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History GCSE AQA > Origins and Outbreak of WW2 > Flashcards

Origins and Outbreak of WW2 Flashcards

1
Q

Why was there a rise in extremist dictatorship?

A

The Great Depression caused a lot of havoc. People welcomed a strong government who promised to put things right, leading to a rise of dictators. They also relied on them for protection against the communist revolution, and the expansion of countries. This lead to leaders such as Hitler’s popularity skyrocketing

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2
Q

What were the effects of the Great Depression?

A
  • vast unemployment
  • homelessness
  • starvation
  • lack of trust in the government
  • demands for change
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3
Q

What caused the Great Depression?

A

October 1929: Wall Street Crash and all loans that the US had given out were called for immediate repayment

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4
Q

What were Hitler’s aims?

A
  • Lebensraum
  • Overturn Versailles
  • Unite German Speakers (Volksdeutche)
  • Destroy communism
  • Rearmament
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5
Q

What was lebensraum?

A

German term for ‘living space’; to get the land he wanted, Hitler would have to invade other countries - an act of war

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6
Q

What was volksdeutche?

A

Uniting German speakers, it included Anschluss

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7
Q

What was Anschluss?

A

Reuniting Germany and Austria

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8
Q

What acronym could be used to remember Hitler’s aims?

A

LOUDER

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9
Q

What happened at the 1933 Rearmament conference?

A

Hitler claimed that he will disarm if everyone else did. When France disagreed, Hitler stormed out and pulled Germany out of the League

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10
Q

Who was the Austrian Chancellor in 1934?

A

Englebert Dollfuss

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11
Q

What did Dolfuss do to avoid Anschluss?

A

Banned the Nazi party in Austria

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12
Q

What was the Dolfuss affair?

A

Hitler ordered the Austrian Nazis to wreck havoc and they assasinated Dolfuss, because he banned the Nazi Party in Austria

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13
Q

When was the Saarland plebiscite held?

A

13 January 1935

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14
Q

What were the results of the Saarland plebiscite?

A

90% voted to rejoin Germany over France, which Hitler used as propoganda

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15
Q

When did Hitler announce that he had rebuilt the German army?

A

March 1935

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16
Q

What else did Hitler announce at the same time as announcing the reintroduction of the German Army?

A
  • he reintroduced conscription
  • he built the luftwaffe
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17
Q

When did the Anglo-German agreement occur?

18
Q

What did the Anglo German Naval agreement settle on?

A

Hitler was allowed to rebuild the German navy to 35% of the size of the British navy

19
Q

What was the Rome Berlin axis?

A

An informal agreement between Italy and Germany to work together more

20
Q

When did the Rome Berlin axis occur?

21
Q

What was the Anti Comintern Pact?

A

Germany, Japan and Italy signed a pact against communists, neither country would enter in an alliance with a communist country

22
Q

When was the Anti Comintern pact finalised?

23
Q

Define appeasement

A

The policy of giving into some of the demands of a potentially hostile nation, in hopes of maintaining peace

24
Q

What were the arguments for appeasement?

A
  • people still remembered WW1 and wanted peace
  • British armed forces were already stretched by military commitments in the Empire + weren’t ready for another war
  • Politicians in other countries admired Hitler’s success - he had improved the economy and had built an impressive new infrastructure, so they didn’t want to fight him
  • the British feared communism, a strong Germany = barrier against the USSR
  • If Britain went to war, they wouldn’t be guaranteed support from USA and France
25
What was the argument against appeasement?
- Hitler became more and **more demanding** as time went on. He began asking for lands with a significant German population, eg: Saar, but later threatened countries were this wasn't the case - Some politicians of the time warned of the dangers of appeasement. Churchill warned that a **rearmed Germany** was a **threat** - Hitler proved that **he couldn't be trusted** to keep his promises and that he would use violence - Opportunities to stop Hitler when he was weak such as during the **remiliterisation of rhineland** - Appeasement is morally wrong
26
When did the Sudetenland Crisis occur?
1938
27
Where is the **Sudetenland**?
It was a part of Western Czechoslovakia which had a large minority population of Germans
28
What happened during the Sudetenland Crisis?
- **May 1918**: Nazis demand that the Sudetenland should become a part of Germany. Hitler moved their troops to the border and threatened war - **Benes**, the Czech leader, was ready to fight - Britain, France and the USSR had agreed to **support Czechoslovakia** if Hitler invaded - Conference called the **Munich Agreement** was held, in which the following was agreed → *The Sudetenland would be **given to Germany** if Hitler agreed not to **invade** the rest of Czechoslovakia* - This bought time for Britain to rearm. - Czechoslovakia and the USSR weren't consulted on this decision
29
When did Germany invade the whole of Czechoslovakia?
**15 March 1939**
30
How did the invasion of Czechoslovakia strengthen Germany?
- large Czech army removed as a threat - Czech airfields in the range of many German cities were now lost - Czech armament industry was now Germany's
31
How did the Czech invasion result in the end of appeasement?
- proved Hitler was lying in **the Munich Agreement** - Hitler had taken **non German land** - Czechs weren't Germans - Britain and France **did nothing** but appeasement **had ended**
32
When was the Nazi Soviet Pact finalised?
**23 August 1939**
33
What was the Nazi Soviet Pact?
An agreement between Hitler and Stalin not to attack each other
34
What were the German benefits of the Nazi Soviet Pact?
- invasion of Poland without facing a war on both fronts. Britain and France promised to protect Poland but the USSR would no longer interfere - USSR no longer Britain and France's ally - USSR's massive army no longer a threat to Germany - To gain territory without an actual fight - Poland could act as a buffer to stop attacks from the West
35
What were the benefits of the Nazi Soviet pact to the USSR?
- Stalin felt betrayed by Britain and France - he thought that B + F were being weak by appeasing Hitler and realised that **he could not trust them** if the USSR invaded - B + F sent **minor diplomats** to meet with Stalin, whereas Hitler sent a **senior Nazi**, which showed more respect - Hitler agreed that Stalin would gain **Polish territory** without actually fighting - Becoming allies gave Stalin time to prepare in case of an **invasion** - land in Poland would act as a **buffer** to stop attacks from the West
36
When did Hitler invade Poland?
**1st September 1939**
37
Describe the initial German attack on Poland
A German battleship attacked Danzig whilst the German army and **Luftwaffe** descended on Poland
38
When did Britain sent Germany the **ultimatum**?
**3rd September 1939**
39
Describe the British ultimatum sent to Germany
Stated that Germany should leave Poland but **11:00 am** or Britain would declare war. Hitler sent no reply, so Britain and France declared **war**
40
Why is Hitler responsible for the outbreak of world war two?
- He wanted **new land** for Germany from other countries - he was prepared to **bully and fight** to get what he wanted, eg.: Austria - had an **aggressive** foreign policy - **rearmed** Germany to become a **military power**, suggesting that he always **intended** to go to war with the rest of Europe
41
What was Chamberlain's role in the outbreak of the second world war?
- missed opportunities to stop Hitler, due to **appeasement** - Hitler was **encouraged** by the fact that Chamberlain kept giving him what he wanted → pushed him to invade Poland (**immediate** cause of war) - excluded **Stalin** from Munich Conference, therefore alienating him and prompting him to sign the **Nazi Soviet Pact**
42
What is Stalin's role in the outbreak of the second world war?
- signed the **Nazi Soviet Pact**, despite Hitler wanting to destroy **communism** + gave Hitler Poland - size of USSR's army meant that Germany had a powerful ally - Pact meant no war on two fronts, Hitler could easily invade Poland

History GCSE AQA (30 decks)

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