Chapter 3 ; Origins and Outbreak of the Second World War Flashcards
How can I remember Hitler’s aims that caused tension?
USE CV
What does the U in USE CV stand for?
unite German speaking people
What does volksdeutche mean?
unite German speaking people
What does the S in USE CV stand for?
strengthen Germany
What does the E in USE CV stand for?
eastern land for Germany
What does Lebensraum mean?
Eastern land for Germany
What does the C in USE CV stand for?
Communism destroyed
What does the V in USE CV stand for?
Versailles - treaty should be cancelled
Why did the allies’ military situation mean Hitler could break Treaty of Versailles?
armies had been disbanded
not strong enough following WWI
Why did public opinion mean Hitler could break Treaty of Versailles?
against war and casualties of WWI
Why did issues with empires mean Hitler could break Treaty of Versailles?
Japan threatening Asian empires
India pushing for independence
Dominions would not send troops
Why did communism mean Hitler could break Treaty of Versailles?
concerns about Soviet Union
- Hitler would discourage spread of communism
Why did harshness mean Hitler could break Treaty of Versailles?
Hitler’s actions seemed reasonable
Why did Great Depression mean Hitler could break Treaty of Versailles?
couldn’t afford cost of war
or disrupt trade
Why did American policy mean Hitler could break Treaty of Versailles?
isolationism
- reinforced following GD
How many Americans voted saying they did not want to get involved in another war in 1934?
70% of Americans voted against war
How did Soviet Union react to Hitler’s foreign policies?
sceptical
- willing to work with allies to protect from Hitler
When was the non Aggression pact signed?
1934
Who did Germany sign the non aggression pact with?
Poland
What did the non aggression pact agree?
Poland and Germany settle disputes peacefully
How did Poland feel about the non aggression pact?
Hitler looked peaceful
reduced fear of German aggression
How did Germany react to non aggression pact?
more chance to rearm
How did France feel about the non aggression pact?
upset France
- ally to Poland
What state was Austria in following WW1?
weak
made worse by Great Depression
Where was Hitler from?
Austria
How did Dr Dollfuss feel towards Germany?
wanted to protect Austria’s Catholic national identity from germans
When did Dollfuss become Chancellor?
1932
What was common in Austria during Dollfuss’ time as chancellor?
violence and unrest
What did Dollfuss establish in 1933?
dictatorship
Why did Dollfuss establish a dictatorship in 1933?
‘safety of nation’
How did Hitler respond to the banning of political parties in Austria?
create chaos
How did the Austrian Nazi feel towards Hitler?
looked to him for support
When was Dollfuss assassinated?
1934
Who assassinated Dollfuss?
10 Austrian Nazis
How did Hitler respond to the assassination of Dollfuss?
wanted to support Austrian Nazis
How did Mussolini respond to assassination of Dollfuss?
threatened war in retaliation to Hitler
moved army closer to Austrian border
How did Hitler respond to Mussolini in Dollfuss affair?
backed down
realised he did not have a big enough army
What did Hitler realise following the Dollfuss affair?
needed to build up power of Germany’s armed forces
How was Mussolini’s involvement in Dollfuss affair significant?
showed allies Italy could be useful power against Germany
How was Hitler’s backing down significant following Dollfuss affair?
more determined to rearm and be successful four years later
Who controlled the Saar?
League of Nations
When was a plebiscite to be held in the Saar?
15 years following Treaty of Versailles
Who had access to coal mines in Saar?
France had access to coal mines in Saar
What was the Saar plebiscite for?
decide whether area should return to Germany
How many international soldiers patrolled Saar during the plebiscite?
3,000 soldiers patrolled Saar
Why did 3,000 soldiers patrol Saar during plebiscite?
ensure it was conducted fairly
Where did the international soldiers come from to patrol the Saar?
UK
Netherlands
Italy
Sweden
How many people voted in favour of returning to Germany?
90% of Saar people
When was Saar reunited with Germany?
March 1935
How was the Saar plebiscite significant to Hitler?
gained coal resources
victory in legal votes was good for propaganda
How many countries met in 1932 to discuss disarmament?
61 countries
When did 61 countries meet to discuss disarmament?
1932
Which countries had made a commitment to disarm?
all countries that signed up to ToV and LoN
How did Hitler view disarmament?
unfair Germany should be only country disarmed in 1920s
What did Hitler promise at League of Nations conference?
Germany would disarm if all other countries disarmed within 5 years
What did Hitler propose at League of Nations conference?
if other countries would not disarm, Hitler would want Germany to be treated same and rearm to level of France
Why did France not allow Germany to rearm?
