AIMS AND IMPACT OF HITLER’S EXPANSIONIST POLICIES, ACTIONS TAKEN TO

APPEASE HITLER

The Sudetenland Crisis, 1938

Importance of Sudetenland to Czechoslovakia

- The Sudetenland was where many Czech armament factories and defenses were, so
losing them would mean Czechoslovakia would be defenseless.
Importance of Sudetenland to Hitler
Grossdeutschland - One of Hitler’s main aims was to unite all German speaking
people under Nazi German rule.
- The Sudetenland contained 3.5 million Germans who
had been cut off from the rest of Germany after the
creation of Czechoslovakia by the Treaty of Versailles.

The destruction of - Hitler aimed to destroy Germany’s obligations toward the

the Treaty of humiliating treaty of Versailles, which carved up German
Versailles territory and used it to form new successor states.

Lebensraum - It translates to living space.

- It refers to Germany’s desire to expand Germany’s borders in
the east, in order to be more secure and prosperous.

Armaments and - The Sudetenland was where many Czech armament factories
weapons factories and defenses were, as it was home to a disproportionate
amount of the old (austro-hungarian) empire's weapons
manufacturing.
- Most notably the skoda factory this was a major
manufacturer of guns tanks and artillery
- Bohemia was the most industrialized part of Austria and
Slovakia was the most industrialized part of Hungary.

Key events

Post WW1
The creation of the state of Czechoslovakia

- Following WW1, The state of Czechoslovakia was created following the collapse of
the Austro Hungarian empire.
- within the new state structure was a mix of ethnic groups and territories all with
different historical political and economic traditions.
- More than 20 percent of the population were ethnic Germans, roughly 3 million
people, the majority of which resided in the sudetenland, a strip of land bordering
Germany and Austria.
- Many of the Sudeten Germans heavily opposed the Czechoslovak government and its
policies and wanted to join Austria or Germany.
- This was because although the constitution of the new country called for the equality
of all citizens the political leaders had obvious preferences towards Czech and Slovak
nationalism which saw violence and heavy anti-german sentiment against the
Sudeten Germans.
- Ultimately the government resorted to violence to quell civil conflicts between the two
regions and proceeded to fully integrate the region by September 10 1919.
- In the years that followed some progress was made to integrate the Sudan Germans
and other minorities in Czechoslovakia but they remained marginally
underrepresented in the government and the Army.

The Great Depression

- Created economic instability among Sudeten Germans which fed resentment against
Czechoslovakian government.
- The great depression hit the highly industrialized Sudan Germans more than
most.
- 60 % of the Germans in Czechoslovakia were unemployed By 1936.
- Led to the rise of the Sudeten German Party.
- In 1933 Conrad Henlein founded the sudeten German party or sdp in
Czechoslovakia.
- The sdp soon captured two-thirds of the votes in ethnic German districts and
by 1935 was the second largest political party in the country.
- Demonstrated how disillusioned the Sudeten Germans were with the
Czechoslovakian government; they wanted to be under Nazi-German
leadership.
 - in the years that followed the Nazis became a strong supporter and financier
of the party.

The Nazi Party and The SDP (Sudeten German Party)

- Helped create an SDP paramilitary group:

- Emboldened by Germany's annexation of Austria, Hitler met with Henlein and
established a paramilitary organization consisting of ethnic German citizens
of Czechoslovakia.
- They were housed, trained and equipped by the German Army to conduct
terrorist operations against the Czechs.
- Provided Sudeten Germans with morale:
- encouraged by the support, the German minority living in the Sudetenland
began demanding its own autonomy from Czechoslovakia; they claimed that
they were being oppressed by the national government in 1938.

Hitler’s actions

- In September, Hitler turned his attention to the Sudetenland.

- Hitler’s first move was to order the Sudeten Nazi Party to demand full autonomy for
ethnic Germans from Czech leader Benes, knowing that these demands would be
refused.
- He then circulated tales of Czech atrocities towards Sudeten Germans and
emphasized their desire to once again be under German rule, in an effort to
legitimize his annexation of the territory.
- If his intentions weren’t already clear enough, 750,000 German troops were sent to
the Czech border, officially in order to carry out maneuvers.
- This was in response to Sudeten Germans who began protests and provoked
violence from the Czech police.
- Hitler claimed that 300 Sudeten Germans had been killed. This was not
actually the case.

