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Germany A-Level > Foreign Policy: Hitler's role in shaping foreign policy - master planner or opportunist? > Flashcards

Foreign Policy: Hitler's role in shaping foreign policy - master planner or opportunist? Flashcards

FP: Foreign policy aims

1
Q

What was Hitler’s initial emphasis when he became chancellor in January 1933?

A

His desire for peace as he realised he needed to

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2
Q

What did Hitler believe was inevitable due to his ideological obsessions?

A

War

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3
Q

According to Hitler in Mein Kampf, what were Germany’s two possible futures?

A

‘Germany will either be a world power or there will be no Germany.’

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4
Q

What was one of the key foreign policy aims outlined by Hitler in Mein Kampf? - FP

A

To expand and maintain the purity of the Aryan race.

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5
Q

What territorial treaty did Hitler aim to overturn? - FP

A

The Treaty of Versailles.

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6
Q

What expansionist goal did Hitler have regarding Russia? - FP

A

Expansion into Russian territory and destruction of the communist threat.

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7
Q

What threat to the Aryan race did Hitler plan to eliminate? - FP

A

The Jewish threat.

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8
Q

What concept did Hitler want to create to allow German expansion in the east? - FP

A

Lebensraum.

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9
Q

What was Hitler’s ‘Stufenplan’?

A

A stage by stage plan starting with dismantling Versailles and war with Britain and France followed by a war against the Judeo-Bolshevik regime in the USSR.

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10
Q

What was the fourth stage of Hitler’s Stufenplan according to his Secret Book?

A

A fight against the USA for world domination.

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11
Q

In Hitler’s worldview, who were considered ‘racial sub-humans’?

A

Jews, Slavs, and Gypsies who he claimedwere plotting to fight a ‘war of annihilation’ against the German people.

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12
Q

What central ideology influenced Hitler’s belief in survival among nations?

A

Social Darwinism.

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13
Q

What conspiracy did Hitler associate with the Russian communist government?

A

A Jewish world conspiracy - therefore justifying its need for destruction.

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14
Q

What did Hitler believe the destruction of the USSR would provide Germany with?

A

Lebensraum - Germany’s geographic boundaries were simply too limited to sustain its growing population.

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15
Q

As opposed to Britain, what did Germany not have to provide food and space for its people?

A

Colonies - the eastern lands of the USSR offered vast prairies of fertile agriculture.

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16
Q

What was Hitler’s view of Britain’s colonial ability?

A

He admired Britain’s ability to govern 400 million Indians with an outnumbered army.

He believed the ability to subjugate the Indians was an affirmation of his racial ideas of survival of the fittest and marked Britain out as a racial ally in battle against sub-human inferiors.

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17
Q

True or False: Hitler wanted England as an ally against the Soviet Union.

A

True

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18
Q

Who was Hermann Rauschning?

A

Former president of the Danzig Senate who commented on Hitler’s leadership

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19
Q

What did Rauschning claim about Hitler’s role as a dictator?

A

Hitler was not a dictator but approved the views of powerful advisers, ‘influenced in the strongest fashion by his current entourage’.

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20
Q

Who was Konstantin von Neurath?

A

Foreign minister under chancellor Heinrich Bruning, retained by Hitler until 1938

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21
Q

What happened to von Neurath?

A

He gradually became marginalised as ambitious and radical Nazis battled to seize influence over foreign policy in Hitler’s chaotic and polycratic state.

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22
Q

What was Hermann Goering’s role in Hitler’s foreign policy?

A

As plenipotentiary of the 4-Year Plan, he developed an economic empire, a power that he sought to develop further by influencing Hitler in foreign policy.

He pushed Hitler to be aggressive when he wanted to bring his native Austria ‘home to the Reich’ by peaceful means.

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23
Q

Fill in the blank: Goering issued the order for the army to march into _______.

A

Austria

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24
Q

What significant event did Goering influence regarding Austria?

A

The Anschluss

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25
Q

How many phone calls did Goering make to negotiate the Anschluss?

