3. Why had international peace collapsed by 1939? Flashcards
3.1 What were the long-term consequences of the peace treaties of 1919-1923?
- Germany was very dissatisfied at almost every accept of the treaty e.g. territorial provisions, disarmament and reparations.
- Italy and Japan wanted a greater share of former German colonies e.g. Togoland.
- Japan also wanted more of Germany’s former trading rights in China.
3.2 What were the consequences of the failure of the League of Nations in the 1930s?
Manchuria:
This was the first major failure of the league, it showed that it was weak in the face of aggression of a greater power, encouraging further acts of aggression. It also demonstrated the Eurocentric nature of the league.
Japan withdrew from the League and became closer with Hitler and then Mussolini through the Anti-Comintern Pact.
This failure also meant that Italy and Germany started to think that their territorial ambitions were achievable.
Abyssinia:
The League’s action resulted by the invasion of Abyssinia was imposing economic sanctions, however not on essential commodities such as coal and oil. It also failed to close the Suez Canal. These actions, together with the Hoare-Laval Pact, showed the limitations of the League.
It also showed how members like Britain and France were unable to be internationalism before national interests.
All this meant that Hitler would be able to take action into destroying the League and would not face opposition.
Disarmament:
One of the aims of the League was to persuade countries to disarm and so reduce the chance of conflict. At the Disarmament Conference of 1932-1933 the Germans stated they would disarm is every nation did so too. The French would not accept this. This provided Hitler the excuse he needed. Hitler left the conference, pretending he wanted peace while he was rearming Germany since the time he came to power. Germany left the League.
Appeasement:
The failure of the league lead to intensive rearmament programs for Britain and France. Following the recession neither of these countries had spent enough on their defences.
By summer 1936, rearmament was a priority. It would take years for full rearmament so the short term policy of appeasement was adopted.
3.3 How far was Hitler’s foreign policy to blame for the outbreak of war 1939?
Destroy the Treaty of Versailles:
- The disarmament clause would be broken by introducing conscription and building up Germany’s armed forces.
- The demilitarised Rhineland would be remilitarised, strengthening Germany’ western frontier.
- Territory lost under the Treaty of Versailles would be regained.
- Anschluss with Austria was prohibited by the Treaty but was also part of Hitler’s plan.
Creating a Greater Germany:
-Unite all German speaking people into a German empire. This would involve parts of Czechoslovakia, Poland and Austria.
Destroy communism (Bolshevism): -Hitler was anti-Communist. He believed that Bolsheviks were responsible for Germany’s defeat in the World War I and they want to take over Germany.
Acquire lebensraum:
- Hitler wanted extra living space for Germans, believing this was there entitlement.
- This would be achieved by expansion eastwards into Poland and Soviet Russia.
Timeline of the foreign policy actions taken by Hitler from 1933-1936:
1933:
Germany refused to pay any more reparations.
Hitler walked out of the Disarmament Conference. (October)
Hitler withdrew Germany from the League of Nations. (October)
The rearmament of Germany began in secret.
1934:
A non-aggression pact was agreed with Poland. (January)
This meant that if Germany attacked Austria or Czechoslovakia, Poland would not intervene.
Hitler attempted Anschluss with Austria. (July)
He backed down when Mussolini showed his disapproval by moving Italian troops to the Brenner Pass.
1935:
Hitler announced that conscription would be reintroduced. (March)
A massive rearmament rally was held in Germany, boosting Nazi support. Appeasement maintained as the Treaty was seen has too harsh by the allies, and a string buffer against communism was welcome.
German signed a naval agreement with Britain. (June)
This allowed Germany to have up the 35% of the size of the British Navy.
(More importantly:)
A plebiscite was held in the Saar. (January)
in accordance with the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. Over 90% were in favour of a return to Germany. Germany had regained its first piece of lost territory by legal and peaceful means. It was a tremendous propaganda success for Hitler.