Neville’s reaction and appeasement

- Prime Minister of the UK Neville Chamberlain flew out to meet Hitler and Sudeten
Nazi leader Henlein, on 12 and 15 September.
- Hitler’s response to Chamberlain was that the Sudetenland was refusing the Czech
Germans the right to self-determination.
- Hitler agreed not to take military action without any further discussion.
 - After meeting with his cabinet, Chamberlain met with the Nazi leader once more.
- He proposed that all areas of Czechoslovakia that were more than 50 percent
German should be turned over.
- The czechoslovakians however were not consulted but the government was
forced to accept the proposal anyway
- Hitler, aware that he had the upper hand, refused this and made more demands.
- In addition to occupying the sudetenland Hitler now wanted all
Czechoslovakians to leave the area by September 28th which was just one
week away.
- the Czechoslovakian government, the British cabinet and the French all
rejected the idea.
- With hours to go before Nazi troops crossed the border into Czechoslovakia,
Hitler and his Italian ally Mussolini offered Chamberlain what appeared to be
a lifeline: a last-minute conference in Munich, where French Prime Minister
Daladier would also be in attendance.
- The Czechs and Stalin’s USSR were not invited.

The munich agreement

- Signed on September 30, 1938.

- It instructed Czechoslovakia to surrender its border regions and defenses (the
so-called Sudeten region) to Nazi Germany.
- This was in exchange for Germany making no further demands for land in Europe.
Chamberlain said it was ‘Peace for our time’. Hitler said he had ‘No more territorial
demands to make in Europe.
Anschluss, 1938

Background

- The 1936 Austro-German Agreement.

- Signed in July 1936.
- Germany promised to respect Austrian independence.
- Austria agreed to have a policy ‘based always on the principle that
Austria acknowledges herself to be a German state’.
- The National Opposition (Austrian pro-Nazis) would be released from
internment camps and given a role in government.

Evidence: Did Austrians support Anschluss?

- During the 1927 elections, pro-unification parties achieved over 65% of the popular
vote.
- However, Hitler’s ascension to power caused the rightwing austrians to reject the
notion of unification as while they wanted to be a part of Germany, they did not want
to be under the leadership of the nazi regime.
- Not to mention the situation was not helped by the coups and violence done by the
pro-union groups that hoped to takedown the contemporary government.
- By 1932, more likely 69% of austrians were against unification/

Reasons why Austrians supported Anschluss

- Pan-German nationalism
- Anschluss had been popular in Austria since the unification of Germany.
- Many Austrians shared a common ethnic and linguistic identity with Germans
and believed that they rightfully belonged in a unified German state.
- After the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian empire following WW1 Anschluss
became widespread, however it was prevented by the treaty of Versailles.
- Austrians were upset that the treaty of Versailles and the paris peace
conference withheld their right to self determination which was given
to other ethnic groups.
- Economic Hardship
- Austria had suffered economic hardship in the aftermath of World War I and
the Great Depression.
 - Many Austrians believed that Anschluss would bring economic prosperity and
stability, as Germany's economy was stronger at the time.
- Propaganda:
- Use of catchy, effective slogans helped the expanding movement: One people,
one empire, one leader.
- Nazi propaganda appealed to many Austrians who were frustrated with the
economic and political situation in their country.

Failed Insurgence, 1934

- A group in favor of the Nazi party and off Grossdeutschland staged a coup in Vienna,
which culminated in the murder of Austrian Chancellor Dollfuss.
- This became known as the Dollfuss affair.
- This occurred because Austria was treated similarly to Germany at the end of the
First World War, having a harsh settlement forced upon them.
- Dollfuss used this situation to create a dictatorship and there was violence and
discontent across Austria as a result.
- Dissolved parliament in 1933, stating that it was incapable of functioning.
- As a result of the chaos in Austria, Hitler planned to launch an invasion to help the
Austrian Nazis and achieve Anschluss.
- However, Hitler's plans were thwarted by Mussolini.
- Mussolini was a close ally of Dollfuss who wanted to turn Austria into a puppet state
and told Hitler he would face a war should he invade Austria.
- Germany stood down as it was not ready for war.

Key events: The election of Seyss-Inquart into government, February 1938

- The end of the Summer of 1937 saw the Germans making the decision that Austria
would most likely have to be taken by force in order to support the crumbling German
economy so that their position at the top could be restored as they were engaged in
an arms race against Britain and Germany.
- By this point chancellor Schussnig realized the pressure for a union was becoming
too strong to ignore and he agreed to a meeting with Hitler organized by Papen.
- Hitler bombarded him with a two hour speech, insisting on German domination
- of Austria and demanding he immediately sign a document agreeing to this.
 - Surrounded by German Generals, Schuschnigg was intimidated into signing a
document appointing Seyss-Inquart as interior Minister and agreeing to coordinate
economic and military policy with Germany.

