Key topic 3: The lead up to WW2 (1936-39)

Question 1

What six things did Hitler want?

Answer 1

Rip up the Treaty of Versailles
Rearm Germany
Lebensraum (living space)
Volkdeutsche (people with German blood)
Anschluss
Destroy communism

Question 2

Why was Hitler’s desire to rip up the Treaty of Versailles a cause of tension?

Answer 2

He was very open about disobeying the Treaty of Versailles and there was anger and worry with the big three, who didn’t want Germany to start another war.

Question 3

How did Hitler’s desire to rearm Germany cause tension?

Answer 3

He believed Germany would need a large army because he wished to return Germany to its former glory. To do this he was willing to break the army clauses of the Treaty of Versailles, causing tension as the big three suspected he would use violence in order to regain territory and power for Germany

Question 4

How did Hitler’s belief of Volkdeutsche cause tension?

Answer 4

Hitler wanted to create a greater Germany for all of German descent and his belief would put countries with high German population at risk and worry of invasion.

Question 5

How did Hitler’s belief of Lebensraum cause tension?

Answer 5

Hitler promised to regain lost German territory and so was actively causing conflict by invading other countries.

Question 6

How did Hitler’s desire for Anschluss cause tension?

Answer 6

The unification of Austria and Germany was banned in the Treaty of Versailles and the last time it had occurred World War One had broken out so, with Hitler wanting to reinstate it, caused great tension as people remembered what happened last time. Also tension between Austria and Germany because Austria wanted to keep its independence.

Question 7

How did Hitler’s desire to destroy communism lead to a decrease in tension and yet also an increase?

Answer 7

It was Hitler’s most popular policy, except with the USSR, and Germany offered a buffer between the big three and the USSR, so Hitler got away with a lot, as the big three were more scared of communism than of fascism. This led with decreasing tension as they appeased Hitler however, an overall increase in tension as Hitler became bolder and bolder with each of his moves, knowing he wouldn’t be stopped.Of course, direct tension between Hitler and USSR.

Question 8

When was Hitler born and where and how did he feel about the Armistice ending World War One?

Answer 8

Hitler was born in 1894 with no particular talent and he was an art school reject he was born in Austria and went into the German army in World War One and felt betrayed when the German government signed the Armistice.

Question 8

How did Britain initially view Hitler?

Answer 8

Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain enacted a policy of appeasement with Hitler, which people like Churchill thought was a mistake, because people still remembered the horrors of World War One and so we’re keen to avoid another conflict and they were also initially worried about Germany starting another war however, they calmed after the Polish Peace Act was signed by Hitler in 1937. They hoped that Germany would be a powerful buffer against the USSR but despite this, Britain still signed the Stresa Front with France and Italy in 1935, promising to unite against Hitler.

Question 9

How did France initially feel about Hitler?

Answer 9

Francis government couldn’t focus on Hitler due to the Great Depression with people rebelling against the government they simply couldn’t afford to act or worry about Hitler.

Question 10

How did the USSR initially feel about Hitler?

Answer 10

Joseph Stalin, the leader of the USSR, was weary of both communist hating Hitler and capitalist nations however, relations improved in 1934 when the USSR joined the League of Nations. In May 1935 the Treaty of Mutual Assistance was signed with France and still recovering from the civil war, they saw it worthwhile working with capitalist nations to stop Hitler’s eastern expansion.

Question 11

How did the USA initially view Hitler?

Answer 11

The USA followed a policy of isolation and focused on creating jobs for the 25% of the population who were unemployed.
1934 a poll published revealed that 70% of Americans regretted the USA’s part in World War One and would not want to be in another war.
In 1936 an election took place and at Franklin D Roosevelt promised to keep America out of Europe’s affairs and so the USA quietly watched Hitler and started preparing armed forces.

Question 12

How did Hitler cause tension in 1933?

Answer 12

The League of Nations held disarmament conference between 1932 and 1934
Hitler said he would disarm as long as others did too
If others would not, he wanted an army equal to France’s army but France said no
Their refusal gave Hitler excuse to leave the League of Nations
He claimed that France was unreasonable and now didn’t have to work against war.

Question 13

How did Hitler cause tension in 1934?

Answer 13

Germany had ruled over Austria for 600 years and they felt that they should be one country, so hated the banned Anschluss in the Treaty of Versailles
When Austrian chancellor, Dollfuss, refused to Hitler’s union of Austria and Germany, he banned the Austrian Nazi party and was killed by Austrian Nazis
However, the Austrian army still supported the government and Mussolini’s army was at the border of Austria and stopped Germany from invading
Hitler saw his army was not strong enough yet.

Question 14

What did Hitler do on the 13th of January 1935?

