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Z History GCSE 2 > Road To War > Flashcards

Road To War Flashcards

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1
Q

What were Hitler’s aims of foreign policy? (4)

A
  1. Abolish the ToV: he believed that it was unjust and unfair and thought German leaders to be ‘November Criminals’, and it was a constant reminder of how Germany lost the War and were humiliated by the Allies
  2. Expand Germany Territory and to ensure that all German speaking nations were apart of Germany, and to unite Austria and Germany again - to give extra Lebensraum (living space) for Germans
  3. Defeat communism - as he believed that the Bolsheviks (communists) were one of the main reasons that Germany had lost WW1, hoped to take land from USSR. He wanted to crave a German empire out of the Soviet Union. He also believed that the Bolsheviks wanted to take over Germany
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2
Q

Why was the disarmament conference unsuccessful?

A

1932-33

  • Germans refused to disarm unless every other nation also disarmed to their level.
  • They said that if other nations refused to disarm, they would increase their armaments to the French levels.
  • French refused to disarm, this stalemate led to Hitler withdrawing Germany from LON and disarmament conference.
  • Hitler began rearming.
  • British blamed French, French blamed British and Germany blamed both Br and Fr.
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3
Q

Describe the German rearmament

A
  1. As soon as came to power in Germany in 1933 began rearming and thousands of unemployed workers were drafted into the army
  2. 1935: Hitler openly staged a massive military rally
  3. 1936: conscription introduced (not ToV)
  4. Established german airforce called the Luftwaffe.
  5. From 1932-1939: 30-95 warships, 36 aircraft-8250 aircraft, 100,000 soldiers-950,000 soldier.
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4
Q

Why was Hitler able to challenge the ToV?

A
  1. Conscription lowered unemployment
  2. Br (Stresa pact!!) and Fr felt ToV too harsh. But France still not happy that Britain allowed Germany to increase their navy to 35% size of Britain’
  3. No one wants war (Appeasement)
  4. Other countries want to keep Hitler on their side as fear of communism
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5
Q

Describe the Saar Plebiscite

A
  1. Plebiscite held in 1935 and Saar returns to German control.
  2. Under ToV Saar (area rich in coal) meant to be ruled by LON for 15 years.
  3. Legal and gave Hitler a morale boost, as although he as worried as many of his opponents had fled to the Saar, around 90% of the population voted to return to German rule
  4. Hitler’s propaganda ministerJoseph Goebbels mounted a massive campaign to persuade the people of the Saar to vote for the Riech
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6
Q

Describe the Remilitarisation of the Rhineland.

A
  1. In March 1936 Hitler marched his troops into the Rhineland and they were stationed there incase of a French attack
    - The Rhineland was the large area either side of the River Rhine that formed Germany’s Western border with France and Belgium
  2. This was against ToV and had been formerly agreed at Locarno treaties of 1925
  3. Ordered his troops to turn back if French resistance as he knew they were too weak to fight a war
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7
Q

How did Germany justify the Remilitarisation of the Rhineland?

A
  • Claimed that Germany was under threat after a recent agreement between France and USSR.
  • This pact said that they would protect each other against an attack from Germany
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8
Q

What were the actions of Britain and France after the Remilitarisation of the Rhineland?

A
  • France failed to act (but still felt threatened) as they were worried about the strength of Germany’s army and France was still weak after WW1
  • LON occupied with Abyssinia
  • Britain believed Hitler when he said that he wanted peace and thought ToV was too harsh
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9
Q

What was the Rome-Berlin Axis?

A

1936
Informal agreement between Hitler and Mussolini in which they agreed to work more closely together, both entered Spanish Civil War.

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10
Q

Describe the Spanish Civil War

A
  1. 1936 Civil War broke out between the communists and Fascists, between supporters if the Republican government and right-wing rebels under General Franco
  2. 1937 German aircrafts, supporting General Franco bombed Guernica (important Republican area) and
  3. Germany and Italy had already sent thousands of troops over
  4. Germany could test their new weaponry (went against ToV as supposed to not have airforce)
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11
Q

What was the impact of the Spanish Civil War?