Key events: The failed Referendum, March 1938

- Schuschnigg, alarmed at growing German power, called a plebiscite on Austrian

independence, hoping for popular support against Anschluss and to undermine
Hitler’s position.
- The plebiscite asked for approval of the statement: “With Schuschnigg for Austria, we
want a free and a German Austria, an independent and a social Austria, a Christian
and united Austria.”
- In summary, this infuriated Hitler, who mobilized troops into Austria.
- His pretext of this was that the Czech government might try to cheat and secure and
independent austria unfairly.
- Hitler demanded that the plebiscite be canceled otherwise Germany would invade.
- Schuschnigg backed down, and was reluctantly replaced by an Austrian government
headed by seyss-inquart.

The second referendum, April 1938

- In April, German troops invaded Austria and annexed the territory after the German
Reichstag passed a legislation that allowed this on the condition that a referendum
approved.
- 48.8 million (99.9 percent of Germans and Austrians) voted yes for union.
- There has been doubts casted about the credibility of this plebiscite:
- the ballot was designed in a way that implied the right choice was
anschluss (it had a larger circle)
- The ballot wasn’t secret and members of the SS were at polling
stations.
- The Nazi government absorbed Austria into Germany by turning it into a new
province (Ostermark), arrested anti-nazi political opponents and conducted acts of
terrorism against jewish synagogues, apartments and markets in Vienna.

Reaction of the main powers

Italy Italy abandoned its promise to support and
protect Austrian independence and joined
sides with Hitler.
● In the process of repairing relations
with Germany when Anschluss
occurred.
● The Italians were not particularly
happy; there had been an
expectation in Rome that Austria
would become a puppet state.
● Mussolini believed there wasn’t
much he could do about it.
● Saw Germany as the future leading
power of Europe and wanted to be
on its good side.

Britain ● Britain’s response was effectively

‘too late to do anything about it now.’
● Chamberlain saw appeasement as
the only solution to maintaining
peace.
● He knew the only way to stop the
annexation was war which he didn't
think was worth it.

USA The USA didnt care.

Soviet Union The Soviet Union demanded only that the

West should stop further German
aggression and that the Anschluss should
be handled by the League of Nations.

France ● The little entente

● France, Yugoslavia,
Czechoslovakia, Romania.
● Aimed to deter Anschluss and
Hungarian remilitarization.
● France and Italy had guaranteed
Austrian independence.
● However, their only reaction was a
 strongly worded note that voiced
their dissent as it was their only
option.
● Remilitarization of the
Rhineland: Germany had
already accomplished this
therefore any military action
against it would be costly.
● Britain’s refusal to support:
Britain refused to back
France and instead opted for
a policy of appeasement.

Rearmament, 1933
The treaty of Versailles

Army limitations ● Army of just 100,000 men.

● Conscription was forbidden.

Armaments ● She could have a navy of only six

battleships.
● Germany was forbidden to have
submarines or an air force.
● Importation into Germany of arms,
munitions and war material of every
kind was strictly prohibited.

The disarmament conference of 1933

- In February 1932, Sixty countries sent delegates to the Disarmament Conference that
convened in Geneva to consider reductions in armaments, with particular emphasis
on offensive weapons.
 - This was a part of a series of initiatives taken by the league in order to achieve
disarmament.
- The conference was already floundering before Hitler came to power, because
Germany demanded gleichberechtigung (Equality of armament) with other countries.
- On October 23, 1933, Germany announced its withdrawal from both the Disarmament
Conference and the League of Nations, ostensibly in response to the Western powers'
refusal to meet its demand for equality.
- In reality, By leaving, Hitler could more easily rearm as he would be free from any
restrictions that the conference could have placed on Germany.
- Hitler had blamed France for the failure of disarmament, claiming that he could not
leave his border defenseless when France refused to compromise and react by
reducing their armaments.
- The British delegation made a number of attempts to try to persuade Germany to
return to the conference, but these only angered France.
- This culminated in 1934 with the so-called ‘Barthou note’, in which French Foreign
Minister Louis Barthou announced that France would no longer play any part in the
Conference, but would look after its own security in whatever way was necessary.

Non-Aggression Pact, 1934

AIMS of the leaders

Pilsudski - Countering French Disloyalty: He intended the treaty with Germany to

be a response to allied France’s disloyalty to Poland, and France’s
efforts to seek an agreement with Berlin behind Poland’s back at the
expense of Polish interests.
- Shifting Perceptual Dynamics: Poland believed that Hitler was
relinquishing the traditional Prussian policy against Poland and that
he would direct the Reich's expansion to the southeast, potentially
reducing the direct threat to Polish territory.
- Minimizing the Risk of Conflict: Pilsudski wanted to minimize the risk
that Poland would experience if it would become a victim of
Germany’s aggression.
- Addressing the Perceived Soviet Threat: Pilsudski believed that the
new chancellor seemed less threatening than the immediate
 predecessors, and that the Soviet Union appeared as a greater
threat.

