Conflict and Tension (Origins and outbreak of the Second World War) Flashcards
1
Q
The Long-term consequeces of the Peace treaties of 1929-1923
A
- Weak Coalition goverments unable to cope with depression
- A feeling that Germany had been treated to harshly, leading to appeasment
- Japan resented the failure to gain land in Manchuria
- Italy was denied the territory promised in the secret treaty of London
- Both Japan and Italy retaliated by seizing land in 1931 and 1935
2
Q
What developed tension
A
Creation of Axsis
3
Q
Hitlers aims
A
- Germans resented the loss of territory and the demilitarastion of the Rhineland
- Extremist like Hitler able to play on peoples fears and humiliation
4
Q
What were Hitlers aims in forign policy
A
- To destroy the terms of the Treaty of Versailes which he believed had been a ‘dikat,’
- Hitlers aim was created to create Greater Germany(GrossDeutschland). He wanted to absorb all areas with German speakers
- He wanted ‘lebensraum’ (living space) in the east. This would be colonised by the greatly expanded German population
5
Q
How did Hitler destroy the Treaty of Versailles
A
- in 1933, Adolf Hitler ordered the German delegates to walk out of a Disarmement confrence
- He stated that he would disarm if other nations did
- He challenged France to match Germany and when this was turned down he left the confrence.
- Germany was a permanent Member of the Council and consequently this was an important loss to the League. especaly as Japan left earlier that year.
6
Q
The Dollfuss Affair
A
- After Hitler became chancellor there was increasing Nazi agitation in Austris
- In February 1934, the Chancellor of Austria, Engelbert Dollfuss had began to rule as a dictator
- On 25 July, Austrian Nazis entered the Radio station in Vienna and forced the Staff to announce Dollfuss had resigned
- They then entered the Chancellery and shot and Killed Dollfuss
- The Murders were quickly arrested by the Austrian armed forces
- Italy and Yugoslavia moved forces to the Austrian border to prevent a German intervention
7
Q
The German-Polish Non-Aggression pact
A
- In January 1934, Germany and Poland signed a ten-year non-aggression pact.
- This was agreement to not go to war with each over for 10 years
- Germany also recognised Poland’s boarders and ended disagreements over trade.
- Hitler had no intention on maintaining the agreement longer than he needed to, but he wanted to keep Poland quiet while he sorted out the Saar and the Rhineland
8
Q
The Saar
A
- Under the ToV the Saar had been occupied by allies for fifteen years and France had been able to mine coal in it.
- Allied troops were evacuated at the end of 1934 and a plebiscite was held to decide the fate of the area
- In January 1935 the people of the Saar voted to rejoin Germany 477, 000 to 48, 000.
- Sign of Hitlers popularity in Germany
- Prepared to use plebiscites to cement his position in power
9
Q
Rearmament
A
- On 16th March 1935, Hitler announced that Germany was no longer bound to the military clause of the ToV
- He was going to introduce conscription (banned by the ToV)
- He had already ordered the army to expand when he came to power in 1933 but he kept that a secret until he was secure
- This therefore broke the agreement Germany had made when they signed to ToV.
- Hitler announced that Germany had 2,500 war planes and an army of 300,000 men and planned on increasing it to 550,000 men
- All members of the German armed forces had to swear an oath of allegiance to Hitler personally
10
Q
The Stresa Front
A
Britian, France and Italy formed the Stresa Front as a protest to Hitlers actions
- This was one of a series of attempts to keep Mussolini on the Allied side and preventing him with siding with Hitler
11
Q
The Anglo-German naval treaty
A
- This was an agreement that allowed Germany to build a navy up to 35% the size of Britian’s
- This broke the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and encouraged Hitler to go even further
12
Q
Remilitarisation of the Rhineland
A
- The Rhineland had been demilitarised under the Treaty of Versailles, The allies were to occupy it for 15 years or longer if necessary
- Allied troops were withdrawn from the Rhineland in 1935. The following year Hitler reoccupied it
- On 7 March 1936 Hitler denounced the Locarno Pacts and Reoccupied the Rhineland
- The Crisis of the Italian invasion of Abyssinia influenced Britian not to interfere
- Hittler later commented
‘The forty-eight hours after the march into the Rhineland were the most nerve-racking of my life. If the French had opposed us we would have to withdraw. Our forces were not strong enough to put up a moderate resistance - This convinced Hitler Britian and France were unlikely to act against further aggression
13
Q
How was Hitler Able to Get away with the Reoccupation of the Rhineland
A
- Britian and France were concentrating on the Italian invasion of Abyssinia
- Britian refused to act; one politician said that it was only Hitler going into his backyard
14
Q
Mussolini shift to the axis
A
- Britian and France had made many attempts to keep Italy on their side
- Stresa Front, Hoare-Laval Pact, preventing oil being added to sanctions on Italy and keeping the Suez cannel open
- In 1936 Hitlers rearmament and the outbreak of the Spanish civil war convinced Mussolini that he should join Hitler
- In October 1936 Italy and Germany signed the formal alliance of the Rome-Berlin Axis
- This alliance made Italy and Germany share a common foreign policy
- In 1937 Italy left the League of Nations. The only permanent members left were Britian and France
15
Q
The Anschluss
A
Anschluss meant the union of Union of Germany and Austria, which had been specifically banned in to ToV
March 12, 1938.
16
Q
Why did Hitler want to unite Austria and Germany
A
- Hitler was born in Austria (Austria Hungary)
- Was not technically a German citizen despite living there since 1913.
- Hitler wanted to destroy to ToV, which he regards as humiliation for Germany. This would be a way of achieving this
- Hitler wanted a greater Germany, including all German speaking people
- Between 1934 and 1938, relations between Germany and Austria deteriorated
- In 1937 Italy told Austria he would not help austria in the future
17
Q
Second Crisis over Anschluss developed in 1938
A
February 12 - Schussnigg met Hitler and agreed to appoint some Nazi ministers to the Austrian Cabinet
March 1 - Unrest broke out in some parts of Austria caused by Nazis. Soon the whole country was in chaos
March 11 - Hitler sent an ultimatum demanding the resignation of Schussnigg. gave in and Seyss-Inquart became Chancelor
March 13 - Austria and Germany were united
April 10 - A plebiscite was held which gave a 99.75% majority in favour of Anschluss. Austria was immediately incorporated into the German Reich
- The speed at which these events took place made reactions by Britian and France difficult
- The two countries protested but did little more
- Anschluss meant that Germany now surrounded Czechoslovakia on three sides