A
  • In 1936 Germany signed (and then Italy in 1937) an Anti- Comintern Pact with Japan (Axis Alliance)
  • Aim was to limit communist influence around the world especially in USSR
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12
Q

Describe Hitlers action in Anschluss

A
  1. Hitler attempted Anschluss in 1934 but Mussolini stopped him
  2. Austrian Nazis causing chaos in 1938 and a plot was discovered that they were planning to kill the German Ambassador
  3. Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg, visited Hitler for crisis talks in 1938, he was badly treated
  4. Hitler demanded that Austrian Nazis should be allowed to join Austrian government and be given control of law and order
  5. Hitler threatened force if Nazis not given more power in Austria
  6. Announced Plebiscite 9th March
  7. Not prepared to loose: on 11th March 1938 Hitler sends troops into Austria, 12th March Hitler himself crossed into Austria
  8. Result was 99.75% in his favour (successful lebensraum)
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13
Q

How did Germany justify the Anschluss?

A
  • Schuschnigg made voting age 24 to avoid young Nazis

- Claimed that troops sent in to ensure a trouble free plebiscite

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14
Q

What did Hitler achieve by the Anschluss? (4)

A
  1. Gained access to gold and iron, soldiers and weapons.
  2. Increased territory and influence
  3. Now had territory surrounding Czechoslovakia (containing the Sudetenland) - making it easier for him to invade.
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15
Q

What were the actions of Britain and France after the Anschluss?

A
  1. Chamberlain thought that ToV was too harsh and that Austrians and Germans had a right to be untied and the ToV was wrong to separate them
  2. Britain’s Lord Halifax had even suggested to Hitler before the Anschluss that Britain would not resist Germany uniting with Austria
  3. French took no action
  4. Anschluss was completed without any military confrontation with France and Britain
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16
Q

Describe Hitler’s actions in the Sudetenland

A
  1. Just as in Austria, Hitler used Sudetenland Nazis, led by Henlein, stirred up trouble, calling for Sudetenland to be united with Germany
  2. May 1938: Hitler threatened war over the issue putting Europe on war footing
    - Tensions rose over the summer (any war would be brutal)
  3. 15th September: Chamberlain flies to meet Hitler, and he claims that he only wanted parts Sudetenland and would hold a plebiscite (Chamberlain thought that if Germany got this they would be satisfied and just a bit of ToV that needed to be addressed)
  4. 19th September: French and British told Edward Beneš Hitler’s plans and how they were planning to give Hitler the parts of the Sudetenland that he wanted, however three days later he increased his demand
  5. 21st September: Hitler backtracked – he wanted all of the Sudetenland, saying he needed to ‘rescue’ Germans living there – and saying he would do so on October 1st whatever the outcome of talks
  6. 29th: Leaders of France, Britain, Italy and Germany at Munich conference (Munich Agreement) Britain and France gave Hitler the Sudetenland, without consulting Czechs or USSR
  7. 30th: publish a joint declaration which Chamberlain said would bring ‘Peace for our time’, appeased Hitler
  8. 1st October: German troops march into the Sudetenland marched unopposed into the Sudetenland
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17
Q

Why was Hitler interested in the Sudetenland?

A
  1. Area taken in ToV
  2. Mainly populated by German speakers (3 million).
  3. Nazis in the Sudetenland wanted to be apart of Germany
  4. Had forts railways and industries which would help increase German economy and improve power.
    (France 1925 promised to protect but new Prime Minister not keen to go to war with Germany over Czech.)
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18
Q

How did Hitler justify the Sudetenland?

A

He claimed that the Czech government was mistreating the Germans in the Sudetenland

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19
Q

What were the actions of Britain and France in the Sudetenland?

A
  1. Britain, France and the USSR had promised to support Czech, if it came to war
  2. The Czechs themselves thad a modern army. The Czech leader Benēs was prepared to fight and he knew that without the Sudetenland and its forts, railways and industries, Czechoslovakia would be defenceless
  3. Chamberlain told Hitler that his demands were unreasonable
  4. British Navy was mobilised
  5. Munich conference
  6. Tell Czech. without consulting them or the USSR (Czech-supporter) (acted superior)
  7. Joint declaration.
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20
Q

What was the impact of the Munich Agreement on Czech and Poland?

