Start of war Flashcards
March 1935
German expansionism: Germany announce rearmament.
Hitler announced Germany’s Air Force and an armed force that was 300,000 men strong.
Conscription would be introduced and a 550,000-strong army planned.
Anglo-German naval conference (1935) allowed Germany 35% of British navy.
Undermined legitimacy of ToV.
March 1936
German expansionism: Remilitarisation of the Rhineland
German troops entered demilitarised Rhineland, generals given orders to withdraw if France retaliated.
France did nothing - political instability, lack of British support.
LoN condemned actions but did nothing. (Distracted by Abyssinia)
Increased Hitler’s stature - emboldened him to take greater gambles.
1937
German expansionism: Involvement in Spanish civil war
Hitler sent troops, equipment, warplanes to help Spanish nationalists against the communists.
Britain, France, LoN did nothing.
Hitler able to test out air force, saw B and F as weak.
March 1938
Germa Expansionism: Anschluss with Austria
Hitler encouraged pro-nazi Austrians to stir up trouble in Austria.
Demanded that Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg be replaced by pro-nazi Arthur Seys Inquart, who invited Hitler to occupy Austria.
LoN did nothing.
Increased support for Hitler in Germany.
September 1938
German expansionism: Annexation of the Sudetenland
Hitler threatened war if he was not given Sudetenland. (Predominantly German pop)
Munich agreement: B and F coerced Czech government to give up Sudetenland.
In exchange Hitler promised not to invade other European territories.
Increase in German resources, land, power, Hitler’s confidence and popularity.
15 March 1939
German expansionism: Invasion of Czechoslovakia
Hitler invaded a territory without a German population.
B and F did nothing.
Polish Guarantee: If Hitler invaded Poland, B and F would go to war.
Killed Chamberlain’s hopes of appeasement.
August 1939
Nazi-Soviet Pact signed
Anglo-Soviet talks failed:
B mistrusted Stalin and fearful of communism. Sent a minor official by boat without authority to make decisions. Stalin mistrusted B and F.
Nazi-Soviet talks succeeded:
Nazis sent minister of foreign affairs (Joachim Von Ribbentrop). Agreed to split conquered territories. Nazis wanted living space (Lebensraum) and prevent war on 2 fronts. Soviets wanted to expand, buy time to prepare for war.
1931
Failure of LoN: Manchurian Crisis
Japanese railway in South Manchuria allegedly attacked, Japan invade Manchuria.
LoN took ages to respond, report only presented a year later.
LoN was divided, worried of Japanese retaliation.
No action taken against Japan who left the league in 1933
Showed the league was powerless - emboldened Hitler
1933
Failure of LoN: Disarmament conference
No real direction in how the league proposed disarmament.
Everyone disarm to level of Germany or Germany rearm to level of everyone else? Reluctance for both.
Overall failure - countries only self-interested.
Hitler withdrew from league, started rearming. Nothing members could do about a non-member.
Other countries also began rearming, heightening tensions.
1935
Failure of LoN: Abyssinian crisis
Italian invasion of Abyssinia. (Fertile land, mineral wealth, revenge for previous humiliation)
Some sanctions imposed - banning of arms, resources to Italy.
Not much else done, B and F afraid of war with Italy.
Sanctions were ineffective, Italy left the league in 1937.
Highlighted failure of collective security, timidness of B and F.
Appeasement was the RIGHT policy
Appeasement to BUY TIME
Pacifist public opinion:
- Trauma of WW1
- Moral high ground
Lack of military strength:
- G rearmament far outpaced B
- B did not have sufficient military strength to defend global empire.
- Nationalist movements in colonies required resources to manage.
Insufficient resources (economy):
- B had little resources after WW1
- B chose not to rearm first, allocate resources to social life.
- B had to adopt World-wide strategy
- Financial stability as 4th arm of defence.
Misjudgment/sympathy of Hitler:
- B thought ToV was overly harsh
- B assumed Hitler was reasonable
- Hitler’s demands were ambiguous
Appeasement was the WRONG policy
Encouraged Hitler to be more aggressive:
- Each victory emboldened him
- Increase in land, resources, confidence
Encouraged USSR and Italy to side with Germany:
- B and F alliance seen as weakness in the west.
- B and F seen as using G as a bulwark against communism
Appeasement based of inadequate reading of G:
- mistaken assumption that nazis were divided into moderates and extremists.
- thought that appeasement would strengthen the (non-existent) moderates
1894-1895
Japan’s military successes: First Sino-Japanese war
Dispute over Korea, Japan’s modernised army and navy defeated the Chinese.
China ceded various territories (Liaodong pensinsula, Pescadores) and paid indemnity of 200 taels of silver.
Increase in militarism and nationalism in Japan.
1904-1905
Japan’s military successes: Russo-Japanese war
Dispute over China and Korea
Japan defeated Russian army at Mukden, Russian navy at battle of Tsushima straits.
Treaty of Portsmouth (1905) Japan acquired land and Japanese control over Korea was recognised by the west.
Showed Japan could be an equal to the west. Increase in prestige of Japanese army, hatred for the west. (Believed they should have received more reparations)
1919
Japan’s foreign humiliations: Paris Peace conference
Japan (and others) demanded a racial equality clause be included in the LoN charter
US refused - high discrimination
Hatred for the west increased
