Tension + WW2 origins

• What were Hitler's foreign policies (8Rs)

  1. Rearm Germany
  2. Rip up TofV
  3. Reunite German speaking people
  4. Reach out for Lebensraum (German expansion)
  5. Racially cleanse the Reich
  6. Rid Communism
  7. Remilitarise
  8. Revenge on those who wronged Germany
• Why did France + Britain appease Hitler

  • They didn't think he was strong enough to start war
  • Public opinion against War after horrors of WW1
  • Hitler could help prevent spread of communism
  • Many thought the TofV was too harsh on Germany so Hitler's asks were reasonable
  • depression meant that many couldn't afford war or trade disruption
• When was the Non-Aggression pact and what did it do

  • 1934
  • Poland + Germany agreed to settle disputes peacefully
  • Made Hitler look peaceful and reduced Polish fears
  • gave Germany chance to rearm
  • Upset France as they were an ally of Poland
• What happened in the Dolfuss affair

  • Engelbert Dollfuss became Austria Chancellor in 1932
  • was far right but not a nazi + wanted to protect Austria's national identity from Germans
  • Became dictator in 1933 + outlawed all other political parties
  • Austrian Nazis looked to Hitler for support who encouraged them to cause chaos
• When did Dollfuss die and what happened after

  • 1934 - assassinated by Austrian Nazis
  • Hitler considered invading but Mussolini wanted to be seen protecting Austria and threatened war
  • Hitler didn't have a big enough army to go to war so he backed down
• What was the significance of the Dollfuss affair

  • Hitler was seen trying to reunite German speakers - foreign policy
  • Hitler realised he needed more armed forces
  • Italy showed it could be helpful to Britain + France and allies wanted Italy on their side
• What was the Saar plebiscite (1935)


  • Industrial area around Saar was removed from Germany by ToV - controlled by LoN + France had access
  • Plebiscite was held to decide if it should go back to Germany
  • 90% voted in favour
• What was the significance of the Saar plebiscite

  • Hitler gained coal resources for Germany
  • Victory in legal vote - good propaganda
  • Hitler disobeying TofV - foreign policy
• What happened at the Stresa Front (1935)


  • Month after German rearmament
  • Stresa Pact - agreement between France, Britain, Italy that formalised opposition to German rearmament
  • aimed to reaffirm Locarno treaties (keep Austrian independence + resist TofV changes)
  • Didnt mention Abyssinia so Mussolini felt comfortable invading
• What was the Anglo-German Naval agreement (1935)


  • Allowed Hitler to go against TofV and build up German navy
  • Only allowed to be 35% of British navy
  • Another example of British appeasement
• What were the causes of the remilitarisation of the Rhineland (1936)


  • rest of the world was distracted watching Italy invade Abyssinia
  • TofV wanted Rhineland to stay demilitarised and Hitler hated TofV
• What was the Franco-Soviet pact (1936)


  • protected France + Russia from German attack
  • Hitler used this as an excuse to remilitarise Rhineland saying he felt encircled
• Why was there no resistance from France to the Rhineland remilitarisation

  • domestic issues + many general elections showed an unstable government
  • public opinion was split - Franco-Soviet pact antagonised Germany
  • French generals overestimated German army + didnt think they could help without Britain
• Why was there no resistance from Britain to the Rhineland remilitarisation

  • Britian + France disagreed on how to react
  • Britain had sympathy for Germany - had right to revise TofV
  • Rhineland was part of Germany so they werent technically invading anything
  • were more focused on Abyssinia
• What were the official reactions to the Rhineland remilitarisation

  • LoN condemned them a week later but couldnt do more
  • France condemned but looked to Britain for help
  • Britian issues formal protest - wanted to avoid military action
• What was the significance of the Rhineland remilitarisation

  • Hitler gained confidence in what he could get away with
  • Showed Hitler that LoN wouldnt stop him
  • France proved to be neglecting commitments to protect other nations
  • Britain and France start rearming
  • Hitler believed that France + Britain were weak
• What was the significance of the Rome Berlin Axis (1936)


  • Mussolini forced Hitler to back down when he tried to take over Austria in 1934
  • Now they were allied which could encourage Hitler to retry Anschluss
• What caused Anschluss in 1938


  • Hitler wanted to unite German speakers
  • Had already attempted union in 1934 but was stopped by Mussolini
  • Mussolini was on Hitler side now due to Rome-Berlin Axis + Anti-Comintern Pact
• Who was Schuschnigg

  • German Chancellor at time of Anschluss
  • Replaced Dollfuss
• How did Schuschnigg try to appease Hitler

  • German-Austrian Agreement (1936) - meant Austrian foreign policy had to mirror German + allowed Nazis to have official posts in Austria
  • Made an Austrian Nazi in charge of the police - started to ignore actions of Austrian Nazis
• How did Hitler take over Austria

  • Hitler ordered Austrian Nazis to cause chaos so German troops would look like they restored peace
  • Schuschnigg ordered plebiscite to see if people wanted Anschluss
  • Hitler threatened to invade unless Schuschnigg resigned + Seyss-Inquart (controlled police) became chancellor
  • Nazis stormtroopers policed booths to scare people into voting in favour - allowed by Seyss-Inquart
  • 99% were in favour
• Why didnt France + Britain get involved during Anschluss

  • French government collapsed + they couldn't help
  • Britain felt TofV was too harsh so this was reasonable
• What was the significance of Anschluss

  • Czechoslovakia worried that they were Hitler's next targets as they were surrounded by them on 3 sides
  • Increased Hitler's confidence
  • France + Britain agreed to defend Czechoslovakia if needed but had proved their uselessness in a crisis before
  • Showed Hitler's capabilities
  • Unification made Hitler more powerful
• What were the causes of the Sudeten Crisis

  • Hitler wanted to expand into Czechoslovakia - mostly the Sudetenland which had 3 million German speakers there
  • It had strong defences, many factories, natural resources that would benefit Germany
• How did Hitler get his way with Czechoslovakia

  • claimed German minority in Sudetenland were being persecuted and threatened to invade
  • Chamberlain (British PM) appeased Hitler - could have Sudetenland if he took it peacefully, also made Czech accept
  • Hitler quickly changed his mind and wanted more parts of Czechoslovakia to go to Hungary + Poland
• What was the Munich agreement (1938)


  • Hitler met with Chamberlain, Mussolini + Daladier (French PM)
  • Czechoslovakia + USSR not invited but were forced to hand over Sudetenland
  • Hitler + Chamberlain agreed that they would never go to war again which reassured Britain
• What was the significance of the Sudeten Crisis

  • Stalin wasn't consulted - became distrustful of Britain + France
  • Czechoslovakia lost its best defenses against Germany
  • Germany grew stronger
  • TofV kept being undone
  • Hitler grew in confidence and invaded rest of Czechoslovakia in 1929
• What are some arguments in favour of appeasement

  • War should be avoided
  • Many saw Germany as Communism buffer
  • Italy couldnt help against Germany after Axis alliance
  • Hitlers foreign policies had been done relatively peacefully until then
  • Britain + France weren't strong enough for War in 1938
  • In an Oxford Uni debate majority didn't want to fight for King + Country / 11 million voted against fighting in a peace ballot in 1934
  • French gov was unstable
• What are some arguments against appeasment

  • Hitler threatened violence before + used violence in Germany
  • it was morally wrong - Hitler couldnt use bullying tactics
  • It betrayed Austrians + Czechs
  • Hitler couldn't be trusted to keep his word
  • Czechoslovakia could have been a force against Hitler