A
  • Czechoslovakia became militarily indefensible as Germany controlled their arms factories and major forts
  • If Hitler took the rest of Czech. Poland would be impossible to defend
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21
Q

What was the impact of the Munich Agreement on Britain and France?

A
  • By backing down they loose a lot of credibility as France did not protect Czech and Britain allowed Hitler, they were now thought of as spineless and soft
  • October 1938 British opinion poll, 93% said they did not believe when he said he had no more territorial ambitions in Europe
  • Lost the best chance to stop Hitler as they now had to trust Hitler.
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22
Q

What was the impact of the Munich Agreement on Germany?

A
  • Now see Br and Fr as weak.

- March 1939 occupy Prague.

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23
Q

What did Hitler gain from the Sudetenland?

A
  1. Skoda arms factories and ball bearing factories
  2. Modern and sophisticated society
  3. Coal and mineral resources, power stations and farmland
  4. Rest of Czech. not protected
24
Q

Describe the occupation of Prague

A

15th March 1939

  • German troops invade and the Czechs made no resistance as defenceless
  • Clearly invasion and not unification of German people.
25
Q

What did Hitler gain from the rest of Czechoslovakia?

A
  1. Only 100 miles from Romanian oil fields.
  2. £20 million of gold and mixed currencies in Prague’s banks.
  3. German army had a surplus of equipment such as weapons for the first time.
  4. Tax base greatly increases in size and strength.
26
Q

What follows after Prague?

A

-British policy changes as Hitler does not keep to his agreement and now they know that he cannot be trusted.
-Britain gives assurances to Poland
-Conscription introduced in France (soon in Britain)
-AA guns in view of German embassy: Production of spitfires and hurricanes
(Not huge threat to Germany? as only implied that Germany would not be allowed to expand further).
Significant as Britain and France realised that Poland was likely to be Hitler’s next target and told him that if he attacked they would declare war. Hitler did not believe them after so many years of appeasement.

27
Q

Describe the events in the Polish Corridor

A
  • 1st September 1939 Germany invade Poland.
  • By the end of the month Polish resistance had collapsed and on 17th Soviet Forces cross Polish Frontier and took control of part of Eastern Poland (NSP), Soviets also moved to Baltic States of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
  • Hitler uses Blitzkrieg, overwhelming the force in as short time as possible to crush the enemy and used armoured vehicles and tanks.
28
Q

How does Hitler justify the events in the Polish Corridor?

A
  • He sees it as German territory with German speakers.

- Overturning the ToV which took land ‘unfairly’ away.

29
Q

What were the actions of Britain and France in the Polish Corridor?

A
  • Britain and France had promised to protect Germany.

- 3rd September 1939, Britain and France declare war on Germany.

30
Q

Why was the Nazi Soviet Pact surprising?

A
  1. Hitler had vowed to destroy communism
  2. USSR had been negotiating with Great Britain and France. (However USSR would not gain land and would defo result in war and delayed writing of letters)
  3. Left wing were their natural enemies
  4. Wanted to push out the Soviets to give more space for Germans
  5. Stalin was worried about the German threat to the Soviet Union
31
Q

What were the terms of the Nazi Soviet Pact?

A

23rd August 1939

  1. Germany gain: oil and grain supply, a promise of peace (non-agresion pact) and an (agreement to divide Poland and Eastern Europe).
  2. USSR gain: a promise of peace and more land in Europe, (part of Poland and Baltic states).
    - 10 year agreement, one year notice, comes into force immediately (shows how distrustful they were between each other).
    - Governments consult each other and can’t join any other groups.
32
Q

Why did the USSR sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact?

