Appeasement

Question 1

Foreign policy aims

Answer 1

. Revise treaty of Versailles
. Unite all German speaking people into Reich
. Expand eastwards to achieve lebensraum

Question 2

Sudetenland

Answer 2

Early in 1938, the German leader in the Sudetenland Konrad Henlein complains that Sudeten Germans are being mistreated by Czechs.

Question 3

30 May 1938 –

Answer 3

Hitler orders plans to destroy Czechoslovakia by 1 October.

Question 4

12 September 1938 –

Answer 4

Hitler makes a speech attacking Czechoslovakia.

Question 5

15 September 1938 –

Answer 5

Neville Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister, flies to see Hitler at the Berghof and agrees that Czechoslovakia should give all areas with 50 per cent German Sudetens to Germany. The British and French persuade the Czechs to agree.

Question 6

22 September 1938 –

Answer 6

. Chamberlain is successful in persuading Edvard Beneš, President of Czechoslovakia, to accept Germany’s demands. Chamberlain meets Hitler at Bad Godesberg confident that the crisis was over. Hitler however had changed his mind and wanted the Sudetenland by 1 October. The talks break down and there is real fear now of a war in Europe. Chamberlain persuades Mussolini, the Italian dictator, to arrange a conference at Munich to discuss the issue of the Sudetenland.

Question 7

29-30 September 1938

Answer 7

. Britain, France, Germany and Italy met in Munich. Crucially Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union were not present. The four countries agreed to the German occupation of the Sudetenland between 1 and 10 October. German troops occupy the Sudetenland. Britain and France were following a policy of appeasement. Neville Chamberlain returned to Britain claiming he had established peace in our time. However following the agreement both Britain and France speeded up their own rearmament plans. Chamberlain’s claim turned out to be a false hope as within a year of the agreement World War Two had started.

Question 8

The final destruction of Czechoslovakia - 1939

Answer 8

The Munich agreement dealt only with the Germans in the Sudetenland. It said nothing of the nearly 2 million Germans living in Bohemia and Moravia. Hitler now moved to bring them under German control.

Question 9

Lebnsruam

Answer 9

. Adolf Hitler believed Germany required ‘ living space ‘, so Hitler looked east to expand

. Nazi soviet pact, Austria, Sudetenland

. Wants to make Germany ‘ great again ‘

. Also wanted to unite people with German blood and citizenship (volksdeutshe)

. And create a greater Germany

. Wanted German speaking people back in the reich after many lost German citizen ship through the rules of the treaty

Question 10

Rearmament

Answer 10

. Hitler came into power in 1983

. One of his first steps was to increase Germany’s armed forces

. Thousands of unemployed people after the Great Depression were without jobs therefore they were drafted into the army

. There army was a symbol of German pride

. Helped him to reduce unemployment which was one of the biggest problems he faced in Germany

. He delivered his promise in his book ‘ mein Kampf ‘ which was to provide all people with food and jobs

. Wanted to make Germany ‘ Great again ‘ and to challenge the terms of the treaty

. Left the league

. Spent 17 billion on his army

. 1935 openly stages massive military rally celebrating the armed forces

. Britain appeasing agreed Germany to increase their navy up to 35%

Question 11

Anschluss 1934

Answer 11

. Hitler tried to annexe Austria in 1934

. The Austrian Nazis staged a revolt and assassinated Englebert Dollfuss (encouraged by Hitler)

. Mussolini stopped the Anschluss by moving troops to the border

Question 12

Anschluss 1938

Answer 12

. By 1938 Mussolini is an ally

. Hitler orders Austrian Nazis to bomb building and hold parades

. Schusnigg holds a plebiscite to see if Austria wants to stay independent hoping this will stop Hitler, however this does not happen

. Schusnigg resigns when Hitler threatens to invade.

