HISB91 Lecture 13 – March 8

Appeasement and War

- There was a hope that the League of nations would become important. It proved to be
incapable and impotent anything
- 1941 Japan invaded Manchuria. The League of Nations demanded that Japan withdraw
and Japan left the League of Nations.
- In 1935 Mussolini invaded Ethiopia, occupied, defeated. What would the league do? The
league protested. It worked out a scheme for economic sanctions. Oil was not included
in the sanctions. Absolutely essential to the Italian economy. Italian economy was
dependant on oil. The U.S. never approved the Treaty of Versailles. The U.S. was never
part of the international system. The U.S. continued to trade with Mussolini.
- Hitler regarded the League of Nations as a corporation. Then he begins to test.
Rearmament begins. In 1935 he reintroduces conscription. Before it was limited to
100,000 men.
- The allies do nothing. In 1935 an air force is recreated. Germany was forbidden to have
an air force. The allies did nothing. Isn’t it German sovereign right, argued some
- March 1936, Hitler sends troops to the left bank of the Rhineland. No German soldier
was ever to step on the French side of the Reich, left bank of the Rhineland.
- You couldn’t repress Germany forever. If you didn’t give way to a healthy nationalism,
you get Hitler (extreme nationalism).
- Had the French stood up against Hitler, it’s highly unlikely that Hitler could have
survived. The bubble of infallibility would’ve failed. The army might have rebelled. At
the very least that Hitler would’ve had the guts to proceed with a political gamble.
German army was still small in 1936 but the French didn’t have the courage since they
knew that the British wouldn’t back them.
- Revisionism. The idea that the Treaty of Versailles was to harsh. 1924 Dawes Plan makes
plans of reparations less honorable. Then the Young Plan in 1928 gave the referendum
against the reparation payments. In 1932 these reparations were scrapped by the Treaty
of Lausanne.
- Stresemann won a prize for achievement in stabilizing Franco-German relationships.
- The troops that occupied the Reign land withdrew in 1935-1936. Appeasement was
considered a weakness. The Allies showed an insufficient will to stand up against Hitler.
- Former prime minister of Britain visits Hitler in 1936. He admired Hitler. At that time
Hitler and Mussolini were admired for their achievements in uniting the German and
Italian nations. 1938 – during the Munich crisis gas masks were distributed.
- Spanish Civil War – Franco Nationalists vs. Republicans. Russia supports the republicans
and sent volunteers and supplies. Germans and Italians believed that they must get
involved. Even Canada had an international brigade. Early 1937 the small Bask town
1
HISB91 Lecture 13 – March 8

near the French border Guernica. Sensitive area to Bask nationalism. Germany (Condor
Legion) bombs Guernica. Hitler’s sympathy lay with the nationalists. France and Britain
didn’t want to get involved because it was thought that the conflict could be escalated
to a much bigger conflict. Pablo Picasso – artistic expression of agony in relation to the
bombing of Guernica.
- March 1938. A lot of admiration of Hitler. Canadian prime minister went off to visit
Hitler. Berlin hosted the 1936 Olympics and the world came away full of admiration. The
pride, the national anthem.
- In 1938 German troops march into Austria. The Anschluss (a connection). What the
response? Wishy-washy, you really shouldn’t be doing it.
- Why shouldn’t Germans live together? What’s the next step? He wants the territory of
Czechoslovakia to be transferred under the rule of Germany and become a par of
Germany. Everywhere except in Czechoslovakia there was an authoritarian regime.
Czechoslovakia was a democracy and was a symbolic figure. Daladier (French prime
minister) goes to Munich. 1938 draw up a pact (a Munich pact). The sellout giving way
to the dictators, surrendering all values. What happened?
- Czechoslovakia was divided up and part of the territory was given to Germany.
- It wasn’t the end? Why should Hitler stop now? German troops march into the state of
Czechoslovakia. Hitler believed that the allies would not stand up to him. Czechoslovakia
is occupied.
- On the 3rd of September begins when Hitler is face with an ultimatum