Adolf Hitler assumed the position of Chancellor of Germany in January 1933. Shortly thereafter, he initiated a covert buildup of Germany’s military forces and weaponry. By 1934, he had expanded the army, commenced the construction of warships, and established a German airforce. Additionally, compulsory military service was implemented. Despite being cognizant of Hitler’s activities, Britain and France were preoccupied with the threat of Communism and believed that a more robust Germany could serve as a deterrent against the spread of Communism to the Western nations.

In 1936, Hitler dispatched German troops to the Rhineland. At that time, the German military was relatively weak and could have been easily overpowered. However, neither France nor Britain were willing to instigate another conflict. During 1936, Hitler forged two significant alliances. The first was the Rome-Berlin Axis Pact, aligning Germany with Mussolini’s Italy. The second was the Anti-Comitern Pact, forming an alliance between Germany and Japan. Subsequently, Hitler embarked on reclaiming territories that had been seized from Germany. In March 1938, German forces entered Austria. The Austrian leader was compelled to conduct a plebiscite to determine whether the populace desired to join Germany. The outcome of the plebiscite was manipulated, indicating that 99% of Austrians favored Anschluss (union with Germany). The Austrian leader sought assistance from Britain, France, and Italy. Hitler assured that Anschluss marked the conclusion of his expansionist ambitions, and to avoid the risk of war, the other nations refrained from taking action.

Neville Chamberlain, the Prime Minister of Britain, engaged in three meetings with Hitler in September 1938 in an attempt to avoid war. The Munich Agreement allowed Hitler to take control of the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia on the condition that he would not invade the rest of the country. However, Hitler broke his promise and in March 1939, he proceeded to invade the remaining parts of Czechoslovakia. Despite the Czechoslovak government’s pleas for assistance, neither Britain nor France were willing to take military action against Hitler. As a result, both countries eventually promised to intervene if Hitler targeted Poland next. Chamberlain hoped that the threat of war from Britain and France would deter Hitler’s aggression, but he was mistaken. On September 1st, 1939, German troops invaded Poland.