Why had international peace collapsed by 1939 Flashcards
1
Q
What were the long-term consequences of the peace treaties 1919-23?
- Dissatisfied powers
A
- Japan’s idea for racial equality clause rejected at Paris Peace Conference. Also expected greater share of Germany’s former trading rights in China
- Italy wanted Adriatic port of Fiume and greater share of former German/Turkish colonies
- Germany objected to almost every aspect of Treaty of Versailles: territorial provisions, disarmament clauses, war guilt, and reparations. Many Germans felt it to be a “stab in the back”
2
Q
What were the long-term consequences of the peace treaties 1919-23?
- Germany’s potential
A
- Germany extremely dissatisfied with treaty
- Germany not left disabled. Still maintained considerable resources
- Capable of bringing about revision to settlement
3
Q
What were the long-term consequences of the peace treaties 1919-23?
- Hitler’s foreign policy
A
- Hitler’s foreign policy agenda provided by destruction of Versailles settlement
- Almost every foreign policy action violated Treaty of Versailles or Treaty of Saint Germain:
1) German rearmament and militarisation of Rhineland
2) Anschluss with Austria
3) Transfer of Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia
4) Occupation of Prague
5) Seizure of Memel
6) Claims over Danzig and Polish corridor - Treaty of Versailles detested by Germans. Hitler could garner short-term popularity by dismantling treaty
4
Q
What were the long-term consequences of the peace treaties 1919-23?
- French and British opinion
A
- By early 1930s, Many Brits thought the treaty too harsh. Since treaty unfair, duty of British politicians to assist Germany in peaceful revision of treaty
- French thought not harsh enough. Wanted Germany permanently disabled. When Hitler began seeking to overturn peace settlement, French not confident/strong enough so joined partnership with British
5
Q
What were the long-term consequences of the peace treaties 1919-23?
- A settlement of inconsistencies
A
- Separation of East Prussia from main bulk of German territory by Polish Corridor
- Danzig, with overwhelmingly German population, placed under League control
- Three and a half million Germans under Czech rule in Sudetenland
6
Q
What were the consequences of the failures of the League in the 1930s?
- Manchuria
A
- Japan realised it had no obstacles. Continued invasion of China in 1937
- Both Italy and Germany found it encouraging. Made territorial ambitions seem feasible
7
Q
What were the consequences of the failures of the League in the 1930s?
- Abyssinia
A
- With lack of coal and oil sanctions, League exposed as guilty of double dealing
- Hoare-Laval Pact in December 1935 confirmed suspicions
- Mussolini and Hitler delighted. League incapable of effective action - could not put
internationalism above national interests. - Further aggression from Italy likely
- Hitler to continue policy of destroying Treaty of Versailles
8
Q
What were the consequences of the failures of the League in the 1930s?
- Failure of League and rearmament
A
- Obvious to France and Britain that collective security dead. Needed to rearm
- Had not spent enough on defenses after recession, as money scarce
- Both used collective security as excuse for underspending on arms
- Public opinion against major arms spending; public had more faith in League than politicians did
9
Q
What were the consequences of the failures of the League in the 1930s?
- Failure of League and appeasement (3)
A
- By Summer 1936, rearmament a top priority
- Rearmament would take several years, so
Britain and France adopted appeasement to dictators - Rearmament and appeasement largely the result of League’s failures
10
Q
How far was Hitler’s foreign policy to blame for the outbreak of war in 1939?
* What were Hitler’s foreign policy aims? (5)
A
- Destroy the Treaty of Versailles
- Create a Greater Germany
- Destroy communism
- Acquire Lebensraum/living space
- Build up a central European empire
11
Q
What were Hitler’s foreign policy aims?
* Destroy the Treaty of Versailles (3)
A
- Break disarmament clause by introducing conscription and building up army, navy, and air force
- Germany’s western frontier secured through remilitarising and refortifying Rhineland
- Lost territory regained
12
Q
What were Hitler’s foreign policy aims?
* Create a Greater Germany (2)
A
- All German-speaking peoples would be brought into the Reich
- Frontiers of Germany would be extended to cover areas with predominantly German populations, which might include Austria and parts of Czechoslovakia and Poland
13
Q
What were Hitler’s foreign policy aims?
