Parker - Ch 1
Hitler, Germany, and the Origins of the European War
The Second World War is composed of two separate conflicts: a European War and a Far Eastern War.
After 1941, the United States and the United Kingdom participated in both fronts.
Enemies, primarily Germany and Japan, engaged in separate war efforts, with the Soviet Union primarily involved in the European conflict.
The war can be traced back to the actions and ideologies of the leaders of Germany and Japan and their juxtaposition with the acceptability of those actions by the governments and politically influential segments of Britain, France, and the United States.
In 1939, Poland chose to fight back, bolstered by the support of Britain and France, over risking its independence.
Mussolini brought Italy into the European War in 1940, believing the outcome was already decided in favor of the Axis powers.
Numerous countries participated in the war but often had little choice, seeking to align themselves with the expected winners to establish themselves as founding members of the United Nations.
Essential Focus: Understanding Germany is crucial as its government instigated the war in Europe.
Without the initiation of conflict by Germany, Japan's attack on British Empire and the United States would not have occurred.
The paradox of Nazi rule is that Hitler's regime was both unpopular and widely supported at different times.
A minority of Germans would have initially endorsed Hitler’s extreme foreign and domestic policies, yet he maintained a facade of popular backing due to widespread ignorance of the consequences of his regime.
German national objectives under Hitler would have been difficult to achieve without provoking a continental conflict; it was specifically the aggressive and reckless nature of Nazi foreign policy that incited war.
Hitler's foreign ambitions appeared aligned with the national interests of many politically active Germans, giving him their initial support despite his more expansive and catastrophic targets.
Rise of the Nazi Party and Hitler's Power
Hitler and the Nazis rose to prominence due to significant electoral support from German voters in 1932, receiving 37% and 33% of the votes in two Reichstag elections.
Non-Nazi politicians opted to engage with and utilize the Nazis rather than ally with socialists against them.
Economic crises and perceived political injustices fueled mass support for the authoritarian and nationalist Nazi party.
Nazi success was bolstered by rampant resentment against the Treaty of Versailles, believed to be imposed by hostile foreigners.
The Treaty of Versailles invoked anger due to:
Reparations: Seen as unjust and detrimental.
Post-War Economic Issues: Inflation in 1923 and the subsequent Great Depression left many attributing their hardships to foreign policies, especially those of the French.
Factors contributing to the growth of Nazi support included:
Economic catastrophe due to the Great Depression.
A strong anti-foreign sentiment and xenophobic nationalism.
Criticism of the Treaty of Versailles and perceived loss of territory and military capability, accentuated by loss of colonial possessions.
Economic Conditions and Political Climate
The Great Depression struck Germany harder compared to other major industrial nations, consolidating Nazi electoral strength by 1932.
The Nazi support base primarily came from the middle class and the rural sector, not so much from the working class.
The Nazis criticized both socialists and capitalists, framing them as unpatriotic agents of alien exploitation, thus attracting middle-class voters who resented trade unions.
Young voters were particularly attracted to Nazi claims of being a classless movement.
Cultivating Hostility and Fear
Although the Nazis fostered and benefitted from social hostilities—especially against Jews—initially it attracted fewer voters.
Anti-Semitism had contradictory effects, often alienating more voters than it attracted.
The Nazis' populist narratives cultivated fear and anger in response to perceived economic vulnerabilities.
They pitted various social groups against each other while claiming to unify Germany.
Political Maneuvering towards Power
For Hitler to gain power constitutionally, non-Nazi figures had to assist.
After several political maneuvers, Hitler was appointed Chancellor with the expectation that he could safeguard conservative interests.
Following this, he consolidated power through intimidation and manipulation, leading to the suppression of other political parties and the establishment of a dictatorial regime.
In June 1934, Hitler eliminated potential rivals within the SA and solidified his control, transitioning into a state characterized by a blend of conventional governance and brutal party mechanics.
