Why had international peace collapsed by 1939? Flashcards

1
Q

What was the stab in the back” myth?

A

This myth developed after WW1
Germany had been betrayed by a group of weak, unpatriotic politicians
Myth gained popularity, giving rise to the thinking that if the war had not really been lost then the peace settlement was unnecessary and should be overturned

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2
Q

What was lebensraum?

A

Living space for German people, especially in eastern Europe

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3
Q

What was appeasement?

A

The policy of Britain and France that saw them making pacts and deals with the dictators in order to satisfy their demands without going to war

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4
Q

When did Britain declare war on Germany?

A

3rd September 1939

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5
Q

Main causes of the WW2

A
  • The peace treaties 1919-23
  • The failure of the LoN
  • Hitler’s aggressive foreign policy
  • Appeasement
  • Nazi-Soviet Pact
  • German invasion of Poland
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6
Q

What was the Nazi-Soviet pact?

A

An agreement between Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia.
Non aggression pact
In effect it sealed the fate of Poland
Germany could now attack Poland without facing the Soviets

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7
Q

Consequences of the peace treaties

A
  • Nations were extremely dissatisfied
  • Germany had rebuilt after the harshness of the TOV
  • Hitler promised to destroy the treaty
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8
Q

What were the consequences of the failure of the League of Nations in the 1930s? - Japan

A

Japan withdrew from the League
Moved closer to Hitler and Mussolini through the Anti-Comintern pact
Invasion of Manchuria encouraged Italy and Germany to invade

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9
Q

What was the Anti-Comintern pact?

A

Agreement between Japan and Germany (and Italy)
Disguised as an effort to combat the influence of the Communist International
Intended to serve as a military alliance aimed at the Soviet Union

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10
Q

What were the consequences of the failure of the League of Nations in the 1930s? - Italy

A

Italy was able to invade Abyssinia
Suez Canal had not been closed
Encouraged Hitler to destroy the TOV

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11
Q

What were the consequences of the failure of the League of Nations in the 1930s? - Disarmament

A

At the Disarmament conference 1932-33, Germans stated they would disarm if every nation disarmed
French did not accept, giving Hitler the excuse he needed
Hitler rearmed and left the League

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12
Q

What were the consequences of the failure of the League of Nations in the 1930s? - Appeasement

A

Britain and France both adopted a policy of appeasement towards the dictators as a means of controlling peace

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13
Q

What were Hitler’s foreign policies?

A
  • Destroy the TOV
  • Create a greater Germany
  • Bolshevism – destroy communism
  • Acquire Lebensraum
  • Create a central European Empire
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14
Q

Hitler’s Foreign Policy - Destroy the TOV

A
  • Disarmament clause would be broken by introducing conscription and building up German armed forces
  • Rhineland would be remilitarise, strengthening Germany’s western frontier
  • Territory lost under the TOV would be regained
  • Uniting with Austria
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15
Q

Hitler’s Foreign Policy - Create a greater Germany

A

All German-speaking peoples were to be brought into a german empire

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16
Q

Hitler’s Foreign Policy - Bolshevism

A

Hiter was anti-communist

He believed the Bolsheviks were responsible for Germany’s defeat in WW1

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17
Q

How would Lebensraum be achieved?

A

This would be achieved by expansion eastwards into Poland and Soviet Russia

18
Q

Hitler foreign policy actions - 1933

A
  • Germany refused to pay reparations
  • Hitler walked out of the Disarmament conference
  • Germany withdrew from the LoN
  • Rearmament of Germany secretly began
19
Q

Hitler’s Foreign Policy - 1934

A

-Non-aggression pact agreed with Poland
If Germany decided to attack Austria or Czech, Poland would no intervene
-Hitler attempted Anschluss, backed down after Mussolini showed disapproval

20
Q

Hitler’s Foreign Policy - 1935

A
  • Hitler announced conscription will be introduced
  • Massive rearmament rally held in Germany
  • Germany signed naval agreement with Britain - 35% the size of the British navy
  • Plebiscite held in the Saar. Over 90% were in favour of a return to Germany - propaganda success for Hitler
21
Q

Hitler’s Foreign Policy - 1936

A
  • Germany remilitarised the Rhineland; Britain and France did nothing
  • Hitler became closer to Italy through an informal alliance; Rome-Berlin Axis
  • Anti-Comintern Pact committed Germany and Japan to hostility towards Soviet Russia
22
Q

Anschluss with Austria - Reasons for union

A
  • Hitler felt two countries belonged as one German nation
  • Hitler was born in Austria
  • One of Hitler’s aims was a Greater Germany, which includes German-speaking people; Austria had many
  • Austria supported the idea
  • Opportunity to defy the TOV
23
Q