UK and USA did not promise to protect France - so France felt threatened
How did Hitler respond to France’s refusal of rearmament?
walked out of conference and left League of Nations
How did Hitler’s exit of the League help his rearmament?
legal justification to rearm
What did Hitler announce in 1935 at a rally?
rebuilding German army
introducing conscription
Luftwaffe
How many men was the German army in 1939?
1 million
When was the Stresa front?
April 1935
What happened a month after Hitler announced rearmament?
Stresa Front
What was the Stresa front?
committed Britain France and Italy to work together against Germany
What were the aims of the Stresa Front?
reaffirm Locarno treaties
declare independence of Austria
resist future attempt to change ToV
Which countries were involved in the Stresa Front?
Italy
France
Britain
What was happening at same time as Stresa Front?
Abyssinia crisis
How did the Stresa Front help Mussolini in Abyssinia?
never mentioned
- felt confident and comfortable to invade Abyssinia
When was the Anglo-German Naval agreement signed?
June 1935
What did the Anglo-German naval agreement agree to?
bypassed ToV
allowed Germany to rearm navy
What did the Anglo-German naval agreement limit Germany’s navy to?
35% of Britain’s tonnage
When did Hitler decide to remilitarise Rhineland?
during Abyssinia crisis
Why did Hitler want to remilitarise Rhineland?
Lebensraum could mean war from West - needed to defend Germany from France
What agreement had been signed prior to remilitarisation of Rhineland?
Franco-Soviet Pact
What did the Franco-Soviet pact agree to?
protect each other from Germany
How did Hitler feel after Franco-Soviet Pact?
encircled
threatened
vulnerable
Why were German generals nervous about remilitarising Rhineland?
German troops unlikely to defeat French army
How many soldiers did Hitler send into Rhineland?
22,000 soldiers to Rhineland
How did the 22,000 soldiers enter Rhineland?
on foot or bike
What strict orders did the 22,000 soldiers in Rhineland have?
retreat if they met resistance
What did German financial ministers warn Hitler about in Rhineland?
paying large fines that were unaffordable
What were France preoccupied with?
domestic problems
general election
How did France respond to remilitarisation of Rhineland?
no resistance
How did French public feel about Rhineland?
French government had antagonised Germany with Franco-Soviet pact
Where was the French army during the remilitarisation of Rhineland?
in Tunisia for Abyssinian crisis
Why were French government weary to react to remilitarisation of Rhineland?
condemned by League as aggressors - Rhineland was German territory
How did British Government feel about remilitarisation of Rhienland?
Germany had grievance about Rhineland and had right to revise Treaty of Versailles
How did the allies feel towards remilitarisation of Rhineland?
not united
international attention of Abyssinia crisis
What was occurirng between allies during Rhineland?
distrust - not support
weakened armies
buffer from Communism
How did League of Nations officially react to remilitarisation of Rhineland?
condemned actions on 14th March
- 1 week after
- violation of treaties
How did France officially respond to remilitarisation of Rhineland?
condemned reoccupation
no leaders prepared to take responsibility for war
France looked to Britain for support on military action
How did Britain officially respond to remilitarisation of Rhineland?
issued formal protest
avoided military action
Who did Britain send to France in Rhineland remilitarisation?
Anthony Eden attempted to convince French to avoid military action
How did Winston Churchill respond to Hitler’s actions in Rhineland?
implied they were sinister
How did Duff Cooper respond to Hitler’s actions in Rhineland?
Rhineland occupation had destroyed basis of peace in Europe in one morning
How did remilitarisation of Rhineland help Hitler?
gained confidence
broke ToV
believed France and UK were weak
How did response of League to remilitarisation of Rhineland help Hitler?
didn’t have to worry
no economic sanctions
How did response of allies to remilitarisation of Rhineland help Hitler?
French protecting border with Germany
began rearming
When was the Rome Berlin axis formed?
July 1936
When did Germany and Japan sign anti comintern pact?
1936
What was the significance of Rome Berlin axis?
Hitler encouraged to try Anschluss again, allied with Mussolini now
When did Anschluss with Austria occur?
1938
What enabled Anschluss?
Rome-Berlin Axis
What did the succeeding Austrian Chancellor attempt to do following assassination of Dollfuss?
preserve country from German invasion
How did Schuschnigg prevent German invasion when Chancellor?
prevent aggression
co-operate with Hitler
When was the German-Austrian Agreement signed?
1936
What did the German-Austrian agreement recognise?
independence of Austria
- but foreign policy must be same as Germany’s
What did German-Austrian agreement mean for Austria?
Nazis held official posts in Austria
What did Schuschnigg hope German-Austrian agreement would mean for Austria?
appeased Hitler
How was Austria undermined in 1936?
Rome Berlin Axis
How did Rome Berlin Axis undermine Austria?
lost Italian protection
vulnerable to German invasion
When did a plot against Schuschingg’s life occur?
