THE ROAD TO WORLD WAR 2

      Once the Nazis had complete control of Germany at home, they turned their thoughts to seizing territory abroad.  But first they had to build up their armed forces, especially those forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles.  The dreaded Gestapo, under its chief, Himmler, prevented any voices inside the country being raised: the press and radio, under the leadership of Josef Goebbels, poured a never-ending stream of lying propaganda to the whole world about the good intentions of the Nazi party, how the German people had been wickedly treated by the peacemakers at Versailles, and the wickedness of the Jews. 

      In 1935 Hitler announced that Germany was no longer bound by the treaty, and ordered all Germans to serve for two years in the army (18-20).  Before this they had to work for six months in a labour camp, and after their military service they were placed on the reserve for fourteen years, with frequent training sessions and camps. 

      Hitler saw in Italy's fascist dictator, Mussolini, a man after his own heart.  In 1935 Italy, wishing to build up an empire of her own which would rival in importance the empires of Britain, France and Germany, had attacked Abyssinia (Ethiopia).  The spears and bows and arrows of the Abyssinians were no match for the guns, poison gas and bombers of the Italians.  Within a few months, Abyssinia was added to Italy's empire.  Her unprovoked attack on an almost defenceless state shocked the whole world except, Hitler.  The two countries, Germany and Italy, agreed to cooperate in the future and set up what they called the Rome-Berlin Axis.  (During the war Germany and her partners were often called the Axis Powers.)

      In 1936 Hitler began to build a large fleet, mainly of submarines and small, but extremely powerful warships, and a huge air force.  Both of these had been forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles.  In the same year he signed a treaty with Italy and Japan under which all promised to help each other to fight against communism. 

      Both of these moves had been of the Nazis' making, but in 1936 came a stroke of luck, of which they took full advantage.  A bitter civil war broke out in Spain between the government, which was corrupt, and part of the army, which was no better, under General Franco.  Soon the whole of Spain was blazing with savage atrocities, and the world for the first time learned what warfare with large-scale air bombing was like.  Germany and Italy helped the rebels with men, money and, most important, with weapons, partly because the Spanish government was friendly with communist Russia, partly because Franco held similar political views to those of Hitler and Mussolini and wanted to set up a fascist dictatorship, but mainly because it was a wonderful opportunity to try out the new tanks, aeroplanes and other weapons under real battle conditions.  When World War 2 did break out this experience proved very valuable to Germany, for whereas British equipment often broke down and developed faults, the Nazis had well-tried and well-tested weapons, and had worked out new ways of fighting. 

      1937 was a year of relative peace abroad as far as Germany was concerned, except for helping in the Spanish war, but production of armaments and training was speeded up ready for the next step to the coming struggle. 

      Hitler had long had his eyes on the neighbouring state of Austria, whose people speak German and who are, in many ways, very like the Germans.  An Austrian Nazi party had been organised, and had attempted to seize power in 1934 by murdering the Chancellor, Dr.  Dollfuss, but had failed. 

      This extract from the Annual Register of 1934 shows the Nazi methods of getting rid of people, even in foreign countries, who opposed them. 

      Dr.  Dollfuss was the Chancellor of Austria, and opposed the Nazis in his own country. 

      "At 10 a.m.  the Nazis selected to execute the plot assembled in a German gymnastic hall, put on the uniforms of the Heimwehr (Home Guard) and regular soldiers (i.e.  of the Austrian army), drew arms and mounted motor lorries. 

      Shortly before 1 p.m.  the motor lorries with the rebels drove up to the Chancellery and were allowed past the sentries.  Only when they were inside did the rebels reveal their true mission.  But they failed in their true objective, which was to arrest the Cabinet as a whole (most of them had gone to lunch, the Annual Register explains)...  Inside the Chancellery Dr.  Dollfuss was shot by one of the Nazis ...  as he was trying to escape.  His wounds were roughly bandaged, but the rebels refused to allow anyone to leave the building to summon a doctor and the Chancellor died while in their hands..."