1936:
Germany remilitarised the Rhineland. (March)
Appeasement was justified as it was suggested Germany was marching into “its own backyard”.
Hitler developed closer relations with Italy by agreeing an informal alliance, the Rime-Berlin Axis.
The Anti-Comintern Pact committed Germany and Japan to hostility towards Soviet Russia. Neither Germany nor Japan would assist Soviet Russia is it attacked either country.
Involvement in the Spanish Civil War:
Italy and Germany supported Franco’s nationalists. If successful Hitler hoped Spain would become a German ally.
This gave Hitler an opportunity to test his new military equipment. His Luftwaffe was tested and committed a ruthless assault on Guernica.
Hitler saw it as an opportunity to fight against communism.
Britain and France decided not to become involved. Soviet Russia supported the Republicans.
Anschluss wit Austria:
Reasons for the union with Austria:
- Hitler had stated in Mein Kampf that he had felt the two countries belonged together as one German nation.
- Hitler was borne in Austria.
- One of Hitler’s aims was to form a Greater Germany. Austria had the largest number of German speakers outside Germany.
- Many Austrians supported the idea of union, Austria was economically weak after it had been reduced in size by the Treaty of St Germain.
- This was an opportunity to further break the Treaty of Versailles.
- From 1934, Hitler’s relationship with Mussolini had improved enough that he now had Mussolini’s support.
Events:
In early 1938 Hitler encouraged the Nazi Party in Austria to cause trouble. The staged demonstrations and started riots encouraging union with Germany.
Hitler told the Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg that political union was the only way to sort out the problems. Hitler persuaded Schuschnigg to agree but instead a plebiscite was held amount Austrian people.
Hitler ordered Schuschnigg to withdraw the plebiscite and resign. He also ordered invasion plans to be drawn up.
The new Austrian leader Seyss-Inquart asked Germany to send troops into Austria to restore law and order. On the 12 March 1938 German troops invaded and two days later Austria was made a province of Germany.
On 10 April, under the watchful eyes of the Nazis, 99% of the Austrian people voted for Anschluss.
Britain and France took no action Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister, felt that Austrians and Germans had the right to be united.
Results:
Another term of the Treaty of Versailles was broken. Britain and France were not prepared to defend with the saw is a flawed treaty. Also they did not wish to go against the views of the Austrian people. Hitler had increased German territory, population of resources. His confidence in his plans was increasing, particularly as he had the support of Mussolini. Austria’s soldiers and weapons increase the strength of the German military. Hit,er had declared his intentions and would not stop at Austria. Czechoslovakia would be next.
3.4 Was the policy of appeasement justified?
Arguments for Appeasement:
- Many people agreed that the Treaty of Versailles was unfair and that Hitler should be allowed to get back what was rightfully Germany’s.
- Soviet Russia under Stalin was seen as a much greater threat than Germany. The British people hoped that a string Germany would stop the spread of Communism.
- Britain and France were not ready to fight as they were militarily weak and was still coping with the impact of the Great Depression. Appeasement would give time for the rearmament.
- Britain And France wanted to avoid war. The First World War was not long ago and people were horrified at the thought of more bloodshed. Britain was also concerned that it’s Commonwealth countries might not give support.
- it was a thought that support would not be forthcoming from America.
Arguments against appeasement:
- It was morally wrong. They allowed Hitler to go unchallenged and abandoned Czechoslovakia to its fate. Appeasement acted like another word for cowardice.
- They assume that Hitler was a rational politician whom they could negotiate with on equal terms. His ruthlessness was misjudged. Hitler took concession as a sign of weakness and demanded more.
- The opportunity to stop Hitler was missed. Had resistance been shown to Hitler in the Rhineland he may well have withdrawn.
- Although it gave Britain and France time to start rearmament it also gave Germany the opportunity to continue to grow more powerful.
