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One major cause of German aggression may be the fervent [[Nationalism]] that became the norm in Germany post-[[World War I]]. Germans were eager to reaffirm their position as a major player on the world stage.{{fact}}

One major cause of German aggression may be the fervent [[Nationalism]] that became the norm in Germany post-[[World War I]]. Germans were eager to reaffirm their position as a major player on the world stage.{{fact}}

The state of Germany in the aftermath of World War I is also considered to be a contributing factor.  Due to the harsh terms of the treaty ending the first World War, Germany was not only humiliated, but pushed into economic ruin. The German currency which used to trade at 4 to a dollar eventually became over 1 trillion to the dollar. (Yes, that's not a typo).  Under such deplorable conditions, anyone who could make them rise again would be viewed almost as a savior. The scene was set for Hitler.

The state of Germany in the aftermath of World War I is also considered to be a contributing factor.  The [[Weimar Republic]]] that was founded at the end of WW I, was struggling  from the beginning. One reason were the harsh terms of Versailles treaty, although these terms were never fully enforced, they psychological damage was immense, since they were perceived as a grave injustice. The republic was also struggling with the rejection by monarchist, who were still occupying important position in the state. Then the social democratic leaders, who founded the republic to thwart a communist revolution, were accused of surrendering to the allies for personal gains, while the German forces in WW I were believed to be victorious.  Although the Weimar Republic enjoyed a time of economic resurgence after the early years of hyper-inflation it failed to gain deep public support. The Weimar Republic was famously called a ''democracy without democrats''.

 

In the early 1930 Germany was in a permanent political and constitutional crisis, caused by rising unemployment during the great depression. Germany was hit harder than most other countries. The National Socialists, known as Hitler movement, promised to restore national pride and statue, by disbanding the Versailles treaty, and reverting the injustices imposed onto Germany by its international enemies. It was common to blame the "international Jewdom", or to point to an international communist Jewish conspiracy against Germany.  Part of this ideology was that Germany deserved to be larger, and that in order to survive, it would have to conquer the East.

 

In the immediate run up to WWII, there were frequent reports of trespassing Polish troops. On August 31, 1939 German covert operatives staged a fake attack by Polish troops on a German radio station. WW II started on September 1, 1939. Hitler justified this as an defensive act, pointing to the frequent border incidents, and said famously that from this moment on Germany would strike back.

== German Tactics ==

== German Tactics ==