escalation of tension 1936-1938

Question 1

Hitler sent troops into the rhineland in March 1936
(why was he not punished, what excuse did he give)

Answer 1

• the league was busy with the abyssinian crisis, france was busy with elections and thought britain wouldn’t get involved
• the USSR and France had a treaty that if they were attacked they would help each other.
• His justification was that this treaty threatened his borders

Question 2

Hitler’s pacts with mussolini started when…

Answer 2

• after the abyssinian invasion, hitler invited mussolini to germany and showed off his military, this made mussolini side with him

Question 3

Rome-Berlin Axis

Answer 3

1936
officially linked germ and italy

Question 4

Anti Comintern Pact

Answer 4

• italy joined in 1937 (japan and germany were in it previously)
• against communism, the USSR

Question 5

Anschluss (what happened?)

Answer 5

1938
- united german speakers, use their army and raw materials
- the austrian chancellor Schuschnigg wanted to prevent nazis taking over, but they threatened to invade if he didn’t resign
- he resigned and Seyss-Inquart, minister of the interior became the Chancellor

• the invasion took place on 12th March 1938
• Britain was appeasing and didn’t stop them, the entire french government had resigned two days before this.
• in April a referendum found austrians voted overwhelmingly in favour of the anschluss, but this was rigged.

Question 6

Hitler and Czechoslovakia in 1938

Answer 6

• the sudetendland in czechoslovakia had about 3 million germans
• hitler said the government was discriminating against the germans and demanded the land be part of germany
• in may 1938 hitler moved his armies to the border of czechoslovakia and threatened war.
• britain france and the USSR had agreed to support the czechoslovakians if hitler invaded
• hitler promised ENG prime minister he wouldn’t invade

Question 7

Chamberlain’s negotiations with Hitler 1938

Answer 7

15th September: Hitler says this will be his last territorial request in EU. Chamberlain trusts him

22nd Sept: Chamberlain tells Hitler the Czechoslovakians will give him the sudetenland. Hitler changes his demands and now wants all non-germans to leave the sudetenland. Chamberlain calls this unreasonable.

29th Sept: Munich conference is held between Chamberlain, Daladier, Mussolini and Hitler. Mussolini proposes a plan (the munich agreement) which was actually written by the German foreign office.

Question 8

the munich agreement

Answer 8

the sudetenland would be given to germany but Hitler garunteed he wouldn’t invade the rest of Czechoslovakia

Question 9

How successful were Chamberlain’s negotiations among the public?

Answer 9

• an opinion poll, Oct 1938 showed the vast majority of brit public didn’t trust Hitler
• a survey taken in 1939 showed almost half brit public believed in Chamberlain’s appeasement policy
• he claimed the agreement meant “peace for our time” and was welcomed home like a hero
• he bought time for britain to strengthen economically and in its armed forces

Question 10

what did the munich agreement look like for the USSR and czechoslovakians?

Answer 10

• the czechs were not invited so got no say in their own future and were exposed to a possible invasion
• the USSR was horrified because they were worried about Hitler’s ulterior motives.