This is the final post in The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich Series.
The Third Reich had undoubtedly shattered Europe. Millions of people either died in the conflict or were brutally murdered by the Nazi regime. The French, Italian, and Japanese Empires had crumbled, and the once mighty British Empire was bankrupted. An ancient race was nearly wiped out, and then saw its return to the promised land. Communism had advanced to near supremacy, and an isolated republic was transformed into a superpower. This is the legacy of the Third Reich.
The Rebirth of Empires
After the First World War many proclaimed that the Age of Imperialism was over. However, in a few short years, one Empire was reborn but quickly fell, and another had risen out of the ashes. As Imperialism nearly crumbled into ruin in the 1920s, the once mighty German Empire, or "Second Reich" passed into history. In a few short years, that Empire was reborn into the Third Reich. Under the ruthless leadership of Adolf Hitler, that new Empire spread from North Africa to the outskirts of Moscow. But it collapsed as fast as it was born, nearly pulling Europe down with it.
Just as the Third Reich had quickly risen and fallen, another old Empire was reborn. The Russian Empire was just a shell of its former self at the outbreak of the Second World War. Its near destruction by the Third Reich had directly engineered its rebirth, consuming all of Eastern Europe, and casting a dark shadow over the shattered western Europe. Out of the ashes of a briefly mighty Third Reich, the Mighty Soviet Union had emerged, and an Iron Curtain descended onto Europe.
Israel
The Holocaust is probably the darkest moment in human history, millions of people, mostly Jews, were led to their death in nightmarish Nazi death camps. Hitler and his thugs' perverted dream of eliminating the Jewish race was one of history's most evil acts. When you look closer, it is hard not to notice the irony in Hitler's evil plan. The Nazis' attempt to wipe out the Jewish peoples, in the end, had led directly to the reestablishment of a Jewish state. Israel is probably the greatest product of the Third Reich. After the horrors of the Holocaust, the world could no longer morally deny the Jewish people a homeland, and in 1948, Israel was born.
The Passing of the Baton
The rise and fall of the Third Reich also led to the collapse of a great empire. Within a few years after the Second World War, the British Empire had faded into history. In its place another great English-speaking democracy rose to dominance, the American Republic. The world quickly shed its web of great powers and became a world dominated by the Soviet Union in the East, and the United States of America in the West. The Third Reich had caused the old order of European imperialism to collapse, and a new age of superpower politics to emerge. The Cold War had begun...
...Now as Russia reasserts herself on the world stage, China and India rise to new heights, and Europe becomes more united, it is hard not to wonder if the world if returning to the pre-Second World War order with Russia, the United States, China, India, and the European Union as the world's great powers.
Showing posts with label The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich Series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich Series. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
Part 2: The Nazi-Soviet Pact
This is the second in a series of posts on William Shirer's book, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.
By the early summer of 1939, it had became apparent that Hitler was planning the destruction of Poland. The only thing that was stopping hm was the nightmare of a two-front war. If Poland was invaded, the Polish Army would have been easily defeated, but it was obvious to Hitler that the Soviet Union would not stand by and let Germany take Poland. With the Germans tied up battling the Soviet Union, the Western Front would have been left defenceless. It was apparent to everyone that a two front war would have meant disaster for Nazi Germany.
The Basis for The Nazi-Soviet Pact
Hitler repeatedly told the French and British that he did not want to go to war with them. But the the British no longer had the desire to appease Hitler like at Munich. According to Shirer, Hitler and his Generals believed that if it was guaranteed that The Soviet Union would not go to war against Germany, it would discourage the French and British to go to war over Poland. The Germans, French, and British had all realized that with a neutral Soviet Union, Poland was doomed.
