World War 1: Scopes, Participants, and Peace

• "SS scope" refers to German-made sniper scopes used in World War 1, which were of high quality due to Germany's advanced optical industry.
• Early WW1 sniper scopes frequently involved modifications of existing hunting scopes.
• Zeiss and Hensoldt were among the companies producing optical equipment for German sniper rifles.
• Static trench warfare in WW1 increased the need for snipers with accurate long-range shooting capabilities.

World War 1 Participants

• The major Allied Powers included France, the British Empire, Russia (until 1917), Italy (from 1915), and the United States (from 1917).
• The Central Powers comprised Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria.

Paris Peace Conference

• The Paris Peace Conference began on January 18, 1919.
• The Treaty of Versailles formally ended WW1 as a result.
• The conference involved redrawing the map of Europe, leading to the creation of new nations.
• The conference established the League of Nations to prevent future wars.
• Heavy reparations were imposed on Germany.
• The "Big Four"—David Lloyd George (Britain), Georges Clemenceau (France), Woodrow Wilson (USA), and Vittorio Orlando (Italy)—dominated the conference.
• The Treaty of Versailles blamed Germany for the war and imposed harsh terms.
• Some historians believe the treaty's punitive nature contributed to the rise of Adolf Hitler and WW2.

German Punishment

• Germany had to accept full responsibility for the war.
• Germany was required to pay massive reparations to the Allied Powers.
• Territory and colonies were ceded.
• Military strength was significantly reduced.
• The Rhineland was demilitarized.

Hitler and the Nazis in the 1920s

• Germany experienced political and economic instability after World War 1.
• Hitler joined the Nazi Party (National Socialist German Workers' Party) and rose to prominence.
• Hitler led the failed Beer Hall Putsch in 1923, an attempt to seize power.
• During his imprisonment, he wrote "Mein Kampf," outlining his ideology.
• Throughout the 1920s, the Nazi Party worked to gain supporters and political power.

Enabling Act

• The Enabling Act was passed in 1933 and gave Hitler dictatorial powers.
• It allowed him to enact laws without the involvement of the Reichstag (German parliament).
• It established a totalitarian regime.

How Hitler Dealt With His Opponents

• Hitler used violence, intimidation, and propaganda to eliminate opposition.
• Political opponents were imprisoned in concentration camps or murdered.
• The Gestapo (secret police) and the SS (Schutzstaffel) enforced his regime.
• The "Night of the Long Knives" in 1934 involved the murder of many political opponents within his own party.

Nuremberg Laws

• The Nuremberg Laws were passed in 1935, stripping Jews of their German citizenship and basic rights.
• Marriage and sexual relations between Jews and non-Jews were prohibited.
• Jews were excluded from many professions and public life.
• These laws were a key step in the persecution of Jews that led to the Holocaust.