A
  1. Other agreement would result in war so this reduces war.
  2. Allows Russia to gain and rule over more land as gets half of Poland
  3. More time to re-arm for when Hitler would eventually invade Russia, especially after purges
  4. Strong army on its side and benefit from German tools, alliance
  5. Knew that Britain and France were weak by Appeasement and wanted to be on winning side especially after he joined LON in 1934 hoping to save threat from Germany and so showed powerless
  6. Although he had signed a treaty with France in 1935 that said France would help the USSR if Germany invaded the Soviet Union, Stalin was not sure he could trust the French troops to stick to it, particularly when they failed to stop Hitler moving his troops into the Rhineland, which was right on their own border
  7. Munich Agreement in 1938, he was not consulted and Stalin concluded from the agreement that France and Britain were powerless to stop Hitler or even worse, that they were happy for Hitler to take over EE and then the USSR
33
Q

Why did Germany sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact?

A
  1. Allowed him to invade Poland, and get half of Poland without fear of Soviet intervention, not facing an attack on two fronts
  2. Weakens his alliances
  3. Possible ally
  4. Strengths military
  5. collect Soviet raw materials
  6. Stalin THINKS that he is more secure
  7. Time
34
Q

How did the Nazi-Soviet Pact bring war closer?

A
  1. After Hitler invades Poland on 1st September 1939, he gains more confidence and the NSP allowed him to do this
  2. Hitler would no longer face a war on two fronts
  3. More confidence to invade Britain and France as USSR no longer protects them
35
Q

What was the Hitler Factor?

A
  • Lebensraum (‘living space’), expand German territory. In order for the German Aryan race (the best in the world according to Hitler) to grow and spread. Place with German speakers but then demanded more and more land.
  • Hated communism (written in Mein Kamf).
36
Q

Why did Hitler want to unite Germany and Austria? (6)

A
  • He was able to fulfil one of his main foreign policy aims, to unite all German speakers as there were 6 million German speakers in Austria.
  • He went and destroyed the ToV which said that he was not allowed the Anschluss, again fulfilling one of his main foreign policy aims to demolish the ToV as he believed that it was too unfair.
37
Q

What happened at the Munich Conference in 1938? (4)

A

Leader of Italy, France, Britain and Germany met on the 29th September 1968 to discuss a peaceful solution to the crisis in Czechoslovakia.
Fr and Br Prime Ministers agreed with Hitler on the terms of the annexation of the Sudetenland.

38
Q

Why did Stalin sign the Nazi Soviet Pact? (6)

A
  • In the secret agreement he was allowed half of Poland as well as the Baltic Sates. This would allow him to increase USSR rule and their power.
  • By signing this pact, instead of one with Br and Fr War was delayed/avoided allowing him time to re-arm because he knew that Germany would eventually invade.
39
Q

Why did Hitler want to take over Czechoslovakia? (6)

A
  • Fulfilled one of his main foreign policy aims as more than 3 million German speakers in the Sudetenland and more in Czechoslovakia.
  • This land was create and taken away from him by the ToV and so he was fulfilling his aim of destroying the ToV.
40
Q

Why did Britain follow a policy of appeasement towards Germany in the 1930’s?

A
  • Neville Chamberlain believed that the ToV was too harsh, and so he thought that if Germany got more than they would again become a peaceful nation.
  • Britain was not ready for a war, as Hitler had started rearmament in 1933 but Britain only had full scale rearmament in 1938!
41
Q

What measures had Hitler taken by 1938 to prepare Germany for war? (4)

A
  • He had remilitarised the Rhineland in 1936
  • Signed the Anglo-German Naval agreement in 1935 to allow Germany to increase their navy to 35% of Britain’s.
  • Germany left the LON in 1933.
  • In 1936 he becomes involved in the Spanish Civil War allowing him to test out the Luftwaffe, and Blitzkrieg.
42
Q

What actions had Hitler taken between 1933 and 1937 to abolish the ToV? (4)

A
  • He remilitarised the Rhineland in 1936, which was demilitarised under the ToV.
  • He attempted Anschluss in 1934, which was forbidden under the ToV.
  • In 1936 Hitler introduced conscription, when the ToV limited the German army to 100,000 men.
  • In 1936 Hitler established the Luftwaffe when Germany having an air force had been forbidden in ToV.
43
Q

Why was Hitler able to unite with Austria in 1938?