Answer 14

The Saar loan of 15 years by the Treaty of Versailles would soon end and so, a plebiscite was held to decide who the land should go to.
90% wanted it to go to Germany and Hitler uses for propaganda
Hitler gained rich coal fields that he could use to power his rearmament.

Question 15

What was the Stresa Front?

Answer 15

In April 1935, an agreement between Britain France and Italy was made to honour the Lorcano treaty, protect Austrian independence and work together to stop Hitler breaking the Treaty of Versailles however, Hitler was unconcerned about this agreement.

Question 16

How did rearmament in March 1935 cause tension?

Answer 16

At the Freedom of Rearm Rally, Hitler showed off his secret weapons and troops and announced the re introduction of conscription by 1936, he expanded his army to 1,000,000 and also built the Luftwaffe (Air Force)
This marks the fact that Hitler could openly defy the Treaty of Versailles without anyone stopping him.

Question 17

How did Hitler defy the Treaty of Versailles in June 1935?

Answer 17

People in Britain now felt the Treaty of Versailles had been too harsh
An agreement was signed with Hitler and Britain that Germany could build a Navy 35% of Britain’s
It was too good an offer to decline with Germany recognising Britain’s naval superiority
Britain also allowed 43% of the number of submarines to be built
Hitler saw this as Britain admitting the Treaty of Versailles was too harsh and so he felt he could ignore it
This was called the Anglo-German Naval Agreement and Britain hasn’t consulted France or Italy before signing it
The Treaty of Versailles army terms we’re now officially dead.

Question 18

Who replaced dollfus in 1934?

Answer 18

Schuschnigg became the new Austrian Chancellor

Question 19

What did the new Austrian chancellor agree to do?

Answer 19

Schuschnigg agreed to give Nazis key governmental roles

Question 20

What was found in Austria in 1938 January?

Answer 20

plans were found that of Austrian Nazis overthrowing the government and huge demonstrations against the government led by Austrian Nazis

Question 21

What did Schuschnigg do after plans were found of government overthrow by Austrian Nazis?

Answer 21

He went to Berchtesgaden and had a meeting with Hitler and his three generals that he brought, showing that he was being aggressive, and the Austrian Chancellor said little, agreeing to Hitler’s terms.

Question 22

What was agreed at Berchtesgaden?

Answer 22

Nazi solicitor, Seyss-Inquart, was made Minister for the Interior and other Nazi officers were made ministers for finance and war, having complete control of Austrian police.
Schuschnigg also had to lift restrictions on Nazi party and free Austrian Nazis from prison.
He had to do this all in three days or Hitler would invade Austria

Question 23

Why did Schuschnigg hold a plebiscite after the meeting of Berchtesgaden?

Answer 23

Knew that if the Austrian people voted against Anschluss, then Hitler would lose his excuse to invade.

Question 24

What happened in Austria on the 11th March 1938?

Answer 24

Hitler commanded the plebiscite to be postponed and the Austrian chancellor agreed, knowing that defying Hitler might lose Britain, France and Italy’s support. Hitler forced the Austrian chancellor to resign and made sure that Seyss- Inquart was chancellor. Seyss-Inquart then decreed Austria in the state of chaos and asked for Germany’s help.

Question 25

What happened in Austria on the 12th of March 1938?

Answer 25

Nazi troops invaded Austria terribly, it was not planned at all, and not a single drop of blood was shed, but some people did cheer for the troops and gave gifts to the soldiers and Mussolini stayed true to the Anti-Comintern pact and did not oppose Anschluss.

Question 26

What happened in Austria on the 10th of April 1938?

Answer 26

Hitler held the plebiscite that he had postponed with Nazi soldiers and the votes were very public, which led to 99% of Austrians voting for Anschluss. Remarkably, all that Hitler had done in Austria was technically legal.

Question 27

How did France react to the return of Anschluss?

Answer 27

They had to deal with their own problems before Austria’s as two days before Hitler’s Austrian invasion, the whole French government had resigned due to the unrest caused by economic issues in France.

Question 28

How did Austria react to the returned Anschluss?

Answer 28

Some were delighted to unite with Nazis after left with no hope due to the St. Germain treaty and the economy having collapsed in 1921 however, it was home to 180,000 Jews who had to flee due to anti-Semitic attacks.

Question 29

How did Czechoslovakia react to the returned Anschluss?

Answer 29

They were worried that after Hitler took Lebensram in the east, they would be next and so they heard the news with great fear and asked Great Britain and France for help and France was bound by treaty to protect Czechoslovakia and Great Britain supported France.

Question 30

How did Britain react to the returned Anschluss?

Answer 30

Felt Austria and Germany was one country and so should be united and many people felt that the Treaty of Versailles had been too harsh. There was opposition from some people like Churchill, if Austria wanted Anschluss, Germany should negotiate and not send troops but anti war and anti Versailles, sentiments held by the majority, so there was a little desire to get involved.

