WORLD WAR TWO IN EUROPE
HITLER'S FOREIGN POLICY
Road to War
Hitler’s expansionist foreign policy played a major role in contributing towards the outbreak of World War 2 in Europe. When he came to power in 1933, he immediately began to challenge the Treaty of Versailles and adopted an aggressive foreign policy.
Hitler cleverly took advantage of events and also used the threat of violence to achieve his aims. Britain and France, his most powerful potential enemies, were reluctant to go to war and were willing to compromise to avoid another disaster like World War 1. As Hitler set about abolishing the Treaty of Versailles, he was emboldened to go further with each successful step he took. The German people resented the Treaty of Versailles and believed that Hitler was justified in his actions.
HITLER'S JOURNEY TO WAR
1933
How it all started...
October:
Nazi Germany withdrew from the League of Nations.
Hitler ordered the German delegates to leave the Disarmament Conference in Geneva, and he withdrew from the League of Nations.
The reason for the withdrawal was the refusal of France to give in to Germany’s demands for military equality between Germany and France.
After the withdrawal from the League of Nations, the Nazis stepped up their secret rearmament and conscription programme.
1934
In Germany...
President Paul von Hindenburg, died on 2nd of August 1934 in Germany.
With the death of German President von Hindenburg, Chancellor Adolf Hitler becomes absolute dictator of Germany under the title of Fuhrer, or “Leader.” The German army took an oath of allegiance to its new commander-in-chief, and the last remnants of Germany’s democratic government were dismantled to make way for Hitler’s Third Reich.
1935
Rearmament
By March 1935, Hitler increased the size of the German army to half a million members and produced thousands of war machines.
At the same time, Britain who now favoured the policy of appeasement, signed the Anglo-German Naval Agreement with Hitler in June 1935.
1935
The Saar which was part of Germany was taken by the Treaty of Versailles. Even though it was a small area, it contained coalfields, factories and railway centres. The Saarland was placed under the League of Nations and the French would be able to run its valuable coal mines for the next fifteen years, before the people of the Saar would vote to decide their future.
Three choices for the Saar people to decide are:
1.) The Saarland would remain under League of Nations control.
2.) The Saarland would return to German.
3.) The Saarland would become a part of France
However in 1935, a plebiscite was held. Nine out of every ten Saarlanders voted to return to Germany, and the Saarland was transferred to German rule seven weeks later. Hitler claimed that the plebiscite was a demonstration of support for his government, and this was the first step towards the union of all Germans in Germany.
1936
Hitler re-occupied Rhineland ...
Under the Treaty of Versailles, Rhineland was created as a demilitarised zone.
Rhineland thus had acted as a buffer between France and Germany.
German troops re-occupied the Rhineland. They were given orders to retreat if France offered any resistance. France did nothing.
The invasion therefore placed France under direct threat of Germany.
ASSIGNMENT 1
1936
Imagine that you are a spokesman for the Nazi government, you are to write two different statements to France and Britain, explaining the reasons for occupying the Rhineland despite breaking the Treaty of Versailles.
What different messages would be presented to each country?
1937
Spanish Civil War
Hitler sent soldiers, equipment and warplanes to support the Spanish Nationalist forces against the Republican government of Spain. German planes made devastating raids on several Spanish cities, resulting in heavy civilian casualties.
The war also gave him the opportunity to test his army and air force.
The non-involvement of LON made him even more aggressive.
1938
Munich Agreement
Hitler bullies France and Britain into giving him the Sudetenland.
Faced with the threat of war in Europe, Neville Chamberlain flew to Germany in September 1938 to negotiate peace with Hitler over Nazi Germany’s annexation of Czechoslovakia.
The Munich agreement was signed.
ASSIGNMENT 2
1938
Write a letter from Chamberlain to Hitler outlining his appeasement approach and listing the reasons why Hitler should accept the proposals.
OR
Write a letter from Hitler to Chamberlain outlining and listing the reasons why Chamberlain should accept the proposals.
1939
Czechoslovakia Invaded!
On 15 March 1939, Hitler’s troops marched into the rest of Czechoslovakia.
This, for most British people, was the time when they realised that the only thing that would stop Hitler was a war.
The impact of the German invasion of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 brought an end to Neville Chamberlain's appeasement policy. Chamberlain offered to help Poland if it was attacked by Germany, and the British public now faced full scale preparations for war.
1939
Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
The non-aggression pact of August 23 was signed between Germany and Soviet Union. The pact enabled Germany to attack Poland on September 1, 1939, without fear of Soviet intervention. It also provided for the partition of Poland and the rest of eastern Europe into Soviet and German spheres of interest.
1939
Invasion of Poland
Hitler invaded Poland on 1 September. Poland requested immediate military assistance from France and Britain, but it was not until noon on 3 September that Britain declared war on Germany, followed by France's declaration at 5.00pm. The delay reflected British hopes that Hitler would respond to demands and end the invasion. But Hitler did not. WW2 has begun!