UNIT 3

• Hitlers Forgein Policy - Goals

  • Make Germany Again
  • Abolish the Treaty of Versailles
  • Lebensraum
  • Defeat Communisim
• Make Germany Great Again

  The ToV took away territory from Germany. Hitler wanted to get taht territory back. He wanted to unit Germany with austria again. Additionally, he wanted German minorities to rejoin Germany under one reich.
• Abolish the ToV

  Hitler, like a major part of the German population hated the treaty and the ones who signed it as it was viewed as unjust. He promised the German people if he came to power he would revise it as the treaty was a constant reminder of German defeat in world war one.
• Lebensraum

  A concept created by Hitler that aimed to carve out living space for the Germans. This included also wiping out native populations such as both Slavs and Jews
• Defeat Communisim

  Hitler was a big anti communist. He believed that Bolsheviks had helped to defeat Germany in the first world war and that the Bolsheviks wanted to take over the German nation.
• HITLERS ACTIONS - TIMELINE

  1. 1933 - Took Germany out of LoN
  2. 1934 - Tried to take over Austria but was stopped by Mussolini
  3. 1935 - Held a large rearmament rally and reintroduced conscription in Germany
  4. 1936 - Sent German troops into the rhineland and made a anticommunist allience with Japan
  5. 1938 - Took over Austria and Sudetenland
  6. 1939 - Invaded rest of Chechoslovakia and invaded Poland
• Rearmament

  • Started in 1933
  • First Hitler increased the German Armed forces size.
  • Drafted thousands of unemployed workers into the armed forces.
  • reduced unemployment wich was a very big problem.
  • Rearmament began in secret but emerged to the public in the 1935 rally.
  • Violated the ToV, but knew he would get away
  • Rearmament boosted nazi support in Germany
  • Britain had some sympathy for Germany as they believed that the ToV was too harsh on its armed forces.
  • Britain dismantled the Anglo-German Naval treaty of 1935, allowing Germany to increase its navy size to 35% of the British navy.
• German Rearmament - 1932


  1932:

  1. 30 Warships
  2. 36 Aircraft
  3. 100,000 Soldiers
• German Rearmament - 1939


  1939:

  1. 95 Warships
  2. 8250 Aircraft
  3. 950,000 Soldiers
• Saar Plebiscite

  • Saar region was run by LoN since 1919
  • In 1935 a plebiscite was held for people to vote if the region should return to Germany
  • Hitler was afraid as many of his oponents fled to the Saar
  • However, Hitler wanted to vote to take place.
  • THe vote wwas a success for Hitler. His propaganda Minister Joseph Gobbels held a massive campaign to pursude people of the Saar to vote for Nazi germany
  • 90% of the population voted to return to German rule
  • Was a morale booster for hitler
• Spanish Civil War 


  1936 Civil War broke out in Spain between the Republican Government and the Nationalists led by General Franco.

  Stalin Suppored the Republicans by giving them weapons, aircraft and pilots.

  Both Hitler and Mussolini declared they would support Francos forces as they shared similar views.

  Unlike both USSR and Germany, Britian and France refused to intervine as they feared their involvement would start a large scale European war.

  Mussolini sent thousands of troops and Germany sent both aircraft and pilots allowing them to perfect bombing of civilan populations.
• Spanish Civil War - Impact for Hitler

  Hitler saw the war as a good opportunity to develop and perfect the Blitzkrieg tactics and test out his newly formed airforce, the Luftwaffe.

  The conflict also strenghtened relations between Hitler and Mussolini. Hitler also believed that Britian and France would not intervene against him if he further violated the ToV.
• Anschluss - 1938


  After his successes in 1936 and 1937, Hitler set his eyes on Austria. Hitler tried to take over Austria in 1934 but Mussolini had stopped him. However, in 1938 Mussolini was now a ally of Hitler. Hitler Encouraged the Nazi party in Austria to stir trouble and went to the Austrian government that only Anschluss can fix those issues.
• Anschluss - 1938 PART 2


  The government of Austria appealed to the LoN but the organisation failed to support. Therfore, the government called a plebiscite. Hitler did not want to loose so he sent troops into Austria and under the watchfull eye of his troops 99.75% voted for Anschluss. The operation was completed without any military confrontation with France and Britain.
• Appeasement

  Prime Minister Chamberlain created a policy known as Appeasement. It involved giving in to the demands of aggressive powers, in this case Nazi Germany to conserve peace and avoiding conflict. This however, was doomed since the start as it assumed Hitler was trustworthy, wich he was not.
• The Sudetenland 1938

  Edvard Benes, leader of Czechoslovakia knew his nation was next on Hitlers list. He hoped that the British and French would keep their commitment to defend the nation. Hitler did indeed want to take over the nation as Czechoslovakia included a large number of Germans in the Sudetenland. Hitler made it clear if his demands werent met he was ready to fight for the land.
• The Sudetenland 1938 - Response 


  In September the problem reached a crisis point. Chamberlain flew to meet Hitler on the 15th of September. The talks went well as Hitler fixed his demands, saying he was only interesten in the Sudeteland. Chaimberland thought this was reasonable and was convinced that if Hitler got what he wanted he would be satisfied. On the 19th of September the French and British presented the demands to the Czechs. However, three days later at another meeting Hitler demanded the whole of Sudeteland stating taht the Czech Government was mistreating Germans.
• Munich Agreement - 29 September 1938


  With the help of Mussolini a final meeting was held in Munich. During that meeting it was decided to give Hitler what he wanted without consulting the Czechs. On the 1st of October German troops marched into the Sudetenland. The Czechs had been betrayed. Benes resigned and the nation decended into chayos. However, Europe avoided war.
• Nazi Soviet Pact 1939

  • Stalin was worried with Hitler ever since Hitler came to power in 1933
  • Stalin wasn't able to reach any agreement with Britain and France in the 1930s
  • In 1934, USSR was allowed to join the LoN and Stalin hoped it would guarantee his safety.
  • Stalins suspicions grew in the 1930s as in 1935 he signed a treaty with France stating that France would help the USSR with Germany if they were attacked however Stalin didn't know if he could trust the French as they couldn't evenm stop Hitler from entering the Rhineland.
  • Munich agreement of 1938 also grew Stalins concerns.
• Stalins Decision

  • On August 23 1939 Hitler and Stalin signed the Nazi-Soviet pact and announced the terms. However in secret they divided Poland between them.
  • Stalin decided to sign it even though he had totally different views than Hitler.
• Why did Stalin sign the treaty (Nazi Soviet Pact)

  • Stalin gained territory that formerly belonged to Russia
  • Gave him time to mobilise and build up his forces
  • Stalin knew Hitler would attack at one point, but signing this treaty gave him time.
• Consequences of the treaty (Nazi Soviet Pact)

  • 1st of September Germany invaded Poland from the west where they met little resitance
  • Britain and France declared war on Germany when Hitler didn't withdraw on the 3rd of September.
  • Russia invaded Poland on the 17th of September.