German expansion (1933-1940)

Question 1

Lebensraum (impact)

Answer 1

Lebensraum referred to Germany’s need to expand and acquire ore territory. Lebensraum focused on additional land which could be used for agriculture.

Question 2

Lebensraum (evidence)

Answer 2

needed this land to:
- feed themselves

• settle large families whose numerous children could make up for the casualties incurred in conquering it
• large families would require and make possible the conquest of additional land

Question 3

Social Darwinism (impact)

Answer 3

Social Darwinism surrounds the ideology of jews being racially inferior and was used to justify aggressive expansion and Lebensraum.

Question 4

Social Darwinism (evidence)

Answer 4

-underpinned the pursuit of Lebensraum

-justified preparation for military conflict, racial policies

-reinforced the idea that foreign policies were imperative to assert racial superiority in the sustainment of Germany’s future

Question 5

Anti-Communism (impact)

Answer 5

Made the Soviet Union the enemy of Germany.

Question 6

Anti-communism (evidence)

Answer 6

Anti-communism built alliances such as the anti-Comintern pact with Japan and Italy.

Question 7

Anti-internationalism (impact)

Answer 7

Anti-internationalism caused Germany to reject the LON and the TOV.

Question 8

Anti-internationalism (evidence)

Answer 8

Germany pursued actions such as remilitarisation of the Rhineland and annexing territory.

Question 9

Anti-Treaty of Versailles/Paris Peace Conference (impact)

Answer 9

Terms of the treaty + conference were deemed as humiliating by Germany -> rearmament + remilitarisation of forbidden zones

Question 10

Anti-Treaty of Versailles/Paris Peace Conference (evidence)

Answer 10

Dismantled postwar international order, reject disarmament and territorial limits.

Question 11

Unemployment (impact)

Answer 11

Linked economic recovery to militarisation and territorial expansion.

Question 12

Unemployment (evidence)

Answer 12

1938-1939 unemployment was almost eliminated due to massive rearmament efforts + conscription (economic recovery tied to foreign policy goals)

Question 13

Mefo-Bills (impact)

Answer 13

Enabled financing Germany’s secret rearmament program.

Question 14

Mefo-bills (evidence)

Answer 14

Created in 1934 by Hjalmar Schacht – allowed government to bypass the restrictions of the TV and legal borrowing limits (hidden form of credit)

Question 15

Rearmament (impact)

Answer 15

Openly defied the TOV and indicating pursuing aggressive territorial expansion.

Question 16

Rearmament (evidence)

Answer 16

Became public in 1935 when Hitler announced the expansion of the army to 500,000 troops. (boosted national pride, Britian + France + LON failed to intervene)

Question 17

Autarky (impact)

Answer 17

Autarky was the policy of economic self-sufficiency which shaped Germany’s goal and actions.

Question 18

Autarky (evidence)

Answer 18

Germany wanted to reduce dependence on foreign imports to avoid situations such as the allied blockades which they experienced during WWI. (Lebensraum, increased isolation)

Question 19

German withdrawal from LON (reasons)

Answer 19

Removed Germany who had committed to upholding international peace and cooperation

Question 20

German withdrawal from LON (evidence)

Answer 20

Germany’s withdrawal weakened the LON’s authority limiting their ability to enforce disarmament and prevent rearmament by aggressive states. Hitler was motivated to withdraw as the LON refused to grant Germany military equality.

Question 21

Remilitarisation of the Rhineland (reasons)

Answer 21

Remilitarisation of the Rhineland violated the TOV and the Locarno treaties.

Question 22

Remilitarisation of the Rhineland (evidence)

Answer 22

Britian and France, the main powers who were responsible for enforcing he treaties, chose not to respond military or take decisive action + remilitarisation strengthened Germany’s position on the Western border + LON credibility undermined

Question 23

Munich Agreement (reasons)

Answer 23

Allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia without Czechoslovakia’s consent.

Question 24

Munich Agreement (evidence)

Answer 24

Britian and France chose appeasement instead of enforcing their international agreements (betrayed alliance commitments, accelerated the collapse of collective security)

Question 25

Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact (reasons)

Answer 25

The pact was a secret agreement between two ideologically opposed totalitarian regimes (Nazi Germany + the Soviet Union)

Question 26

Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact (evidence)

Answer 26

Violated the idea of collective security, enabled aggressive territorial division, isolated vulnerable nations and weakened the LON.

Question 27

Nazi invasion of Poland and the outbreak of war (reasons)

Answer 27

Exposed the failure of international institutions and agreements that were set to prevent aggression.

Question 28

Nazi invasion of Poland and the outbreak of war (evidence)

Answer 28

Britain and France were unable to prevent Germany’s attack displaying that aggressive power can violate treaties. (Decreased trust in the diplomatic effort + led to global conflict)

Question 29

Basis for appeasement policy (significance)

Answer 29

Primarily due to Britain wanting to avoid another war like WWI + was influenced by the failure of collective security mechanisms.

Question 30

Basis for appeasement policy (evidence)

Answer 30

Prime minister Neville Chamberlain believed that making concessions to Hitler would maintain peace.

Question 31

Chamberlain and Hitler meeting at Berchtesgaden (significance)

Answer 31

Held to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the Sudetenland crisis and avoid war. (September 15th, 1938)

Question 32

Chamberlain and Hitler meeting at Berchtesgaden (evidence)

Answer 32

Chamberlain agreed to consider the demands of Hitler which raised hope for peace and reflected the appeasement policy put in place. (led to aggressive expansion, Munich agreement + weakened collective security)

Question 33

Anglo-French declaration (significance)

Answer 33

Britain and France’s commitment to defend Poland against Nazi Germany’s aggression. (end of appeasement – September 1939)

Question 34

Anglo-French declaration (evidence)

Answer 34

After Germany invaded Poland on September 1st 1939, ultimatums were issued by Britian and France which demanded that Germany withdraw. Germany did not listen which led to a declaration of war on Germany on September 3rd , ultimately marking the beginning of WWII.

Question 35

Bad Godesberg meeting (significance)

Answer 35

September 22-24th 1939: Hitler rejected prior negotiations + issued the Godesberg Memorandum.

Question 36

Bad Godesberg meeting (evidence)

Answer 36

The Godesberg Memorandum was where Hitler demanded the immediate occupation of Sudeten Germany territories and threatened war if they didn’t comply.

Question 37

Munich Conference (significance)

Answer 37

September 1938 – allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland without Czechoslovakia’s consent and without resistance from Britian and France.

Question 38

Munich Conference (evidence)

Answer 38

Germany, Britian, Italy and France agreed to this territorial concession to avoid war (appeasement) -> weakened collective security

Question 39

End of Appeasement (significance)

Answer 39

Shift from diplomatic concessions to active resistance against Nazi Germany.

Question 40

End of Appeasement (evidence)

Answer 40

Change occurred after Hitler seized the rest of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 (broke promises made at Munich + indicated failure of appeasement) -> Neville Chamberlain abandoned appeasement and began preparing for war