Escalation of tension and outbreak of war

Question 1

Why did Hitler want to remilitarise the Rhineland

Answer 1

• To be able to defend Germany’s borders in the West as he knew Lebensraum may provoke countries like Britain and France

Question 2

What was the Franco-Soviet pact 1935

Answer 2

• Agreement between France and USSR to support each other if attacked by Germany

Question 3

Hitler’s response to Franco soviet pact

Answer 3

• Claimed Germany was under threat
• Sent troops into Rhineland in March 1936

Question 4

How were troops greeted in Rhineland

Answer 4

• Welcomed by civilians who gave them flowers
  -Hitler dependant on this as army was still small

Question 5

British reactions to remilitarisation of Rhineland

Answer 5

• Britons felt Germany had right to defend own borders
• British troops busy in Abyssinia
• Britain was struggling due to depression and couldn’t afford to intervene

Question 6

French reactions to Remilitarisation of Rhineland

Answer 6

• Politicians fighting to win a general election- didnt want to bring France into a war as it would lose them votes
• French army had been moved to Tunisia in case Abyssinian crisis needed intervention
• French generals believed Germany had a much bigger army than they did, and so believed they were underprepared to fight them

Question 7

LofN reactions to remilitarisation of Rhineland

Answer 7

• Busy dealing with Mussolini in Abyssinia

Question 8

Why was Remilitarisation of Rhineland significant in road to war

Answer 8

• Hitler gained confidence to do as he pleased
• Hitler turned attention to other ways of getting around TofV
• Britain and France started to rearm
• France felt that they couldn’t trust Britain to help if they were invaded by Hitler
• Mussolini decided Hitler was a force to be reckoned with so they signed Rome-Berlin Axis

Question 9

Britain as a potential ally for Hitler

Answer 9

• Hitler admired British monarchy and values
• suggested a non-aggression pact in 1936
• Britain instead strengthened their agreements with Belgium and France

Question 10

Italy as a potential ally for Hitler

Answer 10

• Hitler saw he had many things in common with Fascist Italy
• Signed Rome-Berlin axis with Mussolini to agree to work closely together

Question 11

Japan as a potential ally for Hitler

Answer 11

• Japan had a hatred for USSR due to previous wars
• Japan was invading much of China, but were worried of USSR stepping in
• Japan felt that agreeing a pact with Hitler would make China feel threatened and surrender to them
• Signed Anti-Comintern pact in Nov 1936
• Joined Pact of steel with Italy in 1940

Question 12

What was the ‘Pact of Steel’

Answer 12

• Formally named Pact of Friendship and Alliance between Germany and Italy
• Agreed that German and Italian armies would work together if a war broke out
• Japan joined in 1940

Question 13

Why did Hitler want to do Anschluss in 1938?

Answer 13

• Shared a culture and a language, and Austria ruled Germany for 500 years
• Hitler previously failed due to Mussolini, but now their relationship had improved

Question 14

How did Hitler impose Anschluss in 1938

Answer 14

• Schuschnigg agreed to allow Nazi control in Austria, due to intimidation
• Schucshnigg asked for a plebiscite to be held about Anschluss, however Hitler disagreed and forced him to resign as chancellor, making Nazi solicitor Seyss-Inquart the new chancellor
• Seyss-Inquart declared Austria as in a state of emergency, and called for Germany to restore peace
• German troops invaded, welcomed by Austrian peole
• Plebiscite was then held, where 99% supported Anschluss, due to Nazi intimidation of stormtroopers

Question 15

Austrian reactions to Anschluss

Answer 15

• Many agreed to it due to sense of pride, and hope that Nazis could make Austria Great again
• Many Austin Jews- concern over future

Question 16

German reactions to Anschluss

Answer 16

• Made Germany and Nazis stronger, as it contained many natural resources and brought him closer to lebensraum

Question 17

British reactions to Anschluss

Answer 17

• Many felt they were essentially the same country and should be allowed to unite
• Anti-war sentiments so people not wanting to get involved

Question 18

French reactions to Anschluss

Answer 18

• French suffering own political problems

Question 19

Czech reactions to Anschluss

Answer 19

• Brought about great fear, as they knew they would be next

Question 20

How did Hitler try and claim Sudetenland

Answer 20

• Argued that German speaking people in the region were being prosecuted by the Czechs, and that he needed to step in and help

Question 21

Why was the Sudetenland so important

Answer 21

• Hitler knew it could make him more powerful due to rich natural resources and factories
• Britain and France knew if Hitler invaded they would need to step in and stop him

Question 22

What did chamberlain do in Sudetenland crisis

Answer 22

• Flew to Berchtesgaden to meet Hitler
• Used ‘Appeasement’, meaning he allowed hitler to take control of Sudetenland if done peacefully, in order to avoid war
• He then forced Czechs to agree to Hitlers terms

Question 23

Hitler’s reactions to Appeasement

Answer 23

• Demanded after that Czech army should leave the area and hand over land to him
• Also demanded that Hungary and Poland should be given land in Czechoslovakia
• Promised peace in Europe

Question 24

USSR reactions to Sudetenland crisis

Answer 24

• Were not consulted and Stalin felt betrayed and angry at Britain and France

Question 25

What was the anglo-German agreement

Answer 25

• England and Germany agreed to never go to war against each other
• Signed after Munich conference after Sudetenland crisis

Question 26

Importance of invasion of rest of Czechoslovakia

Answer 26

• First time Hitler invaded with no claim- Britain and France could no longer say he was taking what was his
• Broke promises mad in Munich conference and Anglo-German agreement
• Britain promised to Poland that they would guarantee its independence

Question 27

Why did people agree with appeasement at the time

Answer 27

• Many felt treaty was too harsh and some could be overturned
• Remembrance of WW1 made people scared for war
• Many believed Hitler’s claims that he was a man of peace
• Great depression meant many countries couldn’t afford to fight

Question 28

Arguments against appeasement

Answer 28

• Hitler had said throughout 20s that his plan was to make Germany strong again no matter what- people should not have trusted him
• Opportunities such as Rhineland could have stopped hitler early
• morally wrong- playing games at expense of lives of people in countries involved

Question 29

Why did Hitler want Poland

Answer 29

• Next step in Lebensraum ,used to be German land

Question 30

What was Nazi-Soviet pact

Answer 30

• Non aggression agreement between USSR and Germany
• Hitler agreed to give USSR some polish land

Question 31

Why did Stalin agree to Nazi soviet pact

Answer 31

• Actions of Britain and France showed they did not trust him and wouldn’t protect him if needed do so
• Didnt really trust Hitler, so knew it would at least buy time and stop him from being invaded by him

Question 32

Significance of Nazi soviet pact

Answer 32

• Made war inevitable as Hitler knew he couldn’t face war on two fronts
• Made Britain formalise agreement to Poland that if they were invaded, Britain would step in

Question 33

What happened on 1st September 1939

Answer 33

• German battleship opened fire on port in Danzig
• 63 divisions of army and 1300 Luftwaffe aeroplanes invaded Poland

Question 34

What happened on 3rd September 1939

Answer 34

• Britain sent Germany ultimatum stating that if they were not to withdraw troops by 11am they would be in a state of war
• No reply came, and so Britain declared war