Hitler's early actions, 1933-35, and the development of tension

Question 1

What was Hitler’s foreign policy?

Answer 1

Hitler promised to make Germany great again, to solve the problems of unemployment and ‘right the wrongs of the Treaty of Versailles’. His foreign policy aims were designed to help him achieve this. These were expressed in 1925 Mein Kampf (Hitler’s book known as My Struggle).

Question 2

What were Hitler’s 6 main foreign policies?

Answer 2

❖Hitler wanted to destroy the Treaty of Versailles. He thought the treaty humiliated Germany.

❖Hitler wanted expand his territory eastwards. This was known as Lebensraum (also known as ‘living space’).

❖Hitler wanted to unite all German-speaking people and create a greater Germany. This was known as Volksdeutsche.

❖The Treaty of Versailles forbid Austria and Germany uniting. Hitler wanted Anschluss - the reuniting of Germany and Austria. He called this the life mission of all Germans in his book Mein Kampf

❖Hitler wanted to rearm Germany and create jobs in munitions factories and the army. He thought this would make Germany great again.

❖Hitler saw communism as an enemy and wanted to destroy it. He linked communism to Jews and thought they were ruining Germany. He called the Jews the scum of the Earth in his book Mein Kampf

Question 3

How did Britain react to Hitler’s foreign policy?

Answer 3

She did not want to another war to begin , therefore allowed Germany to overturn the treaty of Versailles. The British public also thought that Hitler was being reasonable and that the Treaty was too harsh. Chamberlain believed he could control Hitler, if things started moving South. Britain also believed that Stalin and communist USSR were bigger threats and Hitler could be a valuable ally in the battle against communism.

Question 4

How did France react to Hitler’s foreign policy?

Answer 4

She did not want to another war to begin , therefore allowed Germany to overturn the treaty of Versailles. France needed time to rearm and was not ready to fight and win a full-scale war. France was too preoccupied with problems occurring at home due to the Great Depression. The French public still had the vivid image of war in their heads and did not want a repeat.

Question 5

How did the USSR react to Hitler’s foreign policy?

Answer 5

Joseph Stalin, the leader of the USSR, was worried by Hitler’s determination to destroy communism and his aim of Lebensraum directed at the USSR. By 1935, the Stalin was willing to set aside his grievances with Britain and France in order to sign a mutual assistance treaty with France. Stalin would work with the allies to protect the USSR from Hitler.

Question 6

How did the USA react to Hitler’s foreign policy?

Answer 6

The USA followed a policy of isolationism during the Great Depression. In 1934, a poll said that 70% of Americans did not want to get involved if a second world war in Europe broke out.

Question 7

How did Hitler react to the World Disarmament Conference?

Answer 7

Hitler demonstrated his disdain for the League of Nations and the Versailles settlement by walking out of the World Disarmament Conference in 1933.

Question 8

Why did Hitler leave the World Disarmament Conference?

Answer 8

Hitler walked out of the World Disarmament Conference. His excuse was that Germany was willing to disarm completely if the other powers did as well. This put Hitler in a positive light, as he was willing to disarm and showed that he opposed war. However, the other powers, such as France were not willing to. Following this he also left the League of Nations.

Question 9

What happened between Germany and Austria in 1934?

Answer 9

In 1934, Germany made its first attempt to unite with Austria (Anschluss). This was forbidden due to the Treaty of Versailles.

Question 10

What did Hitler openly reintroduce in 1935 increasing the size of the army?

Answer 10

Conscription

Question 11

What was the freedom to rearm rally?

Answer 11

In March 1935, Hitler told the German people at the rally that he was reintroducing conscription in 1936, expanding the army to one million men and building an air force (Luftwaffe). Hitler used the rally as an opportunity to showcase the weapons and troops that he had been building in secret for the whole world to see. This event was significant because it demonstrates that Hitler was confident he could go against the Treaty of Versailles without other nations going against him.

Question 12

What two things did Germany leave in 1933?

Answer 12

Disarmament conference and the League

Question 13

Hitler aimed to destroy what?

Answer 13

Communism

Question 14

Hitler aimed to reverse what?

Answer 14

Treaty of Versaille

Question 15

What did Hitler and Mussolini sign in 1936?

Answer 15

Rome-Berlin Axis 1936

Question 16

Hitler aimed to expand Germany’s territories to the east to provide what?

Answer 16

Lebensraum (living space)

Question 17

Hitler aimed to unite all what?

Answer 17

German-speaking people (15 million in the Rhineland, 3 million in the Sudetenland- Volksdeutsche)

Question 18

How many soldiers were in the German army in 1933?

Answer 18

300,000 (300% or 3 times more than he was allowed by the Treaty of Versailles)

Question 19

How many soldiers were in the Germany army by 1935?

Answer 19

550,000 (500% or 5 times more than he was allowed by the Treaty of Versailles)

Question 20

Who was murdered in Austria in 1934 by Austrian Nazis?

Answer 20

Dolfuss (Austrian chancellor who had banned the Nazi Party)

Question 21

Which 3 countries signed the Stresa-Front Pact of 1935 condemning German rearmament?

Answer 21

Britain, France and Italy (Britain and Italy undermined it in the same year)

Question 22

The Anglo-German Naval Agreement of 1935 allowed Germany to increase its navy up to
what percent of the size of the British navy?

Answer 22

35%

Question 23

What was the plebiscite percentage of the Saar returning to Germany?

Answer 23

90% (this made it look like a democratic victory)

Question 24

How long was the Saar supposed to be under the League’s control?

