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History - Germany > 1.5 - How far was Hitler's foreign policy responsible for the Second World War? > Flashcards

1.5 - How far was Hitler's foreign policy responsible for the Second World War? Flashcards

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1
Q

What does A.J.P Taylor believe about Hitler?

A

He wanted a German Empire but did not have a master plan, to wage war

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2
Q

What does Fritz Fischer believe about Hitler?

A

Draws connections between aims in the First and Second World War, Nazi foreign policy continued a pre-existing school of German thought

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3
Q

What are some of the supposed causes of WWII?

A

-Economic, Great Depression
-International, LoN, Russia and other dictatorships
-Social, expectations of industrialists
-Nazi foreign policy, expansionism and race
-TOV
-Other countries’ foreign policy, GB/F appeasement

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4
Q

What do Intentionalists argue about Hitler’s foreign policy?

A

What the nazis and Hitler wanted drove whether the war broke out

-split between him being a master planner vs taking advantage of circumstances

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5
Q

What do functionalists/structuralists argue about Hitler’s foreign policy?

A

Outside influences were as significant if not more so, than Nazi foreign policy (historic policy of expansionism in Germany)

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6
Q

What were the three strands of German ‘history’ in Mein Kampf that influenced Nazi foreign policy?

A

-‘racial history’
-Nostalgia for earlier empires, and a sense that power and land were Germany’s right
-WWI and effect of TOV

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7
Q

What is Pan-Germanism?

A

Idea that all German speaking people should be united and live in one country, used this to excuse the ‘clearing’ of inferior people from land

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8
Q

How did racial ideology impact Nazi foreign policy aims?

A

-Alliances with countries such as Britain (racially acceptable)
-Favoured eastward expansion (taking land from those who were racially ‘inferior’)

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9
Q

What were the two empires that inspired the Nazis?

A

-The First Reich, Holy Roman Empire of Charlemagne (800 to 1806)
-The Second Reich, German Empire founded in 1871 by Otto Von Bismark

Both empires had gained land and kept it by war and military strength, inspired him to emphasise peace in first years of his ruling

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10
Q

How did relating to previous empires inc erase the Nazis’ appeal?

A

gave the Germans a political party with history, they were continuing and ‘restoring’ a previous Germany

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11
Q

Who were some of the faces that the Nazis displayed in rallies?

A

Frederick the Great, Bismarck, Hindenburg and Hitler

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12
Q

What party did Hitler first join and how did it change there after?

A

Joined a small right-wing party, the DAP, April 1920 became the NSDAP. Hitler was one of its leaders and it outlined a 25 point programme, outlined ideas surrounding race and expansion

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13
Q

How many political murders were there between 1919 and 23?

A

376 (also two attempts to overthrow gov with Kapp and Munich Putsch)

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14
Q

How was the TOV privately disobeyed in Germany?

A

Reichstag privately agreed that the treaty didn’t have to be obeyed, turned a blind eye to signs of rearmament. Secret armaments agreements were made with the USSR, allowed German armaments to take place on Soviet soil by Soviet companies. Tanks being built and tested for Germany in Russia, 1928

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15
Q

What was self-determination?

A

Policy by which the newly created states in Eastern Europe agreed to their borders and gov peacefully

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16
Q

What weakness did self-determining create?

A

Made these states weak to the likes of the USSR, Germany, Italy and Poland

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17
Q

Which ally was most lenient about the TOV and an agreement to demonstrate this?

A

Lloyd George (GB) felt the TOV was too harsh and unfair.

1935, Anglo-german naval agreement, set naval sizes for each country, broke TOV’s limitations

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18
Q

Why did other countries not enforce TOV?

A

saw its rejection as a reversal of something ‘unfair’, hoped it would keep peace with Germany

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19
Q

What was Hitler’s aim regarding the TOV?

A

Aimed to overturn it, Weimar gov had been revisionist regrading the TOV however Hitler did not want to return to 1914 Germany, but rather expand the Third rEich b beyond pre-war borders, rearm, regain lost land and leave reparations unpaid

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20
Q

What was Hitler’s aim for the Third Reich’ global power?

A

Expansionist policy aimed to create an empire that dominated Europe, achieved through alliances with the likes of Britain (racially acceptable). Hitler also willing to make short-term alliances, akin to that of the Kaiser’s expansion

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21
Q

What was Hitler’s aim for Lebensraum?