      By 1938, however, the Austrian Nazis had become very powerful, so that when Hitler demanded that the country should be handed over to Germany – and backed up his demand by moving a quarter of a million soldiers and 700 planes to the frontier, the country was handed over without a shot being fired.  The Fifth Column (Austrian Nazis) had seized key points such as telephone exchanges, railway junctions and police headquarters so that any resistance was almost impossible.  The other countries of the world were horrified at this unprovoked seizure, but did nothing about it as Hitler promised that once German-speaking Austria was in the German empire he would never attack another country. 

      Within a few months, however, he demanded that large parts of Czechoslovakia should be handed to Germany as many of the people who lived there were Germans.  This was true – but the Germans were the descendants of people who had migrated there years before, some as long ago as the Middle Ages. 

      Perhaps Hitler was more interested in the great Skoda armaments factory in Czechoslovakia, which could soon be his, than in the three million German-speaking people, but whatever the reason, the Nazi army and airforce began massing for the usual invasion.  This time Europe was alarmed, and the British Prime Minister, Mr.  Neville Chamberlain, flew to meet Hitler.  After a series of conferences between the Germans, British and French at Munich, Hitler promised – again – that once he had those areas of Czechoslovakia he wanted, he would not fight nor ask for any more territory.  Without asking Czechoslovakia herself, Britain and France gave the German-speaking districts to Hitler, and betrayed by the two countries they thought they could trust, the Czechs had to surrender to the mighty armies of Germany. 

      By 'appeasement' – that is, giving a bully what he wants to keep him quiet – war was avoided at the time.  Mr.  Chamberlain, who acted in good faith, was hailed as a great man and a giver of peace, but a few, and prominent amongst them Mr.  Churchill, called for action to be taken against the tyrant Hitler.  Their voices were disregarded – but only for a year, for Hitler's promises were not worth the breath they were uttered with.  Six months later, in March 1939, the Nazis demanded the rest of Czechoslovakia, and with massed troops crossed the frontiers.  In one day they occupied the capital, Prague. 

      It soon became obvious that Hitler would strike next at Poland, but Britain and France had now taken a firm stand and had threatened to fight if the Nazis invaded.  As Poland was Russia's neighbour, there was a strong possibility that the U.S.S.R.  would attack Germany too.  Hitler was not ready to meet attacks in the west and in the east at once, so by a surprise treaty of friendship he bought off Russia by offering her large areas of eastern Poland if she remained neutral.  Then, with the eastern frontier safe, he attacked. 

      This is how the Annual Register of 1939 describes the invasion:

      "At 5.40 a.m.  on Friday, September 1st, German troops crossed the frontier into Poland without warning, and with this act of wanton aggression the second great war of the century was started...  By the 20th the war in Poland was over except for the Capital city of Warsaw, which, under its heroic Mayor, Stefan Starzynski, defended itself until September 29th, when, owing to lack of food, water, and ammunition, it was forced to surrender, having endured air bombing and heavy artillery bombardment which laid the city in ruins!"

      And this is how the Annual Register describes what happened after the capture of Poland:

      "Perhaps the most barbarous practice adopted by the Germans was the collective punishment of individual ...  crimes.  Wherever a German, whether military or civilian, suffered injury, or firearms were alleged to have been possessed by a resident, wholesale executions took place.  Thus in Szcuczka, in the district of Lublin, ammunition having been discovered buried in a peasant's field, 200 men were shot and burnt in a shed.  At Kopanica the entire population was exterminated ...  near Radom, about 1200 persons were massacred in the different villages, a number of which were burnt to the ground ..."

      This time Britain and France did not draw back, but gave Hitler twenty-four hours to withdraw from Poland (the ultimatum to expire on the 3rd of September).  Disregarding this warning, and quite confident of victory, he marched forward, and so hurled Europe into World War 2.