The Reoccupation of the Rhineland Flashcards
When did Hitler reoccupy the Rhineland?
7 March 1936
How many soldiers did Hitler march into the Rhineland?
22,000
Why did Hitler want troops in the Rhineland?
It borders France and the River Rhine makes a natural defence against invasion. Hitler knew that to gain Lebensraum he would have to invade countries which would most likely provoke a response from countries like Britain and France, so Hitler had to start defending Germany’s borders in the west.
What pact did Hitler use to claim Germany was under threat by enemies on both the western and eastern fronts?
In 1935 France the the USSR signed the Franco-Soviet pact, agreeing to support each other if either was attacked by Germany.
What were the troops greeted by when they entered the Rhineland?
Civilians who gave them flowers.
What had many of the troops arrived on?
Bicycles, and there was no air support.
Give 4 reasons why Britain didn’t react:
-Many Britons felt Germany had the right to protect its own borders
-British troops were busy dealing with the Italian invasion on Abyssinia
-The Depression his Britain hard, the nation could not afford to get involved in foreign affairs
-Many people believed Hitler was simply reclaiming what was his
Give 3 reasons why France didn’t react:
-Politicians were busy fighting a general election. No one wanted to be responsible for dragging France into war as this would lose them votes
-Much of the French army had been moved to Tunisia incase the Abyssinian crisis needed intervention
-French generals thought that the German army reentering were much stronger than they were, and they were not prepared to risk their men
Why did the League of Nations not react?
The League was concentrating its efforts on Mussolini in Abyssinia.
Why was Hitler sending his men into the Rhineland a huge gamble?
The German army was not big enough to fight if France decided to uphold the Treaty of Versailles. If he failed, Germany would also have to pay crippling fines.
Give 7 reasons why the reoccupation of the Rhineland was a significant step in the road to war:
-Hitler grew confident he could do as he pleased
-Hitler turned his attention to how he might get around other terms of the Treaty of Versailles
-Britain and France started rearming
-France had treaties with many Eastern European countries saying it would protect them from Nazi invasion, but with the Rhineland strengthened, France turned its attention to its own defences
-The relationship between France and Britain was tested
-Mussolini decided Hitler was a force to be reckoned with and agreed to sign a pact
-Hitler was ready to defend his western borders and could focus on Lebensraum
How had the relationship between France and Britain been tested and what did Britain do about it?
The French felt they could not reply on Britain if they were invaded by Hitler. To please France, Britain signed an agreement which strengthened the Locarno Treaty by reaffirming they would protect each other, and Belgium, if Germany attacked
What pact did Mussolini and Hitler sign?
The Rome-Berlin Axis.
What did Hitler and Mussolini both also agree to do and how did this help Hitler?
They worked together to send weapons to Spain, where there was a civil war. This allowed Hitler to develop and test his weapons and allow his men to gain experience of war.
