Hitler's Aims and Actions Flashcards
What were Hitler’s Foreign Policy Aims?
- Anschluss with Austria
- Reintegrate German-speaking lands such as Austria and the Sudetenland
- Re-Militarise the Rhineland
- Take Eastern Europe
- ‘Deutschland über alles’
What were Hitler’s domestic aims?
- Re-arm Germany
- Ensure Aryan supremacy and Jew subjugation
- Nationalist water, energy and rail.
- Destroy bolshevism
- ‘Brot und Arbeit’ for all
What happened to the Rhineland?
- In March 1936, 32k soldiers and police combined were sent into the Rhineland.
- Army were told to retreat if confronted.
- His excuse was that 8.8% of inhabitants said they wanted it.
- France was paralysed as it was midway through a close election. Britain was too sympathetic.
What was the Dollfuss Affair?
- In 1934 Austrian Nazis assassinated president Dollfuss. Hitler tried to support them but Italy intervened.
- The new chancellor, Shuschnigg, wanted to co-operate with Hitler so as not to give him an excuse for aggression.
How did Schuschnigg appease Hitler?
- In 1934 Austrian Nazis assassinated president Dollfuss. Hitler tried to support them but Italy intervened.
- The new chancellor, Shuschnigg, wanted to co-operate with Hitler so as not to give him an excuse for aggression.
- In 1936, the German-Austrian agreement recognised Austria’s independence, but made Austria’s foreign policy consistent with Germany’s.
- In 1938, Hitler demanded that nazis got key government posts. As a compromise, Seyss-Inquart was made Minister of the Interior.
How did Hitler try to maintain an excuse for Anschluss in 1938?
- Hitler ordered Austrian nazis to create trouble so he had a casus belli when Austria broke down.
- On 9 March 1938, Schuschigg tried a referendum out of desperation. On 10 March Hitler told his generals to prepare for an invasion and ordered the referendum to be called off. Schuschnigg complied.
When was Austria annexed?
(10 March, Hitler ensures Czechoslovakia that they have nothing to fear.)
* On 11 March German troops marched into Austria unopposed.
* A month later, a rigged referendum is held.
What was the Munich Agreement?
- 29 Sept 1938, France and Britain agreed with Germany to give them the sudetenland. In return, Hitler promised no war or future invasion.
- 1 Oct Hitler sent troops into the Sudetenland.
What happened to Czechoslovakia after the Munich agreement?
- In March 1939, German troops took over the rest of Czechoslovakia.
What was the pact between Russia and Germany called, and when was it made? What did it do?
- Nazi-Soviet Pact (aka. Molotov-Ribbentrop), 24 August 1939.
Non-Aggression pact between the 2 nations. Secretly agreed to split Poland. - A day later, Britain and Poland sign the “Mutual Assistance Treaty’, a defensive pact.
When was Poland invaded? When did WW2 Start?
Poland was invaded on the 1st September.
On the 3rd, Britain and France declared war on Germany.
