Western Europe Between 1918 and 1939

The seeds of World War II were sown from the very end of World War I with the signing of the Versailles Treaty.  The German Army had not been defeated in the field.  The German General Staff was intact after returning to Berlin.  Many junior officers felt betrayed by the politicians of the fledgling Weimar Republic.  The reparation payments and other treaty concessions required of Germany would be onerous with the advent of the Great Depression.  The messy nature of democracy led many German citizens to wish for a strong leader to lead them out of their economic problems which included hyperinflation. .

Great Britain experienced the loss of many young men and the economic disruption caused by the large expenditures of WW I.  The British public did not want to fight another war.  This reluctance was probably the reason for Chamberlain's questionable Munich Agreement with Hitler.

France had much damage to repair from the war.  A sizable French Army was maintained along with making a large investment in the Maginot Line which was to block future invasions from the East.  Little investment was made in new weapons, tactics, and communications since 1918.  The failure to modernize the French Army led to the 1940 disaster.

Hitler moved into power with the death of General Von Hindenburg in 1933.  He embarked on a vast public works program to put unemployed Germans to work.  One project was the building of the 1936 Olympic complex.  Below are some pictures of my recent visit to Berlin.  

Germany is a relatively small geographic area with a large population.  A factor in the start of WW II was the desire of German leadership to acquire additional farmland in the East.  The attack on Poland started in the early hours of September 1, 1939.  Great Britain and France declared war on Germany.

Olympic Complex

 The center stand of the picture where the Nazi leadership viewed the Olympics.  The roof over the stand was not added until after the war.

Well Kept Pitch

Jesse Owens

The stadium is in excellent condition and used for a variety of events.  The Berlin football club plays its matches there.  I understand that right after the war ended, the British Army used the stadium as headquarters.  I recommend a visit to the facility.  A short ride on the S-Bahn gets you there.