Hitler and Nazi Germany 1933-8
Consolidation of Power (1933-8)
1933 - ​Hitler becomes chancellor of
Germany
- Until 1938 to achieve total state
control
- Foreign policy more aggressive as
authority increased
- Strengthening economy allowed
rearmament/economic power in
central + eastern Europe (at
expense of Br/Fr)
- Nazi party took power in middle
of Great Depression
​ - Gleichschaltung = ‘making the
same’, merger between Nazi party
and govn’t
- Abolished all other parties
- Abolished labour unions
- Replaced governing
councils/governors by Nazi
appointed
- Police forces merged with
​ Schutzstaffel (SS), a paramilitary
organization that later were state
police and operated large part of
German economy
1934 - Hitler executed party rivals
to consolidate power (Night of the
Long Knives)
- No debate after that about
nature/direction of party + state
- German army remained beyond
Hitler’s control (managed by
conservative nobility)
- Army officers didn’t trust Hitler
(Austrian, only corporal in WWI,
untrustworthy foreigner/politician)
1938 - Hitler took control of army
by replacing top commanders
- Nazi Party controlled all
institutions in G
- Challenged TOV through 1930s
Nazi Germany’s Economy (1933-9)
- New Nazi govn’t created new policies to deal with GD
1934 - the ​‘New Plan’​ = new economic policy
- Expanded on by German minister of economics, Hjalmar Schacht; Gave
German govn’t more control over economy/what could be imported
- All imports subjected to licenses (essential/non-essential), only
purchase essential
- Buy from countries that would buy from in return (exchange goods of
equal value)
- Increasing manufactured goods to states that mainly produced raw
materials
● 1934 = Imported 284M marks worth of materials and produced
more than exported
● 1935 = exported 111M marks more than imported
● 1936 = exported 550M marks more than imported
- Success of plan meant cheaper food prices in Germany, more money
for raw materials (rearmament), central/eastern European countries
dependent on G for economic prosperity
- Increased more by Br/Fr Imperial Preference policies
1936-9 - the​ Four Year Plan
- Schacht pressured to allow purchase of more raw materials for
armaments
- Used up important foreign currencies/gold for products not useful as
exports
- Schacht thought increased military spending would wreck economy
- September 1936 = Four Year Plan announced (led by Hermann Goering )
- Schacht still economic minister but power decreasing; resigned in
November 1937
- Aim: increase agricultural and military production, become
self-sufficient in raw materials production, continue strict imports/exports
regulations
- Less consumer production
Richard Overy: clear that Four Year Plan enacted to prepare Germany for
eventual war
- Plan shows that G govn’t believed vulnerable to blockades/embargoes,
thus increased own
- Enforced substitute creation for materials Germany lacked = synthetic
rubber + oil
- Wages and employment increased but less consumer goods = inflation
- Factor that led to war in 1939: political pressures from workers +
economy
From 1938 - Germany would only trade with countries that would
purchase German goods of equal value to what Germany imported from
them
 Rearmament
- Germany vulnerable after 1919
- Countries around Germany did not follow
disarmament
- Poland = 300,000 active soldiers, ~700,000
reserves
- France wanted to prevent another German invasion
- Alliances had millions troops for use against G
1921 -​ France and Poland formed alliance​ (would
support if attacked)
1920 and 1921 -​ Little Entente​ by France (help from
Czechoslovakia, Romania, Yugoslavia)
1922 - Germany announced unable to continue paying
reparations (​Ruhr Crisis​)
January 1923 - France and Belgium occupied Ruhr
region of Germany (industrial centre)
- Ended in 1925; indicated Germany’s vulnerability to
invasion
- France + allies argued that Germany’s large pop’n
with industry meant could rearm quickly, thus required
large military forces for future security
1932 - Soviet Union completed first ​Five Year Plan
- Germany concerned about communism + growing
Soviet strength (largest state in world)
- Launching of second 5 yr plan led many Germans to
