foreign policy timeline Flashcards
when was the September Programme?
1914
what was the September Programme?
memorandum which outlined the territorial changes that Germany hoped to bring about during WW1
what does the September Programme suggest about Nazi FP?
it was an example of existing FP which was carried forward in Nazi foreign policy
the need for EXPANSION into Europe
example of Weltpolitik
was the September Programme an example of structuralist or intentionalist?
structuralist
Hitler CARRIED FORWARD this policy in his own policy
it was an example of continuation with an expansionist FP being adopted in Nazi FP as well
when was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?
1918
what was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?
ended Russian involvement in WW1
outlined VERY harsh terms in terms of land given to the Germans
Russia lost 30% of land to Germany
what does the Brest-Litovsk suggest about Nazi FP?
to be found out
when was the Treaty of Rapallo?
1922
what was the Treaty of Rapallo?
a treaty between the USSR and Weimar Germany which established friendly terms between the two nations
why was the Treaty of Rapallo significant for Nazi FP?
the Treaty of Rapallo was used by Weimar Germany to re-establish diplomatic ties with the USSR to resolve any differences
can be seen as similar to the Nazi-Soviet Pact in 1939 but both had differing connotations
the Nazi-Soviet pact can be seen as a part of a Hitler plan for world war
was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk an example of structuralist or intentionalist?
to be found out
was the Treaty of Rapallo an example of structuralist or intentionalist?
to be found out
when were the Locarno Treaties?
1925
what were the Locarno Treaties?
agreements between the western powers and Germany on Germany’s WESTERN BORDERS
ended the demilitarisation of the Rheinland
agreement to uphold PEACE
what did the Locarno Treaties suggest about Nazi FP?
Hitler in his early years of FP was trying to appease the Western powers and promoting peace
this was very similar to Stresemann’s reasons for the treaties
were the Locarno Treaties an example of structuralist or intentionalist?
STRUCTURALIST
were used to show German cooperation with allied demands
Hitler used the same methods to show that he was cooperating with the Western powers
when was Hitler’s meeting with the generals?
February 1933
what was Hitler’s meeting with the generals?
he outlined his plan to eliminate the SA in favour of the German Army
the reason for the Night of the Long Knives
- Army helped out here
stressed the importance of building up the armed forces (for war???)
what does Hitler’s meeting with the generals suggest about Nazi foreign policy?
suggests that he had planned for war right after becoming chancellor in January 1933
showed that he had a timeline in which the German army was to be rearmed and prepared for war
was Hitler’s meeting with the generals an example of structuralist or intentionalist?
INTENTIONALIST
Hitler had clearly outlined his plan for the building up of the armed forces
was later reaffirmed by the Night of the Long Knives where Hitler had guaranteed the support of the German Army, something which he know would be important in his FP
when did German withdraw from the League of Nations?
October 1933
what did Germany’s withdrawal from the League of Nations suggest about Nazi FP?
suggests that Hitler had no ambitions to maintain and uphold peace, as well as be policed by the Western nations
he saw the LoN as weak with it’s dealings with other foreign powers, so he decided to leave to allow him to adopt his expansionist FP
was Germany’s withdrawal from the LoN an example of structuralist or intentionalist?
INTENTIONALIST
showed Hitler pushing Germany towards war
had no intention to be stopped by the Western Powers or even help stop other Western Powers
he saw the expansionist attitudes of Italy and Japan as reasons why the LoN would fail in stopping his own FP ambititions
when was the non-aggression pact signed with Poland?
January 1934
what did the signing of the non-aggression pact with Poland suggest about Nazi FP?
there was a clear plan involved
Hitler did not want to fight a war with the USSR so early so he wanted a buffer between the two nations: Poland was that buffer
he also hoped that Poland would help him with dealing with the USSR, something which he had miscalculated
was the Nazi-Polish non-aggression pact an example of structuralist or intentionalist?
INTENTIONALIST/STRUCTURALIST
how was the Nazi-Polish non-aggression pact structuralist?
Hitler had REACTED to the threat of the USSR by signing a pact with Poland to protect Nazi-Germany
how was the Nazi-Polish non-aggression pact intentionalist?
Hitler needed peacetime in order to be able to rearm effectively
therefore it can be seen that Hitler’s ultimate plan with the non-aggression pact was to ensure peace in Eastern Europe with the USSR unable to be able to attack Germany
thus allowing Germany to rearm
when did Austria undergo destabilisation?
a
was the austrian destabilisation example of structuralist or intentionalist?
when was conscription and rearmament proposed in Nazi Germany?
March 1935
what did rearmament and conscription suggest about Nazi FP?
suggested that the Nazis were pursuing war
- both with the expansion of the German army
and
- with the establishment of an economy capable of war
was the rearmament and conscription an example of structuralist or intentionalist?
