Week 12 Day 1

Class 1- Tuesday April 1, 2014

·         Lecture Note:

·         Hitler was born in Austria and he was a German politician.

·          Hitler came to power in 1933 and within 6 years Germany was fighting a war which lasted 6 years and effected countries (directly and indirectly) that spanned the globe.

·         A British historian wrote: “The Second World War was Hitler’s personal war. He intended it, he prepared for it, he chose the moment for launching it.

·         Let’s review the countdown to war:

·         Before the Putsch in 1923: Demands from the Nazi Party were-

-          Union of ALL Germans to form a Greater Germany

-          Cancellation of the TOV

-          Land and colonies to feed our people and settle our surplus population

·         From Mein Kampf:

-          Reunion of Germany and Austria is our life task

-          Germany has an annual increase of 900,000..securing of new land for this excess population has great advantages. Must be carried out in Europe. Turn our gaze to the land in the East.

·         Hitler’s speeches in the 1920’s-1930’s:

-          ..”There will never be a solution to the German problem until we return to the idea of struggle…”

-          “.. I aimed from the start to be a destroyer of Communism. I am going to achieve this task.”

-          “.. Perhaps the best way to use my power is fighting foe new trade foe Germany, but probably better is the conquest of new living space in the East and ruthlessly making everything there German.”

·         Hossbach Memo in 1937 (speech to leaders of armed forces):

-          “..Hitler asked that this be regarded, in the event of his death, his last will and testament...”

-          “..The aim of German foreign policy was to defend Germany and to enlarge it. It was therefore a question of space.. Where could it gain the greatest gain at the lowest cost...”

-          “.. He was determined to solve Germany’s problem of space by 1943-1945 at the latest.”

-          “.. our first objective must be to overthrow Czechoslovakia and Austria.”

-          Hitler believed that Britain and France had already written off the Czechs.

·         Extract from Hitler’s last will and testament (written before he “committed suicide” in Mat 1945):

-          “.. It is not true that I wanted war in 1939. It was brought about by those international statesmen working for Jewish interests...”

WORKING WORD: LIEBENSRAUM

Discussion and Reflection: None

Homework: Prepare for the next LDL (next teacher)