Hitlers Foreign Policy And The Origins Of The Second World War Flashcards
What steps did Hitler take to achieve his aims:
Each time claimed more territory he managed to convince European leaders, that once Germany had obtained territory lost at Versailles, no further demands would be made
Hitler had benefit of seeing Japan successfully defy League of Nations over Manchuria
Eventually developed close relationship with Mussolini, who withdrew from league as a result of Abyssinia
Who took the Saar:
The industrial area of the Saar was taken from Germany by the Treaty of Versailles and put under the control of the League of Nations
When was the plebiscite of the Saar:
January 1935
How many people voted in favour of rejoining with Germany:
Over 90 per cent voted in favour
How did Hitler react to regaining the Saar:
Hitler greeted result as huge triumph, decayed that this was the first injustice of Versailles to be reversed
When was the non-aggression act with Poland signed:
In January 1934, Germany signed a non-aggression agreement with Poland
Why was the Non-aggression pact with Poland signed:
Hitler was hoping to weaken existing alliance between France and Poland
Hoped to reduce Polish fears of German aggression
Wanted to show he had no quarrel with Poland, only with USSR
Hitler’s aims:
Take his country out of League of Nations, which Germany had been allowed to join in 1926
Promised German people that he would reverse the Treaty and retake territory Germany had lost
Planned to expand into Eastern Europe to give German people Lebensraum
Anschluss:
Union between Austria and Germany
Hitler’s rearmament:
In 1935, he openly staged a massive military rally celebrating German armed forces.
The same year, he reintroduced conscription and announced a peacetime army of 550,000
When did the disarmament conference first meet:
February 1932
Arguments for appeasement:
People remembered horrors of WW1 and wanted to avoid another war at all costs
People believed Germany treated too harshly under Treaty of Versailles
Some people saw Communism as biggest threat to European stability
Britain was not ready for war
Britain preoccupied with problems caused by depression
Arguments against appeasement:
Gave Hitler the advantage
Chamberlain misjudged Hitler
The appeasers missed excellent opportunities to stop Hitler - re occupation of Rhineland 1936
Did not stop war coming in 1939
Why was Hitler putting troops back into the Rhineland a risk:
Reoccupation of the Rhineland was a clear branch of the Versailles Treaty
German troops were in no position to stand up to the French army if it reacted
When was the remilitarisation of the Rhineland:
1936
When was the Anschluss with Austria:
1938
Why did Hitler want to join with Austria:
Hitler had been born in Austria and one of his objectives was to see Germany and Austria United as one country.
What was Hitler’s first step to form an Anschluss:
Hitler bullied Austrian Chancellor, Schuschnigg, into accepting a Nazi, Seyss-Inquart, as Austrian Minister of the Interior.
What did Schuschnigg order:
A plebiscite to be held to find out if the Austrian people really wanted a union with Germany.
What did Hitler think of Schuschnigg’s idea to have a plebiscite:
Hitler feared a ‘no’ vote, so he moved German troops to the Austrian border, and threatened to invade if Schuschnigg did not resign in favour of Seyss-Inquart
What Nazi became Chancellor of Austria to help form Anschluss:
Seyss-Inquart became chancellor of Austria and invited German troops into the country.
When did Germany enter Austria:
On 12 March 1938, the German army entered Vienna. The Anschluss was complete
What did the Germans do when they first entered Austria:
Nazis organised their own vote about Union with Germany.
How many people voted in favour of a union between Austria and Germany:
99 per cent voted in favour. Austria immediately became a province of the new German Reich.
Why did Britain and France take no action against Germany’s violation of the treaty in the forming of the Anschluss:
As there was a feeling among the people in Britain that the Treaty had been harsh and Britain should not defend it
What happened in 1935:
In 1935 Britain signed a naval agreement with Germany.
What did the Anglo-German Naval Treaty agree:
The agreement meant Germans allowed to build their navy up to 35 per cent of the size of the British navy and have the same number of submarines.
What was the Sudetenland:
Part of Czechoslovakia which consisted of German-speaking peoples.
How did Hitler stir up trouble in the Sudetenland:
Hitler ordered Henlein (the leader of the Sudeten Germans) to stir up trouble
German newspapers produced allegations of crimes apparently committed by Czechs against Sudeten Germans
Hitler threatened war if a solution was not found
What did the British prime minister believe could happen about what was going on in the Sudetenland:
Chamberlain believed that a peaceful solution could be worked out.
What did Chamberlain do to resolve the Sudentland crisis:
He tried to persuade the Czech President, Beneš, to accept self-government for the Sudentland.
What happened on the 22 September:
On 22 September, at a meeting at Godesberg, Beneš refused to accept the German demands. It seemed that war was a real possibility, but Chamberlain appealed to Hitler to give him more time to find a settlement.
What happened on the 29 September:
Chamberlain made one last effort to maintain peace
The Munich agreement:
Chamberlain met with Daladier, the French leader, Hitler and Mussolini at Munich in a final bid to resolve the Sudeten crisis.
Czech representatives were not invited to the meeting
Czechs were forced to hand over the Sudetenland to Germany and a commission was set up to decide precisely which territory the Czechs would lose
Results of Munich agreement:
The Czech Government was completely humiliated
Vital area of the Sudetenland was lost
In October and November 1938, Hungary and Poland also occupied other parts of Czech territory
Britain and France had again given in to Hitler
When was the collapse of Czechoslovakia:
March 1939
Collapse of Czechoslovakia:
Hitler invaded and occupied what was left of Czechoslovakia
Bohemia and Moravia became German protectorates
Slovakia remained independent in theory, but was dominated by Germany
Ruthenia was handed over in Hungary
End of appeasement:
Hitlers promises at Munich were worthless
Britain and France were rapidly rearming and it was accepted that the policy of appeasement had failed
When was the Pact of Steel:
May 1939
What happened in March 1939:
Hitler forced the Lithuanians to hand over the Baltic town of Memel and a portion of land along their south-west border
What happened in April 1939:
General Franco’s nationalist forces, supported by Germany and Italy, took power in Spain
What happened in May 1939:
Mussolini followed Hitlers example in Czechoslovakia by invading Albania
When was the Nazi-Soviet Pact:
On 23 August 1939
What was the Nazi soviet pact:
The German Foreign Minister, Ribbentrop, and Soviet Foreign Minister, Molotov, signed the Nazi-Soviet Non aggression Pact
The Nazi-Soviet Pact:
The soviets and Germans agreed not to fight each other in the event of war in Europe
Both powers secretly agreed to divide up Polish territory should war occur
Hitler gave Stalin a free hand to occupy part of Romania and the Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania
Why was the Nazi-Soviet Pact good for Hitler:
Pact removed the threat of war on two fronts
Gave him the opportunity he needed to deal with Poland, despite the threats coming from Britain and France
Why was the Nazi-Soviet Pact good for Stalin:
Hitler had more to offer for the soviets, e.g territory in Eastern Europe
