The Road to World War II

Hitler’s Foreign Policy British Policy of Appeasement

Mein Kampf: an outline of Hitler’s foreign policy

His book Mein Kampf had set out his beliefs about the foreign policy which he thought Germany should follow. This can be summarised in three basic points:

ABOLISH THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES EXPAND GERMAN TERRITORY DEFEAT COMMUNISM

Abolish the ToV – Step 1: REARMAMENT

After Hitler took Germany out of the League of Nations, rearmament began.

Thousands of unemployed workers (consequence of the Great Depression) were drafted into the army.

In 1935 Hitler openly staged a massive military rally celebrating the German armed forces.

In 1936, conscription was reintroduced in Germany

Why did Hitler get away with REARMAMENT?

The British had some sympathy with Germany as they thought that a strong Germany would reduce the possibility of the spread of Communism (led by Stalin’s USSR).

The British even encouraged German rearmament, by signing in 1935 the Anglo-German Naval Agreement, which allowed Hitler to increase the German navy to up to 35 per cent of the size of the British navy.

Search for lebensraum (I): the SAAR PLEBISCITE

The Saar region of Germany had been run by the League of Nations since 1919.

In 1935 the promised plebiscite was held for people to vote on whether their region should return to German rule. Around 90 per cent of the population voted to return to German rule.

This was entirely legal, within the terms of the Treaty and definitely a real morale booster for Hitler.

Abolish the ToV – Step 2: REMILITARISATION of the RHINELAND

In March 1936, Hitler took his first really big risk by moving troops into the Rhineland area of Germany.

He was confident that neither Britain nor France or the international community would take action, having as reference what had happened in Manchuria (1931) and Abyssinia (1935)

France had just signed a treaty with the USSR; with the excuse of being under threat, Hitler claim that he should be allowed to place troops back in the Rhineland.

German propaganda - The map is titled "Demilitarized Germany." The shaded areas are regions demilitarized under the Treaty of Versailles.

Why did Hitler get away with the RE-

OCCUPATION OF THE RHINELAND?

Even though the German army wasn’t really prepa-red to face up to a French attack, Hitler took the risk and sent the troops. His calculations were right.

Many people in Britain, and in the British govern-ment, believed that as the Rhineland was German territory, the German army had a right to be there.

The League condemned Hitler's action but had no power to do anything else.

The French, who were most directly threatened by the move, were divided over what to do. They were about to hold an election and none of the French leaders was prepared to take responsibility for plunging France into a war.

The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

In 1936 a civil war broke out in Spain. General Francisco Franco led the

Nationalists, who wanted to overthrow the elected government of the Spanish Republic.

Franco was supported by the army, leaders of the Catholic Church and landowners.

The Republic was backed by socialists, trade unionists and Spain’s Communist Party.

On the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War the leaders of the military uprising immediately asked the German government for help.

Hitler told General Franco on 26th July 1936 that Germany would support his rebellion.

Among his reasons, Hitler justified his decision of intervention by arguing that he was attempting to save Europe from "communist barbarism".

Another reason was that it brought Germany closer to Italy, a country that was also supporting the military uprising in Spain.

German intervention in the SPANISH CIVIL WAR (I)

German intervention in the SPANISH CIVIL WAR (II)

In September 1936 a Non-Intervention Agreement was drawn-up and signed by 27 countries including Germany, Britain, France, the Soviet Union and Italy. Hitler continued to give aid but attempted to disguise this by sending the men, planes, tanks, and munitions via Portugal.

The Internatinal Brigades and the Soviet Union were helping the Republicans, providing them with men, aircrafts and tanks.

International significance of the Spanish Civil War

On 27th February, 1939, the British prime minister, Neville Chamberlain recognized the Nationalist government headed by General Francisco Franco. Later that day Manuel Azaña resigned from office, declaring that the war was lost and that he did not want Spaniards to make anymore useless sacrifices.

The Spanish Civil War had been a “dress rehearsal” for World War Two: it was a clash between the forces of reform (the socialism of the USSR, the democracy of France and Britain) and reaction (the fascist dictatorships of Italy and Germany)

The Rome-Berlin-Tokio Axis

The military cooperation during the Spanish Civil War brought Germany and Italy closer together and, in October 1936, they signed the Rome-Berlin Axis.

In November, Germany signed an Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan. Anti-Comintern means ‘Anti-Communist International’. The aim of the pact was to limit Communist influence around the world. It was particularly aimed at the USSR.