A

Germany needed to expand to gain living space, and meet economic needs of its people, expansion would resolve German shortage of raw materials and farmland. This space would be sourced from Slavic countries, allowing Germans to breed and flourish, kaiser similar but also wanted to gain colonies

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22
Q

What were Hitler’s foreign policy aims relative to Jews?

A

Believed there was a worldwide conspiracy regarding Jewish control of gov. Grouped communists and Jews together, wanted to seize land to defeat both

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23
Q

How did other Nazi gov officials interact with Hitler’s foreign policy?

A

Tried to argue with Hitler over policy, however followed it as closely as possible. Hitler made his own decisions even if it conflicted with requested advice or alliances (trying to occupy parts of Tyrol, against Italy’s wishes)

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24
Q

What was an example of cynical nazi foreign policy?

A

1934, signed non-aggression pact with Poland, move to cut off France from its Eastern European allies

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25
What were the main features of Nazi foreign policy?
-Overturning TOV, spreading Nazi influence to the areas they wanted to reclaim -Strategic alliances, stop anti-German power blocs being formed -Expansion, spreading Nazi influence and forming alliances using military force -Germanisation, spreading racial ideas and removing 'undesirables'
26
What do ministry officials demonstrate about Hitler being a master planner?
Continuity in ministry officials, a show of continuity with the liberal gov made him seem more moderate, more able to build up military strength before entering into war
27
What evidence is there to suggest that Hitler always intended to wage war?
-hitler built up an army from the moment he came into power, from 1935 he openly denied the TOV and reintroduced conscription -Reintroduced tanks and armoured vehicles -Hitler's second Four-year plan stressed Germany's ned to put militarisation first ad develop synthetic oil and other raw materials
28
What evidence is there to suggest that hitler was not preparing for war?
-When he spoke of rearming it was in the interest of defence not war -Stressed hopes to reverse TOV through diplomacy not war -Privately told military generals that it would be a disaster to provoke military attack -Built up armed forces for the purpose of attack not defence
29
The likelihood of war over eastern Europe?
Couldn't achieve Lebesnraum without war, thought that GB/F would not go to war over Eastern Europe. Germany remilitarised the Rhineland and took Austria but didn't expect military opposition. Yugoslavia and Romania signed treaty to protect Czechoslovakia from invasion
30
What averted war over Eastern Europe?
the Munich Conference
31
Did Hitler keep the promises made at Munich?
Set a date for the invasion, and made speeches suggesting he was about to go to war (September 1938), stepped in to 'restore order' in Czechoslovakia
32
Why was Poland likely to be invaded?
-TOV gave Poland land (alongside 800,000 Germans), Germany and USSR wanted some of its territory. Western powers were badly placed to help Poland if Germany invaded. -Didn't possess a mechanised army, heavy artillery that was horse drawn
33
When did Hitler agree to a non-aggression pact with Poland?
1934
34
How was the pact with Poland strategic/how did it demonstrate long-term planning?
-USSR = biggest threat to Germany, Poland as a buffer if ally, pact prevented Poland fighting with USSR against Germany -He wanted Danzig and the Polish Corridor, diverted attention from the fact nazis were extremely active in Danzig, 1933 they won a majority in the local gov -Danzig = an important trading port, 96% German population in 1914, 'free city' ran by the LoN
35
Why did Hitler pursue Poland being a satellite state?
Needed to be able to rely on Poland not attacking Germany -> even suggested a mutual war against the USSR, offering Poland a chunk of Ukraine if they won
36
What did the Nazis' remilitarisation of the Rhineland reveal about Poland (and France)?
Poland expected France to drive German troops out of so offered military help (under 1921 mutual assistance Pact with France)... France didn't send troops to Rhineland -> exposes Poland as willing to fight Germany ->France, Britain and LoN unwilling to fight ->Hitler becoming more confident
37
What did Hitler offer for Poland to join?
the Anti-Comintern Pact -> would have set off a soviet invasion ->Hungary agreed to join but Poland declined
38
What two treaties did Hitler sign that strengthened his position?
