Foreign Policy Flashcards
Who was Foreign Minister in 1933?
- Constantin von Neurath
What was the Foreign Policy like in the Early Years?
- Need for Moderation + patience
- Nazi party viewed as reasonable + lulled many nations into a false sense of security
What Event Occurred in 1933? Effect?
- Germany pulled out of the League of Nations and the Disarmament Conference because no one (France) was willing to disarm
EFFECT
- Germany seems reasonable + moderate
- Encouraged people to sympathies with Germany
What Event Occurred in January 1934?
Effect?
- Germany signs a Non Conflict Treaty for 10 years with Poland
- Lower suspensions + lulls Poland into a false sense of security - Broke Lucano Treaty 1925
EFFECT
- Good as non-agressive
- Showing Germany to be diplomatic
- Gaining respect through signing pacts + agreements
- No official agreement was reached with Britain/Italy, but Britain was sympathizing with Germany
What Event Occurred in July 1934?
Effects?
- Nazi attempted to make a coup in Austria
- SS used Austrian army uniforms + invaded Vienna + Killed Dollfuss (Austrian Chancellor)
- Took control of radio station and declared that Dollfuss resigned
- Mussolini sent his troops to stop Hitler
- Conducted this in an atmosphere of fear + violence but it was a FAILURE
EFFECT
- First set back
- Too soon into dictatorship
- Needed Italy’s help - gain trust of Mussolini
What Event Occurred in January 1935?
Effect?
- Saar voted to return to German rule, after being ruled by the League of Nations - 90% in favor
EFFECT
- Good for Germany
- People wanted to be part of Nazi regime
- Confidence boost
- Propaganda boost
- Destroying Treaty of Versailles
What Event Occurred in March 1935?
Effect?
- Breaking free of the Versailles Agreement
- Conscription was introduced
- Luftwaffe formed
- Peacetime army was 550000
EFFECT
- Broke Versailles Agreement terms
- Britain,France+Italy openly condemned (orally only) - formed Stresa Front with the aim of establishing a national diplomatic front against Germany
- Hitler’s confidence increased - others not strong enough to league against hum
- Importance + national pride restored
What Event Occurred in June 1935?
Effect?
- Britain + Germany signed Ambassadorial Agreement
- Britain wanted to protect its empire
- Britain let Germany have 35% of Britain’s Navel fleets (e.g. B=100, G=35)
- Britain broke Stresa Front (looks weak)
EFFECT
- Encouraged rearmament
- Increased Hitler’s Power
- Not a limitation
What Event Occurred in October 1935?
Effect?
- Mussolini order an attack on Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
EFFECT
- Breaking Stresa Front
- Italy increasing empire
- League of Nations didn’t do anything
- Hitler doesn’t have attention on Germany
What Event Occurred in March 1936?
Effect?
- Hitler ordered troops to re-possess Rhineland
- Major political gamble since German Army wouldn’t be strong enough to fight against French Army
EFFECT
- No one did anything (Britain+France) - wanted to avoid war
- Increase German strength
- Lots of industries + resources
- Hitler’s positions increased - very strong
What Event Occurred Throughout 1936?
Effect?
- Spanish Civil War
EFFECT
- Caused political insecurity
- Italy/Germany/Russia interfered militarily
- Britain + France feared there might be a political revolution + continued with their policy of non interference/appeasement
- Attention was drawn away from central Europe
- Gave a general focus for the interests of Germany + Italy
What Event Occurred in November 1936?
Effect?
- Anti international communism pact with Japan
- Anti-Communist pact
EFFECT
- Germany + Japan helped each other if America attacked either one
What Conclusions Can be Made About Nazi Foreign Policy?
- International status of Germany had changed considerably
- Had become Dominate
- Versailles + Lacono treaties eradicated
- Germany no longer isolated
- Mussolini distanced himself from France + Britain and had gotten closer to Germany
What Problems did Germany Face After 1936?
- Economic Crisis - solved by Georing’s Four Year Plan
- Conservative members of army + foreign minister wanted a more moderate policy - Hitler needed to secure their support
- Germany wanted to make a tripartite agreement with Japan and Italy at the expense of Britain
What Effect did the Problems of 1936 have?
- Caused the idleness of 1937
- Clear divison bewteen diplomatic coups (35/36) and the emergencies before the war (38/39)
What Event Occurred in November 1937?
Effect?
- Hossbach Meeting
EFFECT
- Hossbach sacked for recording meeting
- Blueprint of steps that lead to war
- Used in Nuremberg trials to show that Hitler + Generals wanted war.
Why did Hitler want Anschluss?
- Wanted all German speaking nations in Europe to be part of German
- Wanted to control Austria and Sudetenland (German-speaking area of Czechoslovakia)
Briefly Describe the the 1934 Failed Coup in Austria.
- Austrian Chancellor tried to crack down on socialist + Nazis - Nazis were banned
- 1934 = Austrian Nazis created havoc - turned into attempt to overthrow government
- Chancellor murdered
- Failed because the Austrian military intervened
- Italy made agreement with Austria that would protect er from aggression - Mussolini honored this + moved troops to Italian boarder
What Happened After the Failed Coup?
- New chancellor wanted to preserve the country from German invasion by trying not to give Hitler an excuses for aggression
What was the German-Austrian Agreement 1936?
- Recognised the independence of Austria
- BUT Austria’s foreign policy had to consistent with Germany’s
- Allowed Nazis to hold official posts in Austria
How did the Rome-Berlin Axis Affect Austria?
- Hitler + Mussolini formalised the Rome-Berlin Axis during their joint involvement in the Spanish Civil War (36-39)
- Caused Austria to loss its protection from Italy + become vulnerable to German attack
What did Hitler Want from Schuschnigg when he Visited Him?
- Hitler demanded that the restriction on Austrian Nazi Party lifted + that they’d be given key government posts is Austria
- Compromised by making Seyess-Inquart (Nazi) Minister of the Interior
- Caused Hitler to order the Austrian Nazis to create as much trouble as possible to put pressure on Schuschnigg
Describe the Events of 09/03/1938
- Schushcnigg announced a referendum to decide if Austria wanted to be part of Germany
- If Austria voted against joining Germany Hitler couldn’t invade
Describe the Events of 10/03/1938
- Hitler was preparing for invasion
- Hitler ordered Schuschnigg to call off referendum
- Schuschnigg knew he’d get no help form Italy + France/Britain wouldn’t interfere - called off referendum + resigned
- Seyess-Inquart (Minister of the Interior) ordered to ask for German help to restore Austria
Describe the Events of 11/03/1938
- ## Hitler reassured Czechoslovakia that they had nothing to fear
Describe the Events of 12/03/1938
- German troops marched into Austria unopposed
- Hitler had control of Austria
- Month later - Hitler held a rigged referendum