Hitler's Expansionist Policy

SECTION II: HITLER’S EXPANSIONIST POLICY   Aims:   1. A Greater Germany   - Hitler saw the way to achieve more land for Germany was to acquire   lands such as Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland     - Hitler knew he could exploit the fact that there were ethnic Germans   living in these area and hence use as an excuse for annexation     2. Lebensraum ​ (Living space)   - Eastern Europe was seen as potential territories for Hitler to   conquer and thereby creating more land for Germans   3. Establishing the superior Aryan race   - In order to do this, Hitler will first have to annex the whole of Europe   and then carry out extermination of ‘inferior races’     - Eg Holocaust     Step 1: Withdrawal from LON   ● At Geneva Disarmament Conference, Hitler proposed that French dis am to   level of Germans or allow Germans to rearm to that of the French     ● France naturally objected     ● Hitler used it as an excuse to withdraw from LON   ● Once out of LON, Hitler began to systematically tear down the restrictions   imposed on Germany       Step 2: Conscription and Rearmament   ● One of the first steps was to rearm Germany   ● Hitler stepped up rearmament and conscription policies   ○ Under terms of TOV, Germany was not allowed to have an air force   nor a large army   ○ But by 1935, Germany’s Air Force ​ (Luftwaffe) ​ had 2500 planes and an   army of 300,000 soldiers   ● Policies aimed to achieving an army of 550,000 strong   ● Allies took on a pacifist in response, not wanting to anger Hitler lest it turns   into war

● Britain even signed the Anglo - German Naval Agreement with Germany in   June 1935   ○ Allowed Germany to have limited build up of its navy   ● Hitler grew bolder due to such responses     ● Began to transform Germany into a formidable and dangerous military   power   ● Large amounts of money spent on military production       Step 3: Remilitarisation of Rhineland   ● On 7 March 1936, Hitler ordered German troops to reoccupy Rhineland     ○ Under terms of TOV, Rhineland was to be a demilitarized zone   ○ Hitler blatantly defying the TOV by ordering troops into Rhineland   ● Hitler used France - Soviet Alliance as an excuse   ○ Claimed Germany was under threat from both France and USSR, and   that Germany should be allowed to defend its frontiers   ● Hitler knew he was testing his luck   ○ Orders were for troops to retreat if attacked     ● However, French did not respond   ○ France was going through elections at the time   ○ No French position wanted to be seen as a warmonger (Aftermath of   WWI)   ● LON responded by only condemning Hitler   ○ Busy handling Abyssinian Crisis   ● Significance of Remilitarising the Rhineland:   ○ Hitler grew more bold to test the boundaries   ○ Popularity with the Germans increased even more as they finally saw   a leader willing to defend their rights     ○ Army increased in numbers in grew in confidence, and became   significantly bolder in military ventures     ● Hitler's gamble paid off     Step 4: German’s involvement in the Spanish Civil War   ● The Spanish Civil War

○ Fought between Nationalists and Communists   ● Hitler was very strongly anti-Communism   ○ He sent military aid to support the Spanish Nationalists forces   ■ Eg Soldiers, equipment and warplanes     ● Britain and France adopted a non-intervention policy   ○ But did support Hitler as they were also anti-communist     ○ Did not stop Hitler from involving Germany military   ● Reasons for German involvement     ○ Hitler knew that he would gain the support of both Britain and   France   ○ LoN would also not take any action against him   ○ Good opportunity for his newly emerged ​ Luftwaffe ​ and army to gain   battle experiences     ● Hitler portrayed himself as the Defender of Civilisation Against   Communism     ○ Signed anti-Communism Pact with Japan to show his hatred for   communism to the world     Step 5: Unification with Austria     ● Britain and France’s non-intervention towards Spanish Civil War   contributed even further to Hitler’s view towards them as weak   ● Decided to exploit further as he planned to annex Austria next   ● Many Austria born Germans living in Austria and many wanted a union   with Germany     ○ Prevented due to terms of ToV   ● Hitler encouraged Austrian Nazis to create trouble and start to push for   Anschluss (political union) with Germany from within   ● Demonstrations and riots started in Austria     ● Hitler pressured Austrian Chancellor to agree to unifying with Germany for   the riots to stop   ○ Also sent German troops in Austria to ‘maintain order’   ● Chancellor called for a plebiscite (a vote by which the people express an   opinion for or against the government’s proposal

○ 99.75% voted for unification     ● Austria annexed to Germany on 13 march 1938   ● Clear violation of ToV, but nothing was done against Hitler     ○ Hitler defended himself saying it was ‘Austria’s decision’   ● This unification gave Hitler crucial resources, such as gold and iron ore to   further his rearmament programme   ○ Austria troops were quite well-developed and modern was Hitler’s to   command     Step 6: Annexation of Sudetenland   ● Large numbers of Czech Germans lived in Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia     ○ Greatly influenced by Nazi leaders   ○ Demanded for Sudetenland to be a part of Germany   ● Hitler rode on this and threatened to g to wake if demands of Czech   Germans were not met   ● In response Czechs were ready to go to war against Germany   ○ Had a modern army   ○ Leader Edrard Benes willing to fight   ● Britain, France and USSR were Czechoslovakia's allies   ○ Britain and France wanted avoid war   ● Struck a deal with Hitler and signed the Munich Agreement (1938)   ○ Did so without consulting the Czechs and soviets   ○ Later add to stalin's distrust of western allies   ● Sudetenland to be ceded to Germany   ● Hitler promised not to take over any more land   ● On 1 October 1938,Hitler marched remains troops into Sudetenland without   meeting any resistance ; Edvard Benes stepped down in protest   ● Both Britain and France realised Hitler could not be trusted   ○ Warned Hitler they would go to war if he tries to invade Poland       Step 7: Nazi-Soviet Union   ● Also known as the Iron and Steel Pact (Non-aggression Pact)

● Stalin decided to throw his weight with Hitler for the way Brit and France   treated Czechs an Soviets at Munich agreement   ○ Opportunity too good to wats when Hitler went to Stalin with a   proposal   ● Hitler wanted to take over Poland, but was afraid of a two front war     ● Signed Nazi-Soviet Pac (23 August 19390   ○ Lasting for 10 years   ○ Both promised to not attack each other and resolve any conflict in a   friendly manner   ○ T divide Poland equally between Germany and USSR   ○ Germany not to interfere in USSR activities in Baltic States   ● West reacted in anger and shock, condemned Germany and Soviet Union   for “union of evil”   ● Iron was that Stalin did not trust Germans, and Hitler was strongly   anti-communist   ● Once Hitler knew soviets would not defend Poland,he went on with his   plans   ○ Demanded for Danzing which consisted of mostly Germans to be a   part of Germany     ○ Wanted to build a railroad linking east Prussia to Germany but   polish leaders did not trust Hitler and negotiations broke down   ● Hitler still furthered his demands for Polish Corridor   ● Brit and France responded with further negotiations   ○ Convinced Hitler that Brit and France would not declare war on   Germany   ● He invaded Poland on 1st September 1939   ○ Polish troops no match to Hitler's advanced and well developed   army   ● End up kena war from Brit and France on 3rd September 1939