Hitlers foreign actions 1936-1938 Flashcards
What happened in March 1936?
The Remilitarization of the Rhineland
What are some key points about the Remilitarization of the Rhineland?
Hitler had predicted that the French and the British had no desire for war over the remilitarization of the Rhineland and he was right.
The Rhineland was seen as Germany’s backyard and Germany should be able to do what they want with that land.
France and Britain did not want to risk European peace over something so seemingly insignificant.
In addition, France was in the middle of a financial crisis and facing elections in six weeks’ time.
What was the international opinion about the Remilitarization of the Rhineland?
They did not see it as that important and did not want to risk European peace for something so insignificant.
What happened in July 1936 - 1939?
The Spanish Civil war
Some details about the Spanish Civil war
In July 1935 General Franco started the civil war as a nationalist. Hitler and Mussolini supported the right-wing fascists. On the other side, Stalin supported the Republicans. Britain and France decided not to get involved. However, it was the Nationalists that came out triumphant.
What did Hitler want to achieve by the Spanish Civil war?
- If Franco was successful then Spain would become a
German ally. This would provide a hostile presence on
France’s south-western border and hopefully provide
Spanish naval bases for the German navy. - Germany’s armed forces, especially the Luftwaffe, could be tested in what could be considered a dress rehearsal for a full-scale European war.
- Since Mussolini was joining Hitler in assisting Franco,
Hitler hoped that this joint action might provide
the occasion to detach the Italian leader from his association with Britain and France and draw him into an alliance with Germany. - Hitler hoped that a long-drawn-out civil war in Spain
would distract western diplomats and officials from the
affairs of central Europe. Spain could, therefore, act as a smokescreen for Hitler’s attention elsewhere.
What did Hitler achieve after the Spanish Civil war?
Spain failed to become an ally after the Nationalists came to power, and opted for neutrality.
The Luftwaffe was able to practice and perfect the dive-bombing techniques in a northern region of Spain- Guernica
Hitler managed to persuade Mussolini to abandon Britain and France. Not a formal ally, they were still allies. In the Rome-Berlin axis.
The civil war drew the attention somewhat away from him when he went to invade Austria and Czechoslovakia.
They bombed a little town called Guernica and it was a technique called carpet bombing. It completely destroyed the town.
What happened in November 1936?
The Rome-Berlin Axis
The Anti Comintern Pact
What were these pacts in 1936?
The Rome-Berlin Axis in 1936 represented an important staging for a formal alliance.
Anti-Comintern Pact in 1936, was signed by Germany and Japan in 1936, with Italy joining in 1937. The Pact would ensure that none of them would join Soviet Russia if they attacked.
What happened in March 1938?
The Anschluss with Austria
What are some details about the Anschluss in 1938?
There was an attempted Anschluss in July 1934. However in February 1938, the new Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg was looking into the prosecution of Austrian Nazis. During this meeting, he was bullied by Hitler to appoint an Austrian Nazi as Seyss-Inquart or the Minister of Interior.
How did Italy react to the Anschluss?
Italy had stopped Germany in their first attempt to Anschluss with Austria. As Hitler’s relationship with Mussolini improved then Hitler was in a stronger military and diplomatic position. After having first secured Mussolini’s support, Hitler ordered the German army into Austria on 12 March 12 1938 proclaiming the Anschluss had taken place.
How did Britain, France, and Stalin react to the Anschluss?
This provided a great challenge for France. They did not see it as a big deal and let it happen.
Stalin gets really worried about his own country.
What happened in September 1938?
The Munich Agreement
What happened at the First Munich Conference?
15 September 1938: Berchtesgaden Bavaria: It was about the Areas of the Sudetenland where the majority of the population was German. Those territories should be handed over to Germany. This was subject to the approval of the British, French and Czech governments.
