The origins and outbreaks of the second world war Flashcards
What are the things Hitler wanted to do to make Germany a world power again when he became chancellor in 1933
Overturn the T of V
Rearmament
Take Lebensraum
Unite Volksdeutsche (people with German blood, but without German citizenship) to make a greater Germany
Unite Germany and Austria - Anschluss
Destroy communism
why did Lebensraum lead to war
Hitler wanted land in the east. To get this he would have to invade countries in Eastern Europe. This would be considered an act of war and other countries might try to protect the ones being invaded
Why did Germanys rearmament lead to war
under the T of V, Germanys military power was severely restricted and the Rhineland was demilitarised. Hitler wanted to introduce conscription and build a Luftwaffe (air force) - this broke the T of V and other countries would become suspicious about why Germany needed a large army
what was the main reason Britain didnt oppose Hitler in his early career
they wanted to avoid another war
what policy did the USA follow and what did it mean
policy of isolationism - they refused to get involved with European conflict
why did Hitler wanted to destroy communism lead to war
The USSR had a massive army and was developing good relationships with Britain and France. USSR was also allied with Eastern European countries that Hitler was targeting for Lebensraum. Hitler was provoking a powerful nation that was bound to fight back
which area of land did Chamberlin agree to let Hitler have and what was this policy called
The Sudetenland
Policy of appeasement
Chamberlain allowed Hitler this land if he promised to not take any more land
what did Chamberlain think he had achieved by appeasing Hitler
‘peace in our time’
he thought that giving Hitler the Sudetenland would please Hitler and he wouldnt want any more
how was communism an argument for appeasing Hitler
the USSR was a strong country that filled the allies with dread, they didnt want communism spreading to the west. If they could keep Hitler as a strong Nazi - whose opinions were exactly opposite to communists) Germany would act as a buffer zone to the USSR
why did France and Britain appease Hitler
wanted to avoid another war
they had a lack of money to fight again
they were limiting the inevitable german rearmament
what did the appeasement for Hitler show other countries
other powerful dictators such as Mussolini and Stalin saw how Hitler was getting away with doing how he pleased therefore gave them similar ideas
when did Germany leave the League of Nations and why
1933
other countries failed to promise to disarm
he argued that he would continue to re arm if other countries did
when was the Dolfuss affair
1934
what was the Dollfuss affair
Aware of Hitlers intentions to unite with Austria, the Austrian chancellor, Dollfuss banned the Nazi party in Austria. In 1934, Hitler responded by getting Austrian Nazis to cause havoc in Austria - they murdered Dollfuss.
The plot failed - Mussolini moved his troops to Austria to stop Hitler. Hitlers army wasnt strong enough. He claimed the Austrian Nazi party acted alone
what event marked the fact that Hitler was sure he could openly defy the T of V
the ‘Freedom to Rearm Rally’ in 1935 where Hitler showed off the weapons and troops he had been building. He announced he was reintroducing conscription - did in 1936 - and that he was expanded the army to 1 million men and building a Luftwaffe.
what was the Saar plebiscite and when was it
1935
Saar = rich industrial area given to the L of N for 15 years under T of V
in 1935 a plebiscite was held to see who should govern the area - france or germany
what was the result of the saar plebiscite
90% of the population voted to rejoin Germany - used victory as propaganda to show that german speaking people wanted to unite under the nazis
what was the anglo-german naval agreement and when was it
1935
people in Britain had felt that the terms of the treaty were too harsh
in 1935 they signed an agreement saying that Germany could grow their navy to 35% of the British one. also allowed Germany to build 45% of British submarines.
what was the significance anglo-german naval agreement
Hitler saw this as Britain admitting that the Treaty of Versailles was unfair, therefore he could ignore it
The military terms of the treaty were officially dead
what was the Franco-soviet pact and when was it signed
1935
signed between France and USSR - they promised to protect each other if there was an attack from Nazi Germany
what was Hitlers response to the Franco-Soviet pact
said it was an act of aggression so he sent his troops into the Rhineland in 1936
what did invading the rhineland in 1936 show Hitler
his army still wouldve been beaten in the allies assembled to fight him for breaking the treaty
he invaded the Rhineland to see if the allies would do anything
they didnt do anything, so Hitler took the Rhineland, this showed him that he could do whatever he wanted
why did the allies let Hitler take the Rhineland and how did they react after
they thought he was taking back land that was his in the first place
they didnt want a war over that area of land
they had enough domestic issues in their own country to deal with
after the invasion they saw it as a sign that they needed to re-arm so they did
what was the rome-berlin axis and when was it signed
1936
as a result of Hitlers display of strength, Mussolini signed a treaty to support Hitler.
Both countries promised they would work closely together
