Germany In Transition (1919 - 1939) - Hitler's Foreign Policy

Question 1

What were Hitler’s 12 steps to war?

Answer 1

Withdrawal from the League of Nations, October 1933
Saar Plebiscite, January 1935
Rearmament, 16th March 1935
Conscription, 16th March 1935
Anglo-German Naval Agreement, 18th June 1935
Remilitarising the Rhineland, March 7th 1936
Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan, November 25th 1936
Anschluss with Austria, 12th March 1938
Munich Agreement, September 1938
Germany takes the rest of Czechoslovakia, March 1939
Nazi-Soviet Pact, August 1939
Hitler invades Poland, September 1st 1939

Question 2

What was the significance of the withdrawal from the League of Nations in October 1933?

Answer 2

Western powers refused to accept military parity with Germany at the Disarmament Conference in February. Hitler withdraws from League of Nations.

Question 3

What was the Saar Plebiscite, January 1935?

Answer 3

The former German territory was taken as the League of Nations voted for a reunification of Germany in a referendum.

Question 4

What was rearmament and conscription, March 1935?

Answer 4

A public breaking of the Treaty of Versailles. GB, France and Italy ally in the Stresa Front to prevent any further breaking of TofV. Agreement collapses after Italy invades Abyssinia. Hitler also announces the reintroduction of conscription.

Question 5

What was the Anglo-Naval Agreement in June 1935?

Answer 5

Agreement whereby the tonnage of Germany’s navy would never exceed 35% of Britain’s. GB saw it as an opportunity to limit German expansion, Hitler saw it as the beginning.

Question 6

What was the remilitarising of the Rhineland, March 1936?

Answer 6

Hitler orders 19 infantry battalions into the Rhineland in direct contravention of Articles 42 and 43 of the TofV. No practical Allied response.

Question 7

What was the Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan, November 1936?

Answer 7

Hitler signs an agreement with Japan to counter the spread of communism particularly from Russia. In 1937, this would spread to include Italy.

Question 8

What was Anschluss with Austria, March 1938?

Answer 8

German troops march into Austria and claims the state as part of Germany, arguably the first step in the creation of Greater Germany. Little Allied response.

Question 9

What was the Munich Agreement, September 1938?

Answer 9

Hitler meets Chamberlain, British PM whee it is agreed that Germany can have part of Czechoslovakia known as the Sudetenland.

Question 10

What happened in March 1939?

Answer 10

Hitler takes the rest of Czechoslovakia. Appeasement would never succeed.

Question 11

What was the Nazi-Soviet Pact August 1939?

Answer 11

Hitler signs a neutrality agreement with Stalin as a prelude to his invasion of Poland.

Question 12

What happens on September 1st 1939?

Answer 12

Hitler invades Poland from the north, south and west. On the 17th, Soviet forces invaded from the East. Beginning of WW2.

Question 13

Why was Hitler in a good position in 1933?

Answer 13

League of Nations viewed as weak and powerless
World was emerging from depression so not focussed on Germany
TofV too harsh
Focus was on Mussolini
Strong Germany was needed to stop communism

Question 14

What were Hitler’s Foreign Policy aims?

Answer 14

Reverse TofV -> never accepted terms, promised to restore land lost in 1919, restore army + pride
Unite all German speakers -> Treaty had denied Germany national self-determination
Destroy Communism -> they had helped bring about defeat of beloved Germany, convinced Stalin wanted Germany
Anschluss -> shared culture, banned by TofV
Lebensraum -> expand Germany for more living space, invade other countries, land, food and raw materials, targets East Prussia and Poland

Question 15

What was important about the Sudetenland?

Answer 15

3 million German speaking people
75% of Czechoslovakian industry
Important armament factories
A free and independent Czechoslovakia would mean Hitler had to fight on two fronts
Foreign policy aims (lebensraum)
Konrad Henlein, leader of Sudeten Nazi Party is ordered to stir up trouble and blame Czech officials for victimising Sudeten Germans

Question 16

What was significant about the reoccupation of the Rhineland in 1936?