A

27 phone calls

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26
Q

What did Goering claim about his influence over Hitler’s decisions?

A

He claimed to have set the pace and overridden Hitler’s anxieties that ‘brought matters to a conclusion’.

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27
Q

Who was Joachim von Ribbentrop?

A

A Nazi official who sought influence over foreign policy.

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28
Q

What was von Ribbentrop’s background before entering politics?

A

He was a former champagne salesman which meant that he had travelled abroad.

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29
Q

What role did von Ribbentrop initially take in foreign affairs?

A

Foreign policy adviser

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30
Q

What was Bureau Ribbentrop?

A

A rival institution to the Foreign Office set up by von Ribbentrop

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31
Q

When did von Ribbentrop become plenipotentiary for disarmament?

A

In 1934

32
Q

What significant agreement did von Ribbentrop help negotiate in 1935?

A

The German-British Naval Agreement

33
Q

What title did von Ribbentrop hold in 1938?

A

German foreign minister, replacing von Neurath.

34
Q

What pact did von Ribbentrop negotiate in 1939?

A

The Nazi-Soviet non-aggression pact

35
Q

True or False: Ribbentrop had complete autonomy in making foreign policy decisions.

A

False

  • His suggestions of foreign policy were only accepted if they were compatible with Hitler’s personal vision, and he was able to gain influence only by telling Hitler what he wanted to hear.
36
Q

What was the Blomberg-Fritsch affair?

A

A political incident involving the German army leadership’s concerns about Hitler’s foreign policy

37
Q

What was a common goal shared by Hitler and the Wehrmacht (unified armed forces)?

A

Destroying the Treaty of Versailles and re-establishing German dominance in Europe

38
Q

What major action did Hitler take in 1935?

A

Re-introduction of conscription

39
Q

What concerns did the army leadership have with Hitler’s foreign policy?

A

They were nervous that Hitler’s forceful actions, e.g the re-introduction of conscription, risked provoking military action from the Allies that the German army was not yet in a position to counter.

40
Q

What was the Hossbach memorandum (1937)?

A

A meeting where Hitler outlined his foreign policy goals

41
Q

What happened to von Blomberg and von Fritsch (two army leaders) after expressing concerns about Hitler’s policy?

A

They were both removed from office

42
Q

How did von Blomberg resign?

A

In disgrace after a scandal involving his wife

43
Q

What false accusation was made against von Fritsch?

A

He was accused of being homosexual

44
Q

What was the outcome of the Blomberg-Fritsch affair for Hitler’s power?

A

Increased his power and freedom of maneuver in foreign policy

45
Q

Who replaced von Blomberg and von Fritsch in the army leadership?

A

Hitler himself as commander-in-chief: two of the most influential non-Nazi elite who might have acted to slow down Hitler’s foreign policy had been replaced by the most radical Nazi of them all.

46
Q

What was the significance of the Anschluss for Hitler’s control over the military?

A

It solidified his dominance and ability to act without opposition

47
Q

What was Hitler’s initial political condition upon becoming Chancellor of Germany in 1933?

A

Not politically strong enough to introduce radical foreign policy aims immediately.

48
Q

What was one of Hitler’s first actions regarding the Disarmament Conference in 1933?

A

He left the conference which was called to discuss a revision of the Versailles Treaty to allow Germany to increase its armaments.

His pretext for leaving the negotiations was that France refused to allow Germany to have military forces equal to France- this allowed Hitler to depict Germany as the victim.

49
Q

What were Hitler’s short-term aims between 1933 and 1935?

A
  • Begin the process of rearmament
  • Avoid war before military completion
  • Establish alliances possibly with Britain and Italy.

These aims reflect his acknowledgement of how challenging the settlement might risk conflict with Germany’s enemies before its military force had been rebuilt.

50
Q

What did the ten-year non-aggression pact signed with Poland in January 1934 imply?

A

It gave the impression that Hitler had no intention of invading Poland.

51
Q

What significant event occurred in 1935 regarding the Saar region?

A

A plebiscite allowed the people of the Saar to vote to re-join Germany by more than 90 %.