* Destroy communism
A
- Germany would be drawn into conflict with Russia
14
Q
What were Hitler’s foreign policy aims?
* Acquire Lebensraum/living space
A
- Hitler thought all Germans entitled to ‘living space’
- More land for recreation and cultivation
- Lebensraum implied expansion eastwards into Poland/Soviet Russia
15
Q
What were Hitler’s foreign policy aims?
* Build up a central European empire
A
- Once all this achieved, Hitler would be master of a new central European empire, most powerful state in Europe if not the world
16
Q
1933
A
- Germany refuses to pay more reparations, walks our World Disarmament conference, leaves League of Nations
- Hitlers first strikes against Versailles settlement - Also began to rearm in secrecy
17
Q
January 1934
A
- Ten-year non-aggression pact agreed with Poland
- Remove prospect of war with Poland if Hitler moved against Austria or Czechoslovakia
18
Q
July 1934
A
- Attempted Anschlusss with Austria
- Austrian Chancellor Dollfuss murdered by Austrian Nazis
- Hitler poised to strike, but Mussolini signalled disapproval by moving Italian troops to Brenner pass - Hitler backed down, denied responsibility for murder of Dollfuss
19
Q
January 1935
A
- Saar plebiscite
- In accordance with Treaty of Versailles
- 90% in favour of returning to Germany
- Germany now regained first piece of lost territory by legal/peaceful means
20
Q
March 1935
A
- Reintroduction of conscription
- Direct challenge to Allied powers, Britain, France, and Italy
- Hitler announced intention to build army to 36 divisions (550,000 men) and create air force
- Allies responded by forming Stresa front (Strongly worded protest from Britain, France, and Italy against Hitler’s violations of disarmament clauses. Undermined by Anglo-German Naval Agreement in June 1935)
- Prompted France and Soviet Russia, followed by Soviet Russia and Czechoslovakia to sign mutual assistance pacts
21
Q
June 1935
A
- Anglo-German Naval Agreement
- Allowed German fleet to be 35% size of Britain’s, submarines 45%.
- Essentially legalised German naval rearmament, without agreement of France or Italy
- Gave impression that it was acceptable for countries to pursue national interests regardless of others - Mussolini felt encouraged to apply same principle to extending Italy’s colonies
22
Q
How far did Hitler reveal his true intentions between 1936 and 1938?
- Remilitarisation of the Rhineland, March 1936
A
- Allies left 5 years before occupation period of 15 years
- To Germans, enabled Western armies to freely invade, such as January 1923
- With two divisions against a potential two hundred, in March 1936, German forces marched into Rhineland
- French and British did not want war. Rhineland seen as Germany’s “backyard.” Foolhardy to risk European peace over Germans merely occupying own country
- Also French in financial crisis and facing elections in six weeks
23
Q
How far did Hitler reveal his true intentions between 1936 and 1938?
- The Spanish Civil War, 1936-39
A
- July 1936, General Franco started Spanish Civil War, leading right-wing revolt against democratically elected
republic government, the Popular Front (socialists, communists, anarchists, syndicalists) - Franco’s national alliance included the Falange, Spain’s fascist party, founded in 1933
- Hitler and Mussolini supported Franco, Stalin supported Republicans
- After over thirty months, Nationalists victorious. 750,000 dead
24
Q
What Hitler hoped to achieve in the Spanish civil war
A
- If Franco successful, Spain would become a German ally. Hostile presence on French south- western border, and Spanish naval bases for German navy
- Test the German armed forces, especially Luftwaffe, for full European war
- Detach Mussolini from France and Britain and draw him into alliance with Germany
- Distract western diplomats from his actions in central Europe
25
What Hitler actually achieved in the Spanish civil war
1. Spain opted on neutrality in WW2, to focus on domestic issues
2. Luftwaffe practised and perfected dive-bombing in attack on Guernica in Basque region, northern Spain
3. Mussolini abandoned Britain and France. In speech in November 1936, Mussolini stated Germany and Italy now in "Rome-Berlin axis
4. During Spanish civil war, Hitler took action over Austria and Czechoslovakia
26
How far did Hitler reveal his true intentions between 1936 and 1938?