- The policy alarmed the USSR. Hitler made no secret of his wish to destroy communism and expand eastwards. Stalin was convinced that Britain France would not stand in his way. As a result the Nazi Soviet pact with signed.
Crises over Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia have been created by the treaty of St Germain. 3.5 million Germans lived in the Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia. The Sudetenland formed the border area between Germany and Czechoslovakia. The Sudeten Germans complained of discrimination by the Czech government. In 1938, Hitler demanded that Germany be given the Sudetenland. If this happened Czechoslovakia would be defenceless against a German attack.
The British Prime Minister, Chamberlain, wanted to find a peaceful solution to the problem rather than allowed Hitler to use force. To summit meetings take place between Hitler and Chamberlain.
In the first (15 September 1938), both parties agreed that areas of Sudetenland where the majority of the population were German should be handed in Germany. This was to be subjected to the approval of the British, French and Czech governments.
In the second (22 September 1938), Chamberlain reported that approval had been given, however Hitler had changed his mind and wanted the whole of Sudetenland by the 1st of October 1938 or there would be war.
The Munich conference, 29 September 1938:
This conference was attended by Britain, Germany, Italy and France. Czechoslovakia was not invited. Hitler got what he demanded. The checks were forced to accept this agreement or face the full force of the German army on their own. The following day, Chamberlain and Hitler signed a declaration promising that their countries would never go to war.
Outcomes of the conference:
Britain and France had abandoned Czechoslovakia. On the 1st of October 1938, German troops marched into the Sudetenland. In March 1939 took over the rest of Czechoslovakia there was no resistance from the Czechs. Britain and France did not help. Appeasement had failed and Poland would be Hitler’s next target. Britain promised they would guarantee it’s independence.
3.5 How important was the Nazi-Soviet Pact?
Ever since 1933, when Hitler came to power, Stalin had been concerned about the threat Germany posed. He had openly stated his wish to crush communism and to gain land as lebensraum.
Stalin had failed to reach a lasting agreement with Britain and France in the 1930s he had join the league of Nations in 1934 but the league was shown to be weak over Abyssinia. Some people in Britain though that Germany would be an asset in the fight against the spread of communism.
Stalin signed a treaty with France in 1935. The treaty stated for France would help the USSR if Germany invaded the Soviet union. But Stalin was not sure, particularly when France failed stop Germany when it remilitarised the Rhineland, an area on its own border.
Stalin’s concerns were increased by the Munich agreement in 1938. He had not been invited to the conference nor had he been consulted. He concluded that Britain and France were happy to allow Hitler to take land in the east.
Discussion with Britain and France over the spring and summer of 1939 came to nothing.
The importance of the Nazi-Soviet Pact:
On the 23 of August 1939, a 10-year non-aggression pact was signed by Soviet Russia and Germany. These countries decided to split Poland between them. Stalin received the eastern parts including the Baltic States which had once been part of Russia.
The pact gave time for Stalin to build his armed forces. It also minimised the threat of having a war with Japan, meaning a war on two fronts.
The pact gave Hitler the confidence to invade Poland, knowing he would not have to fight a war on two fronts. Hitler did not believe British or French reaction to be any more serious than that of Czechoslovakia.
On the first of September, Hitler invaded Poland. On the 17th, soviet forces invaded from the East. Within 3 weeks Poland had been defeated. On the 3 of September, Britain declared war on Germany.
3.6 Why did Britain and France declare war on Germany in September 1939?
Germany ignored ultimatums demanding that he withdrew the German army from Poland. The poles failed to negotiate with Germany over the disputed areas of the Polish Corridor and Danzig.
This made it clear that Germany was making a bid for European dominance and not just establishing the principle of self determination for German speaking peoples.
Moreover, on the 31 March 1939 a British-French guarantee promising support and assistance to Poland if attacked was made. When Hitler invaded, they were forced to do just that, otherwise they faced humiliation and acceptance that Germany would dominate Europe.
Germany had not responded to the ultimatum. War was declared.
