The coming of war

• What does foreign policy mean?

  The way in which Britain deals with other countries
• What policy did Neville Chamberlain adopt in the 1930s?

  Appeasement in order to avoid war by giving in to demands and ignoring Hitler's actions. It was thought that we would become satisfied with the power he had
• How many households wanted to avoid war?

  Over 10 million
• Who heavily criticised Chamberlain's policy of appeasement?

  Winston Churchill
• Why did most people support appeasement?

  The horrors from WW1 were still fresh in people's memories, Britain was still recovering from the depression and Britain had powerful allies like France and USA
• What would some people argue about the treatment of Germany in the Treaty of Versailles?

  That they were treated too harshly. They were only allowed 100,000 men in their army, limited armed forces and no air force. They were also forced to accept full responsibility for the war and had to pay all it's reparations to France
• Why would some people disagree with appeasement?

  Made Britain appear weak, encouraged Hitler to be more ambitious with his demands, suggested Britain was prepared to betray other countries and made Hitler even stronger
• What happened regarding Germany's reparations?

  In 1932, they were cancelled because France and Britain deemed it as unnecessary
• When did Hitler become dictator of Germany?

  1934
• What was Hitler's overall intentions when he became dictator?

  Restore Germany and unite all Germans
• What did Hitler do with Poland in 1934?

  Signed a 10 year non aggression pact
• What did Germany sign with Britain in 1935?

  Anglo-German Naval Agreement. It said that Britain's navy would always be 35% bigger than Germany's
• What happened to the Saar?

  In 1935 it was returned to German control through a plebiscite (public vote). 90% of civillians living in the Saar voted for German control
• What did Hitler do in 1933?

  Left the League of Nations
• What did Hitler do after leaving the League of Nations?

  Secretly began to rearm
• When did Hitler announce rearmament?

  1935. His army increased to 550,000 through conscription and the aircraft had increased to 2,500
• What does conscription mean?


  Ordinary people signing up to be apart of the army
• What happened at the Rhineland?

  In 1936 Hitler remillitarised the Rhineland with 20,000 troops, despite being encouraged to send a few hundred by his generals. First act of aggression, but France and Britain appeased this
• Where was the Rhineland located?

  On the border between France and Germany
• What happened to the 1st attempt of gaining Anschluss?


  In 1934 Hitler backed down because Italy moved their army to the Austrian border
• When was Anschluss successfully gained?


  12th March 1938 when German troops were invited into Austria by their Chancellor.
• 99.75% of Austrian people agreed to unifying with Germany
• What did Britain and France do after Anschluss?

  Protested but took no further action
• What happened to those who disagreed with Anschluss?

  Placed into concentration camps
• What did Anschluss mean for the Treaty of Versailles?

  It had been broken
• How many German speakers lived in the Sudetenland?

  3.5 million
• What could the Munich conference also be referred to as?

  Czech crisis
• What was the Sudetenland?

  An area of Czechoslovakia
• What countries were involved in the Munich Conference?


  Germany, Britain, Italy and France
• When was the Munich conference held?


  September 1938
• Why was the Munich conference held?


  Hitler demanded control of the Sudetenland
• What did the other countries do in response to Hitler's demand?

  They gave Germany the Sudetenland. Britain and France guaranteed the independence of the rest of Czechoslovakia
• What was made between Germany and Britain at the Munich conference?

  A declaration that Germany and Britain would never go to war
• What did Neville Chamberlain say when he returned to Britain after the Munich conference?


  He had "Achieved peace in our time"
• What did Britain begin to do after the Munich conference?

  Prepare for war
• When did Hitler invade the rest of Czechoslovakia?

  15th March 1939
• What did the USSR do in August 1939?


  Signed a Nazi-Soviet Pact
• When did Hitler invade Poland?

  1st September 1939
• When was WW2 announced and why?


  3rd September 1939. Britain gave Hitler an ultimatum; remove the troops or go to war (he didn't respond)
• What were some initial plans Britain had made for war in 1938?

  • 3 year war
  • Build new warships
  • Educate public on how to use gas masks and rationing
  • Agreement with trade unions and working regulations and wages