-> 22nd May 1939, Pact of Steel (Italy and Germany) -> 23rd August 1939, Nazi-Soviet Pact, shifted power dynamic in eastern europe
39
When did German troops invade Poland and when did the Allies declare war on Germany?
1st September 1939 3rd September 1939
40
Was Hitler intending war with the allies when invading Poland?
yes... in speeches and negotiations with Italy, stated ready to fight large-scale war in the 1940s no... may have thought FR and GB bluffing unaware -> unaware of the opposition to his increasing anti-semitism and breaking of the TOV
41
What was the Allies policy towards Hitler?
Appeasement -> attempting to keep the peace by giving in to Germany's demands
42
Was the allies appeasement successful?
no... wasn't keeping Eastern European nations secure -> FR and GB beginning to feel that war is only solution
43
Why was Eastern Europe vulnerable to Hitler post-ww1?
Policy of self-determination created small, new, independent states -> politically, economically and militarily weak
44
What was the most significant ideological divide post-ww1?
Communist Russia and Capitalist West -> Comintern set up and West see it as a real threat
45
What was the LoN set up to achieve?
International co-operation and collective security -> looked to resolved disputes between member countries
46
What were some of the major weaknesses of the LoN?
-> not all nations were members (weak as a worldwide organisation) -> bureaucracy - league was slow to make decisions and members seldom agreed to economic sanctions -> enforcement, didn't have its own army - unable to act quickly
47
What were some major disputes that the LoN was involved in post-1931?
-September 1931 -> Mukden Incident, Japanese takeover of Manchuria (left LoN 1933) -October 1935 -> Italy invaded Abyssinia (imposed partial economic sanctions and asked Italy to leave) -Spanish Civil War 1936 -> LoN didn't intervene -1936 -> China & Japan war over disputed territory (neither country League member, had no effect) - November 1939 -> USSR invaded Finland, USSR expelled from LoN
48
When/why was Russia invited to join the LoN?
Wasn't asked to join until 1934 -> LoN didn't accept Russia's communist gov
49
What were some factors that contributed to strained relations between the USSR and the LoN?
-Stalin's purges and increasingly dictatorial behaviour -Nazi-Soviet Pact -USSR's invasion of Finland
50
When was the USSR asked to leave the LoN?
14th December 1939
51
Why did Britain follow a policy of appeasement?
-Wanted to preserve the peace kept by the TOV -Politicians and public did not want to go to war -War would cause problems with colonies who did not want to fight (Australia and South Africa)
52
When did public opinion harden towards Germany in Britain?
Kristallnacht (1938) and invasion of Czechoslovakia (1939)
53
What was France's feelings towards Germany?
-Resentment and anger -Very real fear of invasion -Isolated
54
How did France act to protect themselves from Germany?
-Policy of appeasement -Increasing agreements with the USSR (1935 Pact)
55
Why was France a weak country/target for Hitler?
-France isolated (allies) -Political difficulties (strong communist and fascist parties) -11 changes to gov between 1932-35 -Economic problems
56
How did Italy motivate Hitler to go to war?
Pact of Steel -> guaranteed the support of Mussolini in war
57
Why was the USSR isolated in Europe?
Isolated by it communist ideology and vulnerable to attack from both the East and West
58
Why did the USSR side with Germany?
July to August 1938 -> USSR was fighting with Japan on its eastern border -> sided with Germany to avoid fighting on both fronts
59
What policy did the USA pursue in the 1920-30s?
A policy of isolationism and protectionism (1938 army was smaller than Belgium's)
60
What stance did the USA take on war in Europe?
Would not go to war in Europe -> produced a permanent neutrality act in 1937 (encouraged Hitler to go to war)
61
Who were Japan's allies?
Germany and Italy -> left LoN in 1933 (over Mukden incident)
62
How did the German alliance with Japan encourage war?
Japan's aggressive policies -> enemy of the USSR, geographically advantageous for Germany to have an ally on the other side of the USSR (could also act against the USA in the Far East)
63
How did a weak world economy contribute to ww2?
The GD and Wall Street Crash - 1929 -> created problems that governments felt difficult to deal with = growing support for far left/right ->made countries more inward looking... traded less
64
How did Hitler's ideology lead to ww2?
-war necessary for Third Reich expansion -H had to meet expectations of German people (industrialists) -underestimated the effects of anti-semitic policy abroad

History - Germany (5 decks)

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