- Anti-Comintern Pact, November 1936
- Japan and Germany in 1936, Italy joining in November 1937
- Nominally against Soviet agency for promoting communist revolution abroad
- Real purpose, neither Germany nor Japan to assist Soviet Russia if it attacked
27
How far did Hitler reveal his true intentions between 1936 and 1938?
- The Anschluss, March 1938
- Outside Germany, largest concentration of German speakers in Austria, around seven million
- Union forbidden by treaty but treaty falling apart
- Italy regarded Austria as its sphere of influence, but relationship between Hitler and Mussolini improved
- February 1938, meeting between Hitler and Austrian Chancellor Schusschnigg to discuss persecution of Austrian Nazis by government forces
- Schuschnigg bullied into appointing Seyss-Inquart, leading Austrian Nazi, as Minister of Interior
- Schuschnigg sensed Hitler wanted to destroy Austrian independence, decided to hold plebiscite on 13 March
- On Hitler's demands, Schuschnigg reluctantly replaced by Seyss-Inquart
- German army enters Austria on 12 March 1938, stating Anschluss took place
- In early April, plebiscites confirmed this, votes overwhelmingly in favour of union
- Britain and France issued protests, but did nothing. Hitler's confidence and contempt increased
28
How far did Hitler reveal his true intentions between 1936 and 1938?
- The Sudetenland
- Populated by 3.5 million Germans, former subjects of Austro-Hungarian Empire
- In Czechoslovakia, on border with Germany
- Hitler disliked Czechoslovakia because:
1) Created by Treaty of Saint Germain
2) In alliance with Russia and France
3) Democratically elected government
- Sudeten Germans, under Henlein, complaining of discrimination by Czech-dominated government
- Hitler encouraged protests. Considered seizing Sudetenland in May 1938, dissuaded by prospect of war
29
How far did Hitler reveal his true intentions between 1936 and 1938?
- The Munich Agreement
- Two summit meetings between Chamberlain and Hitler
- 15 September 1938, Berchtesgaden, Bavaria. Issues discussed:
Areas of Sudetenland, with majority German population, to be handed over to Germany. Subject to approval by British, French, and Czech governments
- 22 September 1938, Bad Godesberg, Rhineland. Issues Discussed:
1) Chamberlain reported approval given by parties above.
2) Hitler claimed to need Sudeten territories immediately
3) Hitler demanded Czech withdrawal from Sudeten areas by 10 October to avoid certain conflict
- Chamberlain returned to London to prepare for war. Hitler realised he was on brink of war. Agreed to international conference, proposed by Chamberlain and supported by Mussolini
30
How far did Hitler reveal his true intentions between 1936 and 1938?
- The Munich Conference
- Chamberlain, Deladier, Mussolini, Hitler
- Sudetenland to be transferred to Germany over 10-day period
- Plebiscites held where doubt over dominant nationality
- Four powers to guarantee rest of Czechoslovakia once Polish and Hungarian claims met
31
Why was the Munich Conference good?
- Chamberlain did not think Britain prepared/united enough for war
- Britain's air defences incomplete. Vulnerable to Luftwaffe knock-out blow - radar
- British Dominions (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa) not united behind prospect of war. Changed by September 1939
- In 1938, seen as war against self-determination.
- In 1939, war against German domination
32
How important was the Nazi-Soviet pact? (8)
- August 1939, also known as Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, 10-year non-aggression pact
- Privately contained clauses about future partition of Poland
- Unlikely event: ideological opposites; fascism and communism. Hitler never hid hatred of
communism, and in Mein Kampf argued for destruction of Russia. Stalin expected invasion
- However, after polish invasion, Hitler did not want Soviet attack while dealing with Britain and France
- Stalin hoped Anglo-French/German war would last many years. Time to strengthen defences and military. Also feared war on two fronts with Japan's hostility
- Sealed fate of Poland. Britain and France no choice but to wage war
- Hitler assumed Anglo-French opposition would be no worse than over Czechoslovakia
- Hitler's diplomatic hand stronger since Munich. Italy now formal ally in Pact of Steel, May 1939
33
Why did Britain and France declare war on Germany in September 1939?
