How far was Hitler's foreign policy to blame for the outbreak of war in Europe in 1939 ? Flashcards
(40 cards)
When did the Disarmament Conference begin?
February 1932
By July 1932, what four resolutions had the Disarmament Conference made?
- Stopping the bombing of civilian populations.
- Limiting the size of the artillery a nation could have.
- Limiting the tonnage of tanks a nation could have.
- Prohibiting (banning) chemical warfare.
When did Hitler withdraw Germany from the Disarmament conference?
October 1933
What agreement in 1935 between the British and French undermined the idea of Disarmament, which limited the German navy to 35% of Britain’s fleet?
The Anglo-German Naval Agreement.
What actions did Hitler take between1933 and 1937 to destroy the treaty of versailles ? (4)
. Secretly started to rearm by building up the army, navy and air force (1933)
. Reintroduced conscription (1936)
. Remilitarised the Rhineland (1936)
. Gained lost territory
When was the Saar Plebiscite held, and by around percentage did it vote to re-join Germany?
1935/around 90%
Why did the manner in which Hitler violated the ToV in March 1936 go unopposed? Give four points.
.France had just signed a treaty with the USSR, so Hitler presented the militarisation of the Rhineland as a defensive measure against this move.
.Many British felt Hitler had a right to had German troops on German soil.
.Hitler rightly gambled that if Britain did not intervene, then France would not react alone.
.French politicians were facing an election and didn’t want to be unpopular by calling for war.
What evidence was there that Hitler was not entirely confident his violation of the ToV in March 1936 would succeed?
.The Wehrmacht had ordered to pull out at the least sign of French resistance, as despite rearmament they were still in no way ready to fight France (they lacked any air support and necessary modern equipment).
In which country did civil war break out in 1936?
Spain
Who supported the Republican side during this civil war?
The USSR/Stalin.
Who did both Hitler and Mussolini support during this civil war in 1936?
General Franco
What was the name of the town that Germany famously bombed during the Spanish Civil War?
Guernica
Why was the Spanish Civil War useful to Hitler?
Allowed the German air force to practice its new bombing techniques, and showed that Britain and France would not get directly involved with wars in Europe.
Why did Germany become involved in the spans civil war
. General Franco shared Hitler’s fascist ideology
. To test out the new Luftwaffe and form an alliance with Mussolini
Consequences of the Spanish civil war for Europe (4)
. Gave combat experience to German and Italian forces
. Strengthened the bonds between Mussolini and Hitler
. Britain and France increased their rearmament programmes
. The conflict killed 750,000 people
What was the name of the anti-communist pact made by Germany and Japan in 1936, later signed by Italy in 1937?
The Anti-Comintern Pact.
How had Mussolini prevented Hitler from achieving Anschluss with Austria in 1934?
Sent Italian troops to the Austrian border.
Give three points for how Hitler tried to pressure the Austrian Chancellor, Schuschnigg, to agree to Anschluss.
. There was a strong Nazi party in Austria.
. Hitler encouraged them to stir up trouble for the Austrian Government, and they staged demonstrations calling for unification with Germany, as well as riots.
. Hitler then informed the Chancellor Schuschnigg that only Anschluss (political union) would solve these problems.
. He pressured Schuschnigg to agree.
Why was Hitler able to unite Germany with Austria in 1938 ?
. Hitler managed to pressure Schuschnigg
. No military confrontation with france and Britain:
1. They failed to provide support 2. Chamberlin felt that Austrians and Germans had a right to be united and that the tov was wrong to separate them
. Sent troops into Austria to guarantee a trouble-free plebiscite
Why did Hitler want Anschluss ?
. Hitler, as stated in Mein Kampf, made it clear that he felt that the two sates belonged together as one German nation (wanted to reuinte all german)
. Lebensraum and Grobdeutschland.
. Wanted to surround Czechoslovakia on all fronts
.The Treaty of Versailles had stripped Germany of territory, and Hitler sought to overturn this, viewing it as an unjust settlement
What was the result of the Plebiscite on Anschluss?
99.75% in favour of Anschluss.
What did Hitler gain from Anschluss in terms of military/economic resources?
Alongside the Austrian troops the German army gained, Hitler acquired arms and the rich gold and iron ore deposits in Austria to use in future military campaigns.
. Gained 100,000 troops
In what area of Czechoslovakia did around 3 million Germans live in by 1938?
Sudetenland.
Why was Czechoslovakia potentially far better able to defend itself from German aggression in 1938 than Austria had been? Give three points.
. The Sudetenland fortifications were formidable.
. The Czech army strong (and its weapons factories impressive, e.g. the Skoda weapons factories).
. Its international support was, in theory, strong: the USSR would have been willing to support, while Britain and France had promised support.
