History summary chapter 3
3.1 Nazi Germany prepares for war
Greater German Reich: large state for all German peoples that Nazi Germany tried to establish
Lebensraum: Hitler’s claim for more territory for German people in Eastern Europe and part of Russia
Axis Powers: alliance between Italy and Germany (1936); Japan joined in September 1940
Anschluss: annexation of Austria by Germany in March 1938; literally translated as ‘connection’
appeasement: policy of maintaining peace by giving in to the demands of your opponent
-Lebensraum-
Hitler and his Nazis stated that the Treaty of Versailles was a humiliation and after the
Enabling Act was accepted, Hitler ordered the rebuilding of the army and prepared for a war.
Hitler planned on creating a greater Germany.
Before the First World War, in every part of Austria-Hungary lived Germans
After the war (1918) Austria-Hungary was split into separate states, Germany lost territory
and German inhabitants
Hitler had the idea of ‘Heim ins Reich’: He tried to convince Germans living outside Nazi
Germany to join the regions in which they lived into one Greater German Reich
His second territorial goal was to make the German economy self-sufficient: people should
be able to feed themselves from their own crops and industry should rely on its own raw
materials (they didn’t have colonies)
Hitler wanted to conquer Eastern Europe and Russia as far as the Ural Mountains and Slavic
people could work for him
He saw these areas as Lebensraum, but he needed an army to achieve this
-German rearmament-
According to the treaty of Versailles Germany was only allowed an army of 100,000, but
Hitler didn’t let this stop him
In 1935 he introduced conscription and hired unemployed men as soldiers, cause he
promised jobs to people
In 1937 he ordered the production of the Volkswagen, ordered a network of highways and
cutting down forests for agricultural use
The Hitler Youth soon proved to be an effective paramilitary organisation and soldiers were
willing to die fighting for their country
-a greater Germany-
Nazi-Germany again broke the terms set up at Versailles
Although the Saar was put under control of the League of Nations for 15 years, its inhabitants
voted to live under German authority in 1935
France and Britain had not interfered with Hitler’s ambitions, even when he sent troops into
the Rhineland (March 1936) this wasn’t allowed because of the Treaty of Versailles
Between 1919 and 1930, French and Belgian forces had occupied the Rhineland. The people
welcomed the German troops and Hitler was praised in his country
Hitler was encouraged to expand his empire after he established an alliance with Mussolini’s
Italy, called the Rome-Berlin Axis (1936)
The Axis Powers agreed to support each other’s territorial ambitions and oppose Britain and
France together
Hitler’s next step: Anschluss -> after the Austrian Nazi Party came to power in March 1938,
German troops marched into Austria, making it part of Germany
-the Conference of Munich-
, From 1938 onwards, the Nazis started to cause unrest in Sudetenland (German name for
Czechoslovakian)
This area was mostly inhabited by Germans and possessed most of Czechoslovakia’s natural
resources
Hitler planned to take over Sudetenland in May 1938
Britain, France and Russia all threatened that this invasion would have consequences
Encouraged by Mussolini, the British Prime Minister Chamberlain commenced peace talks
He got together with Mussolini, Hitler and the French Prime Minister at the Conference of
Munich (29th September 1938), Stalin and Czechoslovakia were not even invited
Hitler was allowed to annex Sudetenland in return for his promise that this would be his last
territorial demand in Europe.
Chamberlain thought he ensured a long lasting peace between Germany and Britain.
-Appeasement-
France and Britain who had been against Germany allowed Hitler to violate the Treaty of
Versailles because they focused on the policy of appeasement:
The former Allies believed that if they gave in to some of Hitler’s demands, further conflict
could be avoided in the future
Britain and France wanted to avoid war because:
1. both countries were suffering from the economic crisis
2. the memory of the First World War and all its victims was still very much alive
3. they did not know if they could count on American support
3.2 Europe at war
3.1 Nazi Germany prepares for war
Greater German Reich: large state for all German peoples that Nazi Germany tried to establish
Lebensraum: Hitler’s claim for more territory for German people in Eastern Europe and part of Russia
Axis Powers: alliance between Italy and Germany (1936); Japan joined in September 1940
Anschluss: annexation of Austria by Germany in March 1938; literally translated as ‘connection’
appeasement: policy of maintaining peace by giving in to the demands of your opponent
-Lebensraum-
Hitler and his Nazis stated that the Treaty of Versailles was a humiliation and after the
Enabling Act was accepted, Hitler ordered the rebuilding of the army and prepared for a war.
Hitler planned on creating a greater Germany.
Before the First World War, in every part of Austria-Hungary lived Germans
After the war (1918) Austria-Hungary was split into separate states, Germany lost territory
and German inhabitants
Hitler had the idea of ‘Heim ins Reich’: He tried to convince Germans living outside Nazi
Germany to join the regions in which they lived into one Greater German Reich
His second territorial goal was to make the German economy self-sufficient: people should
be able to feed themselves from their own crops and industry should rely on its own raw
materials (they didn’t have colonies)
Hitler wanted to conquer Eastern Europe and Russia as far as the Ural Mountains and Slavic
people could work for him
He saw these areas as Lebensraum, but he needed an army to achieve this
-German rearmament-
According to the treaty of Versailles Germany was only allowed an army of 100,000, but
Hitler didn’t let this stop him
In 1935 he introduced conscription and hired unemployed men as soldiers, cause he
promised jobs to people
In 1937 he ordered the production of the Volkswagen, ordered a network of highways and
cutting down forests for agricultural use
The Hitler Youth soon proved to be an effective paramilitary organisation and soldiers were
willing to die fighting for their country
-a greater Germany-
Nazi-Germany again broke the terms set up at Versailles
Although the Saar was put under control of the League of Nations for 15 years, its inhabitants
voted to live under German authority in 1935
France and Britain had not interfered with Hitler’s ambitions, even when he sent troops into
the Rhineland (March 1936) this wasn’t allowed because of the Treaty of Versailles
Between 1919 and 1930, French and Belgian forces had occupied the Rhineland. The people
welcomed the German troops and Hitler was praised in his country
Hitler was encouraged to expand his empire after he established an alliance with Mussolini’s
Italy, called the Rome-Berlin Axis (1936)
The Axis Powers agreed to support each other’s territorial ambitions and oppose Britain and
France together
Hitler’s next step: Anschluss -> after the Austrian Nazi Party came to power in March 1938,
German troops marched into Austria, making it part of Germany
-the Conference of Munich-
, From 1938 onwards, the Nazis started to cause unrest in Sudetenland (German name for
Czechoslovakian)
This area was mostly inhabited by Germans and possessed most of Czechoslovakia’s natural
resources
Hitler planned to take over Sudetenland in May 1938
Britain, France and Russia all threatened that this invasion would have consequences
Encouraged by Mussolini, the British Prime Minister Chamberlain commenced peace talks
He got together with Mussolini, Hitler and the French Prime Minister at the Conference of
Munich (29th September 1938), Stalin and Czechoslovakia were not even invited
Hitler was allowed to annex Sudetenland in return for his promise that this would be his last
territorial demand in Europe.
Chamberlain thought he ensured a long lasting peace between Germany and Britain.
-Appeasement-
France and Britain who had been against Germany allowed Hitler to violate the Treaty of
Versailles because they focused on the policy of appeasement:
The former Allies believed that if they gave in to some of Hitler’s demands, further conflict
could be avoided in the future
Britain and France wanted to avoid war because:
1. both countries were suffering from the economic crisis
2. the memory of the First World War and all its victims was still very much alive
3. they did not know if they could count on American support
3.2 Europe at war
