Hitler’s Foreign Policy and the Origins of WWII How did Hitler challenge and exploit the Treaty of Versailles, 1933-March 1938?

Hitler’s Foreign Policy Aims To make Germany into a Great Power again To unite all German speaking people under his rule To gain territory for Germany from ‘inferior’ Slavic peoples in the East. This would provide lebensraum or ‘living space’

In order to achieve his aims, Hitler would have to destroy the TOV. Reparations had already been cancelled in He wanted to: Regain land inhabited by German speakers, which had been taken at Versailles. This included the Saar and Danzig. Unite with the seven million German speakers in Austria (Anschluss) and also bring the four million German speakers in Czechoslovakia and Poland into his empire. Build up the German Army, so that he could achieve his aims by force, if necessary. This would also prove that Germany was once again a great power. Expand in the East, probably against the communist USSR. Hitler hated communism.

Return of the Saar, 1935 January 1935 – plebiscite held on whether to remain under the League, join Germany or join France. Population mostly German, 90% voted to return to Germany. Plebiscite had been agreed at Versailles, so return of the Saar was not illegal.

Rearmament League of Nations Disarmament Conference. Countries would not disarm. France would not allow Germany to have equality of armaments. Hitler withdrew Germany from the Conference and the League in Hitler claimed that he was willing to disarm if other countries did the same and that he wanted peace.

Rearmament 1934 – Ten Year Non Aggression Pact with Poland. Guaranteed Polish borders. Assured the British that Hitler had peaceful intentions. Guaranteed Polish neutrality for actions against Austria and Czechoslovakia. France and Russia both distrusted Germany. Why did Hitler sign this pact?

Rearmament 1935 – Conscription introduced. Argued that France and Britain had both developed their armed forces recently. Britain and France did not act. Stresa Front formed, but it quickly fell apart. Why did Britain and France fail to act? –Britain sympathetic –France could not act alone.

Rearmament 1935 – Anglo-German Naval Agreement Limited Germany navy to 35% of the British navy. Britain believed that, if Germany was rearming anyway, it would be best to limit this. Britain condoned rearmament with this agreement. Agreement weakened the Stresa Front as France and Italy were not consulted. By 1938 the Germany army had 800,000 men, the navy had 21 large vessels and 47 U-boats and 2,000 aircraft in air force.

Remilitarisation of the Rhineland, th March 1936 – German soldiers marched into the Rhineland. Breached TOV and Locarno Pact Hitler had been advised against this by Generals and Finance Ministers. Hitler offered to sign a 25 year non-aggression pact and claimed that he had no more territorial ambitions within Europe. Germany’s actions were condemned by the League, but only the USSR voted in favour of further sanctions.

Why did nobody act? Invasion of Abyssinia ongoing. Britain sympathetic – Hitler’s actions seemed insignificant compared to Mussolini. French government divided and unwilling to act without Britain. No-one wanted another war, so they chose to believe Hitler had peaceful intentions. In Germany a vote was held – 99% approved of Hitler’s actions.

Effects of the Remilitarisation Another successful reversal of the Treaty of Versailles. Gave Hitler increased confidence. The position of Hitler was strengthened within Germany. Led to the signing of the Rome-Berlin Axis. The Rome-Berlin Axis meant the end of Franco-British attempts to keep Mussolini as an ally against Hitler. France and Britain had shown their unwillingness to oppose the aggression of the Italian and German dictators. There was some movement towards rearmament in Britain. French security was unaffected. The building of the Maginot Line had begun, a massive set of fortification on the Franco-German border. With the Abyssinian Crisis, events in the Rhineland marked the end of the League of Nations as a means of keeping peace.

Anschluss 1938 First attempted in Encouraged Austrian Nazis to rebel, resulted in the murder of Chancellor Dollfuss. Anschluss was prevented by Mussolini moving troops to the border and guaranteeing Austrian independence. German Army not strong enough to fight, so Hitler backed down. The new Chancellor, Schuschnigg, restored order.

Anschluss 1938 By 1938 Germany and Italy were allies. Early 1938 rumours of a Nazi plot to overthrow the government. Schuschnigg appealed to Hitler for help. Hitler refused and pressurised him to appoint Seyss-Inquart as Minister of the Interior. Riots followed, encouraged by Hitler. Seyss-Inquart did not try to stop them.

Anschluss, 1938 Schuschnigg called a plebiscite on Austrian independence. Hitler was alarmed and moved German troops to the border. Schuschnigg was forced to resign and call off the plebiscite. Schuschnigg had expected British and French support, but this did not materialise. Seyss-Inquart became Chancellor and invited the German Army in to restore order. German troops entered on 12 th March. Opponents to regime sent to concentration camps. Seyss-Inquart handed power to Hitler; Anschluss was proclaimed. Procession around Vienna 14 th March. Plebiscite showed 99.75% agreed with Anschluss.

Why did nobody act? Britain was sympathetic – Austria was German speaking and the plebiscite showed support. British more concerned about communism than Nazism. A strong Germany was useful against the USSR. League had lost influence, so it was not consulted.

Effects of the Anschluss It was a triumph for Germany. Hitler now had Austrian resources at his disposal, including the army, iron and steel. Another ‘injustice’ of Versailles had been undone. This gave a further boost to Hitler’s confidence. Germany now possessed land on three sides of the western part of Czechoslovakia – the Sudetenland. This contained over three million German speakers (it had belonged to Austria-Hungary in 1914). It proved the value of the Rome-Berlin Axis. Anschluss was generally popular in Austria. Plebiscite results had been exaggerated by the presence of the Nazis, but many Austrians welcomed joining in the glory of the new Germany.