want to prepare defence
- Only Poland between Germany and USSR
1932 - ​World Disarmament Conference​ in Geneva,
Switzerland
- League of Nations; countries wanted to limit army
sizes/weapons
- France refused unless Br/USA made alliance to
guarantee its security (they didn’t)
- In 1933, G declared that it would have to arm for
defense if Fr wouldn’t reduce
- G then withdrew from conference (Fr wouldn’t
disarm)
March 1935 - ​Germany began rearmament
- Introduced conscription, constructed 2500 aircraft,
expanded navy, mass produced guns/tanks
● 1936 = able to produce 5000 aircraft
International responses to rearmament:
April 1935 - ​Stresa Front​ creation
- Br/Fr/I leaders met in Stresa, Italy to respond
to/condemn G’s violation of TOV
- Differing goals + low military power in GD =
amounted to little
- Hitler assured of G’s peaceful intentions
- Promised to adhere to Locarno treaties + made
non-aggression pacts with neighbours
- Stated G limit armaments if other countries did too
❖ 1925 - ​Locarno Treaties
- G/Br/Fr treaties at Locarno Conference
- Recognize G’s western borders after WWI as
permanent (with Fr and Belgium)
- Demilitarize Rhineland between Fr and Belgium
- Adjust G’s borders with Poland + Czechoslovakia
through negotiation (not war)
May 1935 - Franco-Soviet Treaty of Mutual Assistance
- Fr sought stronger power; Br refused and Poland
untrusted because of pact with G in 1934
- Work together through League for peace in Europe +
help with attacked by a third country
- Agreement = powerless
- Political pressure from Fr conservatives against
communism; no military discussions
France was strongest military power in Europe in 1930s
(increased military spending in 1930s)
● Created Maginot Line along border between G
and Fr (fortifications = walls, trenches)
Br had strict policy to limit military spending after
WWI
● Little political support for rearmament
(taxation), especially during GD
● G’s rearmament alarmed public = govn’t
realised only negotiate from strong military
position
● Began rearmament on large scale; would take
years to get strong enough to defend/attack G
- Expanded industrial capacity by building
infrastructure
 ● 1936 = army 700,000, 3M reserves
- Validated that G could become major military power
- Still took time because began in 1933 from low base
- Created in GD while most countries were disarming
- Led to practically zero unemployment!
Germany’s Foreign Policy 1933-5
- Foreign policy carefully considered before 1935
- Hitler consolidating power, fragile $, small military
- Br/Fr/I worked against G to isolate from world affairs
Nazism
- Based on beliefs/writings of Hitler
● TOV should be undone
● Pan-germanism (all German-language
speakers should live in same country)
● Anti-communism
● Lebensraum in eastern Europe for
food/settling (living space)
● Non-Germans racially inferior + some
Germans ‘undesirable’ (Jews, homosexuals,
disabled)
● Democratic states fundamentally weak/greedy
(compromise/listen to public; G act quickly +
decisively towards goal)
- Not new concepts
- all G gov'ts after WWI wanted to undo TOV and
regain territory lost to Poland
- Germans should live in Germany = ideas from
1800s
- Previous G gov'ts suppressed communism
- Living space from Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in
March 1918 had been reversed at WWI end
- Racism not new, but Nazis made state
policy/institutionalized racism
January 1934 - ​Polish-Germany Non-Aggression Pact
- Poland more powerful militarily in 1934 than G +
Poland allied to France
- Did not fear G (even though knew that G wanted to
regain TOV areas in Poland)
- Didn’t want to be drawn into war with G in support
of Fr (wanted USSR focus)
- Wouldn’t attack other for 10 years, increased trade,
better diplomatic relations to discuss disputes
- Meant G didn’t fear Polish military intervention
when G began rearmament
- Spending on rearmament up by 600% from
1935-1939
G’s domestic/economic decisions (​Four Year Plan +
Rearmament​ led Western Great Powers to rearm +
made G’s foreign policy increasingly aggressive)
International Response to Polish-German
Non-Aggression Pact:
British response muted
France outraged as alliance weakened (showed Poland
