (3) conquer Russia.

(Historiography) Hitler's Plans - Continuation of Earlier Policy

It could be argued that Hitler's aims were similar to Kaiser Wilhelm II's in WWI: hegemony over Europe, creation of a greater Germany, and rule over a fragmented Russia.

Changing Diplomatic Alignments Post-1933 - Britain

Britain was preoccupied with the economic crisis of the Great Depression and Japanese expansion. The country's resources were overstretched, and its main priority was home safety. Many right-wing British politicians were afraid of Stalin and sympathized with Hitler who they saw as a buffer to the spread of communism from the eat.

Changing Diplomatic Alignments Post-1933 - France

France was concerned by Germany's recent actions but was too weak to act alone. It was politically divided following several weak governments and economic problems. France built the Maginot Line (1929-1938) and developed alliances with countries along German's Eastern borders (i.e. Poland and "Little Entente" countries) to bolster their defenses against Germany.

Changing Diplomatic Alignments Post-1933 - USA

The US focused on domestic problems and was unlikely to change its isolationist stance.

Pro-Hitler Global Conditions Post-1933

1. The international economic situation encouraged national insularity rather than collective security.

2. The horror of WWI made many determined to take any measures necessary to prevent war.

3. The need to avoid war was reinforced by the military weakness of France and Britain.

4. The League of Nations failed to effectively deal with Japanese expansion in Manchuria.

5. Britain and France evacuated the Rhineland (1929-1930) ,and German reparation payments were cancelled at the Lausanne Conference (1932).

Hitler's Withdrawal from Disarmament Conference (1932)

The League of Nations had demanded disarmament, but France was unwilling to disarm with the threat of Nazism looming. Britain and France disagreed on how to treat Germany, with Britain being prepared to make concessions to Germany. France refused to disarm to Germany's level or allow Germany to rearm to their level, so Hitler pulled out of both the Conference and the League of Nations.

Non-Aggression Pact with Poland (1934)

Poland, alarmed at German rearmament, entered into a 10-year Non-Aggression Pact with Germany. Hitler was unable to take any action against Poland, and by signing the Pact, he secured the Eastern frontier. The Pact weakened France's security system in Eastern Europe and ended any chance of good relations between Czechoslovakia and Poland.

July Putsch (1934)

As a part of Anschluss, Hitler tried to persuade Mussolini that Austria should become a satellite of Germany; however, Mussolini rejected this sentiment, wanting to keep Austria a buffer state between Germany and Italy. Hitler lended Germany's support to the Austrian Nazi Party who intended to force the union with Germany through a coup. In response, Mussolini mobilized 100,000 troops and moved them to Italy's border with Germany as intimidation. Hitler backed down and denounced the Austrian Nazis.

Rapallo Treaty (1922)

The Soviet Union and Germany reestablished diplomatic relations. Germany expanded its military and air force through this treaty as it allowed Germany to manufacture forbidden planes (made illegal by the Treaty of Versailles) and ammunition in the Soviet Union.

Saar Plebiscite (1935)

The Saar, a small, coal-rich territory under French control since 1919, held a plebiscite with the opportunity to return to Germany. 90.9% of the vote agreed to return to Germany. This plebiscite was a great opportunity for Nazi propaganda to reinforce the growing power and strength of Germany and the popularity of the Nazi regime.

Franco-Soviet Mutual Assistance Treaty (1936)

This Treaty provided Hitler with a convenient pretext for denouncing the Locarno Treaties and remilitarizing the Rhineland. He argued that this treaty violated the Locarno Pact and threatened Germany with encirclement.

Hitler Retakes the Rhineland (1936)

German troops moved into the Rhineland, which was not a surprise to the British or the French. Hitler's successful invasion was accompanied by a peace offer to make him look like a peaceful man and to divert Britain's and France's attention away from his challenge of the Treaty of Versailles. The offer included demilitarizing the Rhineland if Britain and France created similar zones on their side, negotiating new security pacts with neighbors, and returning to the League of Nations.

Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

The Spanish Civil War was a nationalist revolt by the Spanish army against the republican Spanish government. Francisco Franco led the Nationalists and sought help from Germany and Italy, while the republican government sought help from Britain, France, and the Soviet Union.

Nazism in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

Hitler intervened in support of Franco (Nationalists) because he wanted a friendly government in Spain to supply mineral resources, provide military bases, and undermine French security. Hitler also wanted to test out Germany's air force and see the effects of air attacks on civilian populations. He hoped to pose as a defender of European civilization against communism.

Rome-Berlin Axis (1936)

A series of secret protocols that set out Hitler's and Mussolini's mutual interests.

Anti-Comintern Pact (1936)

The signatories (Germany, Italy, and Japan) vowed to take measures to "safeguard their common interests" in the case of an attack by the Soviet Union. This pact marked the beginning of the openly aggressive phase of Hitler's foreign policy.

Hitler's Four Year Plan (1936)

The Four Year Plan introduced the concept of autarky, or the attempt to make Germany self-sufficient so international trade was no longer necessary. Hitler brought the struggling consumer economy more closely under party control via the Four Year Plan, under the leadership of Hermann Göring.

Mein Kampf - Economic Self-Sufficiency (Autarky)

Germany needed to be self-sufficient, so that the country did not have to rely on international trade. This concept was acted upon during the Four Year Plan (1935) under Hermann Göring.

Hossbach Memorandum (1937)

Hitler called a special meeting that gave an overview of Germany's international situation and proposed several actions to be taken. The meeting outlined Hitler's plan for foreign expansion.

Blomberg-Fritsch Affair (1938)

Those who were hesitant about Hitler's plans for foreign expansion (outlined in the Hossbach Memorandum) were removed from power when Hitler appointed himself Supreme commander of the German army.

Four Main Aims of Hitler's Foreign Policy

1. To reverse the Treaty of Versailles.

2. Anschluss: to create a "greater Germany" by uniting all German-speaking people.

3. Lebensraum: to find and take living space for the German people.

4. Autarky: to make Germany strong and self-sufficient again.

Five Main Causes of German Expansion

1. The Treaty of Versailles humiliated and punished Germany.

2. Nationalism.

3. Isolationism.

4. Bilateral agreements were easy to break in favor of Germany.

5. Hitler rearmed Germany for war.

Annexation of Austria (1938)

Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg was alarmed by Austrian Nazis and requested an interview with Hitler in which Hitler verbally attacked Austria. Schuschnigg was forced to agree to a list of demands including releasing imprisoned pro-Nazi agitators and lifting the ban against the Nazi Party. Schuschnigg later announced a plebiscite in which Austrians voted on joining Germany; however, Hitler marched into Austria before the plebiscite was held. Hitler announced the incorporation of Austria into the Reich, which was confirmed by 99% of the population in a plebiscite.

Hitler's Motives for Taking the Sudetenland (1938)

Hitler turned his attention to Czechoslovakia because:

1. He considered Slavs to be racially and socially inferior.

2. Many Czechs had resisted Austrian rule in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

3. Czechoslovakia was the only independent state created by the Versailles Treaty.

4. A German ethnic group in Czechoslovakia had formerly lived in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and now lived in Sudetenland.

5. Czechoslovakia enthusiastically supported the League of Nations.

6. Czechoslovakia was allied with France and Russia.

Sudeten Crisis (1938)

The Sudetenland had been given to Czechoslovakia to ensure its prosperity, and the Czechs strengthened this frontier by building defenses. Sudeten Germans had not accepted their position in Czechoslovakia; they resented their loss of status and regarded themselves as victims of Czech discrimination. Hitler demanded that all Germans in Czechoslovakia and Austria be given self-determination. The Sudeten Nazi Party rioted, demanded to join Germany, but the Czech government sent an army to quell the rioting. Hitler then threatened to invade Czechoslovakia.

May Crisis (1938)

It was rumored that Germany was prepping military near the Czech border; Hitler denounced the rumors, but was humiliated so he laid out a plan to invade Czechoslovakia also known as Operation Green:

1. Instructed by Hitler, the Sudetenland Germans increased violence against the Czech government; in response, the government agreed to all demands of self-government by the Sudeten Germans; however, they rejected the offer.

