Dictators/Appeasers of Europe 1929-1941 Flashcards
Hitler reoccupying Rhineland
. Terms of ToV: Germans wouldn’t keep military forces in 50k. stretch of Rhineland
^ Hitler resented as made Germany vunerable to invasion - determined to encourage military capability and strengthen borders
. Hitler acted in Oct 1936 because of favourable diplomatic situation created by Abyssinian crisis
^ needed to distract German economic problems due to rearmament project
Remilitarisation of Rhineland and Locarno Treaty
. Italy isolated from Stresa powers due to Abyssinia had to reassure Germany they wouldn’t co-operate with British/French to enforce Locarno id German troops entered Rhine
. Locarno treaty attempted to remove tensions, especially Germany and France = clearly failed
British and French reactions to remilitarisation of Rhineland
. Germany tried to reassure French it wasn’t an aggressive act by only being lightly equipped with small numbers
^ French wouldn’t fully respond without full British backing
. Most British Gov ready to promise French if unprovoked German attach on French territory would send 2 divisions of troops
^ British public opinion = Hitler walking into ‘his own back garden’
Why was Germany and Italy’s bond strengthened ?
. 1936
. Britain refused to recongise King og Italy as ‘Emperor of Abyssinia”
^ Germany rapidly did so
. Hitler and Mussolini co-operated blocking British initiative to update Locarno Treaty
The October Protocols
( Rome-Berlin Axis)
. Understanding between Italy and Germany over Austria = German-Italian agreement
. July 1936 Germany and Austria signed agreement, Austria remained independent but followed pro-German foreign policy
October Protocols = announced to world at mass meeting in Nov
The Anti - Comintern Pact
. 3 weeks after October Protocols signed Anti Comintern Pact with Japan, aimed against comintern rather than USSR itself
^ Comintern run out by Soviets
. Coming so soon after Rome-Berlin Axis, pact proved Germany no longer isolated
Comintern = international organisation in 1919 that advocated world communism, led and controlled by Soviet Union
Arms Race 1936-39
Germany
. 4yr plan concentrating on synthetic materials
. Military rearmament plans be ready by mid 1940s
Britain
. 1936: launch 4yr armaments plan, construction of bomber strike force
. Planned to peak between 1939 and 1940
France
. Armed forces larger than Britain in 1936, rearmament proceeded slowly
. Between 1936-39 expenditure increased 6 times
. Peak between 1939-40
Causes of Spanish Civil War
. Lost nearly all of its overseas possessions, great extreme of wealth and poverty caused social tensions
. Divided on types of Gov wanted:
- Monarchists conservative
- Catholics didn’t want to reform Spain
- Republicans were anti - clerical and wanted to reform Spain
(Nationalists V Republicans)
Consequences of the Spanish Civil War
. Threatened France with encirclement and cemented Italian - German reapprochment
. Helped convince USSR of weaknesses of the west and prepare way for Nazi-Soviet Pact
. Germany benefited the most - took the attention off of them
Great Powers reaction to Spanish Civil War
(Support Nationalists)
Germany:
. Agreed to help Francos’ men and dispatched 6000 troops - wanted to stop Spain becoming communist and distract Western powers
^ advantages of friendly Gov with Spain = supply Spanish mineral resources
Italy:
. Agreed to help Francos men for same mixture of ideological and strategic reasons
Great Powers reaction to Spanish Civil War
(Neutral)
France:
. Blum tempted to help republicans to deny Germany victory
2 factors convinced him not to:
- dispatch of French military would polarise French society, risk putting France into a civil war
- British Gov strongly against intervention
Britain:
. Ambassador in Paris threatened neutrality if France assisted republicans
^ proposed non-intervention agreement - signed by other European powers, Italy and Germany ignored
Great Powers reaction to Spanish Civil War
(Republicans)
Soviet Intervention:
. Stalin sent hundreds of military advisors, large quantities of equipment. Comintern responsible for recruiting international volunteers - civil war a way of dividing enemies
. Anxious to prevent Nationalist victory - strengthen forces of international facism and make German attack more likely
Why did Chamberlain appease Hitler
(Economic reasons)
Britain was weak:
. Small army and too weak to go to war in 1938
Home
. Labour party wanted to spend on housing and social care
Cost
. Rearmament meant high taxes, made democratic leaders unpopular
Why did Chamberlain appease Hitler
(Social Reasons)
Communism
. Many Brits saw Hitler as defence against Russian communism
Morality
. Morally right to try everything possible to keep peace
Peace Movement
. Many people, especially the young, wanted peace
Why did Chamberlain appease Hitler
(Political Reasons)
Democracy
. Chamberlain wasn’t a dictator, couldn’t go to war without support of the people
France
. Didn’t want war, couldn’t fight Germany alone
League of Nations
. Many believed in the League, quarrels could be ended with negotiations
