Hitler’s options-
Meeting of 5th November 1937
Hitler stated that by 1943-5 ‘at the latest’ he was ready to ‘solve Germany’s problem of the
lack of Lebensraum’
But if the right opportunity arose earlier, he would ‘overthrow’ the Czech and Austrian
governments
Historical debate on the significance of the meeting-
Taylor- Hitler was ‘day-dreaming, unrelated to what followed in real life’
W. Carr- Hitler was warning his generals ‘that a more adventurous and dangerous foreign
policy was imminent’
Arms race: Britain, France, and Germany 1936 to 9-
Legacy of the First World War
Total War: nations totally mobilised
War of attrition and long duration
Military planners still thought in terms of the defensive: Maginot line and Westwall
Germany-
Four-Year Plan concentrating on synthetic materials 1936
Military rearmament plans to be ready by mid 1940s
Britain-
1936: launched a four-year armament plan, key part of which was construction of a bomber
strike force
Rearmament planned to peak 1939/40
France-
France’s armed forces larger than Britain’s in 1936
Rearmament proceeded slowly, but even so between 1936 and 1939, expenditure increased
6 times
Armament production would peak in 1939-40
Britain, France, and appeasement-
Appeasement essentially a traditional British policy to avoid damaging conflict
Failure in 1938-9 led to Chamberlain becoming a scapegoat for Anglo-French failures
Since the 1970s revisionist historians have defended Chamberlain’s policies
In November 1937 Chamberlain launched a major initiative aimed at achieving settlement
with Hitler by offering Germany return of its colonies
The Anschluss and the destruction of Czechoslovakia-
Meeting of 5th November 1937
Hitler stated that by 1943-5 ‘at the latest’ he was ready to ‘solve Germany’s problem of the
lack of Lebensraum’
But if the right opportunity arose earlier, he would ‘overthrow’ the Czech and Austrian
governments
Historical debate on the significance of the meeting-
Taylor- Hitler was ‘day-dreaming, unrelated to what followed in real life’
W. Carr- Hitler was warning his generals ‘that a more adventurous and dangerous foreign
policy was imminent’
Arms race: Britain, France, and Germany 1936 to 9-
Legacy of the First World War
Total War: nations totally mobilised
War of attrition and long duration
Military planners still thought in terms of the defensive: Maginot line and Westwall
Germany-
Four-Year Plan concentrating on synthetic materials 1936
Military rearmament plans to be ready by mid 1940s
Britain-
1936: launched a four-year armament plan, key part of which was construction of a bomber
strike force
Rearmament planned to peak 1939/40
France-
France’s armed forces larger than Britain’s in 1936
Rearmament proceeded slowly, but even so between 1936 and 1939, expenditure increased
6 times
Armament production would peak in 1939-40
Britain, France, and appeasement-
Appeasement essentially a traditional British policy to avoid damaging conflict
Failure in 1938-9 led to Chamberlain becoming a scapegoat for Anglo-French failures
Since the 1970s revisionist historians have defended Chamberlain’s policies
In November 1937 Chamberlain launched a major initiative aimed at achieving settlement
with Hitler by offering Germany return of its colonies
The Anschluss and the destruction of Czechoslovakia-
