On the Eve of War

CHC2D WW 2 PART 1 CH. 9

Case Study: Germany After WW 1

The Treaty of Versailles  seen by Germans as being unfair (e.g., War Guilt Clause, $5 billion reparations) Economic Problems: Inflation – lifetime’s savings valueless in weeks

Case Study: Germany After WW 1

Depression & Unemployment – 6 million unemployed Political Instability – Communists, Social Democrats, Nazis bitterly opposed Communists & Nazis had street battles No party could win a majority

Hitler Comes to Power

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Nazi Party beliefs Gov’t run by army & wealthy Industry privately owned Powerful military Democratic gov’t outlawed Jews / foreigners restricted rights Nuremberg Military Rally

Hitler Comes to Power

Promised to bring back Germany lost in WW 1 Germans were a master race of people that deserved to rule the world Jews were a “deadly poison” & “vermin” wrote Hitler in his book “Mein Kampf” 1933 Hitler gains control of German Parliament

Hitler Comes to Power

Hitler becomes a dictator outlawing all other political parties Opposition is rounded up by Gestapo (secret police)  prison, concentration camps Newspapers, radio, books, schools, churches  controlled by Nazis  totalitarian state Gestapo Symbols

Hitler’s Anti-Semitism

Jew banned from all gov’t jobs, teaching, banking, broadcasting, newspapers, entertainment, many shops, public buildings 1935 – Nuremberg Laws  citizenship & civil rights  Jews & non-Jews German Jews lost marriages illegal between Illegal Marriage Jews forbidden at athletic club

Hitler’s Anti-Semitism

almost impossible to earn a living  Germany (e.g., Albert Einstein) Jews fled Kristallnacht 1938 (Night of Broken Glass) – 20,000 Jews arrested & 7000 shops looted after Germany embassy official shot by a Jew

Canada’s Response

800,000 Jews tried to escape Nazi Germany between 1933 – 1939 USA  240,000, Britain  85,000, Canada  4000 Canada  British & American farm immigrants NOT urban Jews creating more unemployment

St. Louis Incident

Ocean liner St. Louis  1939 arrived near Halifax 907 Jews fleeing Nazis in June Refused entry even though 3000 Sudeten German refugees accepted earlier in 1939 Jews not considered good settlers SS St. Louis

Why Canada Slept

Canada unprepared for war in 1939  Why?

Memories of WW 1 losses Pacifism – opposed to war & violence Great Depression – over a million on relief Munich Agreement Sept. 1938 Appeasement

Why Canada Slept

Isolationism – small, insignificant “fire-proof house” far away from European problems Political Leadership – PM King  unity & protect Cdn independence avoid split in Cdn Appeasement – Hitler “no serious danger”

Canada Declares War

Sept 3, 1939 Britain declares war on Germany after it’s invasion of Poland Sept 10, 1939 Canada declares war  Canada declared war by itself first time No celebrations like start of WW 1

Canadian Preparations

1939 – 10,000 soldiers, 14 tanks, 50 planes 3 weeks  58,000 volunteers enlisted 3 meals + $1.30 / day, clothing, shelter better than being unemployed War Measures Act – sweeping gov’t power

At War

Sept 1939 Germany quickly crushed Poland with blitzkrieg (lightning warfare) using tanks and dive bombers May 1940 German blitzkrieg defeats Netherlands, Belgium & France in 6 weeks Miracle of Dunkirk saved 300,000 soldiers Canadian forces & supplies save Britain