part three : the origins and outbreak of WWII Flashcards
1
Q
between what years did adolf hitler rise to power?
A
- 1918-1933.
2
Q
what was the name of hitlers book and what year was it published?
A
- the book is called mein kampf.
- released in 1924.
3
Q
what were his three main aims?
A
- abolish the treaty of Versailles.
- expand german territory.
- defeat communism.
4
Q
why did he want to abolish the treaty of versailles?
A
- believed the treaty was unfair.
- called the german who signed it ‘the november criminals’.
- defeated german pride and humiliated them.
5
Q
why did hitler want to expand german territory?
A
- german territories had been taken away due to the treaty.
- wanted to unite austria with germany.
- wanted german minorities in other countries like Czechoslovakia to reunite with germany.
- wanted to create a german empire in eastern europe because he wanted to give germans more living space.
6
Q
why did he want to defeat communism?
A
- believed bolsheviks helped bring out the defeat of germany in WW1.
- believed the bolsheviks wanted to take over germany.
7
Q
what was the dollfuss affair?
A
- dollfuss was the chancellor of austria, dictator.
- banned the nazi group.
- head of the christian social party.
- assassinated bu austrian nazis july 1934.
8
Q
why was the saar returned to germany in 1995?
A
- the league held a vote on whether the saar should come back.
- 90% voted yes.
9
Q
why did britain allow germany to rearm?
A
- britain wanted a stable but not powerful germany.
- this is beacause they didnt want the USSR invading western europe and spreading communism.
10
Q
what was the anglo-german naval agreement?
A
- britain dismantled the treaty by signing an agreement with hitler allowing germany to increase its navy to 35% of the size of the british navy.
11
Q
what year was the anglo-german naval agreement signed?
A
- june 1935.
12
Q
what was the stresa front?
A
- mutual agreement to uphold the british and french territorial boundaries.
- this was because to stop germany from further undermining of the treaty of versailles.
13
Q
when was the stresa front signed?
A
- april 1935
14
Q
in what year did hitler move his troops into the rhineland?
A
- march 1936.
15
Q
why did the league not stop him as it was against the treaty of versailles?
A
- the abyssinian crisis was happening at the same time, league was too busy with that.
16
Q
why did the french not stop them?
A
- france not wanting to go against germany alone without britain.
- elections in france at the time anf no party wanted to tage france into war.
- france and russia signed a treaty so france feels strong in the face of agression.
- dealing with the Abyssinian crisis.
17
Q
why did the british not stop them?
A
- fear of communism, saw germany as an ally.
- britain did not agree with the treaty of versailles, rhineland was german territory anyways.
- dealing with the abyssinian crisis.
18
Q
what year was the spanish civil war?
A
- 1936-1937.
19
Q
why did hitler get involved in the spanish civil war?
A
- saw this as an opportunity to fight against communism and the same time to try out his new forces.
20
Q
why did the league not get involved?
A
- didnt want to get involved with bigger countries such as spain, germany and italy in fear that they would claim war on britain and france.
21
Q
in what year was the anti-comintern pact signed?
A
- 1936, germany and japan.
- 1937, italy signed.
22
Q
what was the aim of it?
A
- to limit communism influence around the world.
23
Q
what was the anschluss in austraia 1938?
A
- hitler invaded austria.
24
Q
why did he invade austria?
A
- germans had been living there.
- thought it would be a good idea for the two nations to unite.
- austria also agreed on uniting as they had a weak economy.
25
how did he do it?
- encouraged the nazi party in austria to cause riots and trouble.
- sent his troops into austria supposedly to guarantee a trouble free plebiscite.
26
why did britain and france not stop him?
- abyssinian crisis was happening so they were occupied with that.
27
what was the appeasement?
- britain and germany signed a naval agreement in 1935 for the next three years.
28
what were the reasons for appeasement?
- british empire might not support a war against germany.
- hitler was against communism; britain and france fear communism more than hitler.
- USA did not join the league and were not gna stand up to hitler. policy of non intervention.
- treaty of versailles is unfair.
- britain and france have their own economic problems.
- great war. millions of dead. double the amount could now die in a future war because of more powerful weapons.
- britain not ready for war.
29
in what year did the sudeten crisis happen?
- sept 1938.
30
why was the leader of czechoslovakia scared for his country?
- after the anschluss, edward benes was afraid that his country was next.
- sought help from france and britain. france promised to protect in case of invasion due to a treaty.
- britain felt obliged to follow frances footsteps.
- however hitler promised not to invade.
31
did hitler keep his promise?
- no.
- helein who was the leader of the nazis in the sudetenland stirred up trouble.
- may 1938 hitler threatened to invade czechoslovakia if needed.
32
what did czechoslovakia to about this?
- they were ready to fight as they had a modern army.
| - they were also supported by france, britain and the USSR if it came to war.
33
what did chamberlain do about this?
- 15 sept 1938 he flew to germany to speak with hitler to avoid war.
34
what did hitler want?
- hitler explained that he was only interested in parts of the sudetenland.
- a plebiscite showed the sudeten germans agreed with this.
35
what was chamberlains reaction and what did he do?
- he thought that it was reasonable.
| - he brought the plan to the french leader and told the czechs their intentions.
36
what did hitler then demand?
- he then changed his original statement and said he wanted the whole of the sudetenland.
- to justify this he said the czech government mistreated the germans and hitler wanted to rescue them.
37
what was the munich agreement?
- leaders of britain, germany, france and italy decided on the sudetenland to be given back to germany.
38
when was the munich agreement signed?
- sept 29 1938.
39
did the people of britain that hitler would be stopped?
- oct 1938, 93% of britain stated that hitler would not be stopped in his ambitions to expand his territory.
40
what happened on the 15 march 1939?
- german troops took over the rest of czechoslovakia.
- britain and france could not do anything.
- this was a clear sign that hitler could not be trusted.
41
what did britain and france predict what would happen next and what did thet state?
- they predicted that hitlers next invasion would be on poland.
- they stated that if hitler invaded poland, britain and france would declare war on germany.
42
what was the nazi-soviet pact?
- stalin and hitler decided on peace between them and that they would divide polish land between them privately.
43
when was the nazi-soviet pact signed?
- 24 aug 1939.
44
why did stalin sign the nazi-soviet pact if he knew that hitler hated the communists?
- stalin was afraid that hitler would invade the USSR so he signed the treaty so there would be peace between them.
45
why did hitler want to invade russia?
- since hitler came into power, he openly talked about invading russia.
- he had denounced communism and imprisoned and killed communists in germany.
- he was expanding his german empire towards the east, russia fell into hitlers wish list.
46
when did hilter invade poland?
- 1 sept 1939.
47
when did france and britain declare war on germany?
- 3 sept 1939.
