International peace collapse in 1939

• Hitler’s foreign policy

  Reverse the Treaty of Versailles

  Unite German speaking people

  Lebenslaum- living space (expand)

  Destroy communism
• The Saar plebiscite

  Took place in Jan 1935

  People election held by the people

  Hitler was initially nervous, but his propaganda meant 90% of Germans voted for the Saar to be returned to Germany- within terms of treaty
• The signing of the Naval Pact

  Took place in June 1935

  Britain signed naval pact

  Agreed Hitler could expand his army to 35% of the British navy

  Believed Treaty terms were too harsh

  Thought Hitler was a good buffer to communism
• What happened on oct 1st 1938?

  German troops marched into the Sudetenland

  Chamberlain received a hero’s welcome- signed the Munich agreement with Hitler
• The Nazi soviet pact

  On 23rd August 1939

  Hitler and Stalin signed a pact promising not to attack one another, privately they also agreed to split Poland
• German Rearmament 


  Publicly announced in March 1935

  German people supported rearmament but Hitler knew it would cause alarm in other countries

  Rearmed in Secret, displayed public desire not to

  Justified it by saying he was doing the same as other countries who refused to disarm

  Hitler singed a pact with Poland: neutralising a threat and denying France a useful ally
• Remilitarising the Rhineland 


  In March 1936

  A large risk: if forced to withdraw Hitler would lose support from the German army

  The Rhineland was a term of the Treaty to protect France

  He moved troops into the Rhineland: It was successful
• Why was Hitler’s attempt to remilitarise the Rhineland successful?

  Britain and France were too occupied with the Abyssinian crisis to do anything but condemn his actions

  France and the USSR had signed a treaty to protect eachother incase of German attack: Hitler claimed Germany was under threat

  Neither Britain or France wanted to be responsible for the war

  Many people in britain felt Hitler had the right to station his troops in the Rhineland

  France was unlikely to act without Britain
• The Spanish civil war

  July 1936

  Republic government vs right wing rebels under general franco

  Mussolini and Hitler supported general franco: strengthened ties of fascist Germany and Italy

  Republicans backed by communist Russia

  Britain and France refused to intervene
• What was the impact of the Spanish civil war?

  Showcased Hitler’s bombing capabilities (bombed Guernica, 200 killed)

  Strengthened bonds between Mussolini and Hitler

  Hitler’s actions alarmed Chamberlain so he increased spending on military

  Increased Hitler’s confidence that Britain and France would not intervene if he took actions against the Treaty of Versailles
• What were the origins of the axis alliance?

  During spanish civil war: East Japan under control of hardline nationalist commanders (General Tojo)

  Also had support from business leaders in Japan and wanted to extend Japan’s empire across Asia

  Hitler and Mussolini found they had much in common with military dictatorship in Japan
• The axis alliance

  In 1936: Germany and Japan singed an anti-Comintern pact to oppose communism

  In 1937: Japan invaded China

  -> (historians regard this as the 1st big campaign of WW2)

  Italy also signed the anti-Comintern pact, known as the axis alliance

  There was very little britain and France would do about the axis alliance: this was very worrying

  Britain did not have the resources to fight both Japan in the far east and Germany in Europe
• Anschluss with Austria 


  > Hitler had previously tried to take over Austria in 1934 but Mussolini has stopped him. Now they were allies

  > Hitler encouraged the Nazi party in Austria to hold demonstrations demanding union with Germany

  > Hitler then told Austrian chancellor Schuschnigg that that Anchluss was the only way to solve these problems: Schuschnigg called for a plebiscite

  Under the watch of Nazi troops which Hitler sent, 99.75% voted for Anschluss
• Reasons for appeasement

  > Fear of communism: Hitler’s foreign policy to destroy communism acted as a buffer. People feared communism more than they did Hitler

  > Economic issues: effect of depression, could not afford a war, many debts

  > The USA: had been vital in WW1, now had policy of isolationism, the dawes plan meant they were in debt

  > The Treaty of Versailles: many felt it was unfair to the Germans: their demands weren’t unreasonable
• Reasons against appeasement

  > Make a stand: allowed Hitler to gain confidence and take risks by not doing anything

  > Trusting Hitler: Hitler constantly went back on his word, appeasement was based on the drunken mistake that Hitler was trustworthy

  > The Soviet Union: Hitler publicly displayed plans to expand eastward, appeasement gave him the impression Britain would let him

  > Hitler’s allies: Hitler had already observe how his allies, particularly right wing dictatorships had got away with acts of aggression
• Czechoslovakia background

  In 1938: Edvard benes (leader of Czechoslovakia) was horrified by Anchluss: he asked Britain and France if they would honour their agreement to protect Czechoslovakia from attack

  -> France already bound by treaty agreed, britain supported France
• Invasion of the Sudetenland

  In 1938

  Henlein, the leader of Nazis in the Sudetenland demanded the area should be part of Germany

  In may 1938: Hitler made it clear he was prepared to go to war

  On sept 15: Chamberlain flew to meet Hitler

  Hitler‘s demands moderated then increased from wanted just part, to the whole of the Sudetenland

  -> Hitler claimed Czech government was mistreated Germans and he intended to rescue them by Oct 1st

  Chamberlain told Hitler his demands were unreasonable, the navy was mobilised
• The Nazi soviet pact consequences:

  > Cleared the way for Hitler to invade Poland

  > On 1st Sept 1939: the German army invade Poland from the west where they met little resistance

  > Britain and France declare he withdraw or they’d declare war, Hitler didn’t believe they’d follow through

  > Britain and France kept their word: on 3rd Sept 1939 they declared war on Hitler
• What happened on March 15th 1939?

  Nazi troops took over Czechoslovakia: No resistance

  Chamberlain thought this was a step too far: the Czechs were not separated from their homeland like the Sudeten Germans

  Hitler’s next target was Poland
• What were Stalin’s motives for signing the Nazi-Soviet pact?

  > Gave him territory that had once been part of Russia

  > Gave him time: Stalin did not not expect Hitler to keep his word, he knew he was Hitler’s main target

  > He didn’t trust Britain and France, thought they were unreliable
• What were Hitler’s motives for Signing the Nazi-Soviet pact?

  > Regarded it as his greatest achievement

  > Gave him half of Poland

  > Ensured he would not have to fight a war on 2 fronts

  He never intended to let Stalin keep these territories