- War declared following German invasion of Poland on 1 September
- Germany ignored ultimatum to withdraw army from invaded areas
- Real reason that Germany clearly attempting European domination
34
- Why did Britain and France regard this action as a sign of Germany's intention to Dominate Europe?
- In March 1939, actions with Czechoslovakia showed Hitler's ambitions went beyond achieving Greater Germany. Domination of Europe by force
- In Austria/Sudetenland, in line with self-determination for German-speakers
- Poland showed continuation of process, despite legitimate grievances over Danzig and access across Polish Corridor
35
Why was Hitler not deterred by British-French guarantees to Poland?
* Hitler surprised by declaration of war
* After Nazi-Soviet pact, Hitler did not see how Britain and France could effectively help Poland
* Hitler aware of how Britain and France had previously reacted to violations of settlement
* Britain and France also to blame. Little more than protest over German rearmament, remilitarization of Rhineland, and the Anschluss
* When Hitler demanded Sudetenland, Britain and France complied
* War broke out because of Hitler's miscalculation
* However, invevitable as all Hitler's future plans geared towards future war
36
Was the policy of appeasement justified?
- Easy to criticise. Claimed to be morally wrong; led to sacrifice of Czechoslovakia; boosted Hitler's confidence
- While France and Britain improved defences, Germany also strengthened army
- After WW2, regarded as weak, cowardly, and policy of concession that made war more likely to occur
- However, it made sense at the time
37
Was the policy of appeasement justified?
- Correcting injustices of Versailles
- By 1930s, many considered Versailles to be too harsh. Sympathy for Hitler's main demands
- Not unreasonable to want means of defending itself, securing frontiers, and make common cause with foreign pockets of Germans
- Until March 1939, strong-arm approach likely to upset public, offend British Dominions, who supported self-determination, and increase German sense of injustice
38
Was the policy of appeasement justified?
- Increasing militarism of Japan and Italy
- Very real possibility of Britain ending up at war with Italy, Japan, and Germany simultaneously
- With France as only ally, Britain did not think it could win this war
- Appeasement reflects British military weakness, but gave it time to rearm and improve its defences
39
Was the policy of appeasement justified?
- A popular policy
- Appeasers leaders of democratic countries. Needed to factor in public opinion
- Public opinion in Britain and France overwhelmingly for peace in 1930s
- Strongly affected by WW1, little desire for rearmament or stronger stand against Germany/Italy/Japan
40
Was the policy of appeasement justified?
- Threat of Communism
- Some Western politicians feared communism more than Nazism
- Reduce threat of Russia with strong anti-communist state in central Europe committed to its destruction, such as Germany
- Convenient for anti-communists to support appeasement
41
Why did Britain and France adopt a policy of trying to deter Germany after March 1939?
- Czechoslovakia multinational state, Czechs, Magyars, Slovaks, and Ruthenes. Rich in agriculture and resources
- President Hacha bullied into placing fortunes in hands of German Reich
- German army occupied Prague, 15 March 1939
- Revealed Hitler's true intentions. No longer justified by self-determination (land populated by Germans to be transferred to German Reich)
- Hitler now taking territory simply to increase Germany's power
- Now making bid to dominate Europe by force
42
The British-French guarantee to Poland
- Poland highly likely next target:
1) Poland was a recreation by the Versailles settlement
2) Poland included territory part of Germany before 1919, West Prussia
3) Polish Corridor separated East Prussia from main German territory
4) Danzig, in Polish Corridor, mainly populated by Germans
- Hitler demanded Danzig and German-controlled transport links across Polish Corridor
- Events of March 1939 changed response from appeasement to deterrence
- British-French guarantee to Poland, 31 March, British and French support if attacked
- Britain and France considering grand eastern alliance, to present Germany with prospect of major war on two fronts
- Britain and France failed to persuade Russia to join in Spring and Summer of 1939
- Stalin did not want war with Germany
