Chapter 17 - Hitler's Foreign Policy and the Outbreak of WW2 Flashcards
What was Hitler’s foreign policy?
- TOV destroyed
- All German-speakers united
- Lebensraum (take over lesser breed countries)
How did Hitler dismantle the TOV?
- Rearmed Germany from 100,000 to 550,000
- Sent troops into Rhineland (gamble)
What was the Maginot line?
A large defensive fortification built by France along the French/German border.
What was appeasement?
The policy of keeping Hitler happy to avoid another war
What was the Anschluss?
The name given by Hitler to the unification of Germany and Austria in 1938. This was forbidden but the TOV
What was the Sudetenland?
Hitler’s next target after the Anschluss as over 3 million Germans lived there. Hitler encouraged the Germans there to demand a union with Germany, but Czechoslovakia resisted.
What was the Munich Agreement?
An agreement that said Hitler could have the Sudetenland, once it was his last demand. Czechoslovakia were not invited.
Why did appeasement end?
- Hitler broke Munich agreement & invaded Prague
- Non-German-speaking country (Lebensraum)
Why did Hitler want to invade Poland?
- German minority
- Polish Corridor: Danzig - 1/2 million Germans
What was the Nazi-Soviet Pact?
A ten-year non-aggression pact signed by Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939. They also agreed to divide Poland between them.
Why did WW2 begin?
- On September 1st 1939, Germany invaded Poland
- Britain and France gave them 2 days to evacuate
- 2 days later they had no reply & declared war on Germany
