Nazi Foreign Policy timeline Flashcards
October 1933 What did hitler do?
Withdrew from the Disarmament conference and League of Nations
–> resented discrimination against Germany but also makes conciliatory prompts (wanting to get along with Britain and France)
January 1934 Who did Hitler make a pact with?
26th: Non-aggression pact with Poland
–> surprising considering Hitler’s hostility towards Poland and specifically the Polish corridor (greatest grievance)
–> Hitler did not feel able yet to challenge Poland and treaty also weakened France’s role in Poland)
July 1934 Who was assassinated?
25th July: Austrian Nazis assassinate Chancellor Dollfuss in an attempt to reunite Austria and Germany
–> failed and Hitler denies any involvement
January 1935 What happened in the Saarland?
A plebiscite was held with the vote being in favour of rejoining Germany (90%)
–> plebiscite was in terms of treaty of Versailles
–> huge triumph for Hitler
March 1935 What did Hitler announce about the military?
9th March: Announcement that Germany has a military airforce
16th March: Announcement for Conscription (750K army)
–> only faced verbal sanctions over status since Britain had felt that the treaty was too harsh anyway
June 1935 agreement?
Anglo-German naval agreement with Britain
–> limit of 35% of Britain’s navy
–> bilateral agreement broke Stresa front (Hitler hoped for more agreements with Britain)
March 1936
7th March: 20K soldiers march into the demilitarised Rhineland
–> Hitler went against the advice of generals and gambled on no French reaction
–> he was prepared to withdraw at even the slightest sight of French mobilisation
Success makes Hitler even bolder in his moves
July 1936
Hitler sends aid to general Franco’s uprising in Spanish civil war
November 1936 Pacts?
1st: Rome-Berlin Axis treaty
25th: Anti-comintern pact with Japan
November 1936 Spain
Hitler increases military assistance to Franco
–> Condor legion (5K men, 117 planes, 48 tanks)
–> Germans gain military experience, economic concessions and closer links to Mussolini
November 1937
Hossbach meeting: Hitler explains to his generals of the need to increase rearmament
–> intentions for war are clear
March 1938
Hitler encourages Nazi pressure in Austria (Bullies Schuschnigg into accepting new Nazi ministers
6th March: plebiscite is held on anschluss
11th March: Germany invades Austria and is well received
13th March: Hitler annexes Austria (anschluss)
May 1938
Hitler encourages Sudenten Germans in Czechoslovakia to cause unrest and Czech govt prepares for war
September 1938
Chamberlin met with Hitler and arranged the transfer of the Sudentenland. Second meeting Hitler insists on immediate transfer
–> Munich conference: Sudentenland agreed to be given by 10th October
–> another triumph for Hitler
March 1939
Hitler bullies Czechs into agreeing to a German take-over of Bohemia-Moravia
German protectorate over Slovakia
