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German Expansion 1933-38, Hitler's tactical skill Luck …
German Expansion 1933-38
Germany's challenges to post-war settlements 1933-38
Undermining Collective Security
Non-Aggression Pact with Poland
(Jan, 1938) undermined collective security. *idk why tho gotta ask our teachers.
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Remilitarization of The Rhineland
The growing strength of Germany
The Saar Plebiscite
of Jan, 1935. a small, coal-rich territory in Germany under control of French since 1919 now given opportunity to return to Germany. Overwhelimg 90.9% vote in favor was a victory for Hitler which reinforced his strength and popularity.
Challenging the Treaty of Versailles
Withdrawal from Geneva Disarmament Conference
France refused Germany's request of equality of arms (pg 158) at the Geneva Disarmament Conference in 1933.
This caused Germany to pull out of the conference and the League of Nations, which gave him the freedom to challenge the rest of the Treaty of Versailles.
Rearmament
: by 1935, conscription was introduced, army increased to over half a million men, Luftwaffe revealed; had 2,500 planes.
Remilitarization of the Rhineland
: (mar, 1936) contravened the ToV and Lacarno treaties. Hugely popular among population. Strategically timed. Divisions between Britain & France's stance made a likely chance of success. Not only did this boost Hitler's popularity among the masses but it essentially destroyed the post-WW1 security system. Historian Gordon A. Craig: "Its psychological effect was to reveal the exclusively defensive nature of French strategical thinking, and this has devastating consequences among France's allies"
Increasing the influence of Nazism
The Spanish Civil War
: (1936-1939) Germany intervened on side of Franco (nationalists). Reasons:
test out his air force and see effects on civilians
pro-fascist Spain would further undermine French security.
Result: It distracted the West, and Britains failure to take strong action encouraged Hitler's expansionist policies. Most importantly, improved relations between Hitler and Mussolini.
Changing diplomatic alignments after 1933
Britain
: preoccupied. Economic crisis, Japanese expansion. Many considered Versailles treaty unfair. Fear of communism, saw Hitler as buffer to spread of communism.
France
: concerned, but too weak alone; (Failure of Ruhr intervention 1923). Politically divided, economic problems. No support to uphold ToV from US or Britain, so developed alliances with Poland and "Little Entente"; Czech, Romania, Yugoslavia.
USA
: economic depression so took isolationist stance.
Changing diplomatic alignments: (Germany becoming important player on world stage, no longer isolated)
Rome-Berlin Axis
: (Oct, 1936) consisted of secret protocols w arranging their mutual interests. As a result of improved relations between Hitler and Mussolini, Italy was no longer opposed to German influence in Austria (previously wanted to keep Austria as a buffer between G and I).
Anti-Comintern Pact
: (Nov, 1936) with Japan. Directed against Communist International, states that the two would take measures to "safeguard their common interests" in the case of a Soviet attack.
Impact of the Economy on Hitler's foreign policy
Four-Year Plan
: introduced in Sept, 1936. Since rearmament wasn't progressing fast enough for Hitler, and the economy started to struggle (shortages of food and imports of raw materials), Hitler believed Germany's economic problems could only be solved by acquiring more land and living space and employing policy of
autarky
; being more self-sufficient to prepare for war.
Impact of Nazism on Hitler's foreign policy
Hossbach Memorandum
: Summary of meeting on Nov 5, 1937. Shows Hitler's foreign policy aims: "To make secure and to preserve the racial community and enlarge it".
"Germany's problem could only be achieved with force."
Hossbach Memo shows that Nazism's ultimate aim for a pure race and greater Germany for its people influenced Germany's expansionist policy.
Hitler's tactical skill
Luck
Distractions and differences of the other powers