Flashcards in The Drift to War 1933-39 Deck (13):
1
1) Rebuilding the German military
Ordered secret r armament, left League of Nations
Publicly announce reintroduction of conscription
Increased size of navy + built up airforce (Luftwaffle) - commanded by Herman Goering
2
2) Occupation of the Rhineland
March 1936 - troops crossed River Rhine, greeted by cheering crowds
Versailles agreement broken, French + British did nothing. Hitler gambled and won
Rome-Berlin Axis
3
Attitude of the British and French
French thought German army bigger than it was. Would not act without British support
British felt Treaty of Versailles was too harsh
4
Hitler's aims
Tear up Treaty of Versailles
Unite German speakers outside Germany into a Greater Germany
See birth country become part of Germany
Believed French + British weak and wanted to avoid war
5
Steps to war
1. Rebuilding German military
2. Occupation of Rhineland
3. Appeasement
4. Austria - Anschluss
5. Sudetenland
6. Munich Conference
7. End of Czechoslovakia
8. Demands on Poland
6
3. Appeasement
New PM in Britain - Neville Chamberlain
Did not want war - agree to Hitler's demands (appeasement)
7
4. Austria - Anschluss
Hitler forced Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg to bring leading Austrian Nazis into gov.
German troops 'invited in'
8
5. Sudetenland
Lack of reaction - Hitler took more risks
Sudetenland - German-speaking region of Czechoslovakia
Excuse - demands of Sudeten Germans to bring Ger. control
Fears of German attack on Czechoslovakia grew
9
6. Munich Conference
Neville Chamberlain tried to stop war w/ diplomacy
Mussolini proposed conference of Brit, Fran, Italy, Ger.
Czechoslovakia not invited + Russia
29 Sep 1938 - agreed to hand over Sudetenland
War prevented
10
7. End of Czechoslovakia
Hitler sent troops into Czech lands
Brit. public opinion outraged
Chamberlain abandoned appeasement - Brit support Poland if attacked
11
8. Demands on Poland
Germans resented losing land to Poland at WWI end
Hitler demanded return on Danzig (German-speaking town)
Poles refused
12
9. Hitler and Stalin
Stalin believed Western Allies encouraging Hitler to attack Sov. U.
Hitler offered Stalin Alliance
Wanted Soviet neutrality
Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
13