The+war+begins


 * Directions: Use the reading below to answer the three questions.**

**The Beginning of World War II, 1939 (eyewitnesstohistory.com**)

** Hitler Receives an Ultimatum ** H itler's aggressive acquisition of territory began in 1936 when he ordered his army to reoccupy the Rhineland district of Germany. Bordering France, the Rhineland had been designated as a demilitarized zone by the Versailles Treaty ending World War I. It was a high-risk endeavor for Hitler. The German troops were unprepared, poorly equipped and had orders to retreat if the French offered any resistance. In the end, the maneuver went smoothly without any hindrance. Encouraged by this result, Hitler went on to absorb Austria and the German dominated Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia into the German Third Reich in 1938. In March of the next year he occupied the remainder of Czechoslovakia

enters the Sudetenland, 1938 || Bolstered by the tepid response of Britain and France to his earlier excursions, Hitler set his sights on Poland. However, British Prime Minister Chamberlain had come to the realization that Hitler's territorial ambitions could not be tempered by submitting to his demands. In March 1939 he declared that Britain guaranteed Poland's independence and vowed to come to her aid if attacked. France soon joined Britain in support of Poland.
 * [[image:http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/images/ultimatum1.jpg width="260" height="178" align="right"]] ||
 * Residents salute as Hitler

Hitler was undeterred. On August 23, 1939 he stunned the world with the announcement that he had signed a non-aggression treaty with the Soviet Union. The agreement stated that Germany and the Soviet Union would no interfere or attack each other. The German Fuhrer was now assured that he could invade Poland without fear of Russian interference.

The assault was originally scheduled to begin in the early morning hours of August 26th. However, on August 25th, Britain announced that her guarantee of Polish independence had been formalized by an alliance between the two countries. Hitler wavered and postponed his attack to September 1.

The Germans concocted a story of Polish troops crossing their border and firing on various installations. In supposed retaliation, German tanks rolled across the Polish border during the early hours of September 1, 1939. Tensions were running high throughout Europe. Britain and France began mobilization of their armies. The British and French representatives met with German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop warning that they would fulfill their obligation to Poland and go to war if German forces did not withdraw from Polish territory.

At 9:00 on the morning of September 3, Sir Neville Henderson, Britain's ambassador to Germany, delivered an ultimatum stating that if hostilities did not stop by 11 AM, a state of war would exist between Great Britain and Germany. Germany did not respond and at 11:15 on the morning of September 3, 1939 Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain went on the radio to announce to the British people that they were at war with Germany


 * 1. How did the British and French reactions to the German conquest of the Rhine and the Sudetenland lead to the German invasion of Poland?**


 * 2. Look at a map and try to determine what military advantage Germany gained by signing the non-aggression treaty with the Soviet Union.**


 * 3. Why was Great Britain forced to declare war on Germany?**