Germany's Increasing Aggression in 1933-1937

Question 1

Causes

Answer 1

1. Rearmament of Germany
   2, Weaknesses of and Withdrawal from LON
2. the Saar Plebiscite
3. Germany’s Involvement in the Spanish Civil War
4. Forming Alliances Against Communism

Question 2

German Rearmament Programme (March 1933-1935)

Answer 2

• the Nazi government began rearmament in March 1933
• thousands of unemployed workers were drafted into the army to help reduce unemployment
• Germany began secretly building up its armed forces
• by 1935, Hitler no longer bothered to hide his rearmament programme and held a Freedom to Rearm rally in Berlin
• his popularity and prestige inside Germany grew

Question 3

explanation (feelings + outcome)

Answer 3

these actions contributed to the outbreak of WWII in Europe as :
- it boosted Germany’s military capabilities and war machinery, which emboldened Hitler to carry out his expansionist plans
- eventually Hitler’s rearmed military threatened the peace in Europe and brought Germany into direct conflict with the Allies leading to war

Question 4

link

Answer 4

thus, this rearmament process that led to Hitler’s expansionist plans gaining motion, eventually led to WWII in Europe

Question 5

remilitarisation of Rhineland (1936)

Answer 5

• Hitler declared that the demilitarisation of Rhineland under the Treaty of Versailles was no longer acceptable because France and the USSR agreed on the Treaty of Mutual Assistance (Feb), promising to protect one another against Germany
• Hitler claimed he was being encircled
• hence, he had the right to place troops on his own borders
• in Mar, he ordered German troops into the Rhineland
• however, Britain, France and LON were preoccupied with the Abyssnian Crisis, hence did not do much
• LON condemned Hitler’s actions but no other actions were taken

Question 6

explanation (feelings + outcome)

Answer 6

these actions contributed to the outbreak of WWII in Europe as :
- France has led to WWII in Europe becuase the gamble that Hitler had taken had paid off and this boosted his confidence which then emboldened him to continue with his expansionist plans
- allies lost a vital opportunity to check Hitler when his power was still not strong
- Germany’s success in the Rhineland also enhanced Hitler’s popularity and prestige among the Germans, gaining even more support for his expansionist policies

Question 7

link

Answer 7

thus, Hitler’s remilitarisation of Rhineland made him bolder and paved the way to the eventual war

Question 8

weaknesses of and withdrawal from LON

Answer 8

1. Leaving LON (Oct 1933)
2. World Disarmament Conference (1934)

Question 9

leaving LON

Answer 9

• in a 1933 referendum organised b the Nazi government
• German people voted in favour of withdrawing from LON
• Hitler withdrew in Oct, on the basis that Germany had been treated unequally (on the issue of German rearmament)

Question 10

World Disarmament Conference

Answer 10

Hitler walked out of LON’s WDC, claiming that Germany was not being treated equally

Question 11

explanation (feelings + outcome)

Answer 11

• by leaving LON, it undermined LON’s authority and credibility to maintain collective security
• it meant Hitler was not bound by LON or obliged to accept LON’s decisions
• meant that Hitler was free to pursure an aggressive foreign policy and begin to rearm Germany, enhancing its military capabilities

Question 12

link

Answer 12

thus, this withdrawal brought Germany into direct clashes with other countries, which would eventually lead to WWII in Europe

Question 13

the Saar Plebiscite (1935)

Answer 13

• the Saar region had been run by LON since 1919
• the Saar is a coal-rich region which had important industrial areas, and contained a number of German-speaking people
• Hitler claimed it should be a part of Germany
• LON forced Hitler to agree to a plebiscite (vote), which resulted in 90% of the people of the Saar voting to join Hitler’s Germany

Question 14

explanation (feelings + outcome)

Answer 14

these actions contributed to the outbreak of WWII in Europe as :
- this increased Hitler’s power and confidence, knowing that he was able to acquire and unite the Saar region - a violation under TOV
- by attaining this important coal-rich region, Germany was able to speed up its rearmament process

Question 15

link

Answer 15

thus, the Saar Plebiscite made Hitler recognise that the violation of TOV was possible, further making bolder demands leading up to the outbreak of WWII in Europe

Question 16

Germany’s involvement in the Spanish Civil War (1936)

Answer 16

• in Jul, a civil war broke out in Spain between to rival groups : the Republicans (left-wing) and the Nationalists (right-wing)
• the Nationalist leader, General Franco, held beliefs that were similar to Hitler’s and Mussolini’s, so they helped him with troops, aircraft and other equipment
• the might of the German air force was demonstrated when German aircraft bombed Republican strongholds, resulting in casualties
• Britain and France stayed out of the Spanish Civil War

Question 17

explanation (feelings+outcome)

Answer 17

these actions contributed to the outbreak of WWII in Europe as :
- Germany’s involvement gave Hitler an opportunity to test his army and air force (Luftwaffe) while diverting attention of Britain and France from his expansionist plans in Eastern Europe
- the lack of intervention by Britain and France convinced Hitler that they were not prepared to go to war at all
- this would mean that they would not do anything to check his expansion and encouraged him to be even more bold and aggressive

Question 18

link

Answer 18

thus, Germany’s involvement in the Spanish Civil War made Hitler a step closer in his expansionist plans and thus threatened peace, eventually leading to war

Question 19

Forming Alliances against Communism : with Japan (1936) and Italy (1937)

Answer 19

1. Forming Alliances : the Anti-Comintern Pact (1936)
2. Forming Alliances : the Axis Alliances (1937)

Question 20

forming alliances : the Anti-Comintern Pact (1936)

Answer 20

• while tensions were rising in Europe, Japan was expanding aggressively in Asia
• Germany and Italy saw that they had much in common with the military dicatorship in Japan
• in 1936, Germany and Japan signed an Anti-Comintern Pact to oppose the Communist International (Comintern)
• Comintern was set up by the USSR with the goal of spreading communism by promoting uprisings around the world
• the members of the Anti-Comintern Pact also agreed to not sign any treaties with USSR

Question 21

forming alliances : the Axis Alliance (1937)

Answer 21

• 1937, Italy also signed the Anti-Comintern Pact
• this new alliance between Germany, Italy and Japan was called the Axis Alliance

Question 22

explanation (feelings + outcome)

Answer 22

these actions contributed to the outbreak of WWII in Europe as :
- both Germany and its allies had a common interest in pursuing expansionism (eg Japan in Asia and Germany in Europe) and a common enemy (eg. USSR)
- this emboldened the aggressive actions of Hitler as he had the support of likeminded nations
- this also gained the trust of the Western powers (eg. Britain and France), who were also wary of the spread of communism
- as such, they misjudged Hitler’s intentions

Question 23

link

Answer 23

thus, through the formations of Alliances with Germany and other powers against communism, he misdirected the allies and formed his own alliance which would eventually support his aggressive actions leading up to WWII