Answer 24

15 years

Question 25

Why was the taking back of the Saar so important to the Germans?

Answer 25

It was the first official reversal of the Treaty of Versailles

Question 26

Who was murdered in Austria in 1934 by Austrian Nazis?

Answer 26

Dolfuss (Austrian chancellor who had banned the Nazi Party)

Question 27

Which country did Hitler try and take over in 1934?

Answer 27

Austria

Question 28

Which dictator stopped Hitler from achieving Anschluss in 1934?

Answer 28

Mussolini

Question 29

What happened between Germany and Austria in 1934?

Answer 29

In 1934, Germany made its first attempt to unite with Austria (Anschluss). This was forbidden due to the Treaty of Versailles.

Question 30

Why did Hitler want Anschluss?

Answer 30

Hitler described this as Germany’s life mission. Hitler believed Austria should be part of Greater Germany as it contained 8 million German speakers. This would be a method to further his dream of Volksdeutsche and reversing the wretched Treaty of Versailles. It would also be a perfect opportunity to enact Lebensraum and expand Eastwards.

Question 31

How did Hitler initiate his first move towards Anschluss?

Answer 31

Germany shared a border with Austria and was determined to destabilise her and undermine her independence.

Question 32

How did the Dollfuss react knowing Hitler’s plan of Anschluss?

Answer 32

Chancellor Englebert Dollfuss had banned the Nazi party in Austria

Question 33

What was Hitler’s retaliation to Dollfuss banning the Nazi party?

Answer 33

Hitler ordered the Austrian Nazis to create havoc, this led to coup d’état against the government. This failed, however, in the process Dollfuss had lost his life.

Question 34

Who had replaced Dollfuss?

Answer 34

Kurt Von Schuschnigg

Question 35

Why did Hitler’s attempt at Anschluss fail?

Answer 35

They had failed through the combined efforts of the Austrian military and Mussolini and the Italian military supporting the Austrian government.

Question 36

How and why did Mussolini assist the Austrians?

Answer 36

During this time, 1934, Italy had an agreement with Austria to stop outside-aggression on Austria by protecting their borders. Mussolini honoured the agreement, moving troops to the border, deterring Hitler from invading. Anschluss had failed.

Question 37

What was the Saar plebiscite?

Answer 37

Under the terms of Versailles, the coal-mining Saar region (extremely rich in natural resources, such as coal and oil) on the French and German border could hold a plebiscite after 15 years of being handed over to the League of Nations. In the plebiscite the inhabitants would decide whether the Saar were to be handed over to France or returned to Germany.

Question 38

When did the Saar plebiscite happen?

Answer 38

13th January, 1935

Question 39

Why did Hitler want the Saar plebiscite?

Answer 39

Hitler was thirsty for a victory after the terrible loss in the Anschluss of 1934.

It was also a method to show the world that German-speaking people wanted to unite together under the Nazi regime and justify his actions.

The area was rich in coalfields, which was a vital resource for industrial production and to build weaponry. This would also provide jobs in the coal industry and fuel the crippling German economy

Question 40

How did Hitler persuade the votes in his favours?

Answer 40

Towards the voting date, the Nazis mounted huge propaganda campaign to persuade the Saarlanders to vote for reunification

Nazi stormtrooper gathered on the German-Saar border as method of intimidation were disbanded when Britain and France threatened to send in troops, although they did threaten and beat up the communist and socialist opposition.

Question 41

What were the results of the Saar plebiscite?

Answer 41

The result of the plebiscite was that 90 percent of the people voted to rejoin Germany. All of Germany celebrated this as a great victory

Question 42

What was the significance of the Saar plebiscite?

Answer 42

The plebiscite was significant as it provided Hitler an excellent propaganda victory in justifying his actions in uniting all German-speaking people in his plan for volksdeutsche and weapons as he prepared for war. It encouraged Hitler to challenge more of the Treaty of Versailles provisions as this had started to undo it, giving validation to the Nazi regime and a massive boost to Hitler’s prestige, confirming Hitler’s expansionist agenda for the rest of the 1930s.

Question 43

What was the Stresa Front Pact?

Answer 43

Formed in April 1935, the Stresa Front was a coalition formed between Britain, France and Italy concerned by German rearmament. It was an agreement to resist any further attempts by Germany to change the Treaty of Versailles and maintain peace in Europe. This was a failure due to the Anglo-German Naval agreement between Britain and Germany. This undermined the agreement.

Question 44

What was the Anglo-German Naval Agreement?

Answer 44

The Anglo-German Naval Agreement was an agreement between Britain and Germany that set the size of the German Kriegsmarine (navy) at 35% that of the British Navy.

Question 45

When was the Anglo-German Naval Agreement signed?

Answer 45

Signed in June 1935

Question 46

Why did Britain undermine the Stresa Front Pact and initiate the Anglo-German Naval Agreement?

Answer 46

Britain felt that they needed an agreement that got commitment from Germany, especially after the failure of the World Disarmament conference.

They also needed a strong Germany to act as a buffer against the communist Ussr and thought it was fair as the British thought the Treaty of Versailles was too harsh.

Question 47

How many soldiers were there in the German army in 1939 compared to 1932?

Answer 47

In 1932, there were 100,000 soldiers, in 1939, there were 950,000 soldiers.

Question 48

By what percent did the government spendings on armaments increase?

Answer 48

In 1932, the government were spending 1% on armaments, in 1939, the government were spending 23% on armaments.