Hitler's Aims and early policy Flashcards
Hitler wanted ‘lebensraum’ for the German people. What did he mean?
Living space (gain territory in the East)
Apart from lebensraum, what were Hitler’s other 2 aims?
- Make Germany a great power again
2. Unite all German speaking people under his rule
What did Hitler want to overturn/ change? This would allow him to regain territory and German speaking people.
The Treaty of Versailles (needed to change the territorial settlement)
What did Hitler sign in January 1934?
10 Year non aggression pact with Poland (promised not to change boundaries of Poland)
Why did Hitler withdraw from the Disarmament Conference (and League of Nations) in 1933?
France refused to reduce its arms for fear of another German attack (Hitler said Germany prepared to disarm if other countries did)
In what year did Hitler introduce conscription (forced to join armed forces)?
1935
How did other countries respond to conscription (clearly against the Treaty of Versailles)?
- Stresa Front (GB, France and Italy united opposition to Germany)
- GB felt some sympathy for Germany’s issues with the TofV but France wanted to do something but couldn’t act alone
In 1934 which country stopped Germany from uniting with Austria (failed Anschluss)?
Italy (Mussolini moved troops to frontier of Austria and Hitler knew his army wasn’t strong enough)
What did the Anglo-German Naval agreement of 1935 say?
Limited German navy to 35% of the British fleet (excluded submarines)
By 1938, how many were in the German army and how many German aircraft were there?
- around 800,000 in army
- over 2,000 aircraft
Where was a vote (plebiscite) held in January 1935 to decide if it returned to Germany?
Saar (approximately 90% voted to return to Germany. Great victory for Hitler)
