the rise of european dictators, the start of german expansion

Question 1

why did people want dictators?

Answer 1

• they felt democracy had let them down
• strong governments were wanted due to the depression and german people feeling unsafe

Question 2

what were Hitler’s main aims?

Answer 2

• overturn the treaty of versailles
• rearm
• unite german speakers
• expand germany’s territory

Question 3

the dollfuss affair

Answer 3

• Engelbert Dollfuss, the austrian leader didn’t want his country to be part of germany
• in 1934 austrian nazis killed him in an attempted coup
• this was poorly planned so didn’t succeed, and the government soon restored
• it’s likely hitler had a part in planning this as he wasn’t yet strong enough to take austria by force
• showed him he had to be patient

Question 4

hitler’s first territorial success: the saar

Answer 4

• there was a plebiscite for the people of the saar to decide whether they wanted to reunite with germany in 1935
• 90% voted to re unite
• this showed that they were willing to live under hitler just to become part of germany again
• some say this gave hitler confidence to demand land later on
• this also shows the german military was still weak as they couldn’t take it by force

Question 5

hitler’s rebuilding of the german army

Answer 5

• in 1933 hitler withdrew from the LoN’s disarmament conference, then the league itself
• in 1935 he introduced conscription which was condemned by Britain, France and Italy

Question 6

the stresa front

Answer 6

• brit, france and italy met for the conference in Apr 1935
• worried about german conscription, mussolini worried about his northern borders
• agreed to work together to maintain peace in europe
• defend austrian independence
• gave mussolini more confidence

Question 7

Anglo-German naval agreement’s interference with the stresa front

Answer 7

• agreement made in June 1935, allowed germany to build up to 35% of Brit naval strength and 45% of Brit submarine strength
• weakened the stresa front because britain was making its own pact instead of working together
• harmed Br relationship w France

Question 8

prime minister at the time (1936)

Answer 8

Neville Chamberlain, followed policy of appeasement

Question 9

why was appeasement a good idea among the british?

Answer 9

• wanted peace
• british armed forces
• hitler was successful and people didn’t want to fight him
• germany could be a barrier against the USSR
• not garunteed support from the USA and france

Question 10

why was appeasement a bad idea among the british?

Answer 10

• hitler became more and more demanding
• Churchill warned that a rearmed germany was a threat
• hitler could not be trusted to keep his promises