Materials

• A map of post-WWI Europe for each student
• WWII Fact Statements list (Attachment A)

Instructional Activities

1. Review the content from the previous session, as needed.
   
   
2. Discuss Germany’s step-by-step aggression. Instruct students to annotate a map of post-WWI Europe with the actions as they are introduced. They should also add the actions on their World War II chronology handout (see session 2). The following statements are a sample of the information to be included in the discussion:
   •  The policy of appeasement practiced by Britain, France, and other members of a weak League of Nations emboldened Germany to expand her borders.
   •  Germany began to build up a military presence in the border area next to France (Rhineland) and in the Sudetenland despite the Versailles Treaty restrictions. Next, Germany invaded Austria, a country where the language was German and many welcomed the unification.
   •  Despite warnings of war, Hitler invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. Britain and France had little choice but to respond by declaring war on Germany.
   •  The Soviet Union also invaded Poland from the east.
   •  Germany and the Soviet Union signed a nonaggression pact in August 1939 that stated they would not fight each other.
   •  Germany practiced a strategy of Blitzkrieg (lightning war) that enabled her to overrun Poland, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands within eight months. German troops pushed on to Paris, and France surrendered.
   
   
3. Assign a teacher-selected reading, worksheet, or other reinforcement activity, using available resources.