1938
How did Schuschnigg respond to the threat on his life?
met with Hitler at summer retreat in Berchtesgaden to find a way to peace
What did Hitler demand at Berchtesgaden from Schuschnigg?
Nazis given key roles in Austrian government
How did Schuschnigg respond to Hitler’s demands at Berchtesgaden?
compromised by making Seyss-Inquart Minister of Interior
What was the effect of the introduction of Seyss Inquart as Minister of Interior?
police turning blind eye to actions of Austrian nazis
What did Hitler order of Austrian Nazis following plot on Schuschnigg’s life?
trouble and destruction to pressure Schuschnigg
Why did Hitler order trouble and destruction following plot on Schuschnigg’s life?
Hitler could justify marching German troops into Vienna to restore peace
What did Schuschnigg create?
plebiscite if people wanted union with Germany
How did Hitler respond to Schuschnigg’s plebiscite?
moved troops to Austrian border - threatened invasion if he did not resign
Who replaced Schuschnigg as Austrian chancellor?
Seyss-Inquart
What did Seyss-Inquart declare after becoming Chancellor?
in state of chaos
needed Germany’s help
invited German troops
When did the French government collapse?
10th March 1938
Why did the French not intervene in Anschluss?
French government collapsed
How did British people feel about Anschluss?
reasonable as they were all German speaking and ToV had been too harsh
When did German army enter Vienna?
12th March 1938
How did people respond to German army entering Vienna?
crowds gathered to cheer them on
When did the Nazis hold a plebiscite in Austria?
19th April 1938
How were Austrians pressured into voting for Nazis?
stormtrooper presence
yes box larger than no box
How many Austrian voted in favour of plebiscite and Anschluss?
99% win of vote
How did Czechoslovakia respond to Anschluss?
feared they would be next
- surrounded on three sides - easy to invade
How was Anschluss significant for Hitler?
made him more confident
- Britain and France inactive although Austrian Chancellor had asked for help
What did Britain and France agree following Anschluss?
defend Czechoslovakia
How was Anschluss significant for Hitler’s propaganda?
another victory
capable of overturning ToV
without formal military action
How was Anschluss significant for Germany?
more powerful
manpower
natural resources
transport links
Czechoslovakia / other Eastern Europe easily accessible
When had Czechoslovakia been created?
Treaty of St Germain
How did people feel about Czechoslovakia?
new country
not recognised
change borders for interest
How did Hitler feel about Czechoslovakia?
wanted to expand into Sudeten Land
How many German speakers lived in Sudetenland?
3 million German speakers
How much of Sudeten population spoke German?
20% of population
What benefits would Sudetenland bring to Germany?
strong, well fortified defences
factories
natural resources
What did Hitler claim about Sudetenland?
German minority persecuted
- threatened invasion to protect them
When and where did British Prime Minister agree appeasement with Hitler?
15th September 1938
Berchtesgaden
What did Chamberlain’s appeasement agreement with Hitler mean?
Hitler could invade Sudetenland as long as it was peaceful
When and where did Chamberlain meet with Hitler a second time?
22nd September 1938 at Bad Godesberg
What did Hitler demand from Chamberlain at Bad Godesberg?
parts of Czechoslovakia given to Poland and Hungary
When was the Munich agreement?
30 September 1938
Who was involved in Munish agreement?
Hitler
Chamberlain
Mussolini
Daladier
What were the weaknesses of Munich agreement?
Czechoslovakia and USSR not invited - forced acceptance
What did Hitler agree in Munich agreement?
did not want rest of Czechoslovakia
What did Hitler and Chamberlain agree to at Munich agreement?
would not go to war again
How did Chamberlain return to Britain?
‘peace in our time’
How did Stalin feel about Munich agreement?
could not trust Britain or France
Why was Sudeten crisis significant for Czechoslovakia?
lost defences against Germany
How was Sudeten crisis significant for Germany?
Hitler grew more confident
used diplomatic victory to boost support
How was Sudeten crisis significant for League and Treaty of Versailles?
peace settlement had been undermined once more
How was Sudeten crisis significant for Hitler?
push allies
get away with things
confidence
When did Hitler complete invasion of Czechoslovakia?
1939
Why was appeasement accepted socially?
war cost lives
British people felt ToV too harsh
little support for war
pacifist movement
Why was appeasement accepted politically?
buffer to Communism
aware of opposition to war
French instability
USA isolationist
Italy allies with Germany
did not trust USSR
Hitler had been peaceful
Why was appeasement accepted militaristically?
not strong enough armies
Hitler promised peaceful
Maginot Line
more time to rearm
How many governments had France had between 1929 and 1939?
24 governments
What policy was USA following?
isolationism
How did Labour Party support appeasement?
