Germany: In the light of differing interpretations, how convincing do you find the view that Hitler’s ideological convictions were responsible for leading Germany to war in 1939?

Introduction

• Discuss provenance

• Ideology made war more likely

• Outbreak was determined by ambition + diplomatic failures on both sides

Paragraph 1

• Ideologically convictions drove war

• ‘Hitler had much wider ambitions than the domination of Europe… world domination’

• Military spending had risen to 17% of GNP by 1939

• ‘Hitler’s extreme anti-Semitism made Germany’s expansion… a crusade against his ideological enemies.’

• 300,000 Jews had already emigrated from Germany by 1933, but Nazi-Soviet Pact made Polish invasion easier

Paragraph 2

• War was not inevitable; structural and strategic causes mattered

• ‘World war was certainly not inevitable in 1939’

• Appeasement allowed Germany to expand without war (annexed Austria, who had 100,000 troops, with no resistance)

• ‘Western pledges to defend Poland.’

• After formal declaration in March 1939, AH still invaded with 1.5m troops

Paragraph 3

• Ideological vs diplomatic

• ‘Hitler’s ideological convictions led Germany to war.’

• ‘Britain adopted the policy of appeasement

• Germany gained the Rhineland (remilitarised with 22,000 troops), Austria + Sudetenland without war, points to diplomatic

• Planned world war vs miscalculation

• ‘World domination was both necessary and achievable’

• ‘Hitler completely misunderstood the seriousness of western pledges

• Army expanded to 4.5m by 1939, but Luftwaffe and Navy still lacking