Key Issue 7 - Hitler's Foreign Policy

Question 1

Which of Hitler’s foreign policies led to war:
a) re-occupation of the Rhineland in 1935
b) demands for Polish territory in 1939
c) Anschluss with Austria in 1938
?

Answer 1

b

Question 2

State three of Hitler’s foreign policy aims mentioned in Mein Kampf.

Answer 2

• reverse the Treaty of Versailles
• unite all German speaking people
• Lebensraum
• Anschluss
• destroy communism

Question 3

What was Hitler’s option of the League of Nations in the early 1930?

Answer 3

Hitler saw how slow the League of Nations responded to international aggression in Japan, showing the powerlessness of the League.

Question 4

What year was the Disarmament Conference?

Answer 4

1932

Question 5

How many nations met in the Disarmament Conference?

Answer 5

60

Question 6

What were the aims of the Disarmament Conference?

Answer 6

To discuss ways in which their countries might disarm and so reduce the chances of war

Question 7

Why did the Disarmament Conference fail?

Answer 7

France and Germany argued about the strength of the German army, and so Hitler withdrew from the Conference.

Question 8

What did Hitler do to the army during 1933?

Answer 8

Announced that the German peacetime army would eventually build up to 300,000 and add 1000 aircraft, in direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles.

Question 9

What did the Non-Aggression Pact with Poland in January 1934 show?

Answer 9

It showed Hitler had peaceful intentions in Europe, but in reality meant that he no longer had to fear an attack from Poland. This pleased Britain, but angered France

Question 10

Why did Hitler suffer a setback with Anschluss?

Answer 10

The Austrian Nazi Party was outlawed, but struck back again with violence. They killed the President of Austria and tried to seize power, but failed because of lack of support from Hitler, who was afraid about Italian opposition.

Question 11

How did the Saar become part of Germany again?

Answer 11

A plebiscite was held by the League of Nations and 477,000 voted to rejoin, whilst 48,000 votes to remain out

Question 12

When did Hitler announce that he felt confident enough to announce that he was renouncing the terms of the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 12

March 1935

Question 13

Which pact did Hitler denounce on 7th March 1936 and what did this mean?

Answer 13

The Locarno Pact, meaning that Germany reoccupied the Rhineland. France and Britain didn’t respond, convincing Hitler that they wouldn’t act against further aggression.

Question 14

What did the reoccupation of the Rhineland result in?

Answer 14

This improved Hitler’s popularity in Germany and encouraged Hitler to challenge the Treaty of Versailles.

Question 15

Who were Hitler’s alliances?

Answer 15

Germany had an Anti-Comintern Pact 1936 with Japan.
Japan had an Anti-Comintern Pact 1937 with Italy.
Italy had the Rome-Berlin Axis 1936 with Germany.
These were all intended to unite to stop the spread of communism.

Question 16

When was Anschluss proclaimed?

Answer 16

13th March 1938

Question 17

What were the results of Anschluss?

Answer 17

Most people felt that the Germans and Austrians deserved to be reunited and most European politicians agreed the the Treaty of Versailles had been too harsh.

Question 18

What were Hitler’s aims in the Sutenland?

Answer 18

The Sutenland was part of Czechoslovakia which Hitler wanted to acquire Lebensraum. Also, he thought the Soviet Union might invade Germany through Czechslovakia.

Question 19

What crisis happened between April and September in 1938?

Answer 19

The Sutenland Crisis, which was when Hitler ordered the leader of the Sudetenland Nazi Party to stir up trouble in Sutenland and then publish reports of the atrocities. Because of this “crisis” Hitler said he would support the Sudeten Germans with military force if necessary.

Question 20

How was the Sudetenland Crisis resolved?

Answer 20

Neville Chamberlain intervened and tried to persuade Hitler to accept a compromise settlement, but war seemed the likely outcome.

Question 21

What was the Munich Conference?

Answer 21

A meeting between four leaders intended to stop war in Europe.

Question 22

Who attended the Munich Conference?

Answer 22

Chamberlain
Hitler
Daladier (France)
Mussolini

Question 23

What was agreed at the Munich Conference?

Answer 23

The Sutenland was to be occupied by German troops and Poland and Hungary were to receive parts of Czechoslovakia.

Question 24

Why did Hitler take over Czechoslovakia in March 1939?

Answer 24

Britain condemned Kristallnacht and became suspicious of Germany when Hitler made his new territorial ambitions known - he wanted all of Czechoslovakia. Britain and France knew that Germany could no longer be trusted.

Question 25

What did Hitler want from his invasion of Poland?

Answer 25

Land taken from Germany during the Treaty of Versailles, such as Danzig and the Polish Corridor

Question 26

When was Hitler intending to invade Poland?

Answer 26

1st September 1938

Question 27

State three terms of the 1939 Nazi-Soviet Pact.

Answer 27

• they agreed not to support any third country if it attacked the other
• agreed to consult on matters of common interest
• secretly planned to invade and divide Poland

Question 28

What did Britain and France do when Germany invaded Poland?

Answer 28

Gave Germany an ultimatum, demanding the withdrawal of all troops from Poland. Hitler did not reply.

Question 29

When did Britain and France declare war on Germany?

Answer 29

3rd September 1939