Hitlers Foreign Policy And The Origins Of The Second World War Flashcards Preview

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1
Q

What steps did Hitler take to achieve his aims:

A

Each time claimed more territory he managed to convince European leaders, that once Germany had obtained territory lost at Versailles, no further demands would be made

Hitler had benefit of seeing Japan successfully defy League of Nations over Manchuria

Eventually developed close relationship with Mussolini, who withdrew from league as a result of Abyssinia

2
Q

Who took the Saar:

A

The industrial area of the Saar was taken from Germany by the Treaty of Versailles and put under the control of the League of Nations

3
Q

When was the plebiscite of the Saar:

A

January 1935

4
Q

How many people voted in favour of rejoining with Germany:

A

Over 90 per cent voted in favour

5
Q

How did Hitler react to regaining the Saar:

A

Hitler greeted result as huge triumph, decayed that this was the first injustice of Versailles to be reversed

6
Q

When was the non-aggression act with Poland signed:

A

In January 1934, Germany signed a non-aggression agreement with Poland

7
Q

Why was the Non-aggression pact with Poland signed:

A

Hitler was hoping to weaken existing alliance between France and Poland

Hoped to reduce Polish fears of German aggression

Wanted to show he had no quarrel with Poland, only with USSR

8
Q

Hitler’s aims:

A

Take his country out of League of Nations, which Germany had been allowed to join in 1926

Promised German people that he would reverse the Treaty and retake territory Germany had lost

Planned to expand into Eastern Europe to give German people Lebensraum

9
Q

Anschluss:

A

Union between Austria and Germany

10
Q

Hitler’s rearmament:

A

In 1935, he openly staged a massive military rally celebrating German armed forces.

The same year, he reintroduced conscription and announced a peacetime army of 550,000

11
Q

When did the disarmament conference first meet:

A

February 1932

12
Q

Arguments for appeasement:

A

People remembered horrors of WW1 and wanted to avoid another war at all costs

People believed Germany treated too harshly under Treaty of Versailles

Some people saw Communism as biggest threat to European stability

Britain was not ready for war

Britain preoccupied with problems caused by depression

13
Q

Arguments against appeasement:

A

Gave Hitler the advantage

Chamberlain misjudged Hitler

The appeasers missed excellent opportunities to stop Hitler - re occupation of Rhineland 1936

Did not stop war coming in 1939

14
Q

Why was Hitler putting troops back into the Rhineland a risk:

A

Reoccupation of the Rhineland was a clear branch of the Versailles Treaty

German troops were in no position to stand up to the French army if it reacted

15
Q

When was the remilitarisation of the Rhineland:

A

1936

16
Q

When was the Anschluss with Austria:

A

1938

17
Q

Why did Hitler want to join with Austria:

A

Hitler had been born in Austria and one of his objectives was to see Germany and Austria United as one country.

18
Q

What was Hitler’s first step to form an Anschluss:

A

Hitler bullied Austrian Chancellor, Schuschnigg, into accepting a Nazi, Seyss-Inquart, as Austrian Minister of the Interior.

19
Q

What did Schuschnigg order:

A

A plebiscite to be held to find out if the Austrian people really wanted a union with Germany.

20
Q

What did Hitler think of Schuschnigg’s idea to have a plebiscite:

A

Hitler feared a ‘no’ vote, so he moved German troops to the Austrian border, and threatened to invade if Schuschnigg did not resign in favour of Seyss-Inquart

21
Q

What Nazi became Chancellor of Austria to help form Anschluss:

A

Seyss-Inquart became chancellor of Austria and invited German troops into the country.

22
Q

When did Germany enter Austria:

A

On 12 March 1938, the German army entered Vienna. The Anschluss was complete

23
Q

What did the Germans do when they first entered Austria:

A

Nazis organised their own vote about Union with Germany.

24
Q

How many people voted in favour of a union between Austria and Germany:

A

99 per cent voted in favour. Austria immediately became a province of the new German Reich.

