Hitler's Steps to Expansion

Question 1

Where was Hitler’s first territorial success?

Answer 1

• The Saarland - 1935
• Hitler called for a plebiscite to be carried out in the then-League-owned, industrial Saarland, to determine if they wanted Hitler to rule them
• There was a 90% FOR-vote, and the Saarland was returned in March 1935

Question 2

Where did Hitler go after the Saarland?

Answer 2

• The Rhineland - March 1936
• The Rhineland had been demilitarized in the Treaty of Versailles and German accepted this is in the Locarno Treaties
• The League was busy with Abyssinia
• Russia and France had recently made a Treaty against German attacks, so Hitler used the excuse that this was threatening them so said he had the right to station troops on his own soil
• His put troops there and built defences. France didn’t react because they were in the middle of an election campaign
• The League were angry but refused to take action

Question 3

What did Hitler do after remilitarizing the Rhineland?

Answer 3

• Made Anchluß with Austria in 1938 (when proclaimed)
• Hitler wanted Austria and Germany together in Anschluß
• In 1934, an Austrian Nazi revolt failed when Mussolini moved his troops to the border
• By 1936, they were allies so Hitler ordered Austrian Nazis to stage more protests
• In Feb. 1938, he demanded Seyss-Inquart would be made minister of the interior
• Instead, the Prime Minister Schuschnigg called a plebiscite on whether Austria should be independent
• But Hitler couldn’t be sure he would get the result he wanted so he threatened to invade if Schuschnigg didn’t resign
• Schuschnigg and his cabinet resigned and Seyss-Inquart let in the Germans
• On the 15th March 1938, Hitler went to Vienna and proclaimed them to be in the Greater German Reich