The short-term causes of WW2 in Europe and north Africa

Question 1

Short-term causes of WW2 in Europe and North Africa

Answer 1

• German economic recovery
• German rearmament
• The Stresa Front and the Abyssinian Crisis
• German foreign policy successes
• Poland 1939
• Appeasement

Question 2

Explain how German economic recovery was a short-term cause of WW2 in Europe

Answer 2

• The Nazi economics minister, Hjalmar Schacht, created the ‘New Plan’, which attempted to pull Germany out of economic depression and towards self-sufficiency.
• By 1935, Germany was exporting more than it was importing, leading to an increase in hard currency that could be invested in important raw material imports such as iron and oil.
• Economic recovery pleased the German population, with official statistics reporting unemployment at zero by 1938, and enabled the Nazi Party to embark on rapid military expansion.

Question 3

When did Germany begin to rearm, readying itself for war?

Answer 3

In the 1930s

Question 4

Give examples of German rearmament in the 1930s

Answer 4

• In 1934, Germany signed the Polish–German Non-Aggression Pact, which stated that neither Germany nor Poland would attack the other for ten years.
• In 1935, Germany introduced conscription (banned by the Treaty of Versailles) and by 1939 the German army had increased to 700,000 men.
• In the same year, Germany signed an agreement with Britain which enabled it to increase its navy; proportionate to 35% of Britain’s.

Question 5

What were many European nations focused on in the 1930s and what effect did this have?

Answer 5

They were focused on meeting the needs of their own citizens and failed to act effectively on the growing German threat.

Question 6

What caused the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 6

• Britain, France and Italy formed the Stresa Front in 1934, an agreement which aimed to keep Germany isolated in Europe.
• The Abyssinian Crisis effectively destroyed this agreement, however, as Italy invaded the east African nation despite being a permanent member of the League of Nations.

Question 7

What was the response of other countries to the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 7

Britain and France, the only remaining permanent members of the League, placed limited economic sanctions on Italy but did not threaten military action.

Question 8

What did Italy do after the Abyssinian crisis?

Answer 8

Rather than withdraw from Abyssinia, Italy withdrew from the League and signed the Rome–Berlin Axis with Germany, developing a new relationship between Italy and Germany and ending German political isolation in Europe

Question 9

Germany’s reaction to the Abyssinian crisis & Italy withdrawing from the LoN and signing the Rome-Berlin Axis with Germany

Answer 9

Germany followed this by signing the Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan in November 1936

Question 10

How were Germany’s foreign policy successes a cause of WW2?

Answer 10

German foreign policy successes Germany’s improved economic, military and diplomatic situation enabled it to develop a more aggressive foreign policy in the 1930s, leading to the invasion of Poland and the outbreak of war in 1939.

Question 11

Examples of Germany’s foreign policy successes in the 1930s

Answer 11

• Rhineland
• Anschluss
• Sudetenland

Question 12

Germany’s foreign policy success- Rhineland

Answer 12

• In 1936, Hitler sent troops into the Rhineland, which was a demilitarized zone on the border with France.
• Hitler ordered his troops to retreat if they were met with any resistance; however, Britain and France were busy with the Abyssinian Crisis and reluctant to engage in conflict with Hitler.

Question 13

Germany’s foreign policy success- Anschluss

Answer 13

• In 1938, the Nazi Party helped to enable a situation where Austria held a plebiscite on whether to unify with Germany.
• The results of the vote were overwhelmingly in favour of Anschluss and as there were no serious protests internationally, the two countries united.

Question 14

Germany’s foreign policy success- Sudetenland

Answer 14

• The Sudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia, was home to 3 million German-speaking people who wanted to reunite with Germany.
• Britain, France, Italy, and Germany met in Munich in 1938 and agreed to this request, so long as German territorial ambition did not extend further (known as the Munich Agreement).
• In March 1939, Germany violated the Munich Agreement and invaded Czechoslovakia, ending any remaining hopes that countries had about effectively negotiating with Hitler.

Question 15

What did Germany state in early 1939 about Poland?

Answer 15

Germany stated its intent to gain Polish territory in early 1939, leading to a series of events that ended in the outbreak of war.

Question 16

Describe the series of events, triggered by Germany stating its intent to gain Polish territory in early 1939, that led to the outbreak of war

Answer 16

1) The British and French public realized that Hitler had no intention of sticking to the promises he had made in Munich the year before.
2) The British and French governments publicly assured Poland that they would intervene militarily if it was attacked.
3) Britain and France increased rearmament efforts at home and Britain introduced conscription; the first time ever in peacetime Britain.
4) Britain and France attempted to gain the support of the USSR against Germany, but as it was clear to the USSR that neither Britain nor France intended to create a meaningful alliance, it refused.
5) Instead, the USSR entered into an alliance with Germany. The Nazi-Soviet Pact stated that neither country would invade the other and secretly agreed to dismantle Poland and share the spoils.
6) One week later, Germany invaded Poland.

Question 17

Appeasement as a short-term cause of WW2

Answer 17

• Appeasement was the strategy followed by Britain through much of the 1930s.
• The policy aimed to negotiate with Hitler and allow some concessions, in order to satisfy Germany’s territorial demands.
• This policy appeared to be reasonable to many, as Germany’s actions initially seemed to be about removing the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, which many also thought were too harsh on Germany.

Question 18

Criticisms of appeasement at the time

Answer 18

• The policy was criticized by some at the time for being too lenient on Germany and encouraging Hitler to become more ambitious.
• The British and French public were keen to avoid another war; however, this opinion quickly changed when Germany invaded Czechoslovakia in March 1939.

Question 19

What is the ‘Great Man Theory’?

Answer 19

This theory, the belief that history can be explained by the actions and impact of individuals, is still ongoing in historical debate.

Question 20

Different interpretations of Hitler

Answer 20

• Hitler manipulated other countries, such as Britain, France, Itlay, and the USSR, bidding time until Germany was strong enough to mount an attack on Europe.
• Hitler was an opportunist; he took advantage of situations as they arose.
• Hitler was under pressure from the German public to continue righting the wrongs of the ToV by taking back land from Poland.

Question 21

The economic argument- WW2 (reword?)

Answer 21

• Some historians believe that war became a necessity for Germany in order to protect its economy.
• German industry shifted heavily towards armament building in the later 1930s, meaning lower consumer exports and therefore less hard currency to purchase raw materials from abroad.
• War provided Germany with an opportunity to seize land rich in raw materials and gain access to larger populations to join the expanding workforce.

Question 22

What is the Orthodox view of Hitler?

Answer 22

Hitler maintained a consistent program of aggression and had such a strong desire for German expansion that he was happy to go to war to achieve it.

Question 23

What is the revisionist view of Hitler?

Answer 23

• Hitler was not an all-powerful leader in Nazi Germany and did not have complete control over German domestic and foreign policy.
• Leaders within the Third Reich often disagreed on key matters and Hitler was indecisive.

Question 24

Historiography for short-term causes of WW2