Foreign policy – aims and strategy of German foreign policy to September 1939

Question 1

Aims

Answer 1

Revisionism involves tearing up the treaty of versailles by
Ending reparations

Restoring German military power

Taking back stolen territories

Re-establishing Germany’s rightful place in Europe

France, in Mein Kampf Hitler stated France would never allow Germany to dominate Europe. Thus, a reckoning with France was inevitable once. Once France was dealth with, Hitler would turn eastwards

Autarky, if the treaty was revised and lost territories restored, Germany would move closer to economic self sufficiency. This was important if future expansion was to occur
Creation of Grossdeushcland, this involved bringing back into the Reich all those Germans denied their nation in 1919

Uniting Germany and Austria (Anschluss)

Brining home those Germans forced to live with inferior races in Countries like Poland, Czechoslovakia
2 major aims

Create Lebensraum for the superior Aryan race

Break French and British diplomatic power in Europe (focus on treaty of Versailles)

Question 2

Strategies

Answer 2

Nazi-Polish Non aggression pact - appear peaceful and disarm poles
Saar region returned to Germany to reunite German people
Axis agreement 1936 ensure Italian support for German actions
Anschluss in Austria, Germany takes control
At the Munich conference Hitler demands to be given Sudetenland and then invades Czechoslovakia
Nazi soviet non aggression pact ensures nazi security when invading Poland
Germany leaves the league of nations - symbolic break of treaty of Versailles
Germany leaves the disarmament conference to rearm against Russia, introduces conscription and signs the Anglo-German naval agreement
Hitler demands the Saar region is returned to Germany
Remilitarisation of the Rhineland defies the treaty
Support of Fascist forces in Spain
Disobeys Munich conference
Hitler marched in to Austria (anschluss)
ALLIES (britain) appeasement policy
Hitler invades Czechoslovakia, annexes memel from lithuania, demands control of Polish corridor and makes preparations for war
Struck on March 13th 1939 to czechoslovakia, last democracy in central Europe was wiped
Stepping stones into Russia/ Eastern territories
Hitler Invades Poland september 1st 1939
DANZIG and east prussia was now separate from the right
The polish corridor refused
August 3rd nazi soviet pact, poland’s fate was sealed
1935 Saarland
Rhineland 1936
Austria 1938
Sudetenland 1938
Czechoslovakia 1939
Poland september 1939 → stepping stone into russia/ Eastern territories

Question 3

Ideologies

Answer 3

Hitler alone was the saver of the boarder
Develop team spirt, solidarity, as a nation
I will lead you to the promise land,lead you with enthusiasm - anyone who said that would be taken seriously
Political parties trade union abolished
Jews out of civil service
Lived under permanent state of emergency

Question 4

The invasion of Poland

Answer 4

German invasion of Poland 1939 → essential to achieving lebensraum (any future invasion of the USSR would take place through polish territory) → needed to achieve lebensraum before rival parties achieved parity with German rearmament
Some Historians argue Hitler miscalculated → Hitler intended the allies to defend poland, as they had done over other territories. The war would then not start until 1942.

Question 5

Contributions of other nations to the war

Answer 5

Mussolini’s invasion of Abyssina in 1935 distracted the allies from checking german militarism. Moreover, Hitlers confidence was furthered when he signed the Pact of Steel 1939, added to Mussolini’s support of Hitler → Hitlers self confidence that he could defeat the allies
The USSR was Hitlers ideological enemy, however the two signed a nonaggression pact in 1939
Britain felt the treaty of versailles conditions were to harsh on Germany and as a result Hitler had moral justification for it’s revision
Nevilie Chamberlain Allowed Germany to take territory that was not central to Britain’s interest, in hopes it would placate Germany and avoid war → Hitler viewed this as weakness, that they were afraid to stand up to him
Appeasement encourages hitlers aggression → Hitler was shocked when the allies faced up to him when Poland was threatened