1933 - 1938

1. 1933 - 1938 GROWTH OF GERMAN POWER

2. You will learn…….. • How Hitler wanted to make Germany the greatest power in Europe • How he rearmed Germany and broke the Treaty • How Germany became involved in the Spanish Civil War (1936-39) • Why Britain and France did so little to stop the growth of German power • Appeasement

4. Hitler Becomes Chancellor • Hitler : Chancellor on 30 Jan 1933 • A significant event for international relations • Hitler’s open declaration of his hatred for the Treaty of Versailles and his desire for revenge • An extremist nationalist, he wanted to make Germany a great power again

5. Hitler Becomes Chancellor • Achieve this by regaining lost territories at Versailles • Go beyond breaking the treaty when he talked of uniting all Germans in Europe into an enlarged Germany • Lebensraum – living space

6. Hitler Becomes Chancellor • Lebensraum – the creation of living space meant that Germany had to conquer more land • Germany also had to be militarily strong to be great • Rearmament was to way to build up the military • Against the treaty’s disarmament condition- but did Hitler care?

7. Hitler Begins Rearmament • Here, we look at how Germany withdrew from the Disarmament Conference • Treaty had allowed Germany only 100,000 soldiers – remember? • As Chancellor, Hitler first moved cautiously. How? • He assured Europe that Germany would disarm further if they would do the same

8. Hitler Begins Rearmament • Geneva Disarmament Conference 1932 • Germany advocated either parity or disarmament • Parity : Germany allowed to rearm up to the level of other countries • Disarmament : Other countries disarm down to Germany’s level

9. Hitler Begins Rearmament • No country was willing to resort to either of Germany’s demands • Oct 1933 : Hitler pulled Germany out of the conference • Shortly after, it withdrew from the League of Nations • Taking such actions made him a popular leader • Germans were looking for a strong leader to regain their former greatness

10. Hitler Begins Rearmament • Taking such decisions showed that he was strong • A plebiscite shortly after showed that majority of Germans approved of his actions • Plebiscite : People decide what happens to them through voting • Also showed that Germany would not be bound by international agreements

11. Germany Builds Up Military Strength Dornier bombers bombing London Aug 1940 • Hitler, upon becoming Chancellor, secretly increased the size of the German navy and army • Forbidden under the Treaty • Eg Luftwaffe began building the Dornier twin-engined bomber even before Germany pulled out of the Disarmament Conference

12. Dornier Bomber

14. Germany Builds Up Military Strength • 1934 : Spending on army and navy doubled • Production in arms factories sharply increased • Mar 1935 : Conscription brought back by Hitler • Again, this was forbidden in the Treaty • This would allow Germany to build up a large military force – can be called up at a moment’s notice

15. Germany Builds Up Military Strength • Hitler aimed to increase the army 5-fold to 500,000 • Aug 1936 : Conscription increased to two years • Conscription was a popular decision with the people • Provided employment for the jobless • Helped developed a sense of loyalty to the Nazi Government

16. Germany Builds Up Military Strength • Unemployment fell : 6m in 1932 to 4m in 1934 • By late 1939, Germany was short of 500,000 workers • Britain and France took no action • Policy of appeasement

17. Germany Regains Saar 1935 • Remember the Saar? • A very rich coalfield administered by the League under the Treaty since 1919 • 1935 : Plebiscite to decide whether Saar would be returned to Germany • Jan 1935 – majority voted to return to Germany

18. Germany Regains Saar 1935 • Important : First piece of land regained by Germany • Gave Hitler the resources he badly needed for Germany’s rearmament • Made Hitler very popular • Gave him confidence to announce return of conscription shortly • Note : Saar was regained legally

19. The Anglo-German Naval Agreement 1935 • Treaty allowed Germany a small navy • Jun 1935 : The above agreement broke the Treaty as it allowed Germany a navy 35% the strength of the British navy • As they were already breaking the treaty, Britain thought a better option would be to limit the size of the German naval fleet • Such actions encouraged Hitler to be bolder in foreign relations

21. Hitler Regains the Rhineland 1936 • The Rhineland was demilitarized by the Treaty • Most Germans felt this to be most unfair to them • Hitler determined to reclaim it • 7 Mar 1936 : German troops marched into the Rhineland unopposed • A gamble by Hitler

22. Hitler Regains the Rhineland 1936 • France : Larger army and better-armed • Hitler told his generals : Withdraw at the first sign of French opposition

23. Hitler Regains the Rhineland 1936 The forty eight hours after the march into the Rhineland were the most nerve-wrecking in my life. If the French had then marched into the Rhineland, we would have had to withdraw with our tails between our legs. Our military resources would not have been adequate for even moderate resistance.

24. Hitler Regains the Rhineland 1936 • Britain was sympathetic : “Only his own backyard” • Not prepared to go to war over the issue • France : Not willing to take action without Britain’s support • Both also involved in another international crisis • Mussolini invaded Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in 1935 • Unwilling to do more than make diplomatic protests • Convince Hitler that bullying and violence paid off

25. Hitler Regains the Rhineland 1936 ….France and Britain did nothing. Few people wanted to risk another war. Many felt that Germany had every right to put its own troops on its own land…. Hitler had bluffed the Allies and got away with it. He had banked on their doing nothing and he had been right. It was a lesson he would remember. J.F. Aylett, 1984 Hitler’s Germany

27. Appeasement • Appeasement : Giving way to other countries in order to avoid conflict and war • Something which most countries engage in from time to time • Britain and France adopted a policy of appeasement towards Germany after 1933 • The word is normally used by people who are against appeasement • Those who accused Britain and France of appeasement had wanted a more aggressive approach towards Germany

28. Appeasement • Neville Chamberlain, British PM from 1937 to 1940 • The person most associated with appeasement • However, the policy started long before 1933 • Explains why Hitler was able to get away with what he did • What are some of the reasons for appeasement by Britain and France?

29. Appeasement • Memories of World War I • Britain’s other problems • Attitudes towards the Treaty of Versailles • Attitudes towards Hitler • Attitude towards Communism

30. End of Chap 11