INTENTIONALIST and STRUCTURALIST
how was rearmament and conscription intentionalist?
showed Hitler had intentions to prepare for a large scale war of expansion
little reason why he would not pursue war with a more expanded Army
tanks built for land warfare in the East
submarines and battleships for the naval war in the West
how was rearmament and conscription structuralist?
most other European nations had been making major reforms to their armies
Hitler can also be seen to be reacting to the threats from the East with Poland and the USSR being active in expansion
rearming the military can also be seen as a defensive action
when was the Anglo-German Naval agreement?
June 1935
what was the Anglo-German Naval agreement?
agreed that the German Krigsmarine was to be 35% of the size of the Royal Navy
what was the significance of the Anglo-German Naval agreement on Nazi FP?
Germany believed that it would start an Anglo-German alliance (something which was pursued for racial reasons) which would be against France and the USSR
it had allowed the Kriegsmarine to expand beyond the remit of the TofV and thus allow Germany to further rearm it’s armed forces
was the signing of the Anglo-German Naval agreement an example of structuralist or intentionalist?
STRUCTALIST and INTENTIONALIST
how was the Anglo-German Naval agreement intentionalist?
Hitler had pursued an agreement with Britain which allowed Germany to further rearm
this allowed the Kriegsmarine to be more prepared for a war…idea of building up to a mass scale war
how was the Anglo-German Naval agreement intentionalist?
the agreement allowed for the Kriegsmarine to expand
building up to a potential war in Europe where sea power will be needed
shows Hitler having a plan for rearmament and thus a war
when was the Rome-Berlin Axis?
November 1936
what was the Rome-Berlin Axis?
a coalition between Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy
why was the Rome-Berlin Axis significant?
aligned Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy and would later lead to the Pact of Steel
when was the Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan?
1937
what was the Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan?
the formation of an alliance between Nazi Germany and Japan against the USSR
was seen by the Nazis as a litmus test of loyalty for future allies
why was the Anti-Comintern Pact significant for Nazi FP?
it gave the Nazis an ally against the USSR in the east (the USSR would have to fight a war on two fronts)
it also gave the Nazis an ally against the USA with Japan being in closer proximity to the Western coast
was the signing of the Anti-Comintern Pact intentionalist or structuralist?
INTENTIONALIST
Hitler clearly had a plan for support in a war against the USSR
the Anti-Comintern Pact was in direct opposition to the Cominterm association of communist powers
Communism and Bolshevism as a whole were ideologies which Hitler and the Nazi Party massively opposed
when was the Hossbach Conference?
1937
what was significant of the Hossbach Conference?
outlined Hitler’s FP and his aims of expansion
start of Hitler’s radical FP
showed Hitler’s desire to expand and fight small wars of plunder in order to allow the German economy to recover
BUT
can be seen to be pure daydreaming
- policy was never fully carried out
was the Hossbach Conference an example of structuralist or intentionalist?
INTENTIONALIST and STRUCTURALIST
how was the Hossbach Conference intentionalist?
showed clear plans set out by Hitler to start a general European war by expansion
a long term master plan done to inform his generals
how was the Hossbach Conference structuralist?
can be seen to be ad hoc
can be seen to be simply Hitler’s response to the growing economic crisis in Germany to appease the conservatives
when was the Blomberg-Fritsch affair?
1938
what was significant of the Blomberg-Fritsch affair?
showed Hitler’s intention of merging party and state by removing most of the original German officers from office
replaced with Keitel and his OKW which was seen more in line with Nazi policy
Hitler did not want officers who did not agree with his aggressive expansion
confirmed Hitler’s desire for expansion using military force
used to reorganise the German Army
was the Blomberg-Fritsch affair an example of structuralist or intentionalist?
INTENTIONALIST
Hitler clearly wanted leaders who would stick to his plans
Hitler clearly demanded a war of expansion and the dis-satisfaction of two leading generals in the German army being dismissed
he reorganised the German Army to be more in line with his ambitions of expansion
when was Anschluss?
March 1938
why was Anschluss significant?
had shown that Britain and France had failed to stand up to Hitler
Mussolini prioritised German friendship over the need of a buffer state (unlike in 1934)
Hitler had now encircled Czechoslovakia
was Anschluss intentionalist or structuralist?
intentionalist and structuralist
how was Anscluss intentionalist?
Hitler had planned for a while for Anschluss to happen (attempt in 1934)
Hitler had pushed Nazi FP to appease to Austria for better relations
was also against the TofV suggesting a planned proposal
how was Anscluss structuralist?
Hitler only invaded Austria when the government pleaded for help
