part 3 Origins and outbreak of WW2 Flashcards
Hitler’s main 6 aims
- overturn treaty of versailles
- rearm Germany
- lebensraum
- volksdeutsche
- anschluss
- destroy communism
when did Hitler become chancellor of Germany
1933
what was the unemployment number in 1933
6 million
what was lebensraum
gaining land in the east through invading Eastern European countries
what was rearmament
reintroduction of conscription and build airforce
who did chamberlain send to meet with hitler and when
Lord Halifax November 1937
why did chamberlain send lord Halifax to meet with hitler
finding out what hitler wanted
what policy did chamberlain use towards hitler from 1937 - 1939
appeasement
what was the public opinion of the treaty of versailles in britain
that it was too harsh
what was the French opinion on hitler’s foreign policies
too busy with their own problems to focus on it
when was the treaty of mutual assistance signed between France and USSR
May 1935
when did hitler leave the League of Nations disarmament conference
1933
why did hitler storm out of the League of Nations disarmament conference
hitler said that he would disarm as long as other nations did as well, and if they refused then he wanted an army the size of France. France disagreed giving Hitler an excuse to storm out
when was the dollfuss affair
1934
what was the dollfuss affair
Austrian chancellor dollfuss banned the nazi party in Austria. hitler responded by telling Austrian nazis to make havoc in Austria, they murdered dollfuss. This was stopped by the Austrian army and Mussolini moving his troops onto the Austrian border to stop anschluss
when was hitler’s rearmament
march 1935
what was Hitler’s rearmament
showed off weapons and troops at a rally, announced he was reintroducing conscription, expanding his army to 1 million and building an Air Force, openly defying the treaty of versailles
when was the saar plebiscite
January 1935
what was the saar plebiscite
as the league of nations 15 year control over the saar expired in 1935 a plebiscite was held to decode what to do with the area. 90% of people voted to rejoin Germany. Hitler could use this as propaganda for volksdeutsche. He also gained rich coalfields
when was the anglo-german naval agreement
June 1935
what was the anglo-german naval agreement
britain signed an agreement with hitler to say Hitler could build his navy to 35% of the size of Britain’s. Hitler saw this as britain admitting the TofV was too harsh, therefore allowing them to ignore it. This deemed the military terms of the TofV useless, as britain did not consult France or Italy
when was the stresa front
April 1935
what was the stresa front
agreement between France Italy and britain stating that they would guarantee the terms of the Locarno treaty, protecting Austrian independence and working together to stop Hitler breaking the Treaty of Versailles
why did hitler want troops in the Rhineland
hitler had to start defending Germany’s borders in the west in order to invade other countries
when was the Franco-soviet pact signed
1935
what was the Franco-soviet pact
France and USSR agreed to support each other if attacked by Germany
how did hitler justify entering the Rhineland
claimed that the Franco-soviet pact put Germany under threat and that he now had enemies of western and eastern fronts
when did hitler invade the Rhineland
7 march 1936
what were troops greeted with in Rhineland
civilians gave them flowers, generals were instructed to retreat if met with any resistance
why did britain not react to the remilitarisation of the Rhineland
- thought Germany had the right to defend borders
- troops busy dealing with Abyssinian crisis
- Great Depression
- believe hitler was reclaiming what was his
why did France not react to the remilitarisation of the Rhineland
- politicians were busy fighting a general election
- much of French army was moved to Tunisia
- weren’t prepared to risk troops as they thought the germans were more powerful
why did the league of nations not react to the remilitarisation of the Rhineland
concentrating on Abyssinia