The Nazis and the British immediately opened up communications with the Soviets. The Nazi goal was to have the Soviets agree to a non-aggression pact, and the British were hoping for a French-British-Soviet military alliance - similar to the one that proved so destructive to the German war effort in the First World War. However, the British did not know (but the Nazis did) that The Soviet Union desired a chunk of Poland, and wanted greater influence in the Balkans, and the Baltic Sea. The Nazis were prepared to give them what they wanted in order to secure a non-aggression pact, but the British were not prepared to go that far. Shirer writes that the British feared a more powerful Soviet Union, and that the Nazis were also fearful of giving them more power, but Hitler said he would remedy that problem by destroying The Soviet Union in a future war!
A Last Minute Hope for Peace
On August 28, 1939 it was announced that Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union had signed a non-aggression pact, the nightmare of a possible two-front war was over. Many people, including Shirer himself, thought that a world war would be avoided. According to Shirer, many, including Roosevelt, Mussolini, Stalin, and Hitler himself, had assumed that the French and British would not bother to fight for Poland now that the Soviet Union was out of the picture. It turned out that they were proven wrong.
The Italians, after signing the Rome-Berlin Axis, were terrified of the prospect of a war with France and Britain. The Italian Army would have likley met disater agaunst the French in the Alps, and Shirer wrote that the Italian Navy would be destroyed in a fortnight. When it became apparent that The British and French will go to war with Germany if Poland was attacked, The Duce (Mussolini) was able to wiggle out of his country's military alliance with Germany (according to Shirer, he did this by demanding from the Germans an impossible amount of rubber, coal, oil and gas). After a last ditch attempt by Hitler to prevent France and Britain from going to war (he offered to guarantee the French frontier and the British Empire), the orders were given for the German Army to attack Poland.
Why The Soviet Union Signed a Non-Aggression Pact With Germany
When reading Shirer's depiction of the prelude to The Second World War, it is easy to realize why the Soviet Union -no big fan of Nazi Germany, had agreed to sign the Non-Aggression Pact. Shirer makes it clear in his depiction of the events, that the British were not determined enough in their negotiations to get the Soviet Union to sign an alliance with them. Shirer writes that the British did nothing to address Stalin's fear of having to bear the full brunt of a German attack.
According to Shirer, the Soviets pointed out that France's 100 divisions would only take up defensive positions behind the Maginot Line and not attack Germany, and that the British Expeditionary Force would only be 4-5 divisions strong. Whereas the Soviets would have to mobilize almost 200 divisions to defend Poland - a territory with no natural defences. It was also pointed out that Hitler would direct most of his forces in the direction of Poland, and likely wouldn't stop until he got to Moscow.
It is hard not to blame the Soviets for not wanting to go to war against Germany. Shirer makes it obvious that they would have had to do most of the fighting, and besides, Poland did not like The Soviet Union that much. Unlike with the Munich Agreement, there was no real alternative to preventing the outbreak of war.
However, the Franco-British military strategy is another matter.
By the early summer of 1939, it had became apparent that Hitler was planning the destruction of Poland. The only thing that was stopping hm was the nightmare of a two-front war. If Poland was invaded, the Polish Army would have been easily defeated, but it was obvious to Hitler that the Soviet Union would not stand by and let Germany take Poland. With the Germans tied up battling the Soviet Union, the Western Front would have been left defenceless. It was apparent to everyone that a two front war would have meant disaster for Nazi Germany.
The Basis for The Nazi-Soviet Pact
Hitler repeatedly told the French and British that he did not want to go to war with them. But the the British no longer had the desire to appease Hitler like at Munich. According to Shirer, Hitler and his Generals believed that if it was guaranteed that The Soviet Union would not go to war against Germany, it would discourage the French and British to go to war over Poland. The Germans, French, and British had all realized that with a neutral Soviet Union, Poland was doomed.
