WW2 Germany: Foreign Policy and the Home Front Flashcards
What were the social changes of Germany preparing for war?
Nazi were preparing for war since they gained power. Social changes took place such as women were discouraged from their current work and were urged to take on war work. Also anyone who worked for the government had to join the Nazi party or lose their job.
How did the SS and the Gestapo grow during the Home Front period?
The SS took over more of the government administration. The Gestapo and the SS stepped up their control of the population. In addition, SS members went from 240,000 to over a million.
What was the role of the Nazi Secret police( SS and the Gestapo)?
The SS ran Hitlers’ ‘ racial policy’ . They had to get rid of all the Non-Germans and undesirables through isolation,forced labour,expulsion and murder.
How many military districts were formed in Germany?
13 districts. The Gauleiters (political officials) were made Reich Defence Commissioners (RVKs) which meant that they ran all Home Front activities such as civil defence,rationing and Volkssturm.
What is Volksstrum?
This is the Nazi Home Guard formed in October 1944 where it was the last resort of defence as boys,old men,girls,women and even the unfit were recruited to help the army.
Who was the new high commander of the armed forces?
Wilhem Keitel. Each of the armed forces was given its own ministery to co-ordinate supplies,troops ect. Wilhem Keitel was the new high commander of the armed forces.
What was the Ministerial Council for the Defence of the Reich?
This was set up in 1939 on August 30th.It included all the ministers such as Goering, Frick, Funk, Keitel etc. This council was supposed to co-ordinate domestic affairs to support the war effort. However did not include Hitler even though they would report to him.Eventually Hitler stopped this council.However Frick, Funk and Keitel would still meet up as the ‘Group of Three’).
What was Lebensraum?
This meant ‘living space’ as land was taken from other countries to provide Germany.
How was Hitler expanding the Third Reich?
The German army was marching east. They were taking over polish land and these land were Germanised.
Who was incharge of Germanising all the new lands that Germany invaded?
This became the job of 11 new reichsgau ( regional governments ) ran by the Reichsstatthalter.
What happened to Southern Poland?
Southern Poland was not treated as part of the Third Reich and was a colony where all the Polish and German undesirables were placed to do slave labour. Polish leaders were shot instantly by the German soldiers. Hans Frank was the governor general of this part of Poland.
How powerful did the Gauleiters become by August 1944?
By August 19944, the Gauleiters had power over all civil defence measures such as bombing raids , rehousing , rationing etc. They had control over the local bureaucracy, the Nazi Party officials and got power over local businesses.
What did the mistake of Hitler invading the USSR do?
Germany had turned on her ally as they thought the Soviet Union was going to collapse. Unfortunately it didn’t and it effected Germany a lot as USA joined the war to help Russia and Germany had to fight 2 fronts. Eventually the Nazi Party was crumbling as the allies landed in Normandy and were heading towards Berlin.
How did Hitler die?
As the Allies had surrounded Berlin they were heading towards Hitler as he was hiding in a safe bunker in Berlin with his lover Eva Braun and the Goebbels family. Hitler married Eva and they both committed suicide a day before Goebbels and his family killed them selves.