2. The German press bolstered anti-Czech sentiment, and Hitler's speech at the Nuremberg Rally caused more unrest in the Sudetenland.

3. Chamberlain intervened.

Munich Pact (1938)

After two previous conferences over the Sudeten Crisis and the May Crisis, Hitler agreed to another conference with Chamberlain with Mussolini as a mediator. They agreed upon the following:

1. Germany occupation would occur, and by the 10th day an international commission would determine a provisional new frontier with plebiscites in areas of dispute.

2. Czechs would be allowed to leave and Germans allowed to join Sudetenland territories (neither actually happened).

3. Poland would receive Teschen; Hungary would receive South Slovakia.

4. Germany and the other powers guaranteed independence to the rest of Czechoslovakia.

Liquidation of Czechoslovakia (1939)

After the Munich Pact (1939), Slovakia and Ruthenia were controlled by Prague. Hitler encouraged the Slovaks to cause disruption and to ask the Czech government for complete independence. The Czech president moved troops into Slovakia to crush the agitation, but the Slovaks asked for German protections. The Czech president asked to see Hitler but ended up handing over Bohemia and Moravia to Germany. In March 1939, German troops occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia, and Chamberlain told the British government that Nazi Germany could not be trusted.

Anglo-Polish Treaty (1939)

Britain guaranteed to give Poland aid if Germany attacked. Hitler responded by invalidating the Anglo-German Naval Agreement.

Appeasement - Anglo-German Naval Agreement (1935)

This agreement allowed Germany to expand its navy to 35% of the size of the British Royal Navy.

Pact of Steel (1939)

Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy agreed to aid each other if needed. The pact formalized the Rome-Berlin Axis Agreement and created a defensive alliance between the two countries. It was based on the assumption that war would not occur within three years because Mussolini believed Italy would not be prepared.

Molotov-Ribbentrop Mutual Non-Agression Pact (1939)

The Soviet Union and Germany pledged to remain neutral if either nation were attacked. It also secretly divided Poland between the two powers. This pact paved the way for joint invasion and occupation of Poland.

Hitler's Advantages Gained From The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (1939)

Hitler gained the advantage of avoiding a two-front war, gaining raw materials, and having a free hand in Poland.

Stalin's Advantages Gained From The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (1939)

Stalin kept the Soviet Union out of war (Red Army was weakened after Japan and purges), hoped that Germany and democracies would eventually weaken through war and that the Soviets would emerge the strongest, gained territory, and continued trade with Germany.

The Phoney War (1939)

Hitler offered peace proposals after invading Poland, but Britain didn't trust Hitler.

Invasion of Poland (1939)

Germany claimed that one of its stations by the Polish border had been attacked by Poles, but in reality SS soldiers dressed in Polish uniforms had staged the attack. Finding an excuse for war, Germany invaded Poland. Britain and France declared war after issuing an ultimatum to Germany and not receiving a response.

Operation Sea Lion (1940)

Germany's plan to invade Great Britain during WWI, but the invasion was cancelled.

Battle of Britain (1940)

The British Royal Air Force fought the Luftwaffe in a key air campaign. Hitler ordered the bombing of London and other British cities (example of Blitz) to break the British people's moral, but this was not the case by mid-1941.

Operation Barbarossa (1941)

Hitler invaded the Soviet Union hoping for a quick Soviet defeat before returning to finish off Britain. The invasion ended the Non-Aggression Pact between the two powers. The invasion failed due to poor strategic planning, German intelligence failures, logistical problems, and Soviet resistance.

Motivations for German Invasion of The USSR

1. Nazi ideology: There was a battle between the German state and the Judeo-communist "conspiracy."

2. Politically: The invasion would confirm the strength of Nazism and its superiority over communism.

3. Economically: The invasion would give Germany access to vast reserves of fuel, food, and raw materials in addition to earning land and labor that Germany was short of. These economic benefits would make Germany self-sufficient.

Encirclement

Germans believed that the Franco-Russian alliance (1890s) and colonial agreements between Britain and France (1904) and Britain and Russia (1907) encircled Germany. German leaders refused to accept encirclement, and the French refused to negotiate the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.