Economic Recovery and Political Stability under Hitler
By 1939, Germany's economy had rebounded significantly from the depths of the depression, achieving near-full employment through public works and rearmament initiatives.
By the end of 1938, the regime had gained substantial support from the German populace, coinciding with expanding military capabilities.
The Nature of Hitler's Expansionist Aims
Hitler’s objectives included:
The eradication of the Jewish population, attributed to racial purity and dominance.
Securing ‘living space’, specifically in Eastern Europe, primarily targeting Soviet Union territories for German exploitation.
Hitler's foreign policy varied from aggressive expansionism to transient cooperation with neighboring states, highlighting inconsistent decision-making.
Outbreak of the European War
The European war began with the German invasion of Poland, driven largely by Britain's reaction to protect its own interests in Europe.
Britain's commitment to supporting Poland against German aggression was rooted in a wider strategy of maintaining balance and collective security in Europe.
The context leading up to the outbreak featured multiple failed peace attempts and miscalculations regarding Hitler’s ambitions, culminating in shared responsibility for escalating tensions.
The British declaration of war on September 3, 1939, was prompted by the cumulative aggressions of Nazi Germany, culminating in a broader conflict driven by ideological and territorial ambitions.
Strategy
German Aggression: The origins of the conflict are traced to the aggressive and reckless nature of Nazi foreign policy, which varied from expansionism to transient cooperation with neighboring states.
Continental Balance: The British strategy focused on maintaining the balance of power and collective security in Europe; this commitment led to the declaration of war on September , , to protect Poland over risking its independence.
Interconnected Fronts: The war consisted of two separate conflicts (European and Far Eastern). After , the UK and US participated in both. Germany's initiation of the European conflict was strategic leverage that allowed Japan's attacks on the British Empire and the US to occur.
Mobilization for Power: By , Germany achieved economic stabilization and near-full employment through public works and rearmament initiatives, creating the necessary military capability to pursue expansionist targets.
Technology
Military Capability: Rearmament served as a technological and industrial driver, allowing the Nazi regime to expand its military reach significantly by the end of .
Economic Infrastructure: Public works were utilized to rebound the German economy from the Great Depression, transitioning it into a state capable of supporting a large-scale continental war.
Imperialism/Colonialism
Lebensraum (Living Space): A central expansionist aim of the Nazi regime was securing territory in Eastern Europe, specifically targeting the Soviet Union for German exploitation.
Colonial Resentment: Support for the Nazis was fueled by the perceived injustices of the Treaty of Versailles, including the loss of territory and colonial possessions to foreign powers.
Exploitative Expansion: Hitler's goals involved the aggressive pursuit of dominance over European territories to establish a new order focused on racial dominance and German exploitation of resources.
Culture & Ideology
Racial Purity and Dominance: Nazi ideology was centered on the eradication of the Jewish population and the pursuit of racial dominance.
Xenophobic Nationalism: The party utilized strong anti-foreign sentiment, framing political opponents—both socialists and capitalists—as unpatriotic agents of alien exploitation to attract middle-class and rural voters.
Social Manipulation: The Nazis exploited social hostilities while claiming to unify Germany as a "classless movement" to attract young voters and cultivate a facade of popular backing.
Victimhood Narratvie: Highlighting national shame, the Nazis blamed post-war economic catastrophes—including the inflation of and the Great Depression—on foreign impositions like reparations.
Alliances & Coalitions
The Axis Powers: The war featured an alliance between primarily Germany, Japan, and Italy (who joined in believing the outcome was already favorable to the Axis).
Coalition Politics: Germany's rise was facilitated by non-Nazi conservative figures who opted to engage with Hitler rather than allying with socialists. In , the Nazis consolidated electoral strength with and of the votes.
Allied Resistance: Britain and France formed a defensive coalition to support Poland in . The Soviet Union was primarily a participant in the European front against the Axis.
Global Alignment: Numerous countries joined the war later, often aligning with the expected winners to establish themselves as founding members of the United Nations.