Hitler's Expansionist policy

1. Among the factors
leading to the outbreak
of WWII in Europe,
which is more
significant?
Weakness of the League of Nations
Hitler’s expansionist policy
Policy of appeasement

2. What were Hitler’s aims?
Does no one know?
It has been there all along.
 Nazi Party 25 points
program demands:
◦ The unification of all
Germans in the Greater
Germany
◦ The formation of a National
Army
◦ Abolition of the TOV
 In Mein Kampf
Germany is “obligated to promote the
victory of the better and stronger, and
demand the subordination of inferior and
weaker”
“Only an adequate large
space on this earth assures a
nation freedom of existence”
There is a “disproportion between our
population and our area …. This land can be
obtained from Russia …. We must secure
the land and soil to which we are
entitled.”
“Lebensraum”
(Living Space)

3. Challenge to TOV
Under the TOV What Hitler did
Army limited to 100,000
men
1933 – Conscription and
Rearmament
No air force 1936 – 2,500 plane
Luftwaffe
No submarines Built U-boats secretly
under pretext of research
Demilitarised Rhineland 1936 – German Army
march into Rhineland
Political union of
Germany and Austria not
allowed
1934 – Anschluss with
Austria
When Hitler came into power in 1933, he set about
challenging the Treaty of Versailles. He managed to
get away with everything up until war broke out.

4. Withdrawal from League of
Nations
 Germany was accepted into the League
of Nations in 1926 under Gustav
Stresemann
 Geneva/World Disarmament Conference
Hitler insisted on parity with France
 France objected
 Hitler withdrew from conference and
League of Nations

5. Rearmament
 To restore German pride and prestige
 1933 – 1934 stepped up rearmament
and conscription
 Only announced it in 1935 when he was
confident of the Army strength

6. Rearmament
 Such militarisation is against the TOV
 Britain and France were strong
enough to stand against Hitler, but
they did not
 Verbal protest were made without
effect
 Hitler happily continued with
rearmament
 Britain signed the Anglo-German
WHY?

7. Remilitarisation of Rhineland

8. Rhineland
 Demilitarised under TOV
 March 1936 German Army crossed into
Rhineland using the Franco-Soviet Alliance as
excuse
 Britain did nothing
◦ Pacifist mentality
 France did nothing
◦ Elections
◦ No British Support
 League of Nations condemn
◦ Distracted by Abyssinia
The Fuhrer
is pleased

9. Spanish Civil War (1937)
 German soldiers and planes sent to
help Nationalist Forces
 Chance for Hitler to test out his
military
 Excuse – to fight the Communists
Republicans

10. Why didn’t Britain and France do
anything?
 Fear of Communism
 Hitler hated communism
 Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan

11. Anschluss (1938)
 Unification of Germany and Austria
 TOV prevented such a union
 Austrian Nazis pressured Austrian
Chancellor Schuschnigg to hold a
plebiscite
 99.75% voted in favour
 Austria was annexed on 13 March
1938

12. What do you think was the
response?

13. Czechoslovakia

14. Sudetenland
 Heavily German populated
Sudetenland
 Population wanted to be part of
Germany under influence of Nazi
leader there
 Hitler threatened war
 Czech leader Benes was willing to
fight
 Britain, France, SU also promised to
support

15. Response?
 Munich Agreement (Sept 1938) signed
by
◦ Britain
◦ France
◦ Germany
◦ Italy
 Sudentenland given to Germany
 Benes resigned

17. Invasion of Czechoslovakia
 March 1939
 Britain and France realised Hitler can’t
be trusted
 Warn of war if Hitler invaded Poland
 Began preparations for war

18. Nazi-Soviet (Non-Aggression)
Pact
 No attack on
each other
 Prevent war on
both fronts
 Split Eastern
Europe between
both of them
 Britain and
Poland signed a
defence treaty

19. Invasion of Poland

20. Invasion of Poland
 Hitler demanded Danzig and the
Polish corridor
 Wanted to link up with East Prussia
 Britain and France still willing to
negotiate
 Negotiations broke down
 Invasion on 1 Sept 1939
 Declaration of War 3 Sept 1939

21. Invasion of Poland
 Hitler had thought they would not
declare war as they were willing to
resume negotiations initially