Lesson 6 - Policies of Nazi Germany

Question 1

What were Hitler’s 4 key aims after coming to power?

Answer 1

1. Destruction of the Treaty of Versailles.
2. To unite all German speaking people into a Greater Germany.
3. To acquire Lebensraum (living space).
4. To destroy communism.

Question 2

How did Hitler begin to rearm Germany?

Answer 2

• Ordered German Generals to increase the size of the German Army to 300,000 men and the Air Ministry to build 1000 war planes IN SECRET.
• Reintroduced conscription in March 1935.

Question 3

How did other nations respond to Germany’s rearmament?

Answer 3

• Britain, France, Italy, and the League of Nations all issued statements condemning Hitler’s decision but did little else to penalise Germany.
• France focused on adopting a defensive strategy to counter German rearmament and continued to focus on production of the Maginot Line.
• Britain increased the budget for spending on the Royal Navy.
• These powers were worried that another major European conflict may break out if they were to challenge Germany militarily. None of the nations were prepared for this.

Question 4

Why did Hitler remilitarise the Rhineland?

Answer 4

• Part of overall plan to abolish the Treaty of Versailles.
• The Rhineland was an important industrial region that could aid German rearmament plans.
• Hitler justified it as a defensive action in response to the signing of the Franco-Soviet Treaty of Mutual Assistance in May 1935.
• France was in a state of internal turmoil following a recent change in government.
• Hitler was emboldened by the Western powers lack of response to his announcement of rearmament.

Question 5

How did the Western powers respond to the Hitler’s remilitarisation of the Rhineland?

Answer 5

• France vehemently disagreed with the German occupation but made no other response due to their own political and economic crisis.
• Britian and the League of Nations condemned the actions but were preoccupied with a crisis developing in Abyssinia.
• Many British also had sympathy for German remilitarising, with many viewing it as them just moving back into their ‘own backyard’.

Question 6

What was meant by Anschluss?

Answer 6

Unification of Germany and Austria

Question 7

What were the reasons for Anschluss?

Answer 7

• Part of overall plan to abolish the Treaty of Versailles.
• It also helped Hitler work towards the aim of creating a Greater Germany by uniting all German speakers.
• Increase size of German military by incorporated the Austrian military (100,000 men) into the Wehrmacht.
• Gave Nazi Germany access to resources such as steel and iron ore as well as money from the State Bank that would help them in their march towards war.

Question 8

What was the response of France and Britain to the Anchluss?

Answer 8

• France did not respond to the invasion as just two days before Germany invaded Austria their entire government had resigned.
• Britain was also having its own internal political problems and decided that pursuing the policy of appeasement remained the best course of action.
• Additionally, as with the Rhineland, many in Britain could see no reason why Austria and Germany shouldn’t unify as they were both German-speaking nations.
• However, some anti-appeasers, like Winston Churchill, were becoming increasingly alarmed at Hitler’s actions and began to criticise the British government.