Hitler's foreign policies

In January 1933, Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany and immediately began to challenge the Treaty of Versailles and adapt an aggressive foreign policy, which led to war. Some historians argue that Britain and France were to blame for the Second World War because they did not stand up to Hitler. Summary It is easy to blame Hitler for starting the war.Hitler's aims were aggressive, and he openly stated them in his book "Mein Kampf" in 1924: Destroy the Treaty of Versailles. Create a Greater Germany (a country of all the German people). Lebensraum (living space) to conquer land for Germany in Eastern Europe. Once he came to power, Hitler set about doing exactly what he had said he would do. For each of his actions between 1935 and 1939, can you see which aim(s) he was fulfilling by undertaking: 1935 - Rearmament 1936 - Remilitarisation of the Rhineland 1938 - Anschluss with Austria 1938 - The annexation of the Sudetenland 1939 - The invasion of Czechoslovakia 1939 - The invasion of Poland

Hitler's actions 1933-1939 DateEventWhat happened1933League of NationsHitler leaves the League of Nations.1934AustriaHitler tries to take power in Austria. Austrian Nazis murder the chancellor, Dolfuss. Italy moves its army to the border and Hitler backs down.1935SaarAs planned in the Treaty of Versailles, the people of Saar (which had been given to France for 15 years) vote to return to Germany.1935RearmamentHitler increases the size of the German army to half a million members. Britain, France and Italy do nothing.1935Anglo-German Naval TreatyBritain helps Germany break the Treaty of Versailles by signing an agreement to allow Germany a navy one-third of the size of Britain's.1936RhinelandGerman troops re-occupy the Rhineland. They are given orders to retreat if France offers any resistance. France does nothing.1936GuernicaHitler tests his armed forces when German bombers, which are helping the Fascists in the Spanish Civil War, bomb the Spanish town of Guernica. Civilians in Britain and France are frightened.1937Anti-Comintern PactAlliance of Germany, Japan and Italy against communism1938AnschlussHitler occupies Austria. First, Hitler encourages the Austrian Nazis to demand a union with Germany. Then he invades when the Austrian chancellor announces a vote to see what Austrians want. After the German invasion, 99 per cent of Austrians vote "Ja". Britain and France do nothing.1938SudetenlandHitler bullies France and Britain into giving him the Sudetenland.1939CzechoslovakiaHitler invades Czechoslovakia and takes control.1939PolandHitler invades Poland and provokes the Second World War.