Conflict & Tension

Question 1

What were Hitler’s aims and foreign policies?

Answer 1

• To overturn the Treaty of Versailles
• Volksdeutsche (re-uniting all German speakers)
• Lebensraum (to gain living space)
• Anschluss (bringing Germany and Austria together)
  (- Destroy communism)

Question 2

What was the book called that Hitler wrote that was at one point the best selling book in Germany?

Answer 2

Mein Kampf, translated to - ‘my struggle’

Question 3

Why did France not act to stop Hitler after they heard his aims?

Answer 3

• They found it hard to concentrate on Hitler with all the economical problems due to the depression
• They couldn’t afford going to war without Britain

Question 4

Why did Britain not act to stop Hitler at the time he told his aims?

Answer 4

• They were desperate to avoid any type of future war

- Their answer to this was appeasement

Question 5

Why did USSR not act to stop Hitler after they heard his aims?

Answer 5

• They were isolated and had no one to fight with

- They were scared Hitler would aim at them because they were a communist country and Hitler wanted to destroy communism

Question 6

Why did USA not act to stop Hitler at the time he told his aims?

Answer 6

• Wanted to stay out of European affairs
• Unemployment for them was massive at the time from the depression
• They were isolated
• Wanted to prevent any future war if possible

Question 7

Why was the Rhineland demilitarised in the Treaty?

Answer 7

• It was put in the Treaty to punish Germany

- Gave France a small sense of security, the Rhineland was seen as a ‘buffer zone’ between France and Germany

Question 8

Why did Hitler enter the Rhineland?

Answer 8

• He entered in 1935
• He used the Franco-Soviet pact to claim Germany was under threat
• So he sent troops in on the 1st March 1936

Question 9

What shows Hitler wasn’t totally confident in remilitarising the Rhineland?

Answer 9

When Mussolini lined his troops up on the border, Hitler immediately withdrew because he still knew his army was far too weak and small

Question 10

Why didn’t Britain and France react to the remilitarisation of the Rhineland?

Answer 10

Britain:
- some thought they had already been too harsh on Germany with the Treaty
- Britain was hit badly by the depression and couldn’t afford to risk going to war
France:
- many French troops were moved to Tunisia when the Abyssinian crisis occurred
- France wad mainly focused on the big general election they were having at the time
- France was also affected badly by the depression and could not afford it

Question 11

What were the long-term consequences of Hitler remilitarising the Rhineland?

Answer 11

• Hitler grew in confidence
• Hitler looked at other things he could overturn in the Treaty
• It showed Hitler the weaknesses of Britain and France
• Britain and France started rearming
• Mussolini was attracted to Hitler’s force when they soon made the Rome-Berlin pact

Question 12

What was the Locarno Treaty and when was it signed?

Answer 12

• 1925
• Between Hitler and Britain
• Britain would support Germany if they were invaded by France
• Would try to avoid future war

Question 13

What was the Anti-Comintern Pact and when was it signed?

Answer 13

• 1936
• Between Japan and Hitler (and later Italy)
• They would work together against communism

Question 14

What was the Rome-Berlin axis and when was it signed?

Answer 14

• 1936
• Between Mussolini and Hitler
• Both countries agreed to work more closely together
• Help each other not feel isolated in Europe

Question 15

What was the Pact of Steel and when was it signed?

Answer 15

• 1939/40
• Between Italy, Japan and Germany
• Their armies would work together if war ever broke out

Question 16

What is the left wing group called and what counties worked this way?

Answer 16

Left wing = Communists

• USSR is communist
• China became a communist country after 1949

Question 17

What was communism and what did it believe in?

Answer 17

• Obedience to a strong leader
• No opposition parties allowed
• Many personal freedoms were not allowed
• Large army
• The state owns the means of production (e.g. industry, banks, transport)

Question 18

What countries had parties that were many centre / democratic?

Answer 18

Britain, USA, France
Parties they had that were centre were:
- Socialists
- Liberal democrats

Question 19

What did democratic parties consist of?

Answer 19

• Personal freedoms e.g. freedom of vote and speech

- Freedom for media, trade unions, clubs, youth movements and churches

Question 20

What is the right wing called and who was part of it?

Answer 20

Right Wing = Facists
- Italy
- Spain
(- Nazi Germany, but it differed in Germany it was more totalitarian, more brutal and racist)

Question 21

What was fascism?

Answer 21

• Obedience to a strong leader
• No opposition parties allowed
• Nationalism
• A belief that one’s race is more superior to another
• Many personal freedoms not allowed
• A large army
• Hatred of communism
• State controls means of production
• Violence can be used if necessary

Question 22

What is totalitarianism?

Answer 22

Total control over every aspect of peoples' lives, including what people say and believe. 
the following are strictly controlled: 
- The press
- The media
- Churches
- Clubs and societies
- Trade unions
- Education
- Youth movements
- and Entertainment

Question 23

Why did Hitler want Anschluss?

Answer 23

• Austria and Germany had similar cultures and shared a language
• Volksdeutsche (gaining living space)
• Hitler was born there (made it more personal)
• They had united in WW1 and Hitler thought they belonged together
• He wanted to overturn the Treaty where Anschluss was banned

Question 24

When did Anschluss happen?

Answer 24

March-April 1938

Question 25

What happened when Hitler tried to achieve Anschluss the first time?

Answer 25

1934

Hitler failed because Mussolini threatened to fight to prevent Anschluss and Hitler backed down

Question 26

How come Hitler could do it in 1938 after he failed in 1934?

Answer 26

Hitler and Mussolini were now much closer after the Anti-Comintern pact and the Rome-Berlin axis which both happened in 1936 after the Rhineland, so Hitler didn’t have a strong opposition this time

Question 27

Who were Schushnigg and Seyss-Inquart?

Answer 27

Schuchnigg was an Austrian chancellor who was anti-anschluss

Seyss-Inquart was and Austrian Nazi who was pro-anschluss