Hitlers Foreign Policy 7 Flashcards
What were Hitlers foreign policy aims?
- Reverse treaty of Versailles (restore lost lands and build German armed forces)
- Unite all Germany speaking people (eg those in the Sudetanland)
- Lebensraum - living space (Hitler saw lebensraum in Poland and Russia)
- Anschluss
- Destroy communism
Who was viewed ad the biggest threat to international threat at the start of Hitler’s chancellorship?
Italy
When was the disarmament conference?
1932-34
What was the disarmament conference? What did Germany want in it?
60 nations discuss how to reduce the chance of war
Germany wanted each nation to reduce its arms to match with Germany
What did Hitler announce when he left the disarmament conference?
He announced that he would increase the German peacetime army to 300,000 and set up a new airforce with 1000 aircraft
When did Germany withdraw from the League of Nations?
October 1933
When was the non-aggression pact with Poland?
1934
What was agreed in the non-aggression pact with Poland?
-Promised to accept polish borders and encouraged trading.
-pact was set to last 10 years and meant Hitler did not fear an attack from Poland
When was the attempted Anschluss with Austria?
1934
What happened in the attempted Anschluss with ausitra?
-the Nazi party in Austria had been campaigning for a union
-chancellor Dolfuss outlawed the Nazis in Austria
-Nazis attacked a radio station and announced Dolfuss’ resignation
-they assassinated Dolfuss
Why did the attempt for an Anschluss fail?
Lack of suppourt from Hitler who was concerned about Mussolini - guardian of Austria
When was the return of the Saarland?
1935
Why was the Saarland returned to Germany?
A plebiscite showed over 90% of the population wanted to rejoin - League of Nations administered the vote so it was seen as leagal
When did Hitler renounce the Treaty of Versailles? Which parts did he renounce?
1935, the parts that dealt with the armed forces
When was conscription reintroduced and what did Hitler aim for the army to increase to?
1935, 550,000 men
How was Hitler able to get away with his rearmament in 1935? How did Germans feels about the rearmament?
He argued that he felt vaunerable as France and the Soviet Union were building up their armed forces - it was self defence
It provided jobs and made them feel that they were a strong nation once again
When was the Stresa Front?
1935
What was the Stresa Front?
France, Italy and Britain were concerned about Germany’s remarmament so they formally protested Hitler’s plans
When did Britain enter into a naval treaty with Germany?
1935
What did the 1935 Germany and Britain naval treaty allow Germany to do?
It allowed Germany to increase its fleet to 35% the size of Britains (breaching the TofV)
What happened as a result of the Invasion on Abyssinia?
Italy broke the rules of the league of nations so destroyed any cooperation between them and France and Britain
It pushed Mussolini and Hitler closer
When did Italy invade Abyssinia?
1935
When and how did Hitler reoccupy the Rhineland?
-1936
-in the treaty of Versailles, it was said that the allies would occupy the area for 15 years. They left in 1935
How did Hitler get away with reoccupying the Rhineland?
Britain and France were preoccupied with the Abyssinia crisis so did not react
This convinced Hitler that Britain and France were unlikely to react against any further aggression
