Question

explain the main features of hitlers foreign policy

Answer 1

Answer:

Hitler had three main aims in his foreign policy:

revise the Treaty of Versailles

unite all German-speaking people into one Reich

expand eastwards to achieve Lebensraum

Historians have disagreed about Hitler’s aims. A J P Taylor argued that Hitler did not deliberately set out for a destructive war. Instead, Hitler was an opportunist and made gains in his foreign policy by direct action and audacity.

Hugh Trevor-Roper has argued that Hitler had a long term plan - a programme of colonisation of Eastern Europe and a war of conquest in the West. This Stufenplan, step-by-step policy, led to war.

Probably the most convincing argument is that Hitler had consistency of aims, but was also an opportunist that was flexible in his strategy.

There were 3 stages to his foreign policy.

A moderate policy up to 1935.

Increased activity between 1935 and 1937.

A more confident foreign policy after 1937, certain that there would be little opposition to his plans