A
  • Italy did not interfere with Hitler’s attempt in 1938 as he had now signed the Anti-Comintern Pact and so now Mussolini would not stop Hitler in his attempt.
  • He had convinced the Nazis to stir up trouble, this allowed Hitler to convince the Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg that the only way to solve this unrest was to unite with Germany. Britain and France also did not help as they believed this was not an invasion, but a unification of German speaking people.
44
Q

Why did Britain and France declare war on Germany in 1939?

A
  1. Britain and France realised that Poland was likely to be Hitler’s next target and they told him that if he attacked, they would declare war.
  2. Chamberlain promised the Poles that Britain would protect them if Germany attacked Poland.
  3. 1st Sept 1939: Hitler invades Poland
  4. 3rd Sept 1939: Chamberlain declared war on Germany.
45
Q

Describe Hitler’s actions from 1933 - 1939

A
  1. 1933: Took Germany out of LON
  2. 1934: Tried to take over Austria but was prevented by Mussolini
  3. 1935: Held a massive rearmament rally in Germany
  4. 1936: reintroduced conscription in Germany; sent German troops into the Rhineland; made an anti-communist alliance with Japan
  5. 1937: Tried out Germany’s new weapons in the Spanish Civil War, made an anti-communist alliance with Italy
  6. 1938: Took over Austria; took over the Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia
  7. 1939: Invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia; invaded Poland; War
46
Q

What were the arguments for Appeasement?

A
  • NC only came to be Prime Minister in 1937
    1. Fear of Communism: they were more concerned about the spread of Communism and particularly the dangers to world peace posed by Stalin, the new leader in the USSR, many saw Hitler as a buffer to the threat of spreading Communism
    2. Memories of the Great War: both British and French leader, and much of their population, vividly remembered the horrific experiences of WW1, they wished to avoid another War at almost any cost
    3. German Arms: Germany was rearming quickly and publicly year by year. Hitler claimed he was trying to catch up with other countries but others could see that Germany was better armed than Britain and France
    4. British Arms: The British government believed that the armed forces were not ready for war against Hitler. Britain only began rearming in 1935, and intelligence suggested that Britain were some way behind the Germans
47
Q

What were some of the other arguments for Appeasement?

A
  1. The British Empire: for Britain to fight a war against Germany it needed to be sure it had the support of the countries in its empire or Commonwealth. It was nit a guaranteed certainty that they would all support a War
  2. ToV: Many felt that the ToV was too harsh and unfair to Germany. Some of Hitler’s demands were not unreasonable. They assumed that once these wrongs were out right then Germany would become a peaceful nation again
  3. Trusting Hitler: After each new move he made, Hitler said this was al he wanted. Yet he often went back o those promises. Appeasement was based on the mistaken idea that Hitler was trustworthy
  4. The USA: America’s support has been vital to Britain’s success in WW1. Britain could not be sure it could face up to Germany without the guarantee of American help. But since 1919 the USA had followed a policy of isolationism and American leaders were determined not to be dragged into another European War
  5. Economic Problems: Britain and France had large debts, many still from WW1 and huge unemployment as a result of the Depression. They could not afford a War
48
Q

What were sone of the arguments against Appeasement?

A
  1. Hitler was obviously not trustworthy: at some point Britain and France needed to stand up to Hitler to prevent a later bugger and more dangerous move
  2. The Soviet Union: Hitler made no secret of his plans to expand eastwards, he had openly talked of taking land in Russia and appeasement sent the message to Stalin and the USSR that Britain and France would not stand in Hitler’s way if he invaded Russia
  3. Hitler’s allies: Hitler had already observed how his allies, particularly the right-wing dictatorships in Japan and Italy, had got there way with aggression
49
Q

Describe Stalin’s negotiations

A
  1. Stalin was still prepared to talk with Britain and France about an alliance against Hitler the three countries met in March 1939, but Chamberlain was reluctant to commit Britain
  2. Stalin thought that Br and Fr guarantee to Poland made things worse and although Chamberlain meant the guarantee to defend Poland if it was invaded, as a warning to Hitler but Stalin saw it as support of the USSR’s potential enemies
  3. Negotiations between BR and Fr and the USSR continued throughout the spring and summer of 193, however Stalin also received visits from the Nazi foreign minister Ribbentrop, and they discussed NSP
  4. On 23rd August 1939, Hitler and Stalin signed the NSP and announced the terms to the world; they agreed not to attack one another and privately, they also agreed to divide Poland between them
50
Q

How could the policy of Appeasement be seen as important to WW1?