(Historiography) Case For Appeasement

Western Europe was cut off from Russia and the US. Additionally, Western Europe had to deal with one-party dictators and had to separate the fanaticism of these dictators' internal politics from their foreign policy.

(Historiography) Case Against Appeasement

Had firmer action been taken early, the invasion of Poland could have been avoided. Once Britain and France began to concede to Hitler's demands, he believed that they wouldn't oppose his future actions. Hitler used this thought process to take action against Czechoslovakia and Poland. Britain and France did not maintain a strong army to threaten a German national revival.

Stresa Front (1935)

After Hitler's threatening actions over Austria in 1934, France, Britain, and Italy convened to formally protest Hitler's disregard of the Versailles provisions of disarmament and to reaffirm their commitment to the the Locarno Pact and Austrian Independence. The Franco-Soviet Mutual Assistance Treaty (1935), the Anglo-German Naval Treaty (1935), and Mussolini's invasion of Abyssinia (1935) undermined the Stresa Front.

International Reaction to the Remilitarization of the Rhineland (1936)

FRANCE: The French government could not consider war because the army scouts had exaggerated the number of German troops marching into the Rhineland, and the French were not keen on fighting a long, drawn-out war with little support.

BRITAIN: Britain was unwilling to contemplate war over the Rhineland due to their overstretched military commitments. They also didn't see Hitler's actions as threatening.

International Reaction to the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

FRANCE: It was not in France's interest to have a right-wing regime on its border (Spain) that could join with Italy and Germany to encircle France; therefore, the French Prime Minister came up with a non-intervention plan in which all European countries would vow to keep out of the conflict. Non-intervention allowed Franco and the Nationalists to win the war, even with Germany, Italy, and Russia ignoring the pact completely.

BRITAIN: Britain believed that the

Nationalists would win and didn't want to upset Mussolini, so they didn't want to make an enemy of Franco. British investors with business in Spain believed that they would face financial risks if Franco lost and the result was a socialist/communist government. Britain prevented aid to the Republic and allowed the Nationalists to use Gibralter.

International Reaction to Anschluss (1938)

FRANCE: France was paralyzed by an internal political crisis and did not have a government at the time of Anschluss.

BRITAIN: Chamberlain did not believe that Czechoslovakia was worth fighting for and sympathized with Sudeten Germans. Additionally, Britain was not in a position to offer military aid to Czechoslovakia. The British press supported Chamberlain's policy, but Churchill called the policy "a total and unmitigated disaster."

ITALY: Italy was dependent on German friendship and refused to respond to Schuschnigg's appeals for help.

International Reaction to the Invasion of Czechoslovakia (1939) (End of Appeasement)

BRITAIN: Britain was put under pressure to take a firmer stand against Hitler because Hitler's takeover of Czechoslovakia had broken a signed agreement and could not be justified by any claim to be uniting Germans.

International Reaction to Hitler's Demands in Poland

BRITAIN: Britain guaranteed that if Poland was attacked, Britain would come to its aid; however, the guarantee was controversial because Poland was a right-wing military dictatorship and anti-semitic, and had accepted Japanese and Italian expansion.

FRANCE: France agreed with Britain.

International Reaction to the Invasion of Poland (1939)

BRITAIN: Chamberlain issued an ultimatum to Germany, but Germany did not respond so war was declared on the same day.

International Reaction to Hitler's Actions (1939-1940)

Despite British and French promises to aid Poland, they couldn't offer any help.

BRITAIN: During the Phoney War, Britain prepared for an inevitable air attack. Allied troops tried to help Norway when the Nazis occupied Norway and Denmark, but the campaign was poorly planned and failed.

FRANCE: France was defeated in 1940, leaving Britain alone against Germany.

US: The US followed an isolationist policy, but participated in "Cash and Carry" and "Ships for Bases" deals with Britain.

