Hitler's Foreign Policy Aims Flashcards
What were Hitler’s main foreign policy aims
- Abolish the Treaty of Versailles (ToV)
- Expand German territory (including to gain lebensraum)
- Defeat Communism
Where had Hitler laid out his ideas?
In Mein Kampf (which he wrote in 1924-5)
What did Hitler believe about the ToV?
He hated it, believing that it was fundamentally unjust - and must be abolished
What was the ToV a constant reminder of?
Germany’s humiliation at the hands of the Allies at the end of WWI
What had Hitler promised during his campaigning to become leader of Germany?
That he would abolish the ToV
When Hitler came to power in Germany, what actions had already taken place to do with the Treaty?
Germany had stopped paying reparations
Why was Hitler so focused on territorial gains?
Lots of German land (approx 10-13% of its European territory) had been taken away by the ToV
What key territorial aims did Hitler gave?
- Get back land lost in the ToV
- Unite with Austria (Anschluss)
- Carve our an empire in eastern Europe to give more living space (‘lebensraum’) for Germans
What were Hitler’s beliefs about Communism/Bolshevism?
He hated it
Why did Hitler hate Communism/Bolshevism?
- He believed the Bolsheviks had helped lead to German defeat in the First World War
- He believed the Communists wanted to seize power in Germany
What two schools of thought are there among historians about Hitler’s actions during the 1930s?
- Intentionalists (Orthodox/Conventional view) - Hitler always planned/intended to go to war (Hugh Trevor-Roper)
- Revisionists - those who argue that Hitler was an opportunist and had no grand plan (AJP Taylor)
What were the 6 key moves from Hitler between 1933 and 1935
1) Stopped paying reparations (1933)
2) Ten year non aggression pact with Poland (Jan 1934)
3) Attempted Anschluss (Jul 1934)
4) Saar Plebiscite (Jan 1935)
5) Conscription (Mar 1935)
6) Anglo-German Naval agreement (Jun 1935)