Question 31

How did Germany react to the returned Anschluss?

Answer 31

Hitler was delighted and felt he was righting the wrongs of the Treaty of Versailles. Propaganda showed Hitler as a hero, saving Australia from unrest he caused using Syess-Inquart. His popularity grew and could use Austria’s resources to fuel rearmament and grew in power, uniting German speakers in one country.

Question 32

What was the Sudeten crisis?

Answer 32

When in March, 1938, Hitler planned to invade Sudetenland, boarder land of Czechoslovakia and home to 3 million German speakers that Hitler promised to protect from the ‘discriminating’ Czechs, even if he had to use violence.

Question 33

What was the Munich agreement and how did the countries involved feel about it?

Answer 33

It was signed on 29th September 1938 and Britain and France agreed to meet all of Hitler’s demands concerning Czechoslovakia and the Sudetenland, feeling proud of themselves for having avoided war, Chamberlain was seen as a hero, and this marked the start of appeasement of Hitler.

Question 34

What did Hitler demand at the Munich conference in 1938?

Answer 34

Czech army must leave Sudetenland, so that he may take it
Hungary and Poland’s claims on the land must be met
Promised future peace if all these demands met

Question 35

What did Hitler do on the 15th March 1939?

Answer 35

He invaded Czech, without permission or international intervention, through the Sudetenland he had been allowed to invade on March 1938.

Question 36

Which countries were not consulted over the Munich agreement and what impact did this have?

Answer 36

USSR felt betrayed as Britain and France had helped Hitler’s Eastern expansion without consulting Stalin.

Czechoslovakia felt betrayed as they were left to fight without support, though with it they could have defeated the Nazis, because Britain and France had given some of their land away without their permission. Britain and France could not use the excuse that they has been righting the Treaty of Versailles because Czechoslovakia had little to do with Germany.

Question 37

What did the Sudetenland crisis lead to Britain and France saying to Poland?

Answer 37

Promised to go to war with Germany if Hitler invade Poland.

Question 38

Seven reasons why the policy of appeasement was a good idea.

Answer 38

1) Hitler claimed to be man of peace
2) People thought Hitler had a right, only trying to fix the harsh ToV
3) Peace ballot of 1934 found most Brits didn’t want to take military action against Hitler
4) 17mill killed and 20mill wounded in WW1, didn’t want a repeat
5) Great Depression meant people couldn’t afford to fight, want to avoid it
6) Hitler was a good buffer against communist USSR
7) Britain could use it to buy time, only started rearming in 1936

Question 39

Five reasons why the policy of appeasement was a bad idea.

Answer 39

1) Misjudgment: Hitler made it clear he would use violence
2) Meant they missed chances to stop Nazis before a war broke out, like remilitarization of Rhineland or Czech invasion
3) Allowed Hitler to gain power and momentum, becoming more formidable and scarier enemy
4) Alienated the USSR by helping Hitler, losing a powerful and much needed ally
5) Morally wrong to condemn other countries to save yourself

Question 40

When was the Nazi Soviet Pact signed?

Answer 40

23rd of August 1939

Question 41

What was the Nazi-Soviet Pact?

Answer 41

Hitler promised to split Poland (having been made after WW1 with former German and Russian land) with USSR if, Stalin agreed not to stop Hitler invading
Hitler also promised not to invade the USSR, if they would not fight Germany.

Question 42

Why did Russia sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact? (3)

Answer 42

Stalin could reclaim Poland without fighting
Could use it to buy time to rearm in case Hitler went back on his word and invaded
Poland would be a good buffer if Germany decided to invade

Question 43

Why did Germany sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact? (3)

Answer 43

Germany had to fight two front in WW1, so securing Russian support mean they would only have to fight one this time
GB and France would not have the support of a superpower
Hitler knew his army (at that time) could not defeat USSR if they invaded Poland without their permission

Question 44

Why did Germany want Poland? (3)

Answer 44

It was made, in parts, with German land, so next step in Lebensraum and Volkdeutsche
Didn’t think GB and France would actually fight him, despite what they said
Didn’t want Eastern intervention and so sent senior Nazi, Ribbentrop to negotiate Nazi-Soviet Pact

Question 45

When did Hitler invade Poland and how?

Answer 45

1st September 1939 (4:45 am) German battleship Schleswig-Holstein opened fire at the port of Danzig, who had been made independent in ToV but ruled by Polish and had a 90% German population

Question 46

What did Britain and France do in response to Hitler’s Polish invasion?

Answer 46

3rd September 1939 Britain and France sent an ultimatum to Germany giving them until 11am to say they were going to withdraw troops from Poland or war would be declared
No reply came, so Britain and France declared war on Germany on the same day.