The Spanish Civil War + Anschluss with Austria

Question 1

What year did a civil war break out in Spain?

Answer 1

1936

Question 2

Who was the war between?

Answer 2

The Republican Government (left-wing) and right-wing rebels under General Franco (Nationalists) in Spain.

Question 3

Who supported/was a part of the Nationalists?

Answer 3

• Roman Catholic Church
• Elite
• Aristocracy
• The army

Question 4

Who supported/was a part of the Republicans?

Answer 4

• Communists
• Socialists

Question 5

Who did Hitler and Mussolini support?

Answer 5

The right-wing rebels and General Franco as he seemed to share their world view.

Question 6

What did Stalin give to the Republican Gov.?

Answer 6

• Weapons
• Aircraft
• Pilots

Question 7

Did Britain and France intervene in the SCW?

Answer 7

They refused to directly intervene, although France provided some weapons for the Republicans.

Question 8

Did Germany and Italy intervene in the SCW?

Answer 8

• They also agreed not to intervene but then blatantly did so
• Mus. sent thousands of Italian troops (officially they were ‘volunteers’)
• Germany sent aircraft and pilots who took part in most of the major campaigns of the war such as bombing raids on civilian populations

Question 9

How did the SCW have important consequences for peace? (Card 1)

Answer 9

• Strengthened the bonds between Mussolini and Hitler
• Encouraged Hitler to believe that Britain and France wouldn’t intervene against him if he took further action against the TOV (as they weren’t doing anything about this conflict)

Question 10

How did the SCW have important consequences for peace? (Card 2)

Answer 10

• Although Britain didn’t get involved, Hitler’s actions alarmed Chamberlain and he ordered massive increases in spending on Britain’s armed forces
• At the same time , USSR became increasingly suspicious of B and F because of their reluctance to get involved in opposing fascism

Question 11

What was occurring meanwhile in Japan?

Answer 11

• Japan was under the control of hardline nationalist commanders such as General Tojo
• They had the support of Japanese business leaders
• They wanted to extend J’s empire across Asia so it could compete with other world power’s, particularly the USA

Question 12

When did the Japanese invade China?

Answer 12

1937 (Some historians regard this as the first campaign of WW2)

Question 13

What was the Anti-Comintern Pact?

Answer 13

• Signed in 1936
• Hitler and Mus. saw that they had much in common with the military dictatorship in Japan
• So, Germany + Japan signed an Anti-Comintern Pact to oppose communism
• Italy signed it in 1937 (Mus. was fascist)
• This new alliance was called the Axis alliance

Question 14

What was Comintern?

Answer 14

Comintern was the USSR’s organisation for spreading communism to other countries.

Question 15

How did Britain and France feel about the Axis (as this was an alliance they weren’t part of)?

Answer 15

• Very little they could do about the Axis
• Another worrying development as Britain didn’t have the resources to fight Japan in the Far East and Germany in Europe

Question 16

What did Hitler believe about his homeland Austria and Germany?

Answer 16

He believed the two states belonged together as one German nation.

Question 17

Did Austrians want to be united with Germany?

Answer 17

Yes, many did

Question 18

Had Hitler tried to take over Austria before?

Answer 18

• Yes, in 1934 but Mussolini had stopped him
• In 1938 though, the situation was different as Mus. + Hitler were now allies

Question 19

What did Hitler do to the strong Nazi party in Austria?

Answer 19

Hitler encouraged them to stir up trouble for the Government and hold demonstrations demanding union with Germany.

Question 20

Who was the Chancellor of Austria?

Answer 20

Schuschnigg
Schus - chnigg

Question 21

What did Hitler tell Schuschnigg?

Answer 21

• That only Anschluss (political union) could sort out these problems
• Schuschnigg appealed to Britain and France but they failed to provide any support!
• Schuschnigg felt he had to option but to call a plebiscite to see what the Austrians wanted

Question 22

How did Hitler feel about the Austrian plebiscite that was about to take place?

Answer 22

Hitler wasn’t prepared to risk this as he might have lost.

Question 23

What did Hitler do in March 1938?

Answer 23

He sent his troops into Austria to supposedly guarantee a trouble-free plebiscite.

Question 24

What was the results of the plebiscite?

Answer 24

Under the watchful eye of the Nazi troops, 99.75% voted for Anschluss!

Question 25

How did Chamberlain, wary of Hitler as he was, feel about Anschluss?

Answer 25

• Anschluss was completed without any military confrontation with France and Britain, as it was against the TOV
• Chamberlain felt that Austrians and Germans had a right to be united and that the TOV was wrong to separate them

Question 26

What was Hitler’s reward through Anschluss?

Answer 26

• Austria’s soldiers, weapons and rich deposits of gold and iron ore were added to Germany’s increasingly strong army and industry
• Hitler’s risky but decisive action once again been beneficial for him
• He was breaking yet another condition of the TOV, but it seemed clear to him that B and F weren’t prepared to go to war to defend it

Question 27

Was B and F naive though?

Answer 27

• No
• Chamberlain increased Britain’s rearmament spending further still
• Made plans for compulsory military service
• And the preparation of air-raid defences