‘welfare not warfare’
What was the Maginot line?
concrete fortifications
obstacles
weapons
on German border
What did the Maginot line mean for France?
defensive military - not ready for action
How many times had ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ been reprinted in Britain?
30 times from 1929 to 1933
How many people voted against fighting in Peace Ballot of 1934?
11 million people against fighting in Peace Ballot
What proportion said they wouldn’t fight for King and country in Oxford University debate?
majority
When was there a strong pacifist movement in Britain?
1930s
Why was appeasement opposed politically?
Hitler had threatened violence in past
made Britain look weak
Chamberlain misjudged Hitler - did not keep his word
policy not working by 1939
Why was appeasement opposed militaristically?
used violence in Germany
Czechoslovakia strong and modern - could have defended against Germany
Why was appeasement opposed socially?
morally wrong
betrayed Austrians and Czechs
How did the Munich agreement affect Czechoslovakia?
lost 70% of heavy industry and defensive frontier
When was Czech President forced to hand over rest of Czechoslovakia to Hitler?
March 1939
How did allies respond to Hitler marching into Czechoslovakia?
realised Hitler’s promises at Munich were useless
rapidly rearming
abandoned appeasement
When was the Pact of Steel signed?
May 1939
Which countries were involved in Pact of Steel?
Germany and Italy
What did the Pact of Steel agree to?
Hitler and Mussolini promised to support each other in the future
What were the impacts of Pact of steel?
Europe divided
Britain and France began to look to USSR for support
What did Hitler demand in April 1939?
port of Danzig and Polish corridor
When did Hitler demand port of Danzig and Polish corridor?
April 1939
How did allies and Poland respond to Hitler’s demands in April 1939?
signed alliance - support
Poland refused demands
When did Hitler send Ribbentrop to Russia?
August 1939
Who did Hitler send to Russia in August 1939?
Ribbentrop
What did Ribbentrop offer in Russia in August 1939?
Nazi Soviet Pact
What was the alliance of the Nazi Soviet Pact?
USSR and Germany would not go to war
Poland would divide between them
How did Stalin following proposal of Nazi Soviet Pact?
knew Hitler was lying
Munich agreement convinced him allies would not fight Hitler
What were Stalin’s choices surrounding Nazi Soviet Pact?
- alliance with Britain and fight with Hitler over Poland
- alliance with Germany, half of Poland and time to prepare for war with Germany
When did Stalin sign Nazi Soviet Pact?
23 rd August 1939
How did the world respond to Nazi Soviet Pact?
shocked the world
What did the Nazi Soviet Pact guarantee?
Soviets and Germany would not fight
How was Nazi Soviet Pact significant for Germany’s plans of war?
- Russian army huge threat to Germany - removed for time
- did not have to fight on two fronts
Why was Nazi Soviet Pact a cause of WW2?
Hitler could now attack Poland and not have to worry about USSR
What enabled Hitler to attack Poland?
policy of appeasement
How did Nazi Soviet Pact enable Hitler to attack Poland?
did not have to fight war on two fronts like WW1
When did Hitler invade Poland?
1st September 1939
When did Chamberlain declare war on Germany?
3rd September 1939
When did WW2 begin?
3rd September 1939
How was Germany responsible for WW2?
Hitler made impossible demands/invaded Poland
Mein Kampf
aggressive foreign policies
broke Treaty of Versailles
What were Hitler’s aggressive foreign policies?
Lebensraum
destroy communism
overthrow ToV
Anschluss
How was Stalin responsible for WW2?
Nazi Soviet Pact
huge ally to Germany
did not have to fight on 2 fronts
- confidence for Hitler
How was Poland responsible for WW2?
signed alliance that encouraged resistance to Germany
How was Britain responsible for WW2?
appeasement
Sudeten crisis
excluded Stalin from Munich
failure in Rhineland
How was France responsible for WW2?
distracted by domestic instability
appeasement
encouraged Poland’s resistance
Why did WW2 break out?
Hitler to blame
Failure of League
Depression
Appeasement
Nazi Soviet Pact
How did failures of League lead to WW2 breaking out?
Abyssinia
Manchuria
- no army
- Britain France undermine
- no sanctions aggressive acts
How did Nazi Soviet Pact lead to WW2 breaking out?
not war on both fronts
backed by USSR
invade Poland - declaration
How did Treaty of Versailles lead to WW2 breaking out?
too harsh
promised overthrow
Russia wanted land back
new states created
Britain understood grievances
How did appeasement lead to WW2 breaking out?
opportunities missed
desperate to avoid war
misjudged Hitler
Munich alienated Stalin
What effect did Munich agreement have on Stalin?
alienated Stalin
- signed Nazi Soviet Pact
