Intermediate 2

Practice questions on the Rhineland, Textbook, page 27

Source 3.6Q. 1 – Explain why Hitler’s actions were risky.Q. 1 – Explain why Hitler’s actions were risky. Hitler’s actions in reoccupying the Rhineland were risky

for a number of reasons. (a) As the source says, “the resources at our disposal would

have been wholly inadequate”. By this, he means that the state of the German armed forces was not strong enough to put up much of a fight if the French had decided to stop the Germans marching in. (s)

The setting up of a strong western border was vital before Hitler could even think of eastward expansion. (r)

Hitler’s actions were also risky because he was going against his own generals who had advised him against remilitarisation. Failure would have been humiliating. (r)

The German public would have been angry and disappointed as they regarded the reoccupation of the Rhineland as a vital step in destroying the hated Treaty of Versailles. (r)

Source 3.6 * How useful is this source in explaining German foreign policy in How useful is this source in explaining German foreign policy in

March 1936?March 1936? The source is very useful (a) in explaining German foreign policy in

March 1936, because it is from the time of the reoccupation of the Rhineland as it is from a description of Hitler’s feelings right after the reoccupation. (d)/(s)

The source is also useful because it is from Adolf Hitler, the Fuhrer of Germany, and the person who controlled foreign policy and had decided when and how the reoccupation would happen. (a)/(s)

The source is also useful because it agrees with my own knowledge that Hitler’s forces were not strong enough to defeat the French if they had decided not to let the Germans take over again. (acc)/(r)

However, the source is less useful because it doesn’t say anything about the general aims of German foreign policy, such as the fact that the reoccupation was part of a broader plan to destroy Versailles and expand eastwards to achieve Lebensraum. (lim)/(r)

Therefore, Source 3.6 is very useful in explaining German foreign policy in March 1936.(a)