Topic 3: Hitler's Foreign Policy

1918 - 1933

What is the name of the Dictator of Germany?

Führer

When did Hitler publish the Mein Kampf?

1925

What were Hitler’s 3 main foreign policy aims?

Abolish ToV, Expand German Territory, Defeat communism.

What did Hitler promise he would do with the ToV?

He would reverse it.

What terms had changed from the Treaty of Versailles?

Germany had stopped paying reparations & had reoccupied the Rhineland.

What was Lebenstraum?

“Living space” for Germans

What territorial expansion did Hitler want?

Anschluss, German minorities (in Czechoslovakia…) rejoining Germany, Lebenstraum.

Synonym of Communism

Bolshevism

What did Hitler do in 1933?

Took Germany out of the LoN + began rearming Germany

What did Hitler do in 1934?

Tried to take over Austria but was prevented by Mussolini.

What did Hitler do in 1935?

Held a massive rearmament rally + reintroduced conscription.

What did Hitler do in 1936?

Sent German troops into Rhineland + made anticommunist alliance with Japan.

What did Hitler do in 1937?

Tried out Germany’s new weapons in the Spanish Civil War + made anticommunist alliance with Italy.

What did Hitler do in 1938?

Annexed Austria + Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia.

What did Hitler do in 1939?

Invaded rest of Czechoslovakia + Poland + war

Hitler was seen as a planner, but also as…

A Gambler who simply took the next logical step.

Who was a famous historian who came up with the new interpretation on Hitler? When?

A.J.P Taylor in 1960s.

What factors are to blame for letting Hitler get away with each little thing?

Economic Depression, Weakness of ToV, Appeasement

When did Hitler come into power?

1933.

Effects of Rearmament in 1933:

Reduced unemployment, boosted nationalism, strengthened army, and challenged ToV.

Why did Germany rearm?

Because other countries refused to disarm.

When was the collapse of the League of Nations Disarmament Conference?

1934

Why did Britain have sympathy for Germany?

Forces weren’t enough to defend Germany from an attack + thought Germany would be a good buffer against communism

When was the Anglo-German Naval Agreement signed?

1935

What did the Anglo-German naval agreement say?

Allowed Germany to increase navy up to 35% of size of British army.

Describe how proportion of German spending that went into armaments increased between 1935 and 1940.

7.4% in 1935, 38% in 1940.

How many warships did Germany have in 1932?

30

How many warships did Germany have in 1939?

95

How much aircraft did Germany have in 1932?

36

How much aircraft did Germany have in 1939?

8,250

How many soldiers did Germany have in 1932?

100,000

How many soldiers did Germany have in 1939?

950,000

Since when was the Saar region run by LoN?

1919 - ToV

Who was Hitler’s propaganda minister?

Joseph Goebbels.

When had the LoN promised to hold a plebiscite in Saar?

1935

What percentage of the Saar voted to remain in German rule?

90%

What did Hitler declare after he gained the Saar?

That he had “no further territorial demands to make of France”

Why did Hitler win the Saar Plebiscite?

Effective propaganda, intimidation (over 2000 people complained to LoN) and the economic benefits of joining Germany.

When did Hitler move troops into the Rhineland?

March 1936

When had Germany accepted the demilitarization of the Rhineland?

Locarno Treaties of 1925.

What would have been the effects if Hitler had been forced to withdraw from Rhineland?

Humiliation + lost the support of the army.

What was going on during the remilitarization of the Rhineland?

France and USSR had signed a treaty + had British support + Abyssinian crisis + French elections

How many troops entered Rhineland?

20,000

What was the LoN’s reaction?

They condemned Germany.

When was the Spanish civil war?

1936

Who was the Spanish Civil War between?

Republican Government and right wing rebels (Nationalists)

Who lead the Right Wing rebels?

Franco

Who did USSR support in the Spanish civil war?

Republicans.

From how many countries did the international brigades come?

around 50

Who did the international brigades support in the Spanish civil war?

the Republicans

From whom did Franco get support?

Hitler and Mussolini

Who joined the Non-Intervention Committee?

27 countries, including UK, France, Germany, Italy and USSR

What did Hitler see the Spanish civil war as?

Good opportunity to try out Luftwaffe and develop Blitzkrieg tactics for the future.

