Conflict and Tension part 3

avatar
Created by
Khadija Siddiqui

Cards (16)

  • Hitler's Aims

    • Destroy Treaty of Versailles
    • Re-arm Germany and regain lost land
    • Volksdeutsche under German control
    • Lebensraum (living space) so expanding Eastwards: Anschluss part of this
    • Destroy communist USSR
  • Reactions to Hitler's Aims
    • British government and people worried about Hitler's speech in 1920s but non-aggressive pact with Poland 1934, satisfied he doesn't want war
    • Britain did not want another war, Chamberlain sent Lord Halifax to find out what had happened
    • Stalin worried about Hitler as he openly claims to destroy USSR so he cooperated with capitalist states, Hitler's expansion east to be stopped
    • France not really worried, Great Depressions: have own problems. France public rebelling against government and weak to stand up without Britain
    • USA: unemployment reached 25%, wall street crash focus on creating jobs for people but prepared armed forces
    • USA not want to be involved in European affairs: 1936 election FDR promised to stay away from them. 1934 – 70% people felt no need for involvement in WW1, so especially not WW2
  • Hitler's Early Policies

    • 1933 Disarmament conference – would disarm if everyone else did too, otherwise equal size army to France. Army limited to 100,000 soldiers in Treaty of Versailles
    • Dollfuss Affair – Wanted Anschluss. Austrian chancellor Dollfuss banned Nazi party. 1934 – Hitler instructed to create havoc = murdered Dollfuss. Mussolini moved troops onto border to prevent, Hitler backed down too weak, claimed Austrians did of own accord
    • The Saar plebiscite 1935 – France or Germany get area? 90% population voted unite with Germany. Hitler used this as propaganda to show German-speaking people wanted to unite under Nazis. Gained rich coalfields, power industry & weapons ready
    • Rearmament – expanded army to 1 million men and Luftwaffe (air force), conscription reintroduced in 1935
    • Anglo-German Naval Agreement – June 1935 Britain signed agreement with Germany = build navy to 35% of Britain's and 45% of submarines. Significance – showed Britain thought Treaty too harsh
    • 1935 Stresa Front – Britain, France & Italy guarantee terms of Locarno, protect Austrian independence and stop Hitler breaking treaty
  • Remilitarisation of Rhineland

    1. In treaty, Rhineland to be de-militarised
    2. 7 March 1936: 22,000 troops and armed police to march into Rhineland
    3. Britain and France did nothing and Hitler grew in confidence and Mussolini signed Rome-Berlin Axis pact with him, worked together to send weapons to Spain during civil war, chance to test weapons
    4. Rhinelanders went wild with delight, encouraged him to keep pursuing policies: GAINED CONFIDENCE
  • Anschluss with Austria

    1. Austria ruled Germany for over 600 years, similar culture and shared language
    2. Destroyed treaty and bought German speaking people together
    3. 1934 Dollfuss replaced by Schuschnigg who worried about what happened to Dollfuss so made deal with Nazis = support him and would give key positions in Austrian government
    4. January 1938 police raided headquarters and discovered plans to overthrow him
    5. Met with Hitler who forced him to sign agreement or he would invade which included appointing Seyss-Inquart as minister, Nazis roles of ministers of finance and war and be released from prison
    6. Schuschnigg had a plan, plebiscite that Hitler delayed. Forced him to resign and made Seyss-Inquart take over who claimed Austria in chaos and asked for help to restore peace
    7. 12 March Nazi troops invaded Austria but badly planned tanks needed to be filled with fuel, asked for directions. Mussolini stayed true to Anti-Comintern pact and did not oppose
    8. 10 April plebiscite – 99% in favour of Anschluss
  • Arguments For Appeasement

    • Avoided war
    • The impact of the Great Depression was still ongoing so good at the time
    • Britain needed time to prepare an army
    • Fear of communism – Hitler barrier against it
    • Treaty too harsh
  • Arguments Against Appeasement

    • Hitler gained confidence that Britain and France would not do anything to stop him
    • Germany growing stronger
    • Britain preparing army – war more likely
    • His aims made it clear to expand eastwards so appeasement doomed from the start
    • He lied and USSR began thinking deals with Hitler as appeasement scared Stalin
    • Britain and France would do nothing
  • Sudeten Crisis

    1. Contained around ¾ of Czechoslovakia's industry and defences so would weaken them for example Skoda armament factory, to build weapons
    2. 3 million German-speaking people lived there (about 20% of population), claimed persecuted by Czechs = excuse to start riots, united German speaking people
    3. Czechoslovakia set up under treaty, promised to overturn
    4. 15 September Chamberlain met at Berchtesgaden with Fuhrer and Hitler said crisis resolved if allowed Sudetenland so agreed due to appeasement and desperate to avoid war. Chamberlain met with Czechs and forced them to agree to Hitler's terms
    5. 22 September 1938 Hitler's demands changed and wanted Sudetenland by October 1 and Hungary and Poland to receive Czech land too
  • The Munich Agreement

    1. 29 September 1938 Italy suggested Britain, France, Germany and Italy meet to discuss Czechoslovakia's borders to stop conflict and signed agreement at Munich conference
    2. USSR not consulted, issues arising, annoyed at allies Britain & France
    3. Czech government not consulted
    4. Hitler got everything he wanted an on October 10 marched troops into Sudetenland with no opposition and Czechs fell to Nazi occupations, no forts
    5. 30 September Chamberlain & Hitler = Anglo-German declaration. Chamberlain claimed "achieved peace in our time" and Hitler claimed Europe can look forward to a peaceful Christmas due to Munich agreement
    6. Part of the policy of appeasement
  • Czechoslovakia deserted by allies Britain and France and lost vital resources and defences against Germany
  • 15 March takes Czechoslovakia over, defenceless as Sudetenland already taken over
  • No justification: blatant invasion, Hitler more confident and powerful. No resistance from the Czechs, Britain & France do nothing
  • Next target likely to be Poland due to expanding eastwards but Britain and France threatened to declare war, Hitler not worried, they haven't done anything before
  • USSR worried, border with Poland & aim to destroy Communism
  • The Nazi-Soviet Pact

    1. Signed 23rd August 1939
    2. Hitler & Stalin agree not to fight each other (non-aggressive pact)
    3. Secretly agree to divide Poland between them
    4. Stalin joined League in 1934 but witnessed how weak it was in the Manchuria, Abyssinia and Rhineland crisis. League failed therefore Stalin doesn't think Britain and France would be effective allies if Germany attacked USSR
    5. Stalin not consulted in Munich agreement: angers him
    6. Reginald Drax sent by boat to talk to Stalin, no authority to decide so referring back to London whereas Hitler sent Ribbentrop, senior Nazi to him. Stalin getting more respect from Hitler than his 'allies'
    7. Germany wanted to avoid a war on two fronts, beneficial to have USSR on side
    8. USSR felt isolated with Britain and France and gave them time to geta army ready. Having land in Poland also gives them a buffer zone
    9. Stalin did not trust Hitler and knew he would turn against him. War more likely = Stalin, own army, Hitler attacks, would respond with arms, leading to war
  • 25 August 1939: Britain and France formalize their previous agreement with Poland. War more likely = Hitler to invade Poland, B & F to protect with arms, leading to war