HIST2125 Hitler’s Germany Lecture 12: Revisionist and high-risk foreign politics, November 2012

Foreign policy 4-phase-model Revisionist and high-risk foreign politics, Expansionist foreign politics, 1938/39 Blitz Wars and ideological warfare, Total War and downfall,

Hitler’s foreign policy goals Mein Kampf (My Struggle): Reversal of Versailles Treaty Creation of Greater Reich of all German-speaking people Conquest of ‘Lebensraum’ (living space) in Eastern Europe Establishment of new European political order dominated by ‘Germanic race’

League of Nations ☻ Germany’s withdrawal, 14 Oct 1933 : Hitler as chief initiator and in full agreement with leading German diplomats, army leadership, industrialists, conservative-revisionist forces Popular move to end Weimar Republic’s peaceful revisionist policy Necessary step after launching Germany’s rearmament program

Poland ☺ Rapprochement, 1933/34: Hitler’s surprising move vs. foreign-policy makers & his dominant role → Consequence of G’s withdrawal from League of Nations → PL (Marshall Pilsudski) isolated after France’s non-interest in joint preventive war vs. G ► German-Polish Non-Aggression Treaty, 26 Jan 1934 = Undermined F’s containment policy with CEE states vs. G = Ended German-Polish trading war ► Great sympathies of PL for Hitler ► Pilsudski underestimation of Hitler

Soviet Union ☻ Negative ‘mirror image’ to Poland: NS anti-Communist propaganda ‘Natural antagonism’ between National- Socialist Germany and Communist- Bolshevist SU Hitler’s dominant role having long-term options in mind

Great Britain ☺ Bilateral Naval Treaty, 1935: Hitler’s dominant interest & influence → Conservative Foreign Minister von Neurath not involved German navy 35% + U-boat 45% of GB’s tonnage = Hitler: Step towards full alliance with GB = GB: Mainly concerned with Asia & acting without consultation with her French ally

German Rhineland ☺☻ Germany’s occupation of demilitarised zone: Hitler inspired by Mussolini’s Ethiopian campaign (1935/6) Popular foreign policy success No intervention by GB + F: Self-blockade = F only read to act with GB – GB positive to occupation & sceptical vs. F = Versailles (1919) & Locarno Treaties (1925) violated = Hitler emboldened

Italy ☺ Germany’s most important alliance partner: Close ideological ties shaken following Mussolini’s support for independent Austria, 1934 Improved relations following after Germany’s support for Italy’s Ethiopian campaign, 1936 Joint support for & cooperation with Fascist Franco during Spanish civil war, 1936 → Berlin-Rome Axis, Oct 1936 …

Berlin-Rome Axis, Oct 1936 German-Italian agreement on:  Germany’s support for Italy’s occupations in Africa  Joint support & official recognition of Franco’s Fascist counter-government in Spain  Mutual promise of fight against ‘Bolshevism’ (SU)

Japan ☺ Germany’s second most important alliance partner: Japan’s initiative for joint Anti-SU + Anti-Comintern (Communist International) front ► Anti-Comintern Pact, 25 Nov 1936 (+ I, 1937) Hitler’s initiative for secret supplementary agreement on joint anti-SU policy = But: Factual break of ACP by ‘Hitler-Stalin Pact’ (1939)

Foreign views on Hitler’s Germany, Poland: Positive: underestimation Czechoslovakia: Negative GB: Positive & disinterested USA: Hitler compared with Roosevelt: disinterest + NS seen as European factor only F: Hitler seen as strong politician: defensive attitude NL / B / CH: Positive & disinterested

Western powers’ main reasons East Asian crisis (Japan) + Indian independence movement (Ghandi) SU ideological confrontation (Comintern) Domestic economic & social challenges Feeling-of-guilt (Versailles Treaty)

Conclusion Germany’s foreign policy restrictions abolished Much improved foreign political standing Good precondition for strongly expansionist policy Western democracies without counter-actions & in defence