Paper 1 (1.3) Hitler's Foreign Policy Flashcards
Name Hitler’s 4 foreign policy aims
- To destroy the Treaty of Versailles
- To bring all German speaking people under German control
- To expand eastwards for Lebensraum (living space)
- To destroy the Communist USSR.
Who was the British cartoonist who drew many cartoons criticising Hitler and the policy of appeasement?
David Low
When did Hitler withdraw Germany from the World Disarmament Conference?
1933
In what year was conscription introduced in Germany?
1935
What year did Germany leave the League of Nations?
1933
When was the non-aggression pact between Germany and Poland signed?
1934
Who did Hitler sign a naval agreement with in 1935?
Britain
What percentage of the British Navy size were Germany allowed for their Navy under the Anglo- German naval agreement?
35%
Which organisation controlled the Saar region after it was taken from Germany?
The League of Nations
What Percentage of Saarlanders voted in favour of re-joining Hitler’s Germany in 1935?
90%
What was the dematerialised area of Germany that bordered France called?
The Rhineland
When did Hitler march his troops into the Rhineland?
7th March 1936
How many troops did Hitler send into the Rhineland in 1936?
32,000
What was the reaction from the French and British to the Hitler Remilitarising the Rhineland
They did nothing, as they were too concerned with Mussolini in Abyssinia
What did the League of Nations do in response to Hitler’s invasion of the Rhineland?
They condemned the action, but did not act.
What was the section of the Treaty of Versailles called that forbade the union of Germany and Austria?
Anschluss
Who was the Chancellor of Austria in 1938?
Kurt von Schuschnigg
When was the Spanish Civil War?
1936-39
What was the pact signed in 1936 between Hitler and Mussolini called?
The Rome-Berlin Axis
Who did Schuschnigg ask for help when he discovered an Austrian revolution in 1938?
Adolf Hitler
Who was the leader of the Austrian Nazi party in 1938?
Arthur Seyss-Inquart
When did Hitler march his troops into Austria?
12th March 1938
How many opponents of Hitler were imprisoned in Austria after the German invasion?
Over 80,000
What was the percentage of Austrians who voted in favour of staying with Germany in the plebiscite in 1938?
99.75%
What is appeasement?
Giving someone what they want in order to fulfil a purpose of your own
Why did Hitler want to take over Czechoslovakia?
It had a large army and strong military defences; it had many coal deposits; he wanted Lebensraum; he hated the country as a democracy and a reminder of the Treaty of Versailles restrictions.
Who was the leader of Czechoslovakia in 1938?
Edvard Benes
Who was the leader of the Czech Nazi Party in 1938?
Konrad Henlein
When did the Sudeten Nazis riot in Czechoslovakia?
12th September 1938- they were first encouraged by Hitler, but quickly crushed by the army.
When was the four power conference held in Munich?
29th September 1938
Who attended the Munich agreement?
Adolf Hitler (Germany) Neville Chamberlain (Britain) Benito Mussolini (Italy) Edouard Daladier (France). Ironically, Czechoslovakia was not invited.
What was agreed at the Munich agreement conference?
In order to avoid war, Chamberlain allowed Hitler to take over the Sudetenland, which he did on the 1st of October.
State the four ways in which the outcome of the Munich agreement weakened Czechoslovakia.
- It lost its strong defensive system
- it lost key industrial areas
- it lost territory to Poland and Hungary
- the actions of the Sudeten Germans made other Germans in Czechoslovakia want to return to their home county.
Who was the new Czechoslovakian president in 1939?
Emil Hacha
Why was Hacha forced to let Hitler into Czechoslovakia for help?
The Slovaks appealed for more rights.
When was Czechoslovakia occupied by Germany?
15th March 1939
Why was Hitler’s invasion of Czechoslovakia not opposed by Britain or France?
Hitler had been invited in by the president, so it technically was not an aggressive act. However, this did change Chamberlain’s attitude towards Hitler, marking the end of appeasement.
What did Britain introduce following the invasion of Czechoslovakia?
Conscription. It was the first time Britain had ever introduced conscription in peacetime.
Why did Hitler want to invade Poland?
The Treaty of Versailles had given Poland the previously German land of the Polish Corridor. This area contained the Port of Danzig, which was home to many German speaking people.
When did Britain and France agree to help Poland if they were invaded by Germany?
April 1939
Why did Britain delay their pact with the USSR in 1939?
They were very distrustful of Soviet Communism, so delayed the pact through the summer of 1939.
Why did Poland not want an alliance with the USSR?
Although the USSR was the only country in a position to help Poland if Germany invaded, Poland feared an invasion from them as much as they feared one from Hitler.
When was the Nazi Soviet Pact signed?
23rd August 1939
Why was the Nazi Soviet Pact so shocking for other countries?
Hitler’s policy of Lebensraum involved conquering countries in Eastern Europe, including the USSR. Hitler also hated Communism, and wanted to eradicate it.
Why did the USSR agree to sign the pact with Germany?
Stalin was tired of the British delays; Stalin suspected the British and French of trying to distract Hitler’s attention towards the east and away from them; Stalin gained half of Poland and time to rearm in case a German invasion came.
When did Germany invade Poland?
1st September 1939
When did Britain declare war on Germany?
3rd September 1939