Answer 16

Not being stopped
‘Peaceful intentions’
British appeasing Hitler
Tramples Locarno Pact
Want to build army and protection

Question 17

What was the disarmament conference 1932-34?

Answer 17

Hitler revoked TofV and no-one stopped him
Hitler was testing Allies who let him get away with it
60 nations met to discuss ways countries could disarm to reduce chance of war. Hitler agued that every country should disarm to match Germany
French refused to cooperate so Hitler left conference
Hitler announces his peacetime army would exceed 300, 000 men and have 1,000 aircraft

Question 18

What was the non-aggression pact with Poland Jan 1934?

Answer 18

Hitler tests France yet again to try and incite a reaction. This give Hitler confidence while other countries believe he has peaceful intentions. Hitler signed a Pact with Poland which accepted Polish borders and encouraged trading between the two. France were unhappy they also had an economic and common foreign policy.

Question 19

What was the attempted Anschluss with Austria in 1934?

Answer 19

The large Nazi Party in Austria tried to encourage a union with Germany. Dolfuss, the Austrian Chancellor, out ruled them, wanting to keep independence. They attacked the radio station in Vienna, forcing staff to broadcast that Dolfuss had resigned before assassinating him. Austria was an ally and he knew he had their support.

Question 20

What was the return of the Saarland?

Answer 20

Hitler had support of his foreign policy aims. A plebiscite was held in the Saarland on January 13th 1935. The Saar had belonged to the League of Nations since 1920 but was voted to rejoin Germany (477000 to 48000). The plebiscite was democratically administered by the League of Nations. On March 1st rejoin.

Question 21

What was rearmament and conscription?

Answer 21

In March 1935, Hitler denounced TofV. His army was to have at least 550,000 men. Building up forces because France and the Soviet Union were doing the same. ‘Self-defence’. Strong nation and Hitler was popular.

Question 22

What happened in the Rhineland in 1936?

Answer 22

TofV had demilitarised Rhineland. Allied troops were withdrawn in 1935. In 1936, Hitler reoccupied it with entire trained military forces denouncing Locarno Pact. Hitler concluded that Britain and France were unlikely to act against further aggression.

Question 23

What were the Alliances built 1936-1937?

Answer 23

Italy and Germany signed Rome-Berlin Axis in Oct 1936, aiming to stop spread of communism.
In Nov 1936, Germany signed the Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan, limiting communist influence. Mussolini later joins. Mussolini is now less of a threat tonHitler, while fulfilling Foreign Policy.

Question 24

What was the Anschluss with Austria?

Answer 24

In March 1938, he achieved Anschluss. On Nov 5th 1937, a 3 hour meeting between military chiefs described escalation to war. Hitler had allies in a strong position for war ro achieve lebensraum.

Question 25

What was the Sudetenland Crisis 1938?

Answer 25

Step towards lebensraum. 3 million german speakers, 3/4 of country’s industry. No need to fight on two fronts.

Question 26

What was the Nazi-Soviet Pact in August 1939?

Answer 26

A promise for Germany and Soviet Union to not fight each other
Non-aggression for 10 years
Economic agreements
Both countries would help each other against Poland (secret)
Also know as Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.
Not to support any third country if they attacked each other
Not join any alliance aimed at the other
Agreed to consult on areas of common interest
Soviet Union would be allowed to occupy the Baltic States

Question 27

What was appeasement?

Answer 27

Giving something to an opposing nation in an attempt to avoid war.

Question 28

What is a pact?

Answer 28

A formal agreement between two or more groups or nations.

Question 29

What happened in March 1939?

Answer 29

Sends troops into Memel, Lithuania because it had been taken from Germany after World War I.
Britain agrees to protect Poland as there is worry he will take Poland next.
Hitler takes over whole of Czechoslovakia, breaking Munich agreement and policy of appeasement.

Question 30

What happened in May 1939?

Answer 30

Pact of Steel - full Germany-Italy military alliance. Soviet Union prepared to ally with Britain in response but Britain too slow to respond.

Question 31

Who were the invisible unemployed?

Answer 31

Women
Jews who were sacked
Men in the army