25
Q

Why did Britain and France take no action against Germany’s violation of the treaty in the forming of the Anschluss:

A

As there was a feeling among the people in Britain that the Treaty had been harsh and Britain should not defend it

26
Q

What happened in 1935:

A

In 1935 Britain signed a naval agreement with Germany.

27
Q

What did the Anglo-German Naval Treaty agree:

A

The agreement meant Germans allowed to build their navy up to 35 per cent of the size of the British navy and have the same number of submarines.

28
Q

What was the Sudetenland:

A

Part of Czechoslovakia which consisted of German-speaking peoples.

29
Q

How did Hitler stir up trouble in the Sudetenland:

A

Hitler ordered Henlein (the leader of the Sudeten Germans) to stir up trouble

German newspapers produced allegations of crimes apparently committed by Czechs against Sudeten Germans

Hitler threatened war if a solution was not found

30
Q

What did the British prime minister believe could happen about what was going on in the Sudetenland:

A

Chamberlain believed that a peaceful solution could be worked out.

31
Q

What did Chamberlain do to resolve the Sudentland crisis:

A

He tried to persuade the Czech President, Beneš, to accept self-government for the Sudentland.

32
Q

What happened on the 22 September:

A

On 22 September, at a meeting at Godesberg, Beneš refused to accept the German demands. It seemed that war was a real possibility, but Chamberlain appealed to Hitler to give him more time to find a settlement.

33
Q

What happened on the 29 September:

A

Chamberlain made one last effort to maintain peace

34
Q

The Munich agreement:

A

Chamberlain met with Daladier, the French leader, Hitler and Mussolini at Munich in a final bid to resolve the Sudeten crisis.

Czech representatives were not invited to the meeting

Czechs were forced to hand over the Sudetenland to Germany and a commission was set up to decide precisely which territory the Czechs would lose

35
Q

Results of Munich agreement:

A

The Czech Government was completely humiliated

Vital area of the Sudetenland was lost

In October and November 1938, Hungary and Poland also occupied other parts of Czech territory

Britain and France had again given in to Hitler

36
Q

When was the collapse of Czechoslovakia:

A

March 1939

37
Q

Collapse of Czechoslovakia:

A

Hitler invaded and occupied what was left of Czechoslovakia

Bohemia and Moravia became German protectorates

Slovakia remained independent in theory, but was dominated by Germany

Ruthenia was handed over in Hungary

38
Q

End of appeasement:

A

Hitlers promises at Munich were worthless

Britain and France were rapidly rearming and it was accepted that the policy of appeasement had failed

39
Q

When was the Pact of Steel:

A

May 1939

40
Q

What happened in March 1939:

A

Hitler forced the Lithuanians to hand over the Baltic town of Memel and a portion of land along their south-west border

41
Q

What happened in April 1939:

A

General Franco’s nationalist forces, supported by Germany and Italy, took power in Spain

42
Q

What happened in May 1939:

A

Mussolini followed Hitlers example in Czechoslovakia by invading Albania

43
Q

When was the Nazi-Soviet Pact:

A

On 23 August 1939

44
Q

What was the Nazi soviet pact:

A

The German Foreign Minister, Ribbentrop, and Soviet Foreign Minister, Molotov, signed the Nazi-Soviet Non aggression Pact

45
Q

The Nazi-Soviet Pact:

A

The soviets and Germans agreed not to fight each other in the event of war in Europe

Both powers secretly agreed to divide up Polish territory should war occur

Hitler gave Stalin a free hand to occupy part of Romania and the Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania

46
Q

Why was the Nazi-Soviet Pact good for Hitler:

A

Pact removed the threat of war on two fronts

Gave him the opportunity he needed to deal with Poland, despite the threats coming from Britain and France

47
Q

Why was the Nazi-Soviet Pact good for Stalin:

A

Hitler had more to offer for the soviets, e.g territory in Eastern Europe