1937 is marked as a significant year in the lead-up to World War II. The Hossbach Memorandum plays a central role in understanding Hitler’s intentions and plans for Germany’s expansion and dominance in Europe.

• What happened?
  • Hitler held a secret meeting.
  • Presented his plans for German foreign policy.
• Key Details from the Memorandum:
  • Written by Colonel Hossbach five days post-meeting.
  • Highlighted Hitler’s desire for Lebensraum (living space for Germans).
  • Plans to move against Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Eastern Europe.
  • Willingness to risk a war against Britain and France.
  • Urgency due to Germany’s rivals catching up militarily.

🎉 Fun Fact: Lebensraum was a concept Hitler was obsessed with! Imagine wanting to expand your bedroom so much that you decide to just take over the entire house. That's Hitler wanting more space for Germans.

📘 Source A: Nazism 1919–1945, A History in Documents and Eyewitness Accounts, Volume II

• Authors: Jeremy Noakes and Geoffrey Pridham
• Main Points
  • 1937 as the ‘year of awareness’.
  • Germany was in an arms race due to its rearmament program.
  • Limited resources compared to rivals.
  • Pressure to act swiftly using temporary superiority.

🌍 Real World Example: Think of it as a race! Germany is sprinting ahead, but knows that other nations have better stamina and will overtake them eventually. So, they want to sprint even faster to gain a considerable lead.

📘 Source B: The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. A History of Nazi Germany

• Author: William Shirer
• Main Points:
  • Hitler’s decision for war was irrevocable.
  • Reflection of Mein Kampf: Germany's need for Lebensraum in the East.

🎉 Fun Fact: "Mein Kampf" (My Struggle) was a book Hitler wrote during his prison stint. It’s like his master blueprint for his vision of Germany’s future.

📘 Source C: The Origins of the Second World War

• Author: AJP Taylor
• Main Points
  • The memorandum confirmed Hitler’s (and other German statesmen's) intentions for Germany to dominate Europe.
  • Speculations in the memorandum were inaccurate concerning the actual events leading to the war in 1939.

🌍 Real World Example: It's like predicting the weather for a week. Even if you have the best meteorologists, sometimes the forecast can be wrong!