German Expansion

Flashcards about German Expansion (1933-1940)

Impact of Nazism on the foreign policy

Lebensraum, social darwinism, anti-communist, anti-internationalist, anti-treaty of Versailles/ Paris Peace Conference

Lebensraum

Ideology that justified German territorial expansion into Eastern Europe for resources and space.

expansion into Poland

1939

beginning of expansion into western Europe.

Social Darwinism

Nazi ideology that led to the poor treatment of Poles and Slavic people as inferior forced labor.

Anti-Communism

Ideology that fueled hostility towards the USSR and influenced Nazi Germany's alliances.

Operation Barbarossa

The invasion of the USSR beginning in June 1941 to defeat communism and gain control over Soviet territory.

Anti-Comintern pact

An agreement between Germany and Japan (1936) to end communism. Italy joined in 1937.

Anti-Internationalism

Ideology that rejected international cooperation and organizations like the League of Nations, preferring unilateral actions.

German withdrawal from League of Nations

1933

signaled how they rejected international diplomacy and cooperation

Anti-Treaty of Versailles/ Paris Peace conference

German aim to reverse the Treaty of Versailles terms by rebuilding the military and reclaiming lost territories.

Nazis went against the terms of the TOV by remilitarising the Rhineland in 1936.

The Anschluss with Austria also defied these terms.

impact of domestic issues on the foreign policy of Germany

Unemployment, Mefo-bills, rearmament, autarky

unemployment

foreign policy became aggressive to stimulate the German economy with rearmament and infrastructure projects. this helped to reduce unemployment and build support for the regime.

Mefo-Bills

Enabled secret rearmament by funding military spending, helping Germany prepare for war without alarming other nations.

rearmament

required the purchase of raw materials such as iron and coal which consumed needed foreign currencies. Economic or military self-sufficiency was unachievable so Nazis thought that the only way was to expand.

This justified the invasion of surrounding countries for resources

Autarky

Policy that encouraged foreign expansion into resource-rich areas to reduce Germany's reliance on international trade.

Motivated expansion east to gain raw materials

Locarno Treaty

Treaty where Germany accepted its western borders with France and Belgium, improving relations with western Europe (1925).

Germany joined the LoN

A move towards international cooperation and showed their willingness to engage with peaceful diplomacy. (1926)

Kellogg-Briand Pact

Superficial commitment to peace by renouncing war as a tool of national policy (1928).

Germany withdrew from the LoN and disarmament conference

the beginning of the shift towards isolation and rearmament. Hitler rejected international oversight by withdrawing. (1933)

Non-Aggression Pact with Poland

Pact to create neutrality with Eastern Europe, temporarily calming tensions with bordering countries (1934).

Anglo-German Naval Treaty

Treaty that was a bilateral alignment with Britain on naval issues, allowing Germany to build a navy up to 35% of Britain’s navy (1935).

Rome-Berlin Axis

Alignment with Italy, strengthening ties between Hitler and Mussolini (1936).

Anti-Comintern Pact

Anti-communist alliance between Germany, Japan, and later Italy, aimed to oppose the spread of communism (1936).

Spanish civil war alliances

Germany supported Franco in the Spanish Civil War alongside Italy which deepened ties between fascist countries. (1936-1939)

Pact of Steel

A military alliance with Italy, committing to mutual support in war (1939).

Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact

Ensured Soviet neutrality and included a secret protocol to divide Eastern Europe, leading to the invasion of Poland (1939).

end of collective security

German withdrawal from LoN, remilitarisation of the Rhineland, Munich Agreement, Nazi-Soviet non-aggression pact, Nazi invasion of Poland and outbreak of war

German withdrawal from LoN

Germany rejected international cooperation which weaked the LON’s authority and collective security. Hitler withdrew in 1933 and was the beginning of Germany’s isolationism.

remiliariastion of the Rhineland

violated the ToV and the Locarno Pact. The lack of response from other countries exposed weakness in collective security. German troops entered the Rhineland in 1936 to remilitarise it.

