Saar Plebiscite - 1935 Plebiscite held on whether the Saar should be returned to Germany

- 90% In favour of returning to Germany

- Gave credentials to Hitler's regime, especially of uniting German speakers

Reasons Hitler gave for German Rearmament - Hitler begins to slowly rearm from 1935-40

- Using the excuse that other countries were failing to disarm, furthermore it would help improve
the economy

Anglo-German Naval Pact - Signed in 1935 between Britain and German, allowed German navy
to be 35% the size of the British navy.

Conscription introduced - In 1936 Hitler reintroduced conscription, violating TOV.

- Announces he plants to rebuild army to 500,000

Germanies army after rearmament - In 1939 German military had 95 warships, 1 million soldiers
and 8000 aircrafts

Why did Britain not fight against German rearmament? - Both Britain and France were
somewhat sympathetic to Germany.

- Especially the Britain felt the treaties restrictions were too harsh

- Furthermore they saw Germany as a good buffer against communism

Remilitarization of the Rhineland - The TOV banned any militarization of the Rhineland.

- For this reason Germans felt they did not have full control over the Rhineland despite it being in
Germany.

- In March 1936 Hitler took a huge gamble, ordering his troops should openly re-enter the Rhineland,
however if French showed any hint of opposition they should retreat immediately.

- French did not show military response, over 32,000 soldiers and armed police crossed into the
Rhineland.

Reasons for lack of action in response to invasion of Rhineland? - Britain believed Germany
was only 'going into their backyard'. Therefore this term was not enforced, as they thought it was
quite reasonable.

- France was going through an election and did not have solid leadership who would be prepared to
take responsibility for plunging France into war.

- They would not take decisive action without Britain

Outcomes for Hitler of remilitarizing the Rhineland: - Hitler believed he could now do anything
without worrying for opposition from the allies.

- The demilitarization of the Rhineland was mainly put in place to protect France.

- However if they were not directly invested in protecting this term it showed they would not be
willing to involve themselves in future affairs, especially more far east.

Spanish Civil War - Civil war broke out in Spain between fascists and republic/communist
government in 1936-39
- Hitler and Mussolini both became blatantly involved despite agreeing not to interfere.

- Germany sent aircrafts and pilots to help transport Franco's forces from North Africa to mainland
Spain.

- They also participated in major bombings raid on cities most famously in Guernica.

Why was the Spanish Civil War significant for Hitler? - Important to test Hitler's new air force,
before a full scale European war, successfully perfected dive bombing techniques for Guernica

- Persuaded Mussolini to abandon France and Britain and from 1936 Rome-Berlin axis formed

- A long war in Spain (3 years) distracts from what Hitler is doing elsewhere.

- Helping Franco win war, helps him eliminate communism.

Anschluss initial attempt: - The Bold step would fulfil two key aims, overturning the treaty and
uniting German speakers

- In 1934 Hitler made initial attempt using the murder of Chancellor as an excuse for invasion

- however Mussolini prevents this massing troops along the border due to being allied with Austria.

- Germany and Italy become allies, 1937 Mussolini informs the Austrian chancellor Schussing they
will no longer protect them.

Hitler's Foreign Policy Aims - Abolish the treaty: similarly to many Germans he though the treaty
was unjust.

- Expand German Territory: Lebensraum, he wanted to regain all lost territory to unite all German
speakers.

- Defeat communism: Hitler was extremely anti-communist, wanted to stamp out communist
nations.

Anschluss successfully attempt:- In February 1938 Hitler bullies Austria, using Austrian Nazi party to
stir up trouble.

- Hitler begins to demand a union to sort out the problems.

- Schussing wants to hold a plebiscite, but Hitler does not want to in-case he loses.

- He threatens to invade if they hold a plebiscite, causing Schussing to to resign.

- Sends troops to guarantee a trouble free vote.

- April 10th plebiscite held gives 99.75% majority in favour of Anschluss.

- Austria incorporated into German Reich.

Why did the Allies allow Anschluss - Hitler had built up his armed forces rapidly both on land
and in the air.

- Britain and France had not rearmed sufficiently to feel confident about defeating Hitler if war
declared.

