History Y10 - Unit 3

Question 1

Hitler’s foreign policy

Answer 1

1. Uniting all “German speaking people”
2. Defying the ToV
3. “Lebansraum” - living space –> Take the territories of East Europe and populate it with German speakers
4. Destroy communism

Question 2

The Anschluss - date

Answer 2

March 1938

Question 3

The Anschluss - causes

Answer 3

Unifying Austria was Hitler’s greatest ambition, since Austria had the most German speaking people outside of Germany (about 7 million)

Mussolini no longer opposed the Anschluss by 1938

Question 4

The Anschluss - occupation

Answer 4

Hitler threatened the Chancellor of Austria, Schuschnigg, that he would invade unless he appointed Seyss-Inquart, an Austrian Nazi, as Minister of the interior.

pressured by pro-union activists, Schuschnigg held a referendum on March 13th.

Hitler sent troops on March 12th

Plebiscite without a secret ballot was held - Austrians were intimidated

results showed 99.7% approval of the Anschluss

Question 5

The Anschluss - why did France and Britain fail to act

Answer 5

France was afraid to act without British support, was distracted by internal political conflicts

Britain thought that the Anschluss was inevitable

Question 6

The Anschluss - consequences

Answer 6

By annexing Austria, Nazis violated ToV and the Treaty of Saint german. Allowed Hitler to continue his expansion policies

Austria was “Nazified” –> Austria was not Austria anymore

Hitler has proved his theory of “Lebansraum” -> Nazis glorified the Anschluss

Question 7

Remilitarization of Rhineland - date

Answer 7

1936 - once Hitler came to power, he wishes to rearm Germany

Question 8

Remilitarization of Rhineland - effects

Answer 8

reunited soldiers - less unemployment

conscription, half a million soldiers, air force reintroduced

Question 9

Remilitarization of Rhineland - process

Answer 9

Hitler rearmed in secret, left the LoN in 1933

in 1935, he openly staged the Freedom of Rearm Rally.

Hitler claimed that they were “encircled” by the Soviet-Franco pact, and that he was being threatened.

German troops march into Rhineland in March 1936 - Hitler’s popularity increased, proof that Britain won’t stop him

France unhappy, Britain believed that a stronger Germany would make a good buffer state against USSR (communism)

Question 10

The Anglo German naval forces pact

Answer 10

Britain allowed Germany to build submarines, only 45% to Britain’s numbers (Britain wants to keep control over the ocean)

Allowed Germany to have a fleet 35% to Britain’s number

Question 11

Remilitarization of Rhineland - responses

Answer 11

Attention of the time was focused on Italy and the Abyssinian crisis

France condemned the action, overestimated the German army and did not act without British support

Question 12

Spanish civil war - date

Answer 12

1936 to 1939

Question 13

Spanish civil war - causes

Answer 13

nationalists vs republican government
(Hitler and Mussolini supports nationalists, USSR opposes the nationalists since they don’t want another anti-communist nation)

After the popular front’s victory in the 1936 election, army officers organized a coup.

Coup was supposed to be quick, but socialist and anarchists successfully defended certain towns

Question 14

Spanish civil war - what Hitler wanted

Answer 14

Military - test Luftwaffe , his new air force, and new military tactics

ideology - contain the spread of republican communism

economically - gain resources from Spain

diplomatically - aimed to draw Italy away, to achieve the Anschluss

Question 15

Spanish civil war - German contribution

Answer 15

on 1937 April, Germany bombed Guernica to test Luftwaffe and blitzkrieg tactics

one third of the population died

Blitzkrieg was later used in WW2

Question 16

Spanish civil war - what did Hitler gain

Answer 16

1. Appeasement
2. Anschluss
3. 75% of Spain’s resources

Question 17

Spanish civil war - response

Answer 17

Britain and France remained neutral

September 1936 a non intervention pact was signed between 27 nations

Hitler continued giving aid, disguising his troops

Question 18

czechoslovakia crisis - date

Answer 18

1938

Question 19

czechoslovakia crisis - cause

Answer 19

on the 28th of March, Konrad Helein, leader of the Sudeten Germans, demanded the “home rule” for Sudetens.

Hitler wanted Cz because it was an obstacle for him when it came to expanding to the East

His excuse was to “liberate” Sudeten Germans

Hitler wanted to remove a well-armed country which had alliances with France and Britain.

Hitler finds out that Cz mobilized their army, excuse to act against the Czech on 1st of October

Question 20

Munich Agreement - date

Answer 20

29th, 30th september 1938

Question 21

Munich Agreement - Chamberlein

Answer 21

Chamberlein’s attempt to avoid war

Each leader agreed to:
1. Sudetenland would be given to Germany in 10 days
2. 4 leaders would guarantee the remaining part of Cz once Polish and Hungarian claims had been satisfied

Question 22

Munich Agreement - The Joint Angelo German Agreement

Answer 22

Pledge to do everything to promote peace of Europe and resolve things in peaceful means

Question 23

Munich Agreement - positive

Answer 23

British army was not ready for war at that time - allowed them to rearm

(for Germany) The Anschluss had weakened Cz defenses - the Sudetenland was surrounded by a greater Germany - Britain had no more allies to depend on

Question 24

Munich Agreement - negative

Answer 24

Britain and France surrendered

A fair democratic nation has failed (Cz)

Britain and France lost a potential ally

Cz was not even invited to the Munich agreement

Cz is vulnerable to more German aggression

1939, Hitler is free to take action against Poland and Russia

USSR alienated by the agreement

Question 25

Munich Agreement - public opinions

Answer 25

most applauded Chamberlein for preventing war

politically, there was concern over how the agreement was reached.

General hardening of attitude towards Hitler - “He is not credible”

Question 26

Nazi- Soviet Pact - date

Answer 26

August 1939

Question 27

Nazi Soviet pact - content

Answer 27

Germany and USSR would not go to war with each other

secretly parted Poland in half

Question 28

Nazi Soviet Pact - Stalin

Answer 28

Stalin was aware of Hitler’s intentions and knew this would end up in war, but the pact supported his short term ambition.

Stalin mistrusted Britain and France
after his exclusion from the Munich Conference

He hoped that war between Germany France and Britain would help the USSR time to rearm and prepare for war

He hoped to gain Polish territory which had been taken from Russia at the end of the first world war

He thought that the allies were weak because of the appeasement

Question 29

Nazi Soviet Pact - reaction

Answer 29

Great shock to France and Britain, Chamberlein was blamed for Stalin joining Hitler

It had been previously believed that the USSR could protect Poland from Germany. This was a huge twist.

However, there was a great mistrust towards the communist USSR, which explains why Chamberlein had not tried to create alliances with them more aggressively