Hitler reoccupied the Rhineland in 1936 in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty had established the Rhineland as a demilitarized zone without German troops to protect France. Hitler took a huge gamble by sending troops into the area in March 1936. Britain would not intervene to help France, judging the risk was France's alone. France was divided in its response, and without British support did not take military action. Hitler's reoccupation succeeded and humiliated France by breaking terms of the earlier treaty.