Influence of foreign powers

Question 1

Molotov

Answer 1

Foreign minister for USSR
Replaced Litinov (Jewish)

Question 2

Molotov declares interest in western alliance

Answer 2

May 1939

Question 3

Stalin

Answer 3

Hoped for closer relationship w/ democracies
Allowed Nazi-Soviet pact to go ahead - Britain and France not serious

Question 4

Admiral Drax

Answer 4

British delegate w/ aristocratic background
Sent on an old merchant ship - British didn’t look serious

Question 5

Ribbentrop

Answer 5

Catalysed negotiations

Question 6

Germany and Russia 1920s

Answer 6

Fought each other in WWI
Treaty of Brest Litovsk
Rapallo Treaty

Question 7

Rapallo Treaty

Answer 7

1922
Led to reconciliation - German rearmament on Soviet soil

Question 8

Signals for Germany wanting increased relations

Answer 8

Stalin replacing Jewish Litinov w/ Molotov
Berlin thinks Stalin not convinced by western democracies

Question 9

Updated Rapallo Treaty

Answer 9

Would included a ‘German Poland’ and ‘Russian Poland’
Later pushed by the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact

Question 10

USSR overall contribution

Answer 10

Bolstered Hitler confidence in Poland
Speeds up invasion - mutual interest
Soviets don’t want alliances w/ Western powers - Enables Hitler for alliances

Question 11

Clemenceau

Answer 11

involved in negotiating ToV

Question 12

Impact on France WWI

Answer 12

Cost them 1.5 million men
Caused drop in birth rate

Question 13

Little Entente

Answer 13

1924-27
Czechoslovakia, Romania and Yugoslavia

Question 14

Gov Transition in France

Answer 14

Right to left wing
1930s

Question 15

Marechal Petain

Answer 15

Creation of Vichy State in alliance w/ Hitler
Led political revolution

Question 16

Popular Front took power

Answer 16

1936
Left-wing gov
rearmament meetings took place

Question 17

Maginot

Answer 17

French minister
Increased defence on western border - Maginot line

Question 18

Flaws of Maginot line

Answer 18

gaps in the battlements on French border w/ Belgium and Luxembourg

Question 19

France Overall Contribution

Answer 19

French policy confused and contradictory
Their demands created deep resentment in Germany

Question 20

Aims of Italy

Answer 20

Idea of Mutilated Victory
Italy a revisionist power - not satisfied by ToV even though they won the war

Question 21

Italy vs Britain coal production

Answer 21

230 million tonnes vs 1 million tonnes 1938-39

Question 22

Locarno Treaty

Answer 22

1925
Respect Western Borders

Question 23

Stresa Front

Answer 23

1935
Action against German attempts to revise Versailles

Question 24

anti-Comintern Pact

Answer 24

1937
Italy signed w/ Germany against communism and USSR

Question 25

Pact of Steel

Answer 25

1939 Italy follow Germany into war

Question 26

Italy overall contribution to war

Answer 26

Mussolini contribution to Hitler's aims was only helpful in early 30s Supporting Anschluss helped Hitler destroy Versailles