Hitler - Consolidation of Power: Hitler needed some peace in the immediate

future to consolidate the National Socialist regime and rebuild the
armed forces.
- Masking True Intentions: He posed as a promoter of peace and used
Poland as the crowning proof that the intentions of the Third Reich
were all amicable.
- Neutralizing France-Poland Alliance: In order to neutralize the
possibility of a French-Polish military alliance against Germany before
Germany had a chance to rearm in the aftermath of the Great War.

Conscription and Rearmament

Treaty of Rapallo, 1922

- Led to industrial and military collaboration that allowed Germany to circumvent some
terms of the treaty of Versailles.
- Many German companies opened factories in Russia which allowed them to
manufacture the tanks, artillery, and weaponry they were prohibited to produce by
the TOV.
- Germany also organized military training in Russia for German officers who had been
dismissed due to the TOV.

Hitler’s actions

- He ordered the Air Ministry to plan the production of 1,000 war planes.
- Military buildings such as barracks were built.
- In 1935, Hitler felt strong enough to go public on Nazi Germany’s military expansion –
which broke the terms of the Versailles Treaty.
- In March 1935, following his freedom to rearm rally, Hitler introduced conscription.
 - He claimed that this was in response to increases in the British air force and
the announcement that France was to extend conscription from 12 to 18
months.
- In February 1935, Hitler publicly announced the establishment of the Luftwaffe, a new
German air force that had been formed secretly in May 1933.

Anglo-Naval Agreement, June 1935

- Negotiation between Britain and Germany, without the league of nations being
consulted.
- Allowed Germany to increase the size of her navy to 35% of the size of the Royal Navy.
- Pros
- guaranteed that Britain would have a superior navy.
- Britain indirectly benefited from rearmament as they were close trading
partners.
- Cons:
- Britain was allowing Germany to break a term of the Treaty of Versailles, which
had severely limited the German navy.
- Britain’s opposition to German rearmament had been effectively removed.
- Therefore, Hitler felt free to continue to increase the size of his army.

Reaction of the other major powers: The Stresa front

- Participants
- Britain, France, Italy.
- Where
- Stresa Italy
- When
- 14 April, 1935
- Why
- in response to Adolf Hitler's announced intention to rearm Germany, which
violated terms of the Treaty of Versailles.
- Aims
- To reaffirm the Locarno Treaties.
- Maintain the independence of Austria.
- Resist any future attempts to change the Treaty of Versailles.
- Impact
 - The terms of the agreement were vague, and did not specify what action
Britain, France and Italy would take in support of its aims.
- In fact, although its implications were clear, the agreement was so vague that
it did not specifically mention Germany at all.

Remilitarization of the Rhineland, 1937

Importance of the Rhineland

Defense ● The River Rhine would act as a natural barrier if a war broke out
between these two rivals.
● Hitler also knew that without the Rhineland, Germany was
vulnerable to invasion.

Industry ● Historically, the Rhineland had been a region of significant

industrial importance for Germany.
● The Rhineland was rich in minerals such as coal and iron.

Nationalism ● By reoccupying the Rhineland, Hitler was able to denounce the

Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Pact, thus stirring up
nationalist sentiment.

The Great ● The Great Depression crippled the German economy.

Depression ● Remilitarising the Rhineland required troops and weapons,
which would help alleviate unemployment in the country.

Treaty of Versailles, 1919

● Under articles 42 and 43 of the treaty of Versailles, Germany was forbidden to station
armed forces in a demilitarized zone in the Rhineland.
 ● One of the conditions stipulated in the Treaty of Versailles was that the German Army
was forbidden from lands within 50 km east or west of the River Rhine.

The locarno treaties, 1925

● Upon signing the Locarno Treaties of 1925, Germany agreed to maintain its status as
a demilitarized area.

Timing

● Hitler originally planned to remilitarise this area in 1937 but in 1936, the international
situation seemed favorable.
● Domestically, Hitler needed to distract attention from economic problems caused by
his increased rearmament programme.

Treaty of Mutual support

● In May 1935, France and the USSR signed a treaty of friendship and mutual support.
● Hitler resented this and argued that it was a hostile move against Germany, and the
area of the Rhineland could in turn be used by France to invade Germany.

Events

● Hitler sent 14,000 lightly armed troops plus 22,000 local police into the Rhineland.
● Most stayed on the east bank; only 3,000 went as far as the border near Aschen.
● German troops had orders to withdraw if they met opposition. The French took no
military actions.

