Study Notes on the Rise of Adolf Hitler and the Prelude to World War II

Various European nations, including Czechoslovakia, contained significant German minorities.
The desire for the reunification of German peoples was a looming factor in European tensions.
Following World War I, the German populace faced significant repercussions:
- They were mandated to pay £6,600,000,000 in reparations to France and Britain, which was an unaffordable sum for the war-ravaged country.
Upon President Woodrow Wilson's return to the United States, his vision for a new world order quickly unraveled.
- The U.S. Congress opted against involvement in European conflicts, choosing isolationism instead.
The transformation of Germany:
- Germany remained the largest country in Europe but transitioned from a militaristic monarchy to a democracy.
- The new government, known as the Weimar Republic, encountered severe challenges:
- Internal strife led to street battles between right-wing nationalists and communists.
- Hyperinflation reached catastrophic levels in 1923, peaking at hundreds of percent per month, obliterating the savings of ordinary citizens.

This socio-economic turmoil set the stage for the rise of new right-wing political figures, notably Adolf Hitler:
- Hitler, born in Austria, served as a soldier during World War I and received the Iron Cross for bravery.
- After the war, he moved to Munich, where his oratorical skills allowed him to take control of the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazis).
In October 1923, Hitler initiated an armed coup against the Weimar Government, which ultimately failed:
- He was sentenced to nine months in prison.
- While incarcerated, he wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle), outlining his ideology:
- He attributed Germany's problems to the Jews and emphasized the need for Germany to reclaim its strength and acquire additional territory in the East.
After his release, Hitler aimed to establish a disciplined Nazi party while working within the democratic framework to obtain power.
The period from 1924 to 1929 saw relative prosperity in Weimar Germany, leading to a decrease in support for extremist parties.
However, the economic downturn following the October 1929 U.S. stock market crash drastically altered the landscape:
- The global depression prompted widespread economic suffering.

As unemployment surged in Germany, exceeding 6 million, populist and extremist politicians gained traction.
By 1931, the Nazi Party had transformed into a mass movement, supported by their paramilitary group, the SA (Sturmabteilung) which boasted nearly 3 million members.
In the 1932 elections, the Nazis emerged as the largest party in the Reichstag (German Parliament):
- Hitler rejected coalition options, causing legislative paralysis.
To resolve this deadlock, President Paul von Hindenburg appointed Hitler as Chancellor in January 1933.
Within a month, the Reichstag building was set on fire; Hitler blamed this on communists and requested emergency powers, which he subsequently exploited to outlaw other political parties.
Following Hindenburg's death in August 1934, Hitler consolidated his power by declaring himself President, effectively becoming the sole leader of Germany.

For the ensuing three years, Hitler focused on revitalizing Germany's economy:
- Significant investment in public infrastructure, including the construction of a 5,000-mile autobahn system to alleviate unemployment.
Secretly, Hitler initiated a massive rearmament program despite the restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles:
- The German military was limited to 100,000 personnel and was prohibited from possessing an air force, tanks, or submarines.
In 1935, Hitler publicly revealed the Luftwaffe, Germany's new air force, which included 2,500 aircraft, surpassing the air capabilities of Britain and France.
The country experienced a significant decline in unemployment, resulting in skyrocketing popularity for the Nazi regime.
Hitler's first act of territorial expansion occurred in 1935 when he reoccupied the Saarland after a League of Nations plebiscite favored rejoining Germany.
Furthermore, in 1936, he dispatched German troops into the demilitarized Rhineland, defended by many as a rightful reclamation of German territory.
During this time, neither Britain nor France opposed Hitler's aggressions.

The 1936 Berlin Olympic Games projected a positive image of Nazi Germany to the world; they were perceived as a fair and reputable government restoring national pride.
However, troubling signs concerning civil rights began to emerge:
- The Nuremberg Laws of 1935 revoked citizenship from Jews and prohibited their intermarriage with Aryans.
Initially, the threats to global peace did not stem from Europe, but rather from Japan:
- By the early 20th century, Japan had established itself as a military power, victorious against Russia in 1905 and allied in World War I.
- Post-war, Japan was recognized as a global power, became a member of the League of Nations, but its political landscape was fraught with contradictions:
- Although nominally a democracy, feudal traditions lingered, and the emperor was revered as a living deity.
Japan faced critical economic challenges, such as a burgeoning population and resource scarcity to support industrial growth.
- The Japanese government identified solutions through territorial expansion into Chinese Manchuria, rich in resources like coal and minerals.

Japanese military forces were already positioned in Manchuria prior to further aggression against other regions controlled by European powers, such as British Malaya and Hong Kong.
In 1936, Japan signed a military pact with Hitler to safeguard against potential Soviet Russian aggression while also setting sights on China.
The provocative incident with Chinese troops in July 1937 marked a significant escalation in Japanese hostilities.
As strife rose within the Spanish army, which was traditionally conservative and Catholic, certain senior officers began to contemplate potential uprisings.
General Francisco Franco became a crucial figure, leveraging military support from select factions to challenge the authority of the republican government.
The downfall of Franco's uprisings in Madrid and Barcelona swiftly granted him control over most of eastern Spain.
The international community's failure to intervene as Hitler expanded his military capabilities became increasingly evident.