Appeasemnet And Road To War #9: Hitler’s Rearmament Of Germany

Question 1

Rearmament meaning

Answer 1

To build up the number of weapons within a country

Question 2

When did Hitler rise to power?

Answer 2

January 1933

Question 3

What did Hitler’s rise to power lead to?

Answer 3

Him defining his foreign policy aims

Question 4

When did outline his vision for Germany’s foreign policy?

Answer 4

In a speech to his generals in February 1933. This covered long and short term foreign policy goals - all under the umbrella of revising the Treaty of Versailles

Question 5

How many countries attended the Geneva Conference?

Answer 5

61

Question 6

What did the Geneva Conference aim to do?

Answer 6

Impose limits on armaments to preserve peace

Question 7

What was Britain’s view of German rearmament?

Answer 7

They wanted to let Germany rearm at a controlled rate

Question 8

What was France’s view of German rearmament?

Answer 8

They didn’t want them to rearm at all

Question 9

When was the Geneva Disarmament Conference?

Answer 9

1932-1934

Question 10

What was the proposed deal drafted to Germany at Geneva in 1933?

Answer 10

• They would rearm at a certain rate, reaching equality in 8 years
• This would allow Germany an army of 200,000 - double the amount laid down at Versailles

Question 11

Why did France want to maintain its military superiority?

Answer 11

Because they were determined to preserve their own security

Question 12

What did Germany demand throughout Geneva?

Answer 12

To be armed equally

Question 13

What did Hitler do when he realised German demands wouldn’t be granted at Geneva?

Answer 13

He withdrew from the conference and LoN in 1933

Question 14

When did Hitler leave the Geneva Conference and the LoN?

Answer 14

1933

Question 15

How did the German people feel about Hitler leaving the conference and LoN?

Answer 15

Over 95% felt he had done the right thing

Question 16

Why was the German-Polish Non-Aggression Pact a good move from Germany?

Answer 16

Germany couldn’t tackle their main obstacle, France, head on - but they would benefit by separating them from their friends.

Question 17

Who did Hitler offer the non-aggression pact to?

Answer 17

Poland and Czechoslovakia. Only Poland accepted.

Question 18

Why did Poland accept the non-aggression pact?

Answer 18

They saw Russia as a greater threat than Germany

Question 19

What did the non aggression pact ACTUALLY do?

Answer 19

• it was meaningless in military terms
• it took away from Poland’s friendship with France

Question 20

When did Hitler’s generals propose a plan for development of the Germany army?

Answer 20

December 1933 (conducted in secret as it violated the ToV)

Question 21

What was Hitler’s plan to develop the German army in 1933?

Answer 21

• He wanted an army of 21 divisions that would make 300,000 men by 1937
• He did this by introducing a one year short-service conscription

Question 22

Conscription

Answer 22

Being forced to join the army for a period of time

Question 23

When did Hitler announce he was permanently reintroducing conscription?

Answer 23

16th March 1935

Question 24

What would Hitler’s plan to make conscription permanent mean?

Answer 24

The army would be increased to 36 divisions and 550,000 men

Question 25

When did Hitler order German manufacturers to begin producing Panzer I tanks?

Answer 25

1934

Question 26

How large was the Luftwaffe by the end of 1934?

Answer 26

2000 planes

Question 27

When did Hitler admit the existence of the Luftwaffe?

Answer 27

9th March 1935, Daily Mail interview

Question 28

Why did it go unnoticed that Hitler violated the ToV by having the Luftwaffe?

Answer 28

France and Britain were too pre-occupied with the Abyssinian Crisis

Question 29

Timeline of Hitler’s Rearmament (1933-1935)

Answer 29

1933: Hitler leaves Geneva Conference and LoN
1933: Hitler introduces conscription and plans for 21 divisions and 300,000 men by 1937
1934: Panzer I tanks being produced
1934: Over 2000 planes in the Luftwaffe
1935: Hitler announces permanent conscription and plans for 36 divisions and 550,000 men
June 1935: Anglo-German Naval Deal

Question 30

When was the Stresa Front?

Answer 30

April 1935

Question 31

What was the Stresa Pact?

Answer 31

• An agreement between Britain, France, and Italy that formalised opposition to German Rearament
• These 3 countries were committed to work together to monitor Germany
• The coalition collapsed when Italy invaded Abyssinia later that year

Question 32

When was the Anglo-German Naval deal?

Answer 32

18th June 1935

Question 33

What did the Anglo-German Naval deal allow Germany?

Answer 33

• parity in the air
• naval forces 35% the size of Britain’s
• an equal number of Submarines as Britain

Question 34

What was the Maginot Line

Answer 34

• A line of defensive concrete and steel fortifications that stretch between Belgium and Switzerland along France’s border with Germany
• Originally built between 1929 and 1934

Question 35

How and why did France extend the Maginot line?

Answer 35

• They were alarmed by Germany’s rearmament
• Between 1939 and 1940, the French Government spent 1bil francs to strengthen and extend it