would pursue policy without consulting Fr)
- Drew France closer to Soviet Union
Soviet Union relations with Germany collapsed
- Initially worked with Nazi-Germany, although
abolishment of communist party problematic
1922 = ​Rapallo Treaty​; allowed trade and diplomatic
relations between G and USSR
- G needed Soviet wheat/metals and USSR needed G
machinery/tools for industrialization
- Some military cooperation through 1933 (Soviets
thought possibility to oppose Poland together)
- Poland = main enemy; feared that G and Poland
would create alliance to take parts of USSR and meant
Poland concentrated troops on Soviet border
1934 = ​Soviets joined League of Nations
- Supported collective security (previously condemned
as Br/Fr tool to promote capitalist countries)
- Promoted peace, democracy, and anti-fascist gov’ts
- Communist groups ordered to co-operate with
non-fascist political parties (in Fr, Spain, etc)
- Stalin ordered ​Comintern Pact t​ o alter
language/mission
- Built positive relations with other countries to
opposed J/G/I anti-communist dictatorships
- Limited success because they distrusted
Soviets/also opposed communism
1934 - ​Failed Annexation of Austria
- Many nationalists wanted to unite G and Austria after
WWI
- Austria was Hitler’s homeland, thus wanted to make
himself more German
- Austria = politically divided/weak state (recent
paramilitary groups fighting) + may have desired Nazi
Party’s stability through ​Gleichschaltung
 - Weakened alliance between Fr and Poland (Fr
couldn’t assume Poland was hostile to G)
- Trade benefited both states (especially food/metals
for G economy)
- Poland’s main enemy was USSR = fought war that
ended in 1920 to double its size, encouraged revolts,
opposed industrial progress (Soviet Five Year Plans);
pact let Poland deploy army to east
- Hitler gave strong/unofficial encouragement to
Austrian Nazi Party to stage coup (failed, but
assassinated Austria’ head of state, Chancellor
Engelbert Dolfuss)
- Mussolini mobilized troops on Italian-Austrian
frontier + forced Hitler to speak against coup (failed) =
wanted to show Br/Fr that Italy was powerful ally
- Hitler unable/unwilling to risk military action since he
didn’t have full control of army + didn’t want other
states to intervene (mersing in Treaty of St
Germain-en-Laye)
- G = weak in 1934 + unable to affect international
affairs how it wanted
- Strained I/G relations
January 1935 - ​Saar Plebiscite
- Iron/coal rich area of G that bordered Fr
- Fr able to use coalmines after WWI since area under
League’s administration
- Compensate for destroyed Fr coalmines in war
- League held plebiscite (residents could vote to rejoin
G, merge with Fr, or remain under League)
● Over 90% voters indicated wished to rejoin G
- Hitler believed this indicated support for his
policies/gov’t
- Austrian branch of Nazi Party had been active until
banned in 1933
June 1934 = Hitler met Mussolini to convince that
Austria should become German satellite state
- Mussolini rejected as went against plans for
central/eastern Europe + wanted buffer state between
June 1935 - ​Anglo-German Naval Treaty
- Stresa Front collapsed as nations broke unity (I to
invade Abyssinia, G/Br naval treaty; Stresa 2 months
before)
- G navy limited to 35% of Br navy + Br massive
rearmament
- Br thought G no longer threat in sea
- Allowed G to use limited resources/imports on
ships that could’t challenge Br
- Br worked to treat G as state with concerns, but
also to limit overall power
- I/Fr thought G rearmament was encourages + TOV
violated with Br consent
- Talks in mid-1935 between I and Fr about military
cooperation against G, but collapsed with Abyssinia
invasion
 German Foreign Policy 1936-9
- More assertive G foreign policy due to increased $ and
military strength
- Br sympathetic to many G demands
- B/Fr divided about how to respond to G’s actions
- Nations unwilling to work diplomatically with USSR,
even to isolate G
- I’s relations with Br/Fr permanently damaged after
Abyssinian Crisis + G gained partner
March 1936 - ​Remilitarization of the Rhineland
- G territory that bordered Fr, Belgium, and
Luxembourg
- Demilitarized after WWI to create buffer
