Hitler's master-plan (?) Flashcards
What does the land conquered from 1935 to 1939 suggest?
It was land that Hitler had expressed in Mein Kampf, in speeches and meetings - shows planning.
However: it can be argued that it was not a plan, rather it was broad aims - for example eastward expansion.
What does how prepared Hitler was each foreign policy suggest?
It shows that they may have been prepared, however it had been brought about faster by other factors e.g. his takeover of Austria happened earlier than he might have planned because of actions of Austrians Nazis
However: their unpreparedness shows than Hitler had not planned the move.
What does Hitler keeping his foreign officials until 1935 suggest?
This could be used as evidence that he did not interfere or impose a plan.
However: it could also show long-term planning.
Did Hitler always intend to go to war? Yes Argument.
1) He built an army from the moment he came to power, from 1935 doing it openly and defying the Treaty of Versailles.
2) Sources suggest he had war in mind before he became Fuhrer in 1934.
3) Hitler’s Four-Year plan, 1939-39, stressed Germany’s need to put militarisation first and develop synthetic oil and other war materials to become self sufficient during wartime.
Did Hitler always intend to go to war? No Argument.
1) When Hitler talked about rearming, he stressed Germany’s need to rearm for defense, never for attack.
2) He told his generals that it would be a disaster to provoke a military attack until they had built to their forces to defeat such an attack
3) He told his generals he intended expansion, not defence.
Could Hitler achieve his aim without war?
- He might have believed he could achieved making Germany a world power without going to war.
- He must’ve known he could not achieve lebensraum and expansion eastwards without war.
- He may have hoped to avoid war with France and Britain.
- He thought Britain and France would not go to war for Eastern Europe.
