KQ3: Why had international peace collapsed by 1939? Flashcards
What were Hitlers foreign policy plans?
DEAL:
-Defeat Communism (believed Communists contributed to Germanys defeat in WW1)
-Expand German territory (regain land lost in 1919, unite with Austria, reunite with German speakers in other countries (e.g: Czechoslovakia))
-Abolish ToV (reminder of humiliation signed by ‘November Criminals’)
-Lebensraum (expand for ‘living space’ in Eastern Europe for growing German population)
-Keep pushing his luck to see how much he could get away with
What was the timeline of German rearmament?
-In secret at first then continued more openly
-1934 collapse of LoN disarmament conference
-1935 Hitler organises massive rally celebrating German armed forces
-1935 Anglo-German naval agreement - naval strength 35% of RN
-1936 conscription reintroduced
-Thousands of unemployed men drafted into army
How much did armaments spending in Germany increase between 1935 and 1939?
Increases from 7.4% in 1935 to 23% in 1939
How much did the number of German warships increase from 1932 to 1939?
30 in 1932 to 95 in 1939
How much did the number of military aircraft increase from 1932 to 1939?
36 in 1932 to 8250 in 1939
How much did the number of German soldiers increase from 1932 to 1939?
100,000 in 1932 to 950,000 in 1939
Why was Hitler allowed to get away with rearmament?
-Began in secret
-Other countries were rearming to decrease unemployment
-Collapse of LoN disarmament conference in 1934 suggested other countries weren’t serious about it - why should Germany be?
-Britain had sympathy with Germany about harshness of ToV
-Militarily strong Germany would be buffer against Communist threat
How did the 1935 Saar plebiscite help Hitlers expansionist foreign policy?
-Was run by LoN since 1919
-90% voted to return to German rule
-Legal, and boost to Hitlers prestige
How did the 1936 Remilitarisation of the Rhineland help Hitlers expansionist foreign policy?
-Massive gamble, paid off
-France signed treaty with USSR - promise to protect each other from Germany
-Hitler claimed this was threatening Germany and so should be allowed to place troops on its own frontier
-Many in Britain saw this “only going into it’s back-yard”
-France wouldn’t act with Britain
-League issued only condemnation - distracted in Abyssinia
-Boost to Hitlers prestige
How did the 1938 Anschluss help Hitlers expansionist foreign policy?
-Mussolini and Hitler now allies, therefore easier to do as M previously prevented it in 1934
-Chamberlain allowed - felt ToV was wrong to forbid it
-H used Austrian Nazis to stir up trouble, then claimed only Anschluss could sort it out
-Germany troops marched in in March
-Under Nazi troops eyes, 99.75% of Germans and Austrians voted for it
How did the events in the Sudetenland in 1938 help Hitlers expansionist foreign policy?
-Henlein, leader of Sudeten Nazis stirred up trouble and demanded to be part of Germany
-Hitler claimed Germans in the Sudetenland were being mistreated by the Czechs
-Said he was prepared to invade
-Tension rose, war seemed likely
-Br, Fr, It and G agreed at Munich to transfer Sudetenland to Germany
-Chamberlain - “peace for our time”
How did the 1939 invasion of Czechoslovakia help Hitlers expansionist foreign policy?
-Czech in chaos
-Nazi troops took over the rest, no resistance
-Britain and France did nothing
-However made it clear if H invaded Poland they would declare war
-Appeasement over
How did the 1939 invasion of Poland help Hitlers expansionist foreign policy?
-Hitler and Stalin decided to split Poland between them - Nazi-Soviet pact
-German troops invaded 1 Sept
-Br and Fr declared war 2 Sept
How significant was German involvement in Spanish Civil War 1936-1939?
-Opportunity for H to fight Communism - sent assistance to Franco’s RW rebels in battle against Communists
-Opportunity to test out new armed forces. Devastating raids on Spanish cities (e.g: Guernica)
-Something in common with Mussolini
What was the significance of Anti-Comintern Pact?
-H and M realised they had much in common with Japanese dictatorship
-1936 G and J signed Anti-Comintern pact
-1937 Italy signed. Became known as axis alliance
-Limited influence of Communism around the world- aimed mainly at USSR
Why did Fr and Br follow appeasement in 1930s?
CEEVUW:
-Communism - admired H for standing up to Communism - worried more about Stalins threat to world peace than Hitlers. Strong G could be a buffer to Communism
-Empire - not certain the British Empire and Commonwealth would support Br in war against G
-Economics - Br and Fr suffering from impact of Depression (debts, unemployment, etc.). Felt this should have higher priority than tackling Hitler
-Versailles - many felt was too harsh on G, and assumed once this was reversed G would be peaceful
-USA - American leaders determined not to be dragged into another war. Br and Fr reluctant to fight w/o USA support
-War - Br and Fr desperate to avoid another war like WW1 at almost any cost
What criticisms could be made of Appeasement?
-Encouraged H to be aggressive and take further risks
-Put too much faith in H promises - belief he was trustworthy and honourable
-Allowed G to become too strong - more militarily powerful than Fr and Br
-Alarmed USSR, sent message that Br and Fr would not stand in the way of expansion into East. Contributed to Nazi-Soviet pact
How can Appeasement be seen as the right policy?
-Chamberlains supporters said it was only available option
-Standing up to H would’ve meant war - Br was not prepared for this
-Br armed forces were badly equipped and behind G
-Bought time for rearming
-Public opinion in favour
-USA against standing up to H
Why did H and S sign Nazi-Soviet pact in 1939?
-USSR joined LoN in 1934 hoping to guarantee security against G. However Abyssinian crisis demonstrated powerlessness
-Stalin saw Br and Fr didn’t resist G rearmament and welcomed strong G for buffer against Communism
-Munich agreement increased his concerns - he was not consulted and worried Br and Fr were powerless against Hitler and welcomed him taking over Russia and Eastern Europe
-Br, Fr and USSR entered talks in 1939 but Chamberlain wouldn’t commit Br to an alliance - S snubbed
-Fr and Br guaranteed help to Poland if invaded - S saw this as support for one of USSRs enemies
-S wanted to take over Baltic states and large areas of Poland. Could not if he had to fight G
-Didn’t believe H would stick to pact forever, but wanted time to build up Soviet forces against G attack when it came
