German challenges to post-war settlements and expansion

Question 1

Withdrawal from the LON and Disarmament Conference

Answer 1

1933 - already covered

Question 2

Reintroduction of conscription

Answer 2

1935 - Allowed Germany to expand army to 500,000 troops + (defiance of TOV which limited military to 100,000 + banned conscription)
All men 18-45 had to adhere to this (racial policies excluded some people e.g Jews)

Question 3

Saar plebiscite

Answer 3

1935 - The Saar Plebiscite of 1935 was a vote in which over 90% of the Saar region’s population chose to return to Germany after 15 years under League of Nations control. It was a major propaganda win for Hitler and showed strong public support for the Nazi regime

Question 4

Remilitarisation of the Rhineland

Answer 4

1936 - March 7th – 20,000 Germany troops entered the Rhineland (previously demilitarised under the TOV and Locarno treaties)

Question 5

Hossbach Memorandum

Answer 5

1937 - Summary of a secret meeting held (November 5th) in Berlin. Hitler outlined his aggressive expansionist plans to military and foreign policy leaders. (Emphasised need for Lebensraum)

Question 6

Anschluss

Answer 6

1938 - Annexation of Austria where German troops entered Austria, unopposed, and the Austrian government legalised the union (incorporated Austria as a province of Germany)

Question 7

Sudetenland

Answer 7

1938 - Britian and France agreed to Hitler’s demands to annex Czechoslovakia due to the appeasement policy. They agreed without consulting Czechoslovakia at the Munich conference.

Question 8

Czechoslovakia

Answer 8

1939 - Nazi Germany fully occupied Czechoslovakia which violated the 1939 Munich agreement.

Question 9

Poland

Answer 9

1939 - Invasion of Poland marked the beginning of WWII. Germany launched the coordinated attack on September 1st 1939.