- Britain once again was lenient due to believing Anschluss as a fair demand.
- Mussolini was close friends with Hitler by 1938, Britain and France could not rely on Italy.

Sudetenland Crisis: Origins - After the takeover of Austria Hitler was feeling bold

- He had his sights set on the Sudetenland

- He wanted to unite all German speaking people living in the Sudetenland

- The Sudetenland was also an important fortified area to defend against German expansion further
into Europe

Sudetenland Crisis: Origins 2

- Leaders of Sudeten Nazis stirred up trouble demanding unification

- Hitler began to threaten Czechs to war if they did not adhere to his demands

- However Britain and France agreed to protect Czechoslovakia

- Czechoslovakia had a modern army increasing the threat of an all out war. Britain began digging air
raid shelters and buying gas masks.

Munich Agreement: Original Proposal

- Chamberlain flew to meet Hitler on 15th September 1938

- Hitler claimed he only wanted small parts of Sudetenland and only after a plebiscite

- Chamberlain saw this as reasonable.

- On the 19th Britain and France explained to the Czechs however, Hitler increased his demands 3
days later; he now wanted all of the Sudetenland.

He claims he simply wants to unite all German speakers.

- Chamberlain initially refuses navy-mobilized

Munich Agreement: Final Meeting

- Mussolini arranges a final meeting on the 29th September, Britain, France and Germany agree to
give the Sudetenland to Germany

- Neither USSR or Czechoslovakia consulted.

- Czechoslovakia severely weakened with Poland and Hungary taking territory of the Czechs soon
after

Reasons Hitler wanted to invade the Sudetenland:

- Would be start of 'Lebensraum'

- Czechoslovakia had considerable coal reserves iron deposits and valuable Skoda arms works,
necessary for war

- A free and hostile Czechoslovakia would make it impossible for Germany to fight in the west, as he
would face a war on two fronts.

Invasion of Sudetenland
- Hitler marched into the rest of the country in march 1939, there was no resistance

- However this was the final straw for Chamberlain, Hitler proved he was untrustworthy.

- The next target for Hitler was Poland, however Britain and France informed Hitler they would
declare war if he invaded.

- Hitler still believed they were bluffing

Nazi-Soviet Pact- Stalin agrees to a 10 year non aggression pact with Hitler in August 1939 despite
being arch enemies

- Additionally they agreed privately to divide up Poland

- Both Britain and France had been trying to sign a deal with Stalin, however Stalin instead decided
to sign a deal with Nazi foreign minister Ribbentrop

Why did Stalin sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact?

- Stalin had no trust in Britain or France

- They had failed to tackle Militarism of Mussolini or help against Franco in Spanish Civil War

- Even worse they seemed to welcome German rearmament to fight communism

- He was not consulted at the Munich Agreement and thought it proved they were happy for Hitler
to take over eastern Europe

- Britain sent a minor official who did not have enough authority to negotiate, whereas Nazi's sent
their top official.

- Stalin was very everywhere in the long term Germany was the more dangerous enemy however the
pact bought time for the USSR to rearm.

Invasion of Poland

- September 1939, Germany invades. The pact cleared the way for invasion. Poland easily defeated.

- Britain and France order Germany to withdraw or face war.

- However Hitler refuses once again assuming the allies are bluffing.

- To his surprise, the guarantee was kept and war was declared on Germany on the 2nd September.

- Hitler found himself fighting the wrong war, allied with his arch nemesis, while fighting Britain who
he wanted to ally with.

Was appeasement justified: YES

- Hitler standing up to Communism; bigger threat

- Lack of US support, not smart to start war

- Britain not ready to fight war, needed to by time to rearm

- Hitler had mostly fair and reasonable demands initially; the treaty was too harsh and should be
reversed

- Mutual refusal to start another war and repeat horrors of WW1 unless last resort
Was appeasement justified: NO

- Appeasement encouraged further aggression, Hitler gambled more boldly over the years

- Based on the mistake idea Hitler could be trusted, despite clear evidence he could not be trusted;
his foreign policy, writings and speeches

- Early appeasements allowed Germany to grow in strength, German army was weak before Britain
allowed rearmament. Could have stopped him in his tracks.

- It also drove the USSR into helping Hitler by evidence Britain and France could not be trusted as
allies