The Nazis and the British immediately opened up communications with the Soviets. The Nazi goal was to have the Soviets agree to a non-aggression pact, and the British were hoping for a French-British-Soviet military alliance - similar to the one that proved so destructive to the German war effort in the First World War. However, the British did not know (but the Nazis did) that The Soviet Union desired a chunk of Poland, and wanted greater influence in the Balkans, and the Baltic Sea. The Nazis were prepared to give them what they wanted in order to secure a non-aggression pact, but the British were not prepared to go that far. Shirer writes that the British feared a more powerful Soviet Union, and that the Nazis were also fearful of giving them more power, but Hitler said he would remedy that problem by destroying The Soviet Union in a future war!
A Last Minute Hope for Peace
On August 28, 1939 it was announced that Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union had signed a non-aggression pact, the nightmare of a possible two-front war was over. Many people, including Shirer himself, thought that a world war would be avoided. According to Shirer, many, including Roosevelt, Mussolini, Stalin, and Hitler himself, had assumed that the French and British would not bother to fight for Poland now that the Soviet Union was out of the picture. It turned out that they were proven wrong.
The Italians, after signing the Rome-Berlin Axis, were terrified of the prospect of a war with France and Britain. The Italian Army would have likley met disater agaunst the French in the Alps, and Shirer wrote that the Italian Navy would be destroyed in a fortnight. When it became apparent that The British and French will go to war with Germany if Poland was attacked, The Duce (Mussolini) was able to wiggle out of his country's military alliance with Germany (according to Shirer, he did this by demanding from the Germans an impossible amount of rubber, coal, oil and gas). After a last ditch attempt by Hitler to prevent France and Britain from going to war (he offered to guarantee the French frontier and the British Empire), the orders were given for the German Army to attack Poland.
Why The Soviet Union Signed a Non-Aggression Pact With Germany
When reading Shirer's depiction of the prelude to The Second World War, it is easy to realize why the Soviet Union -no big fan of Nazi Germany, had agreed to sign the Non-Aggression Pact. Shirer makes it clear in his depiction of the events, that the British were not determined enough in their negotiations to get the Soviet Union to sign an alliance with them. Shirer writes that the British did nothing to address Stalin's fear of having to bear the full brunt of a German attack.
According to Shirer, the Soviets pointed out that France's 100 divisions would only take up defensive positions behind the Maginot Line and not attack Germany, and that the British Expeditionary Force would only be 4-5 divisions strong. Whereas the Soviets would have to mobilize almost 200 divisions to defend Poland - a territory with no natural defences. It was also pointed out that Hitler would direct most of his forces in the direction of Poland, and likely wouldn't stop until he got to Moscow.
It is hard not to blame the Soviets for not wanting to go to war against Germany. Shirer makes it obvious that they would have had to do most of the fighting, and besides, Poland did not like The Soviet Union that much. Unlike with the Munich Agreement, there was no real alternative to preventing the outbreak of war.
However, the Franco-British military strategy is another matter.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: The Road to War
This is the first of a series of posts regarding the subject of William Shirer's book, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. After reading the book, it is hard for me not to wonder what would have happened if France and Britain were governed by 'warmongers' instead of 'peace lovers' in the pre-war years. Throughout the 1930s, the French and British missed many opportunities to stop Hitler, resulting in near fatal consequences for them.
When the Rhineland was reoccupied by German troops, the German generals were terrified of the possibility of French hostilities. In the book, Shirer reveals that the Germans were fatally outnumbered, and if the French opened fire on them, they would have been forced to retreat. According to documents cited in the book, if the Germans were forced to retreat, there would have been a serious possibility that the Nazi regime would have collapsed. Instead the French allowed the Germans to re-militarize the Rhineland, handing Hitler a huge victory and effectively destroying the Treaty of Versailles.