Italy joined the latter in October 1937, these three aggressive countries were joined together in what was known as the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis.

Abolish the ToV – Step 3: Anschluss

The Treaty of Versailles didn’t allow Germany to join with Austria.

In Mein Kampf, Hitler had made it clear that he felt that the two states belonged together as one German nation.

Nazi Party in Austria staged demonstrations calling for union.

A plebiscite was called by the Austrian leader to see wether it was the will of the majority of the Austrians or just the Nazis.

Hitler sent his troops in March 1938, and the plebiscite was held under the watchful eye of the Nazis.

99,75 per cent voted for Anschluss (political union)

Why did Hitler get away with Anschluss?

David Low’s cartoon. Anthony Eden, British Foreign Secretary at that moment says: “Why should we take a stand about someone pushing someone else when it’s all so far away...”

Hitler and Mussolini were now allies (Rome-Berlin Axis of 1936 & Anti-Comintern Pact of 1937)

Once more, the British felt sympathy for the German and believed that the term of the Treaty of Versailles that forbade anschluss was unfair.

Neither Britain nor France were prepared to fight and not particularly to defend the ToV terms that nobody thought fair.

Why did Hitler get away with Anschluss?

Illustration showing giant Austrian figure wearing lederhosen bridging or uniting the Austrians and Germans with a brick labelled Anschluss . Political union of Austria and Germany . Austrians greeting Germany with Heil Hitler salute .

Search for lebensraum (II): SUDETENLAND

After WWI, the new state of Czechoslovakia was given an area known as Sudetenland.

This was previously part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and now formed the Czech border with Austria and Germany. It contained over 3 million German speakers.

Hitler demanded the annexation of the Sudetenland and threatened to invade the country by the 1st October 1938 under the excuse that Sudeten Germans were mistreated by the Czech authorities.

Britain and France were determined to avoid war over Czechoslovakia…

German territory by 1938 before the annexation of the Sudetenland

The Policy of Appeasement: MUNICH AGREEMENT (I)

Even though France had signed the Little Entente with Czechoslovakia and the other successor states in 1925, by 1938 the French were not willing to risk their people to save the Czechs.

Britain had no treaty with Czechoslovakia and Neville Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister, made it clear that they would not send troops to defend it.

Both governments decided to follow the policy of appeasement: to give Hitler what he wanted in order to avoid another World War.

On 29 September 1938, the Munich Conference began between the leaders of Britain (Chamberlain), France (Daladier), Italy (Mussolini) and Germany (Hitler) in order to reach an agreement.

The Czech government was not invited. The Soviet Union, which had said it would defend Czechoslovakia if Britain and France acted as well, was also excluded.

It was agreed that Germany would annex the Sudetenland without aggression: on 1st October, German troops occupied the Sudetenland.

Edward Beneš, the leader of Czechoslovakia, resigned.

The Policy of Appeasement: MUNICH AGREEMENT (II)

Hitler had achieved, again, one of his aims in foreign policy.

War was avoided once more… but at a very high cost.

Neville Chamberlain in a press conference holding in his hand the Munich Agreement as a sign of triumph.

Germans entering the Sudetenland.

Once in control of the Sudetenland, Hitler concentrated on destroying the rest of Czechoslovakia.

On 15 March 1939, Nazi Germany finally invaded Czechoslovakia.

Though Daladier (French Prime Minister) did put France on a war footing, no action was taken by Britain and France.

Looking for lebensraum (III): the INVASION OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA

The END OF APPEASEMENT

After Czechoslovakia had been taken, it became clear for most people that Poland was Hitler’s next target.

At the end of March 1939, Britain and France made a significant policy change, and guaranteed to protect Polish independence.

It was the ende of the policy of appeasement.

Looking for lebensraum (IV): the NAZI-SOVIET PACT and the Polish Corridor

On 24 August 1939 the USSR signed a Non-Aggression Pact with Nazi Germany.

The world was shocked as two arch enemies promised not to attack each other.

The pact was supposed to last for 10 years and included secret clauses for the splitting of Poland and a Soviet takeover of the Baltic States.

The Nazi-Soviet Pact was perhaps the pinnacle of Hitler’s triumphs. He cleared the way for Germany’s invasion of Poland.

THE OUTBREAK OF WWII

On 29 August 1939, Hitler ‘offered’ Poland the choice of peaceful dismemberment (by negotiation) or war.

Poland refused, and, on 1 September, Germany invaded Poland.

Two days later, on 3 September, Britain and France declared war on Germany: it was the beginning of the Second World War.