Summary: the rise of Nazism and Hitler
Germany was a powerful empire in the early 20th century.
Germany fought the First World War (1914-1918) alongside the Austrian empire and against Allies (England, France and Russia). War drained all the resources of Germany.
Germany made initial gains by occupying France and Belgium. However the Allies were strengthened by USA joining them in 1917.
Allies defeated Germany and Central powers in 1918.
The defeat of imperial Germany and the abdication of its emperor allowed parliamentary parties to establish democratic constitution with federal structure. Deputies got elected to parliament/REICHSTAG on the basis of equal and universal votes cast by all adults.
This republic however, was not received well because of the terms imposed on Germany after the defeat in war.
Peace treaty with allies was harsh and humiliating.
Germany lost its overseas colonies, 1/10 th of its population, 13% of its territories, 75% of iron, 20% of coal to France, Poland, Denmark and Lithuania.
Germany was demilitarized
Germany was forced to pay 6billion pounds
Allied powers accepted resonance with Rhineland.
Many Germans held the new Wiener Republic responsible for defeat and disgrace at Versailles.
Financial(creditors became debtors)
Those who supported Weimar Republic (socialist, Catholics, Democrats) became targets of conservative nationalists. They were called NOVEMBER CRIINALS.
Hitler’s determination was to make Germany a mighty power and to conquer all of Europe.
Nazism was a system, a structure of ideas about the world and politics.
In May 1945, Germany surrendered to the allies.
Allies means the Allied powers led by United Kingdom and France. These were joined by USSR and USA in 1941. They fought against the Axis powers, namely: Germany, Italy and Japan.
In April 1945, Hitler, his propaganda minister Goebbels and his entire family committed suicide in his Berlin bunker in April.
International Military Tribunal was set up after Second World War at Nuremberg to prosecute Nazi war criminals for crimes against peace, against humanity and other war crimes.
Germany raged a genocidal war: killing on a large scale leading to the destruction of a large number of people.
Mass murder of select groups of innocent civilians of Europe (6 million Jews, 200,000 gypsies, 1 million polish civilians; 7000 Germans were mentally and physically disabled and innumerable political opponents were killed.
People were killed by poisonous gases in killing centers like Auschwitz.
Nuremberg tribunal sentenced only 11 leading Nazis to death and imprisoned for life many others.