Summary of "History That Doesn't Suck" – Episode 187: From the Rhineland to Poland (1935–1939): Annexation, Appeasement, & the Start of World War II

Host: Prof. Greg Jackson
Air Date: September 8, 2025

Main Theme

This episode unpacks the dramatic march from Hitler’s early treaty violations and annexation of the Rhineland to the invasion of Poland—a span of four years where the strategy of appeasement enabled Nazi Germany’s aggressive expansion and set the stage for World War II. Prof. Jackson vividly narrates key moments, figures, and policies that led to the outbreak of war in Europe, contrasting the perspectives and decisions of leaders like Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Berlin Olympics, Propaganda, and Jesse Owens (00:58–09:21)

• Setting: The 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics, with Jesse Owens breaking world records and winning the crowd’s admiration.
• Propaganda Machine: Nazis use the Games to project an image of order and tolerance, even as underlying persecution is merely paused.
• Contrast: Black American athletes often felt more respected in Berlin than in Jim Crow America—though this was orchestrated for foreign eyes.
• Quote – Jesse Owens: “I knew that 10 seconds would climax the work of eight years.” (06:58)
• Hidden Realities: Jewish and Roma persecution, sidelining of Jewish athletes, construction of Sachsenhausen concentration camp.
• Aftermath: While Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels is furious at Black Americans’ victories—“White people should be ashamed of themselves” (09:21)—the true legacy is darker: many Olympians and German Jews would later die in the Holocaust.

2. Hitler’s Incremental Aggression and Appeasement Begins (09:25–18:16)

• Consolidation of Power: With President Hindenburg’s death in 1934, Hitler becomes full dictator, publicly promising peace while secretly rebuilding the military in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles.
• Secret Rearmament (12:58): German navy is expanded, U-boats are constructed in violation of Versailles.
• Public Violations:
  • Creation of the Luftwaffe (German air force) announced, March 1935.
  • Fivefold increase of the German army (Wehrmacht) soon after.
• International Response: The League of Nations condemns but takes no tangible action. Allies remain reluctant to risk another war.

3. The Rhineland Remilitarization (18:16–21:19)

• March 7, 1936: 22,000 German troops enter the demilitarized Rhineland—a direct treaty violation.
• High Risk: Hitler later calls it the “most nerve wracking of my life…if the French had retaliated, we would have had to withdraw with our tail between our legs…” (17:59)
• No Resistance: France does nothing but reinforce its border fortifications.
• Slow-Boiling Waters: Hitler uses diplomatic reassurances and private deals (e.g., Austro-German Agreement) to keep the opposition passive.

4. Drawing the Axis and Toward Anschluss (21:19–29:39)

• Rome-Berlin Axis (1936): Italy and Germany align, signaling a major diplomatic shift.

• Anti-Comintern Pact: Germany and Japan sign a pact targeting the Soviet Union.

• Nazis Eye Austria:

  • Hitler bullies Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg, dictating harsh pro-Nazi terms (24:38).
  • With little recourse, Schuschnigg signs under duress—“There is nothing else but the complete end of the independence of the Austrian government.” (26:03)

• Anschluss:

  • A plebiscite to preserve Austria’s independence is called off under threat.
  • March 11–13, 1938: Austria is annexed by Nazi Germany.
  • “God protect Austria.” – Schuschnigg’s farewell broadcast at surrender (29:16)

5. Introduction of Winston Churchill and the British Debate (33:05–39:59)

• Churchill’s Background: From adventurous childhood to war correspondent, to First Lord of the Admiralty, decorated soldier, and political ‘outsider’ in the 1930s.
• The ‘Wilderness Years’: Churchill’s prescient warning against appeasement and fascism is out of step with contemporary British leadership and public opinion.
• House of Commons Debate (March 14, 1938): After Austria’s annexation, Chamberlain calls for appeasement. Churchill forcefully disagrees:

  “Europe is confronted with a program of aggression, nicely calculated and timed, unfolding stage by stage. And there is only one choice... to take effective measures while time remains...” (37:51)

6. The Czechoslovak Crisis & Munich Agreement (39:59–52:10)

• Sudetenland Tensions: Hitler demands the German-speaking Sudetenland.
• May 1938 Crisis: Mobilization on the Czech border, Europe braces for war.
• Munich Agreement:
  • Western leaders (UK, France) pressure Czechoslovakia to cede the Sudetenland for a promise of peace.
  • Czechs aren’t invited to Munich or included in decisions about their own fate.
  • Chamberlain returns, declaring “peace for our time” (49:35), greeted as a hero.
• Betrayal:
  • Czech President Benes resigns, nation dismembered.
  • Poland and Hungary opportunistically annex parts of Czechoslovakia.

