steps to war evidence Flashcards
rearmament
By 1935, the army had increased from 7 to 12 divisions. When conscription was introduced in July 1935, the size of the army increased again to 36 divisions, over half a million men.
In March 1935, Herman Goring revealed the existence of the Luftwaffe, which had around 2,500 planes
first breach of tov
saar plebiscite
17,000 Nazi Saarlanders threatened to invade Saar - Anthony Eden countered by promising to send in British army to “keep peace”
massive majority 90.3%
re-affirms hitler’s desire to unite all german-speaking nations
first legitimate victory he encounters outside of germany - shows he has foreign support
remilitarisation of rhineland
“The 48 hours after the march into the Rhineland were the most nerve-wracking of my life. If the French had marched into the Rhineland, we would have had to withdraw with out tails between our legs”. – German army was already weak at this point (humiliation) - Hitler
20,000 troops
despite such blatant, extreme violation of tov, france and britain do not intervene at all
continues to embolden hitler
why was appeasement used
spread of fascism/nazism
spread of communism
sympathy for Germany after TOV
believed it would placate/satisfy Hitler so that he would not take such aggressive actions (instead emboldens him)
fear of war very real + prevalent (ww1, spanish civil war)
economic, political instability
anschluss with austria 1934
portrays hitler as careful, thoughtful and patient
shows foreign military intervention (Italy) can effectively stop Hitler
successful anschluss with austria
99.75% majority
had achieved major aim in Mein Kampf -
Munich Conference
Proposed to appease Hitler with 50% of Sudetenland on the promise Germany would not demand extra land
hitler’s 3 main aims - foreign policy
breach and revise TOV
unite all German-speaking nations under one Reich
expand eastward to achieve Lebensraum
3 stages to hitler’s foreign policy
A moderate policy up to 1935.
Increased activity between 1935 and 1937.
A more confident foreign policy after 1937, certain that there would be little opposition to his plans.
invasion of sudetenland
Hitler gains Czechoslovakia - moving towards Russia
Nazi-Soviet Pact
Both Stalin and Hitler are part of regimes with diametrically opposing ideals on the political spectrum - fascism is far right, communism far left. Their alliance reveals the desperation and fear of Russia along with the resolution of Hitler - he will do anything to get what he wants.
It also is a symbolic culmination of the incompetence of Britain and France - this is what appeasement has amounted to - the banding together of their two worst enemies
invasion of poland
facilitates outbreak of ww2 by forcing British intervention
