Foreign Policy Flashcards
Understanding Hitler as a person
His foreign policy and actions varied widely - tell one set of people he wanted to make a diplomatic deal over a piece of territory like Poland, whilst telling others there was no option to go to war. This can be intepreted as:
- An inability to make up his mind
- Cunning diplomacy (manipulating them by giving different impression of his aims).
- Shifts dpeending on the political situation and which country would benefit or is a danger to Germany.
Other causes of WWII, other than the invasion of Poland
Economic
- The world just came out of the economic struggle.
- The world-wide depression of the early 1930s helped the rise of dictators.
Other causes of WWII, other than the invasion of Poland
International
Problems within the League of Nations - invasion from Japan and Italy.
The desire of for peace from many countries (including Britain and France) - took territories from Germany, cost money and didn’t have the stomach for war to maintain their large empire).
- Russia becoming communist - fear spreading.
- WII was still in living memory - people didn’t want more war.
- USA policy of isolationism.
- Rise of dictatorships in Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia
Other causes of WWII, other than the invasion of Poland
Social
Expectations of groups within Germany: industrialists, Nazis, ordinary Germans - Hitler made promises to build the Third Reich in order to get into power.
Other causes of the war, beside the Invasion of Poland
Nazi Foreign Policy
Labersbraum = living space for Germans
Expansionism.
Racial purity.
Other causes of the war, beside the Invasion of Poland
Treaty of Versailles
- Fed German resentment.
- Created an unstable international situation (setting up a number of small, new states that argued over their new borders).
- Made other nations more tolerant of German expansionism.
Other causes of the war, beside the Invasion of Poland
Other country’s foreign policy
- British and French appeasement policies.
- Western attitudes to Russia.
- US foreign policy (isolationism).
- Japanese foreign policy (imperialistic).
- Russian foreign policy and the build up of the Red Army.
- Italian foreign policy (imperialistic) - recreate the Holy Roman Empire.
German History
Aryan Racial Theory
- Believed that true Germans were Aryan, although other countries in Northern Europe, inc. Britain had Aryan roots. Aryans were a race superior to other ethnic groups like black, asian, slavs in Russia in Eastern Europe, and especially Jews.
- Wanted Germany to be a great Aryan empire and used the idea of Pan-Germanism to excuse it - clearing the land of inferior people for ‘pure Germans’ to live on.
- Affected FP policy as Nazis favoured alliances with racially acceptable countries (Britain). Favoured German expansion eastwards to take land from racially inferior countries. However, forming alliances with racially inferior countries were a necessary evil to gain a temporary advantage.
German History
The First and Second Reich
- Unlike Weimar politicans, Nazis wanted to overturn TOV but didn’t wish to return to 1914 - aimed to expand further, esp the East.
- Focused on two earlier German Empires: First Reich (Holy Roman Empire of Charlemagne 800-1806) and Second Reich (German Empire of 1871, founded by von Bismark).
- Both Empires gained land, maintained by war and military strength, but they worked hard diplomatically for the acceptence of other nations - the 2nd Reich had a series of carefully created alliances.
- Arguable that the Nazi propaganda focused on these Empire’s glory - gave the Nazis credibility as people wanted a political party with a history. Nazis could stress they were ‘continuing’ and ‘restoring’ Germany in the Third Reich, using successful German rulers in their propaganda - especially if they enlarged Germany.
- Hitler constantly said, the glorious past of Germany that made the loss of WW1 and the humiliating treaty that followed all the worse.
World War One
- Ending of WWI was a bad beginning for peace and the new Govt = there was no public surrender, so many thought the war was still going and the army and the public believed they could have won (stab in the back theory), so the new govt was unpopular.
- Whilst recovering, Hitler felt the suffering of the war was in vain and despised the politicans in charge. He became a politican, joined DAP (renamed the NSDAP) and was one of the leaders, writing the 25 point programme with his ideas on race and German Expansionism.
- Two failed attempts to overthrow the govt (Kapp 1920 and Munich 1923) showed Hitler to not resort to violence, w/o enough force or public support. Imprisoned but wrote Mein Kampf and decided his take over would be parliamentary not military.
- Hitler outlined in his book, Mein Kampf, his political theories, his experiences in WWI as a soldier, the armistice, abdication and replacing the empire with a republic.
Treaty of Versailles
What was the main reason why the Germans resented the TOV
- Resented it because they lost status in Europe, unable to defend itself.
- Lost land with 6.4M outside its border - Danzig and the creation of the Polish Corridor were the most resented as they cut off E. Prussia from Germany.
- Forced disarmament = limited army of 100K which couldn’t leave - always was apart of the political system and a defensive force.
- Unable to enter the Rhineland - became a demilitarised buffer zone for France.
- Reparations of 132 million gold in 1921.
- Accepted the war guilt clause - disallowed from joining the League of Nations and not treated like an equal European Power.
- Diktat = a dictated peace treaty.
Treaty of Versailles
Which term was secretly being disobeyed before the Nazis came to power
- Worked secretly to break the term about the requirement to disarm and the limitations placed on the size of the army.
- Secret rearmament agreements were made with the USSR, which allowed for German armaments to be made on Soviet soil, by Soviet companies.
- In 1926, a Russian tank-training school near Kazan trained German soldiers and by 1928, tanks were built and tested in Russia.