How many ‘Volunteers’ did Italy send to the Spanish civil war?

80,000

How many planes did Germany send to the Spanish civil war?

around 30

Consequences of Spanish civil war:

Strengthened bond between Mussolini and Hitler, showed that Britain and France wouldn’t intervene if Hitler broke more terms.

What was teh name of the legion that Hitler sent to Spain?

Condor Legion.

When was Guernica bombed?

1937

How did Britain react to Hitler’s intervention in the Spanish civil war?

Chamberlain ordered massive spending on the Royal Air Force.

How did the USSR react to Hitler’s intervention in the Spanish civil war?

USSR was suspicious of Britain and France because of their reluctance to get involved in opposing fascism.

Who controlled Japan in 1937?

Hardline Nationalists commanders like General Tajo + businessmen

When did Japan invade China?

1937

When was the Marco Polo bridge incident?

1937

What did Japan do to China in 1938?

1,000,000 Japanese troops were in China.

When was the Anti-Comintern Pact signed?

1936

Who signed the Anti-Comintern pact?

Germany, Japan and later Italy

What was the Anti-Commintern Pact?

It was Anti-Communist pact

What type of Government did Japan have?

Military dictatorship.

When did Italy sign the Anti-Comintern Pact?

1937

What was Comintern?

The USSR’s organization for spreading communism to other countries

What was the Germany, Italy and Japan alliance called?

Rome Berlin Axis alliance.

Why did France and Britain not do anything after the Rome-Berlin Axis alliance was formed?

They didn’t have the resources to fight.

What boosted Hitler to attempt Anschluss again?

His successes: Rearmament, Rhineland, Anti-Comintern Pact, Rome-Berlin Axis and the Spanish Civil War.

When was the Anschluss with Austria successful?

1938

What had changed between 1934 and 1938?

Hitler and Mussolini were now allies.

Who was the Austrian Chancellor in 1938?

Schuschnigg

How did Hitler take control of Austria?

He told the Nazi party in Austria to stir up trouble and hold demonstrations demanding union with germany.

What did Germany to when a plebscite was held in Austria?

Sent troops to Austria in March 1938

What was the result of the Austrian plebiscite?

99.75% voted for Anschluss

What was the reward for Hitler from the Anschluss?

Increased territory and resources (rich deposits of gold and iron ore)

What did Chamberlain do after Anschluss?

Increased Britain’s rearmament spending further and made plans for compulsory military service and preparation of air raid defences.

What was Britain’s and France’s policy that allowed Germany break the terms on the ToV?

Appeasement.

When did Chamberlain become Prime Minister?

1937

What were the consequences of appeasement?

Britain + France take no action, Germany more powerful, Austria part of the German Reich, Ties between Germany and Italy strengthened, Hitler encouraged.

Arguments for appeasement:

Allowed time to rearm, avoided immediate war, ToV was too harsh and fear of communism.

Arguments against appeasement:

Encouraged aggression, sacrificed smaller nations, emboldened Hitler, failed to prevent ww2

Who was a famous cartoonist who criticized appeasement?

David Low

How many German speaking people lived in the Sudetenland?

over 3 million

Who was the leader of Czechoslovakia?

Edvard Beneš

What did Hitler say to Chamberlain about Czechoslovakia?

‘Czechoslovakia has nothing to fear from the Reich’

Who was the leader of the nazis in the Sudetenland?

Konrad Henlein

What countries promised to protect Czechoslovakia in war?

France, Britain and USSR

When did Chamberlain fly to meet Hitler before the Czechoslovakia incident?

September 15th 1938

What did Hitler say in his meeting with Chamberlain?

He was only interested in parts of the Sudetenland and wished to hold a plebiscite.

How many members did the Sudeten German party have by 1938?

1.3 million

What happened on the 19th of September 1938?

France and Britain told the Czechs that they planned to give Hitler parts of the Sudetenland.

What did Hitler demand in the second meeting on the Sudetenland?

He wanted all of the Sudetenland, because Czech government was mistreating the Germans in Sudetenland

By when did Hitler want to rescue the Germans in the Sudetenland?

1st of October 1938

When was the Munich Agreement?

29th of September.

What did Italy, France and the UK decide in the Munich Agreement?

That all of the Sudetenland would be given to Hitler.