The influence of German History on Nazi foreign policy

Question 1

Why was Germany’s modern development responsible for the outbreak of the Second World War?

Answer 1

. Followed a path of Sonderweg - caused the country to be more militaristic and aggressive than other developed nations
. Long term causes of the war

Question 2

How did Kaiser Wilhelm’s II’s Weltpolitik scheme influence Hitler?

Answer 2

Scheme of colonial expansion, prior to 1914, also based on racist assumptions

Question 3

What was the the policy of Lebensraum?

Answer 3

German people needed territorial ‘living space’ - conquer territory in Eastern Europe and Russia was popular prior to 1914

Question 4

Why did Antisemitism drive the need to expand?

Answer 4

Ideas of ‘racial purity’ were common amongst Germans

Question 5

Why did the feeling of unification drive Hitler to expand?

Answer 5

All German peoples should be united in one country - held by pre-war Germany

Question 6

Opposition - that German history was less of a factor which influenced the Second World War

Answer 6

Most other major European countries were imperialist and racist - did not lead them to prepare for a major European war

Question 7

How did Franco-German tensions influence the outbreak of the Second World War?

Answer 7

. Negative long-term relations between France and Germany
. End of Franco-Prussian War (1870-71) - Germany took over French regions of Alsace-Lorraine
. French resentment grew - determined to win their territory back