7. From Appeasement to War Preparations (52:10–58:59)

• Hitler Turns to Poland:
  • After violating Munich’s promises by annexing the rest of Czechoslovakia, Hitler’s next target is Poland.
  • Britain and France guarantee Polish independence (53:20–54:27).
  • Germany discards non-aggression pact with Poland, deepens alliance with Italy.
  • Stalin and Hitler sign Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact secretly agreeing to carve up Eastern Europe.

8. The Gleiwitz Incident and the Invasion of Poland (58:59–64:12)

• Manufactured Excuse for War:
  • August 31, 1939: Nazi SS stages a fake Polish attack on the German radio station at Gleiwitz, using murdered prisoners as props.
  • “The radio station is in Polish hands.” (61:10)
• Nazi Propaganda: Hitler claims Germany is only defending itself:
  “Polish state has refused the peaceful settlement of relations which I desired…” (63:12)
• Blitzkrieg Begins:
  • September 1, 1939: Germany invades Poland.
  • September 3: Britain and France declare war, beginning World War II in Europe.
  • The “Phoney War” follows, as little action occurs on the Western Front.

9. Consequences and Reflection (64:12–68:26)

• The Human Cost:
  • The Polish campaign inaugurates Blitzkrieg and systematic SS murder squads (Einsatzgruppen), escalating persecution of Jews and other targets.
• Lessons of Appeasement:
  • Chamberlain, initially so confident in “peace for our time,” is forced to confront the reality of Hitler’s endless ambition. Churchill’s warnings, once ignored, are now seen as prophetic.
  • “As well intentioned as Neville Chamberlain might have been, his appeasement was the wrong approach. Instead, it was Winston Churchill who got it right…” (66:22)
• Foreshadowing America’s Role:
  • Prof. Jackson closes by teasing the next episode’s exploration of what WWII’s outbreak meant for the U.S.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Jesse Owens and Nazi Germany’s Façade:

  “Some black American athletes report feeling more welcome in Berlin than in Jim Crow America. But that's just the brilliance of the Nazi propaganda machine…” (05:40)

• On Hitler’s Design:

  “[Hitler] hopes [the Allies will] behave like the metaphorical frog in slowly boiling water, failing to recognize the danger until it's too late.” (12:58)

• Hitler after the Rhineland Gamble:

  “If the French had retaliated, we would have had to withdraw with our tail between our legs, for the military resources at our disposal would have been wholly inadequate for even a moderate resistance.” (17:59)

• On British and French Failure to Act:

  “Neither Great Britain and France...seemed to realize as 1937 began that almost all that Hitler had done in his first four years was a preparation for war.” (21:12)

• Kurt Schuschnigg’s Final Message to Austria:

  “Since we are not prepared even in this terrible hour to shed blood, we have decided to order troops to offer no resistance. So I take leave of the Austrian people. God protect Austria.” (29:16)

• Winston Churchill to the House of Commons:

  “We cannot say the past is the past without surrendering the future.” (37:51)

• Neville Chamberlain’s Famous Promise:

  “Peace with honor. I believe it is peace for our time.” (49:35)

• Final Polish Pretext Creation:

  “Here is Gleiwitz. The radio station is in Polish hands.” (61:10)

• Hitler’s Proclamation Justifying Invasion:

  “The Polish state has refused the peaceful settlement of relations which I desired…In order to put an end to this lunacy, I have no other choice than to meet force with force.” (63:12)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• Berlin Olympics, Jesse Owens: 00:58–09:21
• Nazi Treaty Violations & Early Expansion: 09:25–18:16
• Remilitarizing the Rhineland: 18:16–21:19
• Austria (Anschluss) Crisis: 21:19–29:39
• Winston Churchill’s Emergence: 33:05–39:59
• Sudetenland & Munich Agreement: 39:59–52:10
• From Czechoslovakia to Guarantees on Poland: 52:10–58:59
• Gleiwitz Incident & Poland Invasion: 58:59–64:12
• Reflection, Blitzkrieg, and the War’s Unfolding: 64:12–68:26

Tone and Style

Prof. Jackson narrates with dramatic flair, vivid storytelling, and well-timed wit. He credits sources, brings historic figures to life with direct quotes, and offers nuanced, research-backed analysis throughout—balancing empathy for those caught up in events and measured critique of the era’s leaders.

Conclusion

This episode charts Europe’s slip from the end of World War I peace treaties into the catastrophe of World War II, arguing that appeasement and hesitation by Western leaders—especially Britain and France—allowed Hitler’s ambitions to spiral unchecked. By contrast, Churchill’s early warnings go unheeded until it’s too late. Prof. Jackson closes by hinting at America’s looming role in the next phase of the conflict, setting the stage for the coming episodes.