Topic: Appeasement policy of the European countries towards the fascist countries

Target group

7th‑grade students of elementary school

Core curriculum

7th‑grade students of elementary school

XXXI. Road to war. Pupil:

4) characterizes the policy of Western concessions towards Hitler's Germany;

General aim of education

The student learns and describes the policy of European states towards Hitler and indicates its conditions.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• to enumerate Hitler’s actions aimed at overthrowing the arrangements of the Treaty of Versailles;

• to characterize the political goals and aspirations of the superpowers;

• to characterize the appeasement policy and its effects.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • discussion.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers.

Lesson plan overview

Before classes

1. The teacher asks students to execute Task 1 and 2 from the e‑textbook - they should consider the reasons for the passive policy of France and Great Britain towards Hitler.

Introduction

1. The teacher states the subject of the lesson, explains the aim of the lesson and together with students determines the success criteria to be achieved.

2. The teacher displays the timeline and introduces the process of Nazi Germany's departure from the Versailles arrangements.

3. Students carry out Task 1 (they refer to the annexation of Austria) and Exercise 1 and 2 (they recall the concept of the „Great Germany” and analyze the reactions of Austrian society to the occupation of their country). The teacher makes sure that the tasks have been correctly completed and gives feedback. They write down their conclusions.

Realization

1. The teacher explains to the students that the purpose of this part of the lesson will be to create a decision tree in relation the Munich conference of 1938. To this end, the students listen to the teacher's lecture on the subject of Hitler's „defence” of 3 million Germans living in the Czech Sudetenland, as well as its effects on the the Munich Agreement. The teacher draws students' attention to the anti‑war and defeatist moods (their symbol being the Maginot Line). Then the students perform Task 2 and Exercise 3. They get acquainted with the memoirs of a Czech official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They learn about the reasoning behind the four main political players from 1938. The teacher makes sure that the tasks have been correctly performed and provides feedback.

2. The teacher, in cooperation with the students, formulates the problem that requires making a decision (eg. What position could the Czechoslovakian authorities take on Hitler's demands and Western states in 1938?). Filling the tree scheme can be done both individually or in a group. By referring to the realities of the interwar period, the students propose and analyze variants of potential solutions in detail. The teacher takes care of providing feedback for students.

3. Then, students / groups report their work.

Summary

1. The teacher comments on the results of the work, answers questions and doubts. He discusses the reasons that led students to different ideas. He makes an assessment. He asks students to search the Internet (if there is enough time, still during the lesson) about the last of Hitler's captures before the outbreak of the war.

2. The teacher assesses the students' work during the lesson, taking into account their input and commitment. For this purpose, he may prepare a self‑assessment questionnaire.

Homework

1. The teacher tasks willing students with homework: The students prepare a presentation about the fate of Abyssinia in the interwar period and the response of the League of Nations. They use information found in the e‑textbook or other sources (eg. PWN encyclopedia on‑line).

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Appeasement policy of the European countries towards the fascist countries

In January 1935 in Saarland a plebiscite was organised, where 90% of the inhabitants voted to join the Third Reich. In 1935 Germany introduced mandatory military service. Western countries did not react. Also in 1935 Italy entered Abyssinia, an area of considerable economic significance for them. Abyssinia asked the League of Nations for help. They did nothing. On March 7, 1936, German troops entered Rhineland, which – according to the arrangements included in the Treaty of Versailles – was supposed to be a demilitarised zone. Once again, Western countries did not react. Hitler took one step further. In 1938 his troops entered Austria and the fascist Chancellor announced the annexation of Austria to the Third Reich. Hitler proclaimed the establishment of the Greater Germanic Reich. Then, Hitler “proceeded to defend” the 3 million Germans living in the Czech Sudetes. Mediation in order to solve the conflict amicably was proposed by Mussolini and approved by the western countries. On September 29‑30, 1938 in Munich a meeting was held of the British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlein, the French Prime Minister Édouard Daladier, Hitler and Mussolini. Without the participation of Czechoslovakia, a decision was made to give the disputed territory to the Germans. In March 1939 Hitler initiated the request of Slovak nationalists who formed a formally independent state (in fact fully subordinated to the Third Reich). On March 15, Hitler’s troops entered Prague, and Czechoslovakia was transformed into the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, under German rule. In the autumn 1938 Poland benefited from the difficult situation of Czechoslovakia and proceeded to occupy the Zaolzie and Hungary - the so‑called Carpathian Ruthenia, and the southern region of Slovakia. Also Italians started taking aggressive measures in Europe and in April 1939 they occupied Albania.