Road to War Flashcards
Hitler’s Aims
- Destroy the Treaty of Versailles
- Unite all German speakers in a Greater Germany
- Create a living space or “lebensraum” for Germans
- Destroy communism (extra)
Hitler leaves LON
After joining in 1926, Germany left the League over rearmament in 1933. Hitler felt it was unfair only losing powers had to disarm and Britain agreed.
Attempted Anchluss
Germany attempts an anchluss, or joining two countries, with Austria but they are stopped by Italy by moving Italian troops into Austria to deter Germany from entering the country
Saarland plebiscite
Plebiscite in the Saarland in 1935 as arranged by the Treaty of Versailles. Over 90% of Saarland votes for being part of Germany. Huge victory for Hitler since this degraded the TOV, made him look powerful, and added living spaces for German speakers.
Using this as a booster, he openly rearms and Britain allows Germany to have 33% of their naval fleet.
Abyssinia
In 1936, Italian leader Mussolini wanted to expand Italy’s empire for raw materials, military expansion, showing strength to other countries and providing land (living space).
Kellogg pact strictly prohibited Italy from acting aggressively upon another member of the League.
Mussolini invaded Abyssinia, Ethiopia and the League at first did nothing. After nearly a year of not acting, they imposed economic sanctions (limiting arms trading), which harmed Abyssinia more than it did Italy. Oil, the sanction that would have affected Italy, was not restricted.
B/F attempt at making Hoare Laval Pact that would end the war but give Italy big parts of Abyssinia, but the public of Ethiopia rejected this pact.
Sanctions were ineffective because:
- B/F wanted to keep good relations with Italy since they were keeping watch over Germany
- Allied countries wanted to maintain trade routes with Italy
- No one enforcing sanctions due to self interest
- Countries focused on self determination because of GD
Rhineland
In 1936, as the Abyssinian crisis is happening and distracting the LON, Hitler rearms the Rhineland by sending 20,000 troops. If faced by any opposition by France, they would stand no defensive chance. However, they faced no resistance, so Rhineland remained militarised.
Spanish Civil War
1936-1939
Between supporters of a republican government and right-wing rebels under General Franco.
Hitler helped franco because he wanted to:
- Test military capabilities (Aircraft)
- Test new military strategies
- Intimidate other countries/show what he was capable of
- Make bonds with Spain in case of future conflict
- Go against TOV
- Surround possible enemies
Manchuria
Japan was left with insufficient resources to support their country because of the GD. Manchuria, a Chinese province, was nearby and rich in resources such as coal and iron. Japan easily took control over Manchuria with just 11,000 troops, since China’s 250,000 troops were more focused on the fight against communism. China appealed to the LON who imposed moral sanctions that were ineffective. In 1933, members of the League voted that Japan should leave Manchuria, to which Japan responded by leaving the League.
Sanctions were ineffective since:
- Countries could not decide which economic sanctions to impose
- Britain and France were unwilling to risk their armies so far away from their countries
- Intervention from B/F could put their colonies in the far east at risk of attack
- B/F also wanted to maintain diplomatic relations for trades with the far east
Policy of Appeasement
Strategy employed by B/F
Granted Germany’s demands to maintain peace
Key aspects of Policy of Appeasement
- Allowing Germany to rearm.
- Turning a blind eye to Germany’s occupation of the Rhineland (1936).
- Permitting the Anschluss (the annexation of Austria in 1938).
- The Munich Agreement of 1938, which allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland (a part of Czechoslovakia) without resistance, in exchange for Hitler’s promise not to make further territorial demands.
Munich Agreement
1938
Allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland (Czechoslovakia) without resistance in exchange of Hitler’s promise to not make further territorial demands
Failure of Appeasement
- Hitler continued aggressive expansion, invading Czech in 1939 and later Poland
- Appeasement made allies look weak
Reasons for Appeasement
- Public wanted to avoid another war after WW1
- GD weakened B/F armies, so they didn’t want to engage in conflict
- Underestimated Hitler and believed his demands were reasonable
- Feared communism more than facism, so they allowed Hitler to somewhat grow since they hoped it would avoid communism taking over Europe
Nazi-Soviet Pact
August 1939
Signed between Hitler and Stalin stating that neither side would attack the other for 10 years
Gave Hitler the confidence to invade Poland without aggression from Russia
SECRET PROTOCOLS
Agreement to divide Eastern Europe between Soviets and Germany, Poland 50/50 and Soviets influence the Baltic States
Ensured Hitler would not fight a war on two fronts
Allowed aggression without Soviet backlash
Stalin gained time to build military strength
German Invasion of Poland
Polish attacks on Nazi territory (fakes, staged by Germany) were used as an excuse
Final act of Hitler’s Foreign Policy
Earlier in 1939, B/F promised Poland to defend in case of German invasion. B/F declared war because of this guarantee.
Their invasion of Poland marked the end of appeasement
Hitler’s Foreign Policy
- Overturning the TOV
Hitler viewed the TOV as humiliation and aimed to dismantle it
He began by rebuilding Germany’s army and reintroducing conscription - Lebensraum
Create a living space for German population
He believed that Germany had the right to expand eastward into Poland and the Soviet Union - Reunite all German speakers in a Greater Germany, shown in the Anschluss (annexation of Austria 1938) and Sudetenland 1938
- Form alliances with fascist Italy and Japan who shared his anti-communist ideas
- Destroy communism internationally, long-term plan to invade and destroy the Soviet Union
Rearmament
1930 Secret rearmament
Stockpiled weapons and invested in military tech
1935 Germany began violating the TOV publicly by reintroducing conscription and expanding the Luftwaffe
They were not opposed by B/F since they underestimated Germany and were focused on fixing their own economies
Rhineland
1936 Hitler remilitarized the Rhineland, violating the Treaty of Locarno Locarno and TOV
Inaction from B/F to avoid conflict, focus on fixing economy
This inaction gave Hitler confidence
Rome/Berlin Axis
Hitler and Mussolini (Italy) formed a military alliance in 1936 to strengthen their armies and improve ties between the countries
Both countries had expansionist aims
Anti-Comintern Pact
Anti-communist pact formed by Japan and Germany (Italy later joined) aimed at countering Soviet influence over countries
Helped isolate Soviets and Japan have more control over Manchuria by removing soviet influence
Why did Hitler support Franco during the Spanish Civil War?
- Test his military capacities (Luftwaffe air force and Blitzcreig) (Also Italy)
- Demonstrate his military capacities to other countries
- Strengthen ties with Italy and Spain
- Access to the Mediterranian Sea in case of future conflict
Anschluss with Austria
Goal: To unite all German speakers under one greater Reich
TOV had directly prohibited this Anschluss
Leading up to it:
Austrian Nazis wanted union so Hitler persuaded Schuschnigg
He planned a plebiscite but before it could take place Germany entered Austria (1938)
The plebiscite then showed a 99% approval rate for Germany
B/F did not intervene bc of appeasement
Consequences of Anschluss with Austria
- Emboldened Hitler
- Strengthened Germany by adding Austria’s resources and manpower
- Showed failures of B/F in preventing German expansion
Sudetenland
After Anschluss, Hitler focused on Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland
Large German population in that region
The Sudeten Nazi Party was encouraged by Hitler to demand the right of self-government
Czechoslovakia had alliances with France and the Soviet Union
Sudetenland region was heavily fortified, making it critical for the defense of the country
Hitler demanded Sudetenland to be handed over to Germany claiming that Germans were being mistreated
Czech government resisted and tensions rose through 1938
