C4 | Why did WWII start? Flashcards
What were Hitler’s three main aims?
- Wanted to get back all the land that Germany had lost after the Great War. He felt he would have to build up his army, navy and air force to do this
- Wanted to join together anyone who spoke German into one big country
- Wanted to make Germany bigger by taking land from other, weaker countries. He believed that true Germans were such a great and powerful race that they needed the extra living space (Lebensraum) to reach their full potential
How did Hitler break the Treaty of Versailles in 1933?
Three days after becoming leader of Germany, Hitler told his military chiefs to start building up the army, navy and air force in secret (rearmament)
Rearmament
Restocking a country’s supply of weapons and armed forces
When Hitler told the world about his increased armed forces in late 1935, why didn’t the leaders of some countries stand up to him?
Some countries had the fear of starting another war, while others felt that the Germans were only protecting themselves
How did Hitler break the Treaty of Versailles in 1936?
He sent his soldiers into the Rhineland area of Germany
Why did the leaders of some countries refuse to stand up to Hitler in 1936?
They thought that he wasn’t invading another country, just moving his soldiers around within his own
How did Hitler break the Treaty of Versailles in 1938?
German troops marched into Austria
Why didn’t the leaders of some countries stop Hitler in 1938?
Many Austrians wanted to be part of Germany and Hitler himself was Austrian
Why did Hitler want the Sudetenland in 1928?
He wanted this small area of Czechoslovakia because it contained many people who spoke German as their first language
Who was the British Prime Minister who visited Hitler in Munich, Germany to discuss Hitler’s demand for the Sudetenland?
Neville Chamberlain
What happened on 30 September 1938?
The British and French agreed to let Germany have the Sudetenland
Appeasement
The policy of giving someone what they want in the hope that they will stop their demands
What did Hitler do in March 1939?
His soldiers took over the rest of Czechoslovakia
Which countries agreed to help Poland if Hitler invaded?
Britain and France
Why did Hitler make an alliance with the USSR in August 1939?
He thought that the Russians might feel threatened if he continued to push his soldiers in their direction. A secret part of the deal agreed that the Russians could have part of Poland if they let the Germans invade