. The Austrian Nazis stage a cap de Etat which is backed up by German invasion

. Plebiscite is held, threats were imployed to manipulate the vote, resulting 99.7% approval for anchluss

Question 13

Spanish civil war

Answer 13

. Split into 2 sides republicans + nationalists

. Republicans ( anarchists )

. Nationalists ( fascist )

. Hitler and Mussolini sent thousands of troops, they were volunteers ( condor legion )

. Bombing carried out by German and Italian planes on 26th April 1937 - tactic

. Fighter jets strathed the surface in a very effective way killing many surveilleins

. Guernica was the city destroyed by the condor legion

. Pablo Picasso famous painting ‘ guernica’ inspired by the news report

. Conflict strengthened the bonds between Mussolini and Hitler

. Hitler was always looking for a brutal ally that would follow the same mindset of him

. Hitler main aim was to show his power and authority among other countries

. His message across to the other countries after the civil war was not to fight with Germany or you’ll be obliterated

. He believed if he took further actions on the treaty Britain and France would not intervene

. USSR became suspicious of Britain and France’s unwillingness to get involved in opposing fascism

Question 14

Nazi soviet pact

Answer 14

. Looked like Great Britain and France were deliberately and happy pushing Hitler eastwards appeasing him multiple times

. Worried Stalin as it looked like they were deliberately forcing Hitler to the east

. Stalin could not make an agreement with any country, not Great Britain or France as he saw they would not guarantee against the threat of Germany seen when. A lack of action in the Spanish civil war

. Stalin only choice was to sign a agreement with Germany

. He promised the Russians the rest of Poland and baltic states but never intended to allow Stalin to keep these territories

.

Question 15

Hitler gained from the pact

Answer 15

. This gave him half of Poland ensured he would not have to face a war on 2 fronts if he invaded Poland

Question 16

Stalin gained from the pact

Answer 16

. It gave Stalin some territory that had once been part of Russia

. The main point was time, Stalin did not expect Hitler to keep his word, he knew he was Hitler main target

. He also didn’t not trust Britain and France to support him if he got attacked

. He did not think his army was strong or reliable enough yet against Hitler

. He expected to fight Hitler on his own

. So what he most needed, was this gave him time to build up his armed forces to protect the USSR from attack he knew would come

Question 17

Anti - comintern pact

Answer 17

. Hitler and Mussolini saw they had lots in common with japan.

. in 1936 Germany and japan signed an anti comintern pact to oppose spreading communism to other countries.

. In 1937 Italy also signed it

. Called the axis alliance

. There was very little Great Britain and France could do about the axis.

. It was another worrying development

. Especially as as Britain and France did not have the resources to fight japan in the Manchurian crisis

Question 18

The Weimar Republic

Answer 18

The Weimar Republic
Chancellor
*appointed by President *majority in the Reichstag
President
*elected by universal suffrage (20yrs+)
*7 year term—re-election *head of armed forces
*could dissolve Reichstag *could call elections
*power of veto
*emergency powers (article 48)

The Reichsrat
*represents regions *elected by universal suffrage (20yrs+)
*4

year term—re-election *PR

The Reichstag
*represents the whole nation
*elected by universal suffrage (20yrs+)
*4 year term—re-election

Question 19

German Constitution 19

Answer 19

Bill of Rights
Promises all Germans equality before the law and
Political & religious freedom

Electors
All men and women over the age of 20 can vote

Frederick Ebert
(elected president)

Reichstag
(elected)
Controls

The Army
From which is selected

Government
Chancellor Ministers
Must have a majority in the Reichstag, and do as they Reichstag says

Question 20

The Young Plan 1929 – A deal with the USA

Answer 20

The reparations were reduced from 6.6 billion to £2 billion & given 59 more years to pay.
The positive consequences:

✓Germany had more money for its own people.

✓German people had more money to spend on
goods.

✓German people had more confidence in Weimar.

✓85% of the population voted to support the plan.
The negative consequences:

 Extreme parties were angry at paying for 59 years more.

Adolf Hitler argued that extending the loan was ‘passing the penalty on to the new born

Question 21

The Weimar Republic

Answer 21

• At the end of the First World War, the Kaiser abdicated and the Allies ensured that Germany got a new type of government.

. * In 1919 elections were held and the Weimar Republic was set up.

. * Before 1914, the government of Germany had been a military autocracy.

. * After 1919, it was a parliamentary democracy – a republic.

Question 22

The Dawes Plan 1924 - A deal with the USA

Answer 22

The positive consequences:

✓The allies would now get their reparations.

✓The French left the Ruhr.

✓Industrial production doubled.

✓Higher employment.

The negative consequences:

Extreme political parties were
angry that Germany was paying reparations again

German recovery relied on loans.

