History Test Study Guide (Atharva)

Hitler’s Rise to Power

Hitler first discovers the Nazis in his job as an informer in a beerhall. Soon, he began giving
speeches there and as time passed by, he became a very good orator. He started giving strong
and violent speeches that grabbed people’s attention. This helped him display himself as a very
charismatic leader within the German people that listened to his speeches. He got the crowd
stirred up by blaming everything on the Jews by describing them as invaders, impure and very
bad people. Hitler also used the Treaty of Versailles as a tool to giving the German people false
hope. By this, he became very opportunistic. Soon, people started blindly following Hitler,
because of him being the only source of hope for a better life in Germany. Due to this, the
radical political parties that were formed because of the treaty joined Hitler, making him even
more powerful. Soon, Hitler caught the attention of some high-level people, who trained him to
become a politician. Hitler then became the chancellor of Germany and got his way.
Germany’s initial Success in WW2
Blitzkrieg: an intense military campaign intended to bring about a swift victory.
The German army destroyed the Polish army within 3 weeks.
In April and May 1940, the Germans invaded, Denmark, Norway, Belgium Holland and France,
which were all a success.
Germany later on invaded Greece and Yugoslavia.
Why was the German army successful?

 Hitler’s Preparations. (Military buildup since 1935)

 Their strategy Blitzkrieg
 The allies being unprepared
 The French’s’ lack of determination to fight
 The Maginot Line that ended at the Belgium border
The German Invasion of the Soviet Union (operation Barbarossa)
In June 1941, Hitler tried to invade the Soviet Union, which was called operation Barbarossa
and it failed.
It failed because of Hitler delaying it until June, causing the German soldiers to be unprepared
for the cold winter.
The Soviet Union passed on a scorched earth policy, which involved burning of any resource
that would benefit the Germans.
Appeasement to be blame for WW2?
When you allow someone to get something that they want just to avoid conflict, it is called
appeasement.
Countries such as Britain and France did little to stand up against Germany in the 1930s
Hitler built up the army and by 1936, h reintroduced conscription and by 1939, Germany had an
army of 1 million.
Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles. World War I officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on
June 28, 1919. Negotiated among the Allied powers with little participation by Germany, its 15
parts and 440 articles reassigned German boundaries and assigned liability for reparations.
Women’s Lives Changed as a result of WW2?
1939 to 1945, Allies were at war with Germany
Women did jobs usually done by men
The war once again gave women an opportunity to prove themselves. After WW2, the women
were expected to leave their work for the men and return back to their old lives.