Another blunder which led to the outbreak of The Second World War was the Munich Pact. Czechoslovakia had a large, modern army with formidable mountain defences, equal to the French Maginot Line. Most German Generals believed that it would be almost impossible to break through them and invade Czechoslovakia. In addition to this, the people of Germany were dead set against war. Most of the Generals and Officers believed that the German Army would be slaughtered by the Czechoslovaks, and that the lightly defended frontier with France would collapse if the French went to war (it was assumed they would because France had a military alliance with Czechoslovakia). The Generals believed that if the German army was bogged down in the mountainous terrain on the Czechoslovak border, France's 100 divisions would overrun Germany's 20 divisions on the western front, leading to military disaster.
In order to prevent the ruin of Germany, the Generals came up with a plan for a military coup. According to Shirer, when Hitler would give the order to attack, the army would carry out a coup and arrest Hitler and put in his place a provisional government that would be 'anti-Nazi'. All that the Generals needed was a firm declaration by Britain and France that they would go to war against Germany if Czechoslovakia was invaded. As we all know, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain formulated the Munich agreement, forcing the fully mobilized Czech army to back down, and preserving peace for 11 months.
The sacrifice of Czechoslovakia ironically led to the outbreak of the war that Chamberlain so desperately wanted to avoid. It could be argued that if the coup failed, or did not occur, the German army would have met disaster against the Czechoslovaks and the French and British could have dealt a death blow to Nazi Germany. It is easy to argue that if the war had begun by the invasion of Czechoslovakia instead of by the invasion of Poland a year later, the British and the French would have had the upper hand against Germany, instead of the other way around. Chamberlain should have advocated war when the conditions were favorable instead of formulating a short period of peace.
Readers of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich do not have long to ponder these 'what ifs' because they are quickly led into the secret negotiations between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in the summer of 1939 (the topic of the next post in this series).
When the Rhineland was reoccupied by German troops, the German generals were terrified of the possibility of French hostilities. In the book, Shirer reveals that the Germans were fatally outnumbered, and if the French opened fire on them, they would have been forced to retreat. According to documents cited in the book, if the Germans were forced to retreat, there would have been a serious possibility that the Nazi regime would have collapsed. Instead the French allowed the Germans to re-militarize the Rhineland, handing Hitler a huge victory and effectively destroying the Treaty of Versailles.
Another blunder which led to the outbreak of The Second World War was the Munich Pact. Czechoslovakia had a large, modern army with formidable mountain defences, equal to the French Maginot Line. Most German Generals believed that it would be almost impossible to break through them and invade Czechoslovakia. In addition to this, the people of Germany were dead set against war. Most of the Generals and Officers believed that the German Army would be slaughtered by the Czechoslovaks, and that the lightly defended frontier with France would collapse if the French went to war (it was assumed they would because France had a military alliance with Czechoslovakia). The Generals believed that if the German army was bogged down in the mountainous terrain on the Czechoslovak border, France's 100 divisions would overrun Germany's 20 divisions on the western front, leading to military disaster.
In order to prevent the ruin of Germany, the Generals came up with a plan for a military coup. According to Shirer, when Hitler would give the order to attack, the army would carry out a coup and arrest Hitler and put in his place a provisional government that would be 'anti-Nazi'. All that the Generals needed was a firm declaration by Britain and France that they would go to war against Germany if Czechoslovakia was invaded. As we all know, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain formulated the Munich agreement, forcing the fully mobilized Czech army to back down, and preserving peace for 11 months.
The sacrifice of Czechoslovakia ironically led to the outbreak of the war that Chamberlain so desperately wanted to avoid. It could be argued that if the coup failed, or did not occur, the German army would have met disaster against the Czechoslovaks and the French and British could have dealt a death blow to Nazi Germany. It is easy to argue that if the war had begun by the invasion of Czechoslovakia instead of by the invasion of Poland a year later, the British and the French would have had the upper hand against Germany, instead of the other way around. Chamberlain should have advocated war when the conditions were favorable instead of formulating a short period of peace.
Readers of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich do not have long to ponder these 'what ifs' because they are quickly led into the secret negotiations between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in the summer of 1939 (the topic of the next post in this series).
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