Treaty of Versailles
How did the ending of WWI contribute to German resentment of the TOV
- Created problems that could be blamed on the Treaty, rather than the war itself.
- Economic disruption in Europe and the inability to recover quickly enough to deal with the reparation payments.
- Some Allies felt the treaty was too harsh (guilty). Many nations wanted peace, affected their reaction to the Nazi and Weimar Foreign policy.
- Also, there was political disruption - no part of Central and Eastern Europe in 1918 had the same government as in 1914.
Treaty of Versailles
How might self-determination policy create a situation that affected FP
- There were small, self-determining states created by the Treaty that were weak which often had ethnic divisions that made governing among them difficult. Many had a sizable German population - squabbling over the borders given to them.
- Unintended consequences of these states’ reaction is that their weaknesses made them desirable targets for the USSR, Germany, Italy and Poland.
Why was Hitler able to smash the Versailles settlement
Aquisition of the Rhineland
- In Britain, public opinion was hostile to military action and in January 1933 the British government had decided that the Rhineland was not vital.
- French govt cut military expenditure by 17% between 1930 and 1934 so it was too weak for offensive action.
- In 1936, Hitler entered the Rhineland after realising European countries were reluctant to start another war.
- Dissolved the Reichstag on the 7th March and held a plebiscite on the 29th March to gain approval of his remilitarisation of the Rhineland = 99.8% of the electorate voted in favour of Hitler’s actions.
Why was Hitler able to smash the Versailles settlement
Anschluss - union of Austria and Germany
- After the Rhineland success, Hitler saw opportunities to increase influence in Austria.
- The majority of Austrians favoured Anschluss when Versailles had banned it, however, when the Nazis came to power, it became more possible but less attractive to many Austrians.
- July 1936 = an Austro-German agreement saw Germany agreeing to respect Austrian independence, while Austria agreed to have a policy based on the ‘always principle that Austria acknowledges herself to be a German state’.
Why was Hitler able to smash the Versailles settlement
Nazi-Soviet Pact
- Germany’s pact with the USSR left Poland isolated, ruining Western attempts to bring the USSR into a formal alliance against Germany.
- Avoided the danger of war on two major fronts. Germany gained vital new raw materials from the Soviet Union that relieved her domestic economic problems and helped her rearmament drive.
Why was Hitler able to smash the Versailles settlement
Invasion of Poland
Despite negotiating a non-aggression pact in 1934 with Poland, it was still his next target. In March 1939, Germany demanded that Lithuania return Memel (lost in 1919).
Ideological aims
Hitler’s aim of the Treaty of Versailles (FP)
- Had to be overturned.
- Aimed to rearm, regain lost land, reoccupy the Rhineland and leave reparations unpaid.
- Didn’t want a return to 1914 - wanted to expand beyond pre-war borders in Europe and didn’t want the problems of managing colonies until Germany was fully established in Europe.
Ideological similarities to Hitler’s Foreign Policy regarding the TOV
The Kaiser
- Had to be overturned.
- Government collapsed after the war, held no view on the Treaty of Versailles.
Ideological aims
Ideological similarities to Hitler’s Foreign Policy regarding the TOV
Weimar
- Had to be overturned.
- Revisionist view - wanted to overturn the Treaty and return Germany back to its state in 1914, including the colonies it had lost.
Ideological aims
Nazi’s aim over the Reich being a large and powerful world power
- Create a large German empire in Europe via achieved by alliances where possible, and war if necessary. - Alliances should be ethically acceptable countries, like Britain, but he was prepared to make short-term alliances with countries that would benefit Germany. For example, Russia despite being racially inferior and communist.
Ideological similarities over the Nazi’s aim of imperalism
Kaiser
- Wished to extend its power in the world and saw war as the best way to do so - taking Germany to war in 1914.
- However, it didn’t care for the ethnicity of its allies, or of the people in the lands it conquered.
Ideological similarities over the Nazi’s aim of imperalism
Weimar
Didn’t openly discuss expansion beyond the borders of 1914, although it did want Germany to be a world power again (shown by Streseman’s policies, seeking European integration).
Ideological aims
Nazi aims of lebenscraum in FP
- Expansion necessary to improve and meet needs of the people, for Hitler believed Germany had a shortage of raw materials and farmland.
- Believed the much-needed living space should come from countries of the East with a high Slavic population and a significant German-speaking population.
- Land should be cleared of inferiors to allow pure Germans to breed and flourish.
- Ideas repeated often and publicly said.
Ideological similarities to Nazi’s FP on Lebensraum
Kaiser
- Possibly shared similar ideas about race but they were never integrated into government policy.
- Very similar ideas about the need to expand and the direction in which to expand, although, unlike Hitler, it also wanted to acquire a large number of colonies.
Ideological similarities to Nazi’s FP on Lebensraum
Weimar
Might have shared similar ideas about race but were never integrated into government policy
Ideological aims
Nazi aims to prevent the threat of world Jewry and Bolshevism in FP
- Regularly repeated conspiracy of Jews were controlling govt - had to be stopped. Felt Jews wanted to stir up anti-German feelings in other countries, especially USA/UK.
- Anti-communist - believed two groups were in the same league. Believed Germany would have to go to war with Eastern Europe - at least to take land and defeat Communism.
- Aimed to delay war as long as possible to make useful alliances, make policies to convince Western powers that Germany wanted peace and return German lands rightfully.
