Q. How did Hitler achieve his aims with reference to the following –
(1) The reoccupation of Rhinsland in 1936.
(2) The Anschluss 1938.
Answers
Explanation:
1.Nazi leader Adolf Hitler violates the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Pact by sending German military forces into the Rhineland, a demilitarized zone along the Rhine River in western Germany.
The Treaty of Versailles, signed in July 1919–eight months after the guns fell silent in World War I–called for stiff war reparation payments and other punishing peace terms for defeated Germany. Having been forced to sign the treaty, the German delegation to the peace conference indicated its attitude by breaking the ceremonial pen. As dictated by the Treaty of Versailles, Germany’s military forces were reduced to insignificance and the Rhineland was to be demilitarized.
In 1925, at the conclusion of a European peace conference held in Switzerland, the Locarno Pact was signed, reaffirming the national boundaries decided by the Treaty of Versailles and approving the German entry into the League of Nations. The so-called “spirit of Locarno” symbolized hopes for an era of European peace and goodwill, and by 1930 German Foreign Minister Gustav Stresemann had negotiated the removal of the last Allied troops in the demilitarized Rhineland.
However, just four years later, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party seized full power in Germany, promising vengeance against the Allied nations that had forced the Treaty of Versailles on the German people. In 1935, Hitler unilaterally canceled the military clauses of the treaty and in March 1936 denounced the Locarno Pact and began remilitarizing of the Rhineland. Two years later, Nazi Germany burst out of its territories, absorbing Austria and portions of Czechoslovakia. In 1939, Hitler invaded Poland, leading to the outbreak of World War II in Europe.
2.Anschluss is the uniting of Germany and Austria into a Greater Germany. This idea was one which was popular with Germans, Austrians and Hitler. It was also an idea which was prohibited by the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler had attempted Anschluss once before in 1934, but with a weak military force and the opposition of Mussolini, Hitler found that he could not achieve his aims.
However, in 1938, the situation had changed significantly. Hitler’s military forces were much stronger and battle hardened. Italy was also not a problem as Hitler and Mussolini had signed the Anti-Comintern Pact in 1937. The stage was now set for Anschluss. Hitler used the Austrian Nazi party to cause trouble in Austria with marches, rallies and riots all demanding unity with Germany. Whilst the local Nazis did this, Hitler applied pressure to the Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg that Anschluss was the only option for Austria.
Schuschnigg was unsure so appealed to Britain and France who ignored his requests and made clear that they did not oppose German unity with Austria. In the face of this Schuschnigg held a plebiscite to ask the Austrian people to solve the matter. Hitler used the plebiscite to his advantage and sent German soldiers to Austria to oversee the vote. This was supposed to ensure a free and fair vote, but in practice was a method of intimidation. The vote passed with 99.75% of people voting for unity with Austria. Success in Austria meant Hitler’s confidence increased more and more. It also showed that Britain and France would not intervene to stop the Treaty of Versailles being overturned.