KQ3: Why had international peace collapsed by 1939?

Question 1

What were Hitlers foreign policy plans?

Answer 1

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

Question 2

What was the timeline of German rearmament?

Answer 2

-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

Question 3

How much did armaments spending in Germany increase between 1935 and 1939?

Answer 3

Increases from 7.4% in 1935 to 23% in 1939

Question 4

How much did the number of German warships increase from 1932 to 1939?

Answer 4

30 in 1932 to 95 in 1939

Question 5

How much did the number of military aircraft increase from 1932 to 1939?

Answer 5

36 in 1932 to 8250 in 1939

Question 6

How much did the number of German soldiers increase from 1932 to 1939?

Answer 6

100,000 in 1932 to 950,000 in 1939

Question 7

Why was Hitler allowed to get away with rearmament?

Answer 7

-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

Question 8

How did the 1935 Saar plebiscite help Hitlers expansionist foreign policy?

Answer 8

-Was run by LoN since 1919
-90% voted to return to German rule
-Legal, and boost to Hitlers prestige

Question 9

How did the 1936 Remilitarisation of the Rhineland help Hitlers expansionist foreign policy?

Answer 9

-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

Question 10

How did the 1938 Anschluss help Hitlers expansionist foreign policy?

Answer 10

-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

Question 11

How did the events in the Sudetenland in 1938 help Hitlers expansionist foreign policy?

Answer 11

-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”

Question 12

How did the 1939 invasion of Czechoslovakia help Hitlers expansionist foreign policy?

Answer 12

-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

Question 13

How did the 1939 invasion of Poland help Hitlers expansionist foreign policy?

Answer 13

-Hitler and Stalin decided to split Poland between them - Nazi-Soviet pact
-German troops invaded 1 Sept
-Br and Fr declared war 2 Sept

Question 14

How significant was German involvement in Spanish Civil War 1936-1939?

Answer 14

-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

Question 15

What was the significance of Anti-Comintern Pact?

Answer 15

-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

Question 16

Why did Fr and Br follow appeasement in 1930s?

Answer 16

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

Question 17

What criticisms could be made of Appeasement?

Answer 17

-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

Question 18

How can Appeasement be seen as the right policy?

Answer 18

-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

Question 19

Why did H and S sign Nazi-Soviet pact in 1939?

Answer 19

-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