AGEOFEXTREMISMREVISION

Hitler’s foreign policy

AIMS

To restore German pride: to end Germany’s humiliation following defeat in the First World War.To overturn the Treaty of Versailles: to regain all territory Germany had lost; develop Germany’s armed forces; achieve Anschluss; reunite all German-speaking people under German government.Debate over long-term aims: was Hitler’s ultimate goal to take land from the USSR (Lebensraum) or did he always plan for a major war against Britain and France?

HITLERSPEAKINGABOUTGERMANPRIDE

METHODSMixture of threats and conciliatory statements: argued that his claims were justified; convinced Britain that his intentions were peaceful; made threats when his claims were not supported.Willingness to gamble: took risks, e.g. Rhineland 1936.Isolating targets: non-aggression treaty with Poland 1934 (to remove Polish opposition to Hitler’s plans against Austria and/or Czechoslovakia).

CONCILIATORYACTIONSAPPEASEMENT

19341938

Non-Aggression Pact with Poland 1934: renounced German claims to Polish Corridor; guaranteed Polish neutrality if Hitler moved against Austria or Czechoslovakia.Attempt to create Anschluss 1934: Austrian Nazis tried to take control; Hitler’s plans thwarted when Mussolini sent Italian troops to Austrian border.Saar region 1935: returned to Germany following plebiscite; Hitler claimed this ended all German grievances against France.Rearmament: introduced conscription; increased size of army; Stresa Front (Britain, France and Italy) too weak to prevent this; Anglo–German Naval Agreement 1935 – Britain effectively endorsed German naval expansion.

ANSCHLUSS

19341938

Rhineland 1936: Germany entered demilitarised Rhineland; broke Treaty of Versailles and Locarno Treaties; German soldiers ordered to retreat if they met opposition (there was none).Agreements with Mussolini: Rome–Berlin Axis 1936 (removed Mussolini’s opposition to Hitler’s plans for Austria); Hitler encouraged Mussolini to become involved in the Spanish Civil War.Anschluss 1938: Union of Austria and Germany achieved.

HITLERANDMUSOLLINI

APPEASEMENT

Reasons: belief that Hitler had justifiable claims; fear of war; economic problems in Britain and France; British commercial links with Germany; communism still seen as the main threat.Implications: Hitler allowed to get away with breaking the Treaty of Versailles.