The Second World War

Rhineland to the ‘Anschluss’Munich and the destruction of Czechoslovakia

Hitler’s Aims-

Hitler’s Aggression-• In 1936, Hitler defied the Treaty of Versailles. He ordered German troops to march into the Rhineland.• A calculated risk. German army not ready to face France, hence asked to retreat in case of French attack.• Peacemaker? Hitler convinced ambassadors of Britain, Italy and France that he had important plans for long-term peace in Europe.• 25 year agreement between Germany, France and Belgium.

1)No attack on western neighbours2)Demilitarized zone on either side of the French-

German borders.

• Proposals although not serious, taken at face value.

French and British reaction-• Emergency session of the French on the day of occupation.• Decided to protest and not fight.

• Many British people approved of Hitler’s move. (British did not care ‘two hoots’ about the Rhineland)

• After the crisis of Abysinnia, League of Nations reluctant to get involved in any other crisis.

The Anschluss: the German take-over of Austria

• 1938- Austria in a state of crisis. Govt of Chancellor Kurt Schushnigg.•Hitler did not have control over Austrian Nazis.• Feb, 1938- Schushnigg visited Hitler for crisis talks. Hitler raved and shouted at him for 2 hours.•Hitler demanded that Nazis be allowed to join the Austrian govt and be given control of law and order.• Schushnigg had to agree to Hitler.

•March 8- Schuschnigg’s attempt to keep Austria independent by holding a plebiscite. (lowest age to vote-24)•March 11- German army invaded Austria. In Vienna, 76,000 people arrested.•March 12- Hitler crossed into Austria and visited his home town.

Munich and the destruction of Czechoslovakia• The Sudeten Germans- 3 million German speakers in Czechoslovakia. Large minority in a country dominated by Czechs and Slovaks.• The local Nazi leader, Konrad Henlein, led a party called Sudeten German Party financed by Hitler.•Negotiations with the govt with no results.•March 1938- Hitler met Henlein and decided to drag negotiations to create a crisis.

• British could not help and Chamberlain was saying in private that Czechoslovakia could not be saved.• 1925- France had signed a treaty with Czechoslovakia to

help in case of crisis. 1938- New govt in France (Daladier), not keen on war over Czechoslovakia.• Italy provided its support to Germany.• British and French put pressure on Czechoslovakia to accept

the demands of Hitler.• British govt sent a politician called Lord Runciman in July to

work out a solution. He recommended separation of Sudetenland.

• Hitler’s colleagues disagreed on taking over of Czechoslovakia.• Sept. 1938- Henlein ordered local Nazis to attact Czech and

Jewish targets. Relation between Sudeten Germans and Prague broken off. Henlein left Czechoslovakia on 15 Sept.• 15 Sept- Chamberlain met Hitler in Germany at Berchtesgaden.Treatment of Sudeten Germans.Agreement on peaceful German takeover.French leaders agreed for the partition of Czechoslovakia in return for a British promise to defend the rest of Czechoslovakia.

• A day later, Czech President, Benes was told to handover Sudetenland. Reluctant agreement.• Chamberlain revisited Hitler in Germany with new plan of

partition.• Hitler refused.1) Immediate German takeover2) No votes on claims of Hungary and Poland’s claim on

Czechoslovakia• Hitler refused to compromise. Chamberlain returned to

London disappointed.

• War between Germany and Britain?• British govt started rearming. Chamberlain tried for peace again.• Sent Sir Horace Wilson but Hitler refused and said he was going

to ‘smash the Czechs’.• Munich Conference on 29 Sept with representatives of Britain,

France and Italy with Hitler.• British and French PM agreed with Hitler on the annexation of the

Sudetenland.• 1 Oct- German troops marched unopposed into the Sudetenland.

Appeasement-• Chamberlain’s policy of trying to satisfy Hitler is known as

Appeasement. Conflicting views among Historians on the rationale behind Appeasement.

Justification-1) Chamberlain was foolish and failed to understand Hitler

2) Chamberlain was no fool and it was the right path at the time.• Chamberlain did not desire another war and desired for

peace.• Chamberlain believed in the power of talk and negotiations. An

honest man. Believed Hitler when he said that after Czechoslovakia there would be no more threat to peace to Europe. Hitler had lied.

• British Empire mattered a great deal to British politicians in the 1930s. Dominions like Canada, Australia, NZ and South Africa had a strong voice and supported Appeasement. • Sept. 1938- South Africa and Australia would not support war.• British military leaders terrified at the idea of a war with both

Germany and Japan. They also supported Appeasement.• The Sleeping Superpowers of USA or the USSR would not have helped the British in case of war.

• Americans did not have military strength to match their economic strength. USA was described as ‘sleeping giant’.•USA had a small standing army largely equipped with inefficient, old-fashioned weapons.• The American President, F.D. Roosevelt, hated war. •USA was still recovering from the Depression.• 1935- Neutrality Act (temporary). Made permanent in 1937.

• USSR- Although Soviet Army large, British did not have high opinion of it.• Hatred of Communism.• 1930s- The Purge by Stalin. Stalin destroyed almost his entire

military leadership: 35,000 leading officers executed. Out of the 80 members of the Supreme Military Council, 75 executed.• Chamberlain still remembered the First World War.• Through Appeasement, Chamberlain was playing for time.• 1934-38: increase in British expense on defence.• During the time of Munich in 1938, his military advisers asked

him to bid for time.

The Nazi-Soviet Pact-

• This pact was between Hitler and Stalin, signed in 1939.• As a communist, Stalin believed that there was little

difference between the fascist dictatorship and the Western democracies.• All other states were enemies to him.• Communist writers taught that Capitalist powers were

naturally aggressive to acquire more markets.• Stalin believed this and expected other war sooner or later.• He tried to make sure that USSR was on the winning side.

• 1934- Stalin had made a speech stating that the USSR could work with any country that did not threaten it. But Hitler was not interested at the time.• Same year, USSR joined the LoN.• 1935- Communist parties across the world ordered to stop

trying to organize revolution. Instead co-operation with any anti-fascist forces.• The Soviet Foreign Minister Maxim Litvinov believed in

collective security and tried to build links with Britain and France.

• The policy of appeasement disappointed Litvinov and Stalin and forced them to rethink.• Stalin suspected that British and French’s secret aim was to

encourage a war between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in the hope that they will destroy each other.• 1939- Real possibility of Britain and France going to war with

Germany. Uncertainty of the position of the Soviet Union.• 17 April, 1939- Litvinov outlined the basis for a treaty to

France and Britain.

• 6 weeks for Britain to respond. Stalin not impressed.• Stalin dismissed Litvinov and appointed Molotov as Foreign

Minister.• Exploratory talks between Soviets and Germans in May.

Secret talks.• Germany made it clear that, if he Soviet Union stayed

neutral, they could increase their territory in Eastern Europe.• Leningrad- 12 August, talks between British, French and

Soviet military leaders.

Request by Soviets for a passage through Romanian and Polish territory. Refusal of British and French.Talks ended in failure on 21st August.• 20 August- Hitler wrote a personal letter to Stalin offering

high level talks in Moscow.• Hitler sent Ribbentrop, a senior figure, to Moscow.• “SECRET PROTOCOL” Soviet Union offered- Finland, Latvia,

Estonia, Lithuania and parts of Belarus and the Ukraine that were ruled by Poland.