Anschluss with Austria - Events

A
  • Nazi party in Austria stirred up trouble; staged demonstrated and started riots
  • Hitler told Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg political union was the only way to sort out the problem; he agreed
  • Chancellor changed his mind, ordering a plebiscite
  • Hitler was furious, ordering the chancellor to withdraw the plebiscite and to resign, and ordering invasion plans
  • New Austrain leader asked Germany to restore order in Austria
  • On 10 April, 99% of Austrians voted for Anscluss
  • Britain and France took no action
24
Q

Anschluss with Austria - Results

A
  • Germany broke another term of TOV
  • Hitler had increased German territory, population and resources
  • Austria’s soldiers and weapons increased the strength of the German military
  • Hitler had declared his intentions and would not stop at Austria, Czech was next
25
Q

Arguments for appeasement

A
  • Many people agreed that the TOV was unfair and that Hitler should be allowed to get back what was rightfully Germany’s
  • Soviet Russia under Stalin was seen as a much greater threat than Germany. The British people hoped that a strong Germany would stop the spread of communism
  • Britain and France were not ready to fight as they were militarily weak and were still coping with the impact of the Great Depression. Appeasement would give time for rearmament
  • Britain and France wanted to avoid war. Britain was also concerned that its Commonwealth countries might not give support
  • Support would not be forthcoming from America
26
Q

Arguments against appeasement

A
  • It was morally wrong
  • Hitler took any concession as a sign of weakness and demanded more
  • The opportunity to stop Hitler was missed
  • Although it gave Britain and France time to start rearmament, it also gave Germany time
  • The Nazi-Soviet Pact was signed as a result of appeasement; the policy alarmed the USSR and Stalin was convinced Britain and France would not stand in Hitler’s way
27
Q

What was the Sudetenland?

A

This was an area in Czechoslovakia
3.5 million Germans lived here
The Sudeten Germans complained of discrimination by the Czech government, so in 1938 Hitler demanded that Germany be given the Sudentenland
Chamberlain worked to find a peaceful solution, doing this through 2 meeting with Hitler

28
Q

What happened in the meeting between Hitler and Chamberlain in Bavaria?

A

This was on the 15th of September 1938
Areas of Sudetenland where the majority of the population was German should be handed over to Germany
This was to be subject to the approval of the British, French and Czech government

29
Q

What happened in the meeting between Hitler and Chamberlain in the Rhineland?

A

This was on the 22nd of September 1938
Chamberlain reported that approval had been given
Hitler had changed his mind and wanted the whole of the Sudetenland by the 1st of October or there would be war

30
Q

When was the Munich Conference?

A

29th September 1938

31
Q

Who was at the Munich Conference?

A
Chamberlain, Britain
Hitler, Germany
Mussolini, Italy
Deladier, France
Czechoslovakia and the USSR were not invited
32
Q

What happened at the Munich Conference?

A

Czech was forced to accept the agreement, where Hitler receives the entire Sudetenland, or face the full force of the German army on their own
Chamberlain and Hitler signed a declartion promising that their countries would never go to war a day later

33
Q

Outcomes of the Munich Conference

A

Britain and France abandoned Czechoslovakia
On the 1st of October 1938 German troops marched into the Sudetenland
During October and November, Hungary and Poland took parts of Czechoslovakia

34
Q

What happened to Czechoslovakia after the Munich Conference?

A

In March 1939 Hitler took over the rest of Czechoslovakia
There was no resistance from the Czechs
Britain and France did not help
Appeasement had failed. Poland was Hitler’s next target

35
Q

When was the Nazi-Soviet pact signed?

A

23rd August 1939

36
Q

How important was the Nazi-Soviet pact?

A

Gave Stalin time to build up his armed forces

Gave Hitler the confidence to invade Poland

37
Q

What did Britain and France do in retaliation to the Nazi-Soviet pact?

A

Hitler did not believe Britain and France would go to war over Poland, but was surprised when Britain and France signed an alliance with Poland on the 25th of August 1939.

38
Q

Hitler and Italy?

A

Signed the Pact of Steel in May 1939, becoming formal allies

39
Q

When did Hitler invade Poland?

A

1st of September 1939, ignoring Britain’s warnings

Within 3 weeks, Poland had been defeated

40
Q

When did Soviet forces invade from the east?

A

17th of September 1939, occupying the Baltic states of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia

41
Q

Why was Poland important to Hitler?

A

The Polish corridor, which was German land, was given to Poland under the TOV
Hitler wanted this land back
The destruction of Poland was an essential preliminary to the invasion of Russia, the destruction of communism and the acquisition of lebensraum

42
Q

Why did Britain and France declare war on Germany in 1939?

A

The British-France guarantee that was given to Poland meant that if they did nothing when Hitler attacked Poland, they would face humiliation and acceptance that Germany would dominate Europe. They thus declared war.