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Hitler the Chancellor
President Hindenburg named Adolf Hitler chancellor, as he had the majority of support in the elections since he wanted Germany to be as powerful as it used to be. To do this he promised rearmament and revisions in the Treaty of Versailles, he also wanted to expand Germany's territory. Hidenburg was convinced that Hitler could be controlled, he was wrong. Turns Germany from a democracy to a totalitarian state. -
Germany leaves the League of Nations
Hitler left the League of Nations because the League of Nations was an outcome from the Treaty of Versailles, the treaty Germans resented because it made them look weak. The main reason was because Germany wanted Britain and France to disarm aswell, but they said no. This prevented the League to control Germany. -
Ten year peace pact with Poland, Nazi Takeover in Austria, Mussolini defends Austria.
Mussolini brings troops to the border as a warning to Germany not to intervene in Austria. -
Saar region votes to rejoin Germany.
this showed support to the Nazi regime. -
Hitler rentroduces conscription
This was a turning point in the development of Germany as a revived military power.
this was one of the ways that he used to undo what had been imposed to Germany in the Treaty of Versailles. -
Anglo-German Naval Treaty
An agreement that changed the balance of military and naval forces between Great Britain and fascist Germany and facilitated the revival of the German Navy. Signed on June 18, 1935, the agreement gave Germany the right to have a navy equal in tonnage to 35 percent of the total displacement of the British Empire’s naval force.
Hitler benefited from a British attempt to control German naval expansion. -
Ethiopia invaded by Italy
affected the growing relationship with Britain and France, they both criticised Mussolini, and lost his support. Germany benefited from this division. -
Remilitarisation of the Rhineland
Without negotiation and vilated the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler saw it as a major gamble and won.
France did not intervene, little support in Britain for action and arms production increased. -
Rome-Berlin Axis
Limited treat of friendship between Italy and Germany given maximum publicity, also both countries gave aid to a right-wing military revolt in Spain against the Republican government.
Meanwhile, Britain accepted a policy of neutrality in Spain -
Germany occupies and annexes Austria
Hitler took advantege of Italy's sympathy and insisted on a Nazi government in Austria, which called for German annexation. British prime minister Neville Chamberlain wanted negotiations for a revision of the Treaty of Versailles and built up Britain's defences. Neither Britain or France acted. -
Hitler demands concessions for the 3 million German speakers living in the Sudetenland in Czecholovakia. Danger of war and German invasion.
The "Sudeten" Germans were formerly part of the Austrian Empire, not Germany. This was the first attempt to take action on behalf of the wider German-speaking minorities created in the general peace settlement of 1919. -
Hitler and Chamberlain meet at Berchtesgaden.
Hitler lost initiative to Chamberlain, who flew to see him at Berchtesgaden. Hitler agreed to a deal, successfully manipulating Britain into taking the lead in satisfying German grievences.
Chamberlain presuaded France and Czecholovakia to accept a settlement over the Sudatenland Germans. -
Hitler rejects the deal at a meeting at Godesberg, insisting on the immediate secession of the Sudetenland areas
This was risking war for Germany
Chamberlain reluctantly faced the prospect of war- without any attempt to involve Russia and with no British expeditionary force. -
Hitler accepts Italian meditation, in conference in Munich. Britain and France accept his terms- the Sudetenland is taken by Germany.
Hitler gained his stated objective and German rearmament continued.
After the relief of Munich, there was an awareness that the long-term problem remained. British rearmament increased. -
Europe engaged in arms race
Nazi Germany becomes more radical, there is anti semitism and more Nazi control over the armed forces.
Hitler had established a foreign policy aim not linked to the Treaty of Versailles by taking over non-German state. German rearmament was not planned to be completed before 1942 but was now accelerated.
In March 1939 the rest of Czechoslovakia is taken.
Britain offered Poland a guarantee of independence and began negotiations with Russia. Conscription was introduced to Britain in April. -
Germany occupies Memel(Lithuania), demands for the polish corridor. Non agression pact with USSR
Secret deal to fivide poland with USSR, on September 1 Germany invades Poland.
Once German forces were commited in Poland there was no real possibility of a Munich-type settlement. The non-agression pact offered the chance to amass forces against Poland. There was no significalt action by either side on the Western Front.
British attempts to negotiate with USSR were very limited. On 3 september Britain declared war and France followed.
