Road to War The Rhineland Hitler cautious through

Road to War

The Rhineland • Hitler cautious through ‘ 35 • Outsiders see actions/goals as way to right the wrongs of the TOV • By ‘ 36, signs that goals would go further • Focus turns to western border of Germany • Rhineland = demilitarized by TOV • = secure border b/t Germ & FR • German army #s up + backing of extreme nat’lists + division b/t Euros plans to remilitarize

• March, ’ 36 - 10 k troops + 23 k armed police into Rhineland • No response by FR/GB • GB not support action division in Fr on how to react • Churchill claims this was point when Hitler should have been stopped • German force small, resistance weakening of Hitler’s political/military positions • MEANWHILE… • in Africa • Abyssinian (Ethiopia) Crisis • Invasion by Italy to expand power, access to territory • = violation of LON economic sanctions, breakdown of Stresa Front • Germ + Italy • In Spain • Civil War- Franco rise to power • Germ + It troops • Hitler use as test for troops • Guernica- n. Spain, April, ‘ 37 • Test of civilian aerial bombing by Condor Legion

Rome-Berlin Axis & Anti-Comintern Pact • Oct, ‘ 36 - treaty of friendship b/t It & Germ • Nov, ’ 36 • Mussolini suggestion of R-B-A • Other nations revolve around It/Germ • Neither isolated & Italy wouldn’t stop Germany from taking Austria (like in ‘ 34) • A-C Pact • Germany + Japan • Counter GB/USSR in Asia- pressure by Japan less resistance to Germany in Europe • + Italy in ’ 37 • German exports keep it in position of power • C. /E. Euros import AG, oil, metals

Four Year Plan • Aug, ‘ 36 - prep German economy for war by ’ 40 • Nov, ‘ 37 - Hossbach Memorandum • Meeting w/ military leaders in Reich Chancellery, Berlin • Hitler claim subject “too important” for wide discussion in Reichstag • In event of death to Hitler, points in meeting about long-term policies = “last will and testament” • Key goal for German policy? Secure/preserve racial community & enlarge it • When & how? After 43 -45, int’l situation would be vs. German goals ( so start now) • Current remilitarization close to complete, delay in process failure of plan • Scheme how to make France less of a threat, necessity of taking Czech & Aus • AGAIN- evidence of planning a war?

‘…there is no reason why the memorandum should not be accepted as a guide to Hitler’s ideas on foreign policy. The Hossbach Memorandum confirms the continuity of Hitler’s thinking: the primacy of force in world politics, conquest of living space in the east, anti-Bolshevism, hostility to France. Hitler’s warlike intentions were now explicit’ -Anthony P. Adamthwaite about the Hossbach Memorandum, The Making of the Second World War , 1989

• Some believe meeting isn’t evidence, but what happened as a result of the meeting is the real evidence. On November 5, 1937, Hitler summoned his foreign minister and the leaders of the army, navy and air force to the newly completed Chancellery for a discussion of his long-range objectives. The four-hour meeting, of which a summary prepared by Colonel Friedrich Hossbach, the Fu hrer’s adjutant, was not, as historians have sometimes claimed, a road map for war. But it did clearly formulate Hitler’s central goal, which was ‘to make secure and to preserve the racial community and enlarge it. ’ This, he insisted, was a question of space. Three of Hitler’s listeners – the war minister, Field Marshal von Blomberg, the commander of the army, General von Fritsch and the foreign minister, Baron von Neurath – expressed some misgivings about these ambitions. Within a few months, they had all been replaced by more pliable subordinates. James Sheehan, The Monopoly of Violence: Why Europeans Hate Going to War, 2008

Question to Consider • Google “Avalon Project Hossbach Memorandum” • After reading through the document, answer the following questions. • What key goals does Hitler establish for German foreign policy during the meeting? • What key points suggest Hitler was planning for a general war?

The Anschluss • March, ‘ 38 - German troops into Austria • • • ‘ 34 - resistance ‘ 38 - Italy an ally, GB vs. forced separation b/t Germany & Austria in TOV Austrian Chancellor (Kurt von Schuschnigg) call for referendum on Anschluss Hitler sending troops to ensure vote conducted peacefully Vote taken = 99. 75% in favor of uniting Germany & Austria • For Germany, Austria = increase in troops, gold, iron ore

Sudetenland, Munich Pact, & Czechoslovakia • Actions = methodical revisions to TOV • Oct, ‘ 38 - Hitler seizes Sudetenland • Germans in W. Czech desire annexation • Czech leader appeal to GB/Fr for help • Fr treaty of obligation (& USSR) + GB support of Fr = crisis in Europe • BUT…want to avoid war, see as Germans wanting right to live in Germany • Gave same right to others at Paris Peace Conf.

• September meetings end w/ “peace in our time” • 15 th- Chamberlin + Hitler • Appear that both want compromise • Hitler only want parts of Sudetenland & only if vote taken by the people to join Germany • 22 nd- Hitler change to wanting to take ALL of Sudetenland • GB mobilization of navy • 29 th- GB + Fr + Italy + Germany = MUNICH AGREEMENT • Hitler’s “ultimatum” OK’d • Germany takes ALL of Sudetenland (achieve through threats of force) • No consultation w/ USSR, Czechs

• Czech, 1939 • Post-German annexation of Sudetenland • Poland, Hungary claim areas lost to Czech • Slovak region declared independence (backed by Germany) • Germany took Bohemia, Moravia (to protect from Poland/Hungary) • = violation of Munich agreement • March 15 th, ‘ 39 - Germany claim rest of Czech.

The Immediate Road to War

Poland • By ‘ 39, Hitler = aggressor of Europe vs. GB/Fr as seekers of peace • Poland = next target • GB/Fr (after failure of response to Czech) warn that attack = war • 30 s appeasement at an end • Back up w/ agreement w/ USSR • BUT, summer ‘ 39 = meeting b/t Stalin & Germ. Foreign Minister (von Ribbentrop) • Aug, ‘ 39 = Nazi-Soviet Pact (The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact) • Enemies agree not to attack each other + divide Poland (secret) • For Hitler, = short-term triumph invasion of Poland w/o risk of two-front war + launch pad for later invasion of USSR

• TOV- creation of Poland + access to sea + “free city” of Danzig • Post-’ 33, NS presence in Danzig gov. • 1920 - Soviet attempt to crush Poland, consolidate control of E. Europe • Poles defeat Reds (Battle for Warsaw) --> nat’l pride, identity, belief they could stand up to USSR/Germany (in ‘ 39) • ‘ 38 - Hitler instruct army to prep for seizure of Danzig • ‘ 39 - Hitler demand for Daniz return to Germany

• March, ‘ 39 - Chamberlin attempt to back Poland • Poles know force needed to stop Hitler • GB/Fr would guarantee Poland remained independent • Issue? German ambition to dominate vs. Polish determination to defend selves • April, ‘ 39 - Hitler order to prep for invasion of Pooland • For Poles, can’t turn to Soviets- so must fight • July, ‘ 39 - Poles ready for engagement! Ready to fight! • Aug, ‘ 39 - Hitler + Stalin pact blitzkreig on September 1 st • No need to worry about Anglo-French threat • = WAR by GB/Fr