Munich Agreement

Britain and France appeased Hitler by allowing the Nazis to take Czechoslovakia’s territory.

1939

Czechoslovakia was not consulted

basis for appeasement policy

Britain and France aimed to avoid another big war because they were still weak after WW1 by giving in to some of Hitler’s demands.

Chamberlain and Hitler meeting at Berchtesgaden

On the 15th of September 1938, the leaders met. This marked the beginning of appeasement negotiations as Chamberlain accepted Hitler’s demand for Sudetenland

Anglo-French declaration

showed that their appeasement had limits because they would support Czechoslovakia if Hitler became more aggressive.

declaration made in September 1939

Bad Godesburg meeting

A meeting between Chamberlain and Hitler on the 22nd of September 1938 where Hitler rejected Chamberlain’s proposal and demanded immediate occupation. This showed the weakness of the appeasement policy because it did not stop war.

Munich conference

29th of September 1938

Agreed to hand over the Sudetenland. Hitler’s demands were met without the consultation of Czechoslovakia.

end of appeasement

in march 1939, Hitler occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia which marked the end of appeasement as Hitler broke the agreement.

German challenges to post-war settlements and expansion started with…

the withdrawal from the LoN and Disarmament conference

withdrawal from the LoN and Disarmament conference

1933

Reintroduction of conscription

in 1935 by Germany, violating the Treaty of Versailles.

Saar Plebiscite

Vote by the LON for the residents of the Saar region to rejoin Germany. Over 90% indicated they did (1935).

remilitarisation of the Rhineland

The reoccupation of the Rhineland by German troops in 1936, in direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles.

Hossbach Memorandum

Hitler's plan for Lebensraum and expansionist policies revealed in a secret meeting (1937).

Anschluss

Germany's annexation of Austria in March 1938. It unified the two countries and went against the TOV. over 99% of Austrians voted for the Anschlus

Sudetenland

annexed by Hitler under the Munich agreement in 1938

Czechoslovakia

Hitler invaded and occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 which broke the Munich agreement

Poland

On the 1st of September 1939, Germany invaded Poland which marked the beginning of WW2

International response to German aggression

1933-1940

Nazi-Polish Non-Aggression Pact 1934- France

France was alarmed but continued its alliance with Poland. It did not intervene

Nazi-Polish Non-Aggression Pact 1934- USSR

saw it as a threat so they increased suspicion of both Germany and Poland. This caused them to seek a pact with Germany to guarantee their security

German rearmament 1935- Stresa Front

formed in april 1935 between Britain, France, and Italy to oppose treaty violations

German rearmament 1935- Franco-Soviet Treaty

signed in May 1935 to counter german aggression through mutual defence however it lacked enforcement mechanisms.

German rearmament 1935- British rearmament

British began to gradually expand their military however they avoided direct confrontation

Anschluss 1938- France and Britain

They took no military action. Britain viewed the unification as inevitable and France was concerned with domestic issues

Anschluss 1938- USSR

Condemned the annexation but was not in a position to act as it was isolated diplomatically

Sudeten crisis- France

France was bound by treaty to support Czechoslovakia but deferred Britain and opted for appeasement

Sudeten crisis- USSR

offered support to Czechoslovakia with its military if France acted but it was distrusted by western powers

Sudeten crisis- Britain

Chamberlain pursued appeasement

Munich agreement- France

France signed the agreement to give up Sudetenland to Hitler despite previous alliances.

Munich agreement- Britain

Britain signed it because they believed that it would bring peace and remove the threat of WW2.

Munich agreement- USSR

The USSR was not included in negotiations which they saw as a western betrayal and a prime example of their isolation

Stresa Front

An agreement that was formed by Britain, France, and Italy in April 1935 to oppose German treaty violations, especially rearmament and conscription.

Franco-Soviet Treaty

The Franco-Soviet treaty was signed in May 1935 and aimed to counter German aggression through mutual defence. However, it lacked enforcement mechanisms.