Question 23

The new Rentenmark in 1923

Answer 23

Stresemann setup a new money called the rentenmark

. Old ‘worthless’ money was collected and burned
. This change gave stability.
.The German people and industries liked it.
.Foreign governments could now trade with .Germany with more confidence.

Question 24

Positive of Weimar Republic

Answer 24

. Democratic has a voting system - proportional representation - meant parties had to compromise and often governments would fall apart because of this

. No one party in charge - creating coalition
. 14 parties between 1919-33 - no one in charge

. Constitution
. President not (kaiser)
. Elected (not hereditary)
.Bill of rights Freedom to work, speak out and move out of Germany
. Flaw is article 48 rule - the president can veto everyone’s decision if he does not strongly agree with a decision - this was only to be used in an emergency.
. This encourages presidents to rule like dictators

Question 25

Kellog Briand Pact 1928

Answer 25

. Germany and 61 other countries
promised that they would not use war as a way to achieve foreign policy aims.

Answer 26

The League of Nations was a group of who could discuss issues as a group of allies (friends). It was created after WW1 to avoid wars.
got the other countries to allow Germany as a member.

The positive consequences:

✓ Made many Germans confident.

✓ It gave Germany a big say in the
events of Europe.

The negative consequences:

 Extreme parties hated the League as they believed it would just take advantage of Germany & did not want Germany to make links with other countries.

Question 27

Locarno pact

Answer 27

. Germany excepts not to look to invade any of its western borders e.g Alsace Lorraine unless in self defence

. Refusal to accept - hitler tried his look eastwards - he wanted living space ‘lebensraum

. Stresemann signed an agreement with other European nations.
Stresemann was even awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in negotiation & stopping further war.

The positive consequences:
✓Germany accepted a new border
with France in return for Peace.

✓All nations agreed to more
negotiations with Germany.

The negative consequences:

 Agreement of borders angered extreme political parties like the NSDAP Nazi Party

Question 28

Weimar examples

Question 29

The League of Nations 1926

Answer 29

The League of Nations was a group of who could discuss issues as a group of allies (friends).

It was created after WW1 to avoid wars. Stresemann got the other countries to allow Germany as a member.
The positive consequences:

✓ Made many Germans confident.

✓ It gave Germany a big say in the
events of Europe.

The negative consequences:

 Extreme parties hated the League as they believed it would just take advantage of Germany & did not want Germany to make links with other countries.

. - in 1933 Hitlar removes Germany from LoN due to a lack of disarmament from other countries. He did not like the treaty rules.

. He felt it was unfair the disarmament if no other countries were disarming and abiding to the disarmament rules.

Question 30

The Bauhaus movement

Answer 30

. The Bauhaus was a famous design college in Berlin.
It aimed for simplicity and innovation and their slogan was ‘Technology and Art’. The 1st exhibition had 15,000 visitors on the 1st day. It influenced all of the arts:
music, architecture, art, literature and cinema. This included all 3 of the new methods.

Question 31

Life like under the kaiser

Answer 31

Under the lifeof the Kaiser (Wilhelm II) life was very restricted, formal and strict. After abdication, people felt free.

Question 32

The new Weimar government gave freedoms to the Germans that they had never experienced before.

Answer 32

. Freedom of speech
. Freedom of movement (e.g you can travel anywhere)
. Over 20s can vote (e.g bill of rights rules)
. Freedom of music (e.g jazz - by the composer Louis Armstrong)
. Women could vote
. Films (e.g Metropolis - 1927 - sci fi film)
. Cinema (e.g all quiet on the western front)
. Independence(e.g varied choices, films, newspaper, music)
Night clubs(e.g woman especially could wear whatever they like)
. Proportional representation(e.g everyone had a voice)

Question 33

3 methods used by arts

Answer 33

. Modernism (e.g art should be futuristic and not old fashioned)
. Expressionism (e.g art should include expression of emotion)
. New objectivity( e.g honest about what real life is like: poverty, depression and not romantic view of life

Question 34

RIGHT WING (NAZI PARTY)

Answer 34

. that the arts should remain traditional & take pride in Germany’s past.

Question 35

LEFT WING (COMMUNIST PARTY)

Answer 35

. believed the government funding of the arts was extravagance when money should be spent improving life for the poor.