Unit 3 --> Road To WW2 Flashcards
What were the aims of Hitler’s foreign policy? (5)
1-abolish ToV
2-unite al German speakers in one country
3-expand territory eastwards (poland, ussr) to gain land por lebensraum (living space) bc land for cultivation
4-defeat communism
5-anschluss
How did Hitler destroy the Treaty of Versailles? (4)
1-disarmament clauses broken by conscription, army, airforce
2-naval agreement w/ britain (build up navy to 35% of BT’s)
2-remilitarisation of Rhineland
3-invading Austria & declaring Anschluss
How did Hitler build up his armed forces after 1933?
-hitler ordered rearmament of german army although it was forbidden by ToV
-weapons production pulled the country out of an economic crisis that had lasted from 1929
What happened to the Saar in 1935? (3)
-after WW1, ToV put Saar under LoN for 15 years, after a plebiscite (vote) by saarlanders would decide who to become part of : LoN, France, Germany
-9/10 votes Germany
-success for Germany bc gained 1st land peacfully
Why did Hitler remilitarise the Rhineland DURING 1936?(4)
-great powers (LoN) occupied in Abyssinia
-France about to hold elections –> none of French leaders wanted responsability for taking Fr to war
-Bt followed appeasement (thought they were just going into their own backyard)
-Germany had excuse that Fr+ Russia were allied (Franco-Soviet treaty) so they needed ro protect themselves
What was the Anschluss of March 1938? (5)
*Mussolini no longer allied w/ Austria
1) Austrian Nazi Party caused riots under Hitler’s orders
2)hitler told Schuschnigg (Austrian Chancellor) only Anschluss would solve problem
3) S. ordered plebiscite amongs Austrians
4)Hitler marched his troops into Austria to guarantee trouble free plebiscite
5)99% votes in favour of Anschluss
Why didn’t Fr & Bt resist to Anscluss? (4)
-both still recovering from war
-not ready militarily
-communism was a bigger threat (needed germany as an ally)
-couldn’t come to agreement (Bt wouldn’t be affected but Fr bc neighbouring germany)
** proved allies werenkt willing to go to war so encouraged Hitler**
What happened at the Munich Conference in September 1938?(2)
- signed by germany, Fr, Italy, Bt
-stated: Hitler could take the Sudetenland withought consultation of czech’s provided he promised not to invade anywhere else
Why did Britain and France adopt a policy of appeasment towards Germany during the 1930s?(4)
1)both couldn’t afford going to war (had to buy weapons)
2)gave them time to re-arm
3)war would have been unpopular w/ public bc they lived the horrors of war before, couldn’t face it again
4)many felt ToV was too harsh + thought germany re-arming was reasonable
What was the Anglo-Naval Agreement of 1935?
-Agreement between Uk & Germany limiting size og Germany’s navy to 35% of Britain’s
-uk did this bc they knew Gr was going to increase their navy, better to put a limit to it
-broke ToV + broke stresa front (Italy+Bt+Fr opposing German’s rearmament)
**encouraged Mussolini to do the same & Gm to go even further
What was the Nazi-Soviet pact?
Nazi+Russia
Stated: if Germany attacked poland, the USSR would remain neutral
After poland conquered poland would we divided between the two
Why did Stalin sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact?
Stalin had two choices: make an alliance with Britain & fight a war with Hitler over Poland / make an alliance with Germany
Chose Germany –> he couldn’t rely on Fr+Bt (only using him for military alliance)
How did Britain and France declare war on Germany in September 1939?
-germany invaded poland
- bt + fr sent hitler an ultimatum demmanding withdrawal of all forces from Poland or declared war
-hitler ignores
- Bt+Fr declared war on Germany
What was the rome-berlin axis?
Alliance between Hitler + Mussolini agreeing to work together in matters of common interest
Both signed Anti-comintern pact
-agreement to stop communism (also signed by Japan)
What did Germany get out of the Spanish civil war? (3)
- opportunity to fight communism + test out his armed forces
- strengthened bonds between Mussolini + Hitler –> leading to axis
- encouraged appeasement (hitler showed how great his armaments were in Guernica, Fr+Bt didn’t want to face war with that)