A
  1. Critical: Appeasement was critical because it made Hitler think he could het away with anything. Britain and France could have stopped Hitler in 1936 when he march his troops into the Rhineland but their nerve failed. From this point on Hitler felt he could not lose and took gamble after gamble. As a result of appeasement he did not even believe Britain would fight him when he invaded Poland in 1939
  2. Important: The policy of appeasement only came about because without the USA, LON and its leading members Fr and Br were not strong enough to keep peace. The Depression so weakened Br and Fr that they did not have the money to oppose Hitler. The policy of appeasement would not have been followed without these other factors (Depression, ToV, failure of LON)
51
Q

How could Hitler’s actions be seen as important in causing WW1?

A
  1. Critical: There could have been no war without Hitler. It was Hitler’s vision of Lebensraum, his hatred of Communism and his determination to reverse the ToV which led to war. He consciously built up Germany’s army and weapons with the intention of taking it to war. At each stage of the road to war from 1939 to 1939, it was Hitler’s actions or beliefs or decisions that caused the problem
  2. Important: Hitler was the gambler, he only did what he could get away with. So without the weakness LON, or the reluctance of Br and Fr and the Soviet Union to stand up to him; without the flawed Treaties; without the economic problems of the 1930s Hitler would not have got anywhere he would have been forced to follow a more peaceful foreign policy and there would be no war
52
Q

How could the Nazi-Soviet Pact be seen as important in causing WW1?

A
  1. Critical: Although Hitler thought that Britain and France would not fight him, he was not sure about the Soviet Union. So the Soviet Union was the only country that stood in the way of his plans. Without the NSP Hitler would not have taken the gamble to invade Poland and war would never have begun
  2. Important: The Pact allowed Hitler to invade Poland, but war was already inevitable before that, due to Hitler’s actions and his hatred of Communism. Hitler had made clear his plans to take land from the USSR. Plus which it was the policy of Appeasement that drove Stalin to sign the Pact because he thought he could not rely on the support of Britain or France to oppose Hitler
53
Q

How can the worldwide economic Depression be seen as important in causing WW1?

A
  1. Critical: The Depression critically weakened the LON. It destroyed the spirit of international cooperation which had built up in the 1920s and set countries against each other, without the Depression leading to these problems there could not have been a war
  2. Important: The Depression was certainly important, it made Japan and Italy invade Manchuria and Abyssinia. It brought Hitler to power in Germany and started German rearmament. However it is linked to all the other factors, it did not cause the war in itself. Even with the Depression Hitler could have been stopped if Britain and France had had the will to resist him. The Depression did not make war inevitable
54
Q

How can the failure of the LON be seen as important in causing WW1?

A
  1. Critical: The LON’s job was to make sure that disputes were sorted out legally. In the 1920s it created a spirit of cooperation. But, in Manchuria in 1931 and Abyssinia 1935-36 the League completely failed to stand up to aggression by Japan and Italy. This encouraged Hitler;s aggression from 1936 onwards since he believed no one would try to stop him
  2. Important: The league never really fulfilled the role of peacekeeper, even in the 1920s it gave in to Italy over Corfu. The failure of the League encouraged Hitler but even if the League had been stronger Hitler would still have tried to overturn the ToV and to destroy Communism
55
Q

How can the ToV be seen as important in causing WW1?

A
  1. Critical: Versailles and the other Treaties created a situation in Europe which made war inevitable. It was only a matter of time before Germany tried to seek revenge, overturn the Treaty and start another war. Many commentators felt at the time that it was only a question of when war might come, not whether it would
  2. Important: The Treaties contributed to the tensions of the time but they did not create them. Politicians in the 1930s could have defended the treaties or changed them. It was political choices in the 1930s which caused war not the treaties

Z History GCSE 2 (17 decks)

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