Hitler's Methods to Consolidate Power

1. Demonization

2. Violence, intimidation, and murder

3. Abuse of the democratic system

4. Propaganda

5. Charisma and powers of oratory

Hitler's Methods to Consolidate Power - Demonization

Groups and individuals were identified as hate symbols and used to rally support from different groups within the German population. Jews, Marxist threats by the KPD, "November Criminals" (those who signed the armistice of Nov. 11, 1918), and Weimar traitors who signed the Versailles "Diktat" were all demonized by the Nazi Party.

Hitler's Methods to Consolidate Power - Violence, Intimidation, and Murder

1. The Beerhall Putsch (1923) was an unsuccessful imitation of Mussolini's March on Rome (1922), but it permitted a national platform for Hitler at the ensuing trial.

2. Paramilitary organizations (SA and SS) protected Nazi Party meetings, disrupted the meetings of other parties, and won control of the German streets during the Weimar Era.

3. Hitler used intimidation tactics in his attempt to gain a 2/3 majority to pass the Enabling Act (1933).

4. According to the head of the Gestapo in Prussia, 500-700 political murders of Nazi opponents were carried out in 1933.

Hitler's Methods to Consolidate Power - Abuse of the Democratic System

After the events of 1923 and 1924, Hitler followed a two-part plan: intimidate the Nazi Party's enemies and pursue power through the ballot box.

Hitler's Methods to Consolidate Power - Propaganda

Joseph Goebbels was responsible for the Nazi propaganda campaign from 1929. They used radio broadcasts, film shows, torchlight processions, mass meetings, loudspeakers, banners, and the "Hitler over Germany" campaign (1932).

Hitler's Methods to Consolidate Power - Charisma and Powers of Oratory

Many accounts emphasize Hitler's hypnotic attraction for audiences. The appeal of his speeches was due less to the content (often repetitive and not detailed) and more due to his performance.

Opposition During the Third Reich (1934-1945)

Most Germans remained loyal to the regime mainly due to fear of punishment. Opposition ranged from 'silent opposition' (refusing the Nazi salute, joking about Hitler and the regime) to more active opposition (sabotage in the workplace). Opponents of the regime were motivated by a desire to morally and ethically resist Nazi policy and a desire to salvage what was left in the last phase of WWI.

Nazi Party Economic Aims and Policies

1. Job creation programs (i.e. public works, and Autobahn) brought about rapid economic recovery; by 1936, Germany was on track for rearmament and self-sufficiency.

2. To improve the appearance of Nazi economic success, many unemployed people were removed from official employment figures by being conscripted into the military.

3. Four Year Plan (1936): Herman Göring increased production in war-related industries and developed synthetic substitutes for critical materials.

4. The Nazi government entered into contracts with German companies to boost industrial production, particularly in sectors like armaments.

Nazi Party Social Policies - Women

Nazis emphasized traditional gender roles where women were expected to focus on motherhood and homemaking. Financial incentives were provided to encourage women to have more children; however, as the war intensified, the regime encouraged women to re-enter the workforce.

Nazi Party Social Policies - Youth and Education

Education was designed to indoctrinate young people with Nazi ideology and prepare them for gender roles. Hitler Youth and the League of German Girls shaped Nazi ideals in younger generations. Mandatory participation taught children to prioritize loyalty to Hitler and the Nazi state over family.

Nazi Party Social Policies - Antisemitism

Nuremberg Laws (1935): stripped Jews of German citizenship and banned intermarriage between Jews and non-Jews.

Holocaust (1941-1945): murder of over 6 million Jews

Five Main Social Policies of the Nazi Party

1. Women

2. Youth and education

3. Antisemitism

4. Eugenics and racial purity

5. Suppression of Opposition

Nazi Party Social Policies - Eugenics and Racial Purity

Nazis promoted eugenics (selective mating) and sought to create a "racially pure" Aryan population.

Lebensborn Initiative: encouraged racially pure couples to have children, while those considered unfit were forcibly sterilized or euthanized

Nazi Party Social Policies - Suppression of Opposition

The Gestapo (secret police) and SS (Schutzstaffel) suppressed dissent. Fear of reprisal, sense of loyalty, or material benefits ensured that most Germans either actively supported or passively accepted Nazi rule.