Hitler’s Justification

- The Rhineland was his own territory.

- He cited the French-Soviet alliance.

Effects

- It became clear to Hitler that Britain and France would not react to his aggressive
foreign policy.
- Many commentators argue that this was Britain and France's last opportunity
to stop Hitler's aggressive foreign expansion.
- By remilitarising the Rhineland, Germany benefited economically and militarily.
 - Hitler built up his fortifications – known as the Siegfried Line – along the
French border.

Response of the other powers

France ● While France vehemently disagreed with the German occupation,

they were in no position to do anything.
● The country was going through a financial and political crisis and
had no means of tackling Nazi Germany alone

Britain ● For Britain, the situation in the Rhineland was of no interest. They
and the League of Nations were far too preoccupied with the
Abyssinian Crisis.
● Furthermore, many people in Britain empathized with the
Germans' standpoint, believing that they were merely expanding
into their own backyard.

The invasion of Poland, 1939

Hitler’s reasons

Lebensraum He had promised this in Mein Kampf (1924)

and it was one of the three CENTRAL AIMS
of Hitler foreign policy.

To overturn the treaty of Versailles
This was a second CENTRAL AIM of Hitler's
foreign policy. The Polish Corridor and
Posen had been given to Poland in 1919,
and Danzig had been declared a free city
administered by the League of Nations

To prevent an anti-German alliance Hitler’s reaction to Chamberlain: 'if they

expect Germany to sit patiently by while
they create satellite States and set them
 against Germany, then they are mistaken'.

To defend the Germans in Poland The reason Hitler gave was that the Poles
were persecuting those Germans who lived
in Poland, which wasn’t accurate.

Because he thought Chamberlain would not Hitler’s reaction to Chamberlain: 'if they
dare stop him expect Germany to sit patiently while they
create satellite States and set them against
Germany, then they are mistaken'.

Hitler’s Justifications

- To justify the action, Nazi propagandists accused Poland of persecuting ethnic

Germans living in Poland.
- They also falsely claimed that Poland was planning, with its allies Great Britain and
France, to encircle and dismember Germany.

Overview of the Non-Aggression pact, 1939

- When
- August 23, 1939
- Who
- Between the USSR and Nazi Germany.
- What
- In the pact, the two former enemies agreed to take no military action against
each other for the next 10 years.
- The two parties also signed a “Secret Additional Protocol” attached to the
nonaggression pact which divided eastern Europe into Nazi German and
Soviet “spheres of influence.”
- Impact
- The pact gave Adolf Hitler a free hand to attack Poland without fear of Soviet
intervention.

Reasons for entering the non aggression pact, 1939

 Germany The USSR posed as an obstacle to hitlers invasion of poland
- Since the USSR had its own historic claims to parts of Poland,
Stalin might well resist any German attempt to take
possession of it.
- Hitler also denounced Communism, but if the USSR was to get
into alliance with Britain and France, Germany could be
fighting a two front war.

The USSR Failed alliance with Britain and France

- The USSR, Britain, Poland and France entered negotiations on
forming an alliance.
- However, this failed as the western powers distrusted
communism and Poland also distrusted the USSR.

Appeasement
- The USSR disliked Britain and France’s policy of
appeasement.
- Thought of iit as condoning Hitler and argued they would take
no actions to defend the USSR when threatened.

USSR interests in the east were under threat

- Fear of facing two front war, as Japanese forces had already
made incursions into Soviet Union territory near Manchuria in
May 1932.
- Fears of war with combined powers of Germany, Japan and
Italy with the Anti-comintern pact.

Key events: The invasion

- On the First of September, Warsaw was bombed while Poland was invaded
simultaneously from Prussia in the north and Slovakia in the South.
- Germany dominated the battle; The Polish were subdued by Germany as they were
totally unprepared for the Blitzkrieg or “lightning war invasion technique that was
used.
- By September 6th, Poland was completely cleaved apart with the Polish artillery an
insufficient match for Hitler’s troops.
 - By the 8th of September, the troops were approaching Warsaw, having covered 140
miles in just eight days. The only hope was an offensive from France and Britain.

Key events: Britain and France declare war

- On the 1st of September, Poland asked for military assistance from France and
Britain.
- Britain waited until the 3rd of September to declare war on Germany.
- France then declared war on Germany the same afternoon.

Poland’s surrender

- However, On the 17th of September, the Polish border was crossed by the Red Army,
leaving Poland with no prospects but to surrender.
- Warsaw finally surrendered on the 28th September after 18 continuous days of
bombing and destruction.