52
Q

What announcement did Hitler make in March 1935 regarding the German military?

A

He announced the existence of the German Luftwaffe.

53
Q

What was the outcome of the Anglo-German Naval Agreement negotiated in 1935?

A

Allowed Germany to build a navy that was 35% of the size of Britain’s surface fleet and 100% of its submarine fleet.

54
Q

What was the Stresa Front, and what event led to its collapse?

A

An agreement signed by Italy, Britain, and France to curtail German militarism; collapsed when Italy invaded Abyssinia in 1935.

55
Q

What risky action did Hitler take in early 1936 regarding the Rhineland?

A

He ordered German troops into the Rhineland, which had been a demilitarised zone.

Hitler was advised by some German generals that German troops would be forced to withdraw if the French intervened.

Hitler gambled that the French would not risk the negative response to any military action against German troops on German soil.

56
Q

What was the strategic gamble Hitler made regarding French intervention in the Rhineland?

A

He gambled that the French would not risk military action against German troops on German soil.

57
Q

True or False: The French intervened when Hitler moved troops into the Rhineland in 1936.

A

False.

58
Q

Fill in the blank: The Treaty of Versailles allowed Germany an army of just _______ men.

A

100,000.

59
Q

What was the main reason Hitler wanted to revise the Treaty of Versailles?

A

To rebuild Germany’s military power.

60
Q

What did the assassination of Austrian Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss in 1934 lead to?

A

Widespread international criticism and embarrassment for Hitler as well as strained relations with Mussolini.

61
Q

What was the significance of the League of Nations during the Abyssinian crisis?

A

It was ineffective, allowing Hitler to take aggressive actions in Europe.

62
Q

What was the primary focus of Hitler in March 1938?

A

Achieving Anschluss (unification with Austria)

63
Q

What did Hitler hope to achieve regarding Anschluss?

A

To achieve it without bloodshed that would risk upsetting Western democracies.

64
Q

What type of deal did the Austrian government sign with Germany? Why?

A

A one-sided deal in favour of Germany
Why? - They were pressured by Austrian Nazis

65
Q

Why did Austrian Chancellor, Schuschnigg, announce plans to hold a plebiscite?

A

To resist Germany’s hold on Austria’s future

66
Q

What happened after Schuschnigg announced plans for a plebiscite?

A

Hitler placed enormous pressure on the Austrian government and Schuschnigg resigned

67
Q

What did the Austrian President refuse to do after Schuschnigg’s resignation?

A

Appoint a Nazi chancellor

68
Q

What action did Hitler take after the Austrian President refused to appoint a Nazi chancellor?

A

Sent in troops at the invitation of the Austrian government

69
Q

How did the Austrian people react to Hitler’s arrival?

A

They feted him as a hero and expressed ecstatic support

70
Q

What chant did the Austrian people use to express their support for Hitler?

A

‘One Reich, One People, One Führer’

71
Q

What event affirmed Hitler’s messianic belief in himself?

A

The ecstatic acclaim of the Austrian people and Anschluss.

  • This event reinforced his belief as a figure sent from providence.
72
Q

What was the Sudeten crisis?

A

A conflict over the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia, 1938-39
- Hitler exploited the population of over 3 million Germans in the Sudetenland.

73
Q

Who attempted to broker a compromise regarding the Sudetenland?

A

British PM Neville Chamberlain

74
Q

What was agreed upon at the Munich Conference (1938)?

A

The Sudetenland would be returned to Germany

  • Hitler agreed to respect the territorial integrity of the rest of Czechoslovakia.
75
Q

What was Hitler’s reaction to the Munich Agreement?

A

‘They have robbed me of my war’ - not pleased with the compromise.

76
Q

What happened in March 1939 regarding Czechoslovakia?

A

German troops crossed into Czechoslovakia - for once, this was clearly an invasion and not an action made on the grounds of self-determination.

77
Q

What was a significant characteristic of the territory seized by Germany in March 1939?

A

It had no German majority and had never been a part of Germany.

Germany A-Level (14 decks)

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