International peace collapse

• How did Hitler destroy the terms of the TOV?

  • Hitler began to secretly rearm and build an air force in 1933
  • In 1936 he announced conscription
  • Remilitarised Rhineland
  • In 1938, Hitler invaded Austria and formed a union (Anschluss)
• Reasons for Appeasement


  • The Treaty of Versailles was too harsh, so it was only fair to allow Hitler to overturn parts of it - Hitler should be allowed to rearm and remilitarise the Rhineland as Germany had been left vulnerable
  • The Great Depression meant Britain and France could not afford to fight
  • WWI was still fresh in people's mind, with 17 million people having died including Chamberlain's son, so he would do anything to avoid one at all costs
• Against Appeasement

  • Appeasement increased Hitler's confidence - The more he was given the more he demanded. When he received the Sudetenland he then invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia a few months later
  • People misjudged Hitler and should have known better not to trust him - he has been arguing since 1920s to make Germany strong and doing everything for the 'Greater Germany'
• Why did Stalin sign the Nazi - Soviet Pact?

  • Stalin needed time to rearm - Stalin could now concentrate on Soviet industry on building up tanks, planes and the war materials necessary to fight Germany in the future
  • Stalin did not trust Britain and France - He had been left out of the negotiations at the Munich Conference in 1938 and saw how Britain/France were not willing to commit their forces to stopping Hitler in the Spanish Civil War.
• Why did the League Of Nations failures encouraged Hitler?

  • Enforce the terms of the TOV - League failed to prevent Hitler from building an air force, conscription, remilitarising Rhineland and increasing its army
  • Stop the aggressive actions of Japan and Italy in Manchurian and Abyssinian invasions - Hitler took advantage of the Leagues failures
• Spanish Civil War

  • Germany bombed Guernica in 1937
  • Happened on market day so lots of people
  • Hitler was testing his aircraft
  • Hitler and Mussolini's bonds got closer
• Hitler's foreign policies

  • Destroy TOV
  • To achieve 'Lebensraum'
  • To unites all German- speaking people
  • Destroy communism
• When did Britain and France declare war

  1st September 1939
• What was the Sarr Plebiscite

  • 1935
  • French vs Germany should control the region
  • Area was rich in coalfields
  • 90% votes to re-join Germany
• Union with Austria

  • 1938
  • Hitler rigged the plebiscite
  • Natural resources - stimulate economy/ build up war machines
  • Now bordered Czechoslovakia on three sides
  • Hitler tried invading in 1934 - Mussolini stopped him
• Remilitarised Rhineland

  • 1936
  • Big risk - acted against his generals
  • Britain and France were occupied with Abyssinia
  • broke TOV - not allowed to keep troops/forces in the area but Hitler ordered 200,000 troops to march into Rhineland
• Why did Hitler take Germany out of the League?

  • Only Germany was forced to disarm
  • Commitment to upholding the terms of the treaty - Foreign policy was to destroy the TOV