- G saw as vulnerable + nationally humiliated (Fr could
invade without resistance)
- Planned to reoccupy in 1937, but took advantage of
Abyssinian Crisis to act
December 1935 = G army ordered to start planning
reoccupation
Britain unwilling to go to war over Rhineland
- Reassured Fr that would send troops if G attacked Fr
unprovoked
- Public opinion that G still in own territory
- Gov’t pleased: removed major grievance against Br/Fr
(Fr no longer threaten G with invasion)
- Hoped G would be more cooperative (G also against
communism)
- Gov’t argued that Franco-Soviet Treaty was contrary
to Locarno treaties, thus altered agreements
- Occupation didn’t surprise Fr, but Hitler confident
wouldn’t take action against
- ​Italy’s attitude​ = significant since Mussolini isolated
from Br/Fr after Abyssinia, thus wouldn’t cooperate
with them to oppose remilitarization
March 7 1936 = G troops entered Rhineland (initially
few in number/lightly equipped to reassure Fr)
International Response to Rhineland Remilitarization:
France didn’t move to intervene (border not violated, G
just controlling own territory)
- Only planned defensive war for future + through
shared border, not Rhineland
- Refused to fight alone (without Br) but still increased
military spending
Triumph for Hitler = feeling that G was centre of
European power + TOV no longer followed/altered
1936 - Germany ends diplomatic isolation
- G and I formed closer relations after Abyssinia
invasion (both isolated)
- Challenged Br and Fr domination of international
affairs
- G = anti-communist, thus more opportunities to end
isolation
● October 1936 - ​Rome-Berlin Axis
- New diplomatic relationship between G and I
- Clear announcement that Br/Fr no longer states that
determined international affairs
● November 1936 - ​Anti-Comintern Pact
- G and Japan agreed to oppose Soviet-sponsored
organization Communist International (which
supported communist groups in Spain and China)
- Implied cooperation against USSR
- Symbolic for G/J because declared that neither were
diplomatically isolated + would work together
- Other gov’ts weren’t alarmed because they also
opposed communism
November 1937 = ​Italy joined pact
March 1938 - ​Anschluss
- Germany boycoteed Austrian goods/raw materials
after failed attempt to take control
- Weakened Austria’s economy (which was already
weak in GD)
- Hitler wanted Austria to merge with G
- Austria had factories, gov’t gold, workers, natural
resources
January 1936 = Italy indicated that there would be no
more objections to ​Anschluss (connection; meant
merger of G and Austria)
- By March 1938, G stronger economically/militarily
to effect merging of states
- Austria tried to negotiate with G to avoid annexation
February 1938 = Hitler demanded that Austrian gov’t
appoint Nazi Party member Arthur Seyss-Inquart as
minister of public security + to release all jailed Nazi
members
- Austria complied
- Hitler denounced Austrian independence
(suppressing millions Germans by separating from G)
- Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg scheduled
plebiscite for Mar 13, 1938
- allowed labour unions and opposition political
parties to form (has been a single-party stated but
wanted to gain support for independence) + increased

1. Hitler’s gov’t announced riots and G forces
needed to enter Austria to bring back order
2. Schuschnigg ordered to give power to Austrian
Nazi Party officials or face invasion on Mar 11
3. He resigned to prevent violence + replace by
Seyss-Inquart
4. Seyss-Inquart sent message to G military to
restore public order (but no disorder in
Austria…)
March 12 1938 = German forces entered Austria
March 13 1938 = Austria officially annexed to
Germany
April 1938 = plebiscite confirmed annexation (99%
voters approved)
- League of Nations did not react (invited G to enter
legally, voters approved)
International Response to Austria Annexation:
Britain/France: - muted response since Fr occupied with
Spain and Br PM Chamberlain stated Br couldn’t have
done anything to prevent annexation (although
indicated displeasure)
- Perceived Soviets as real threat: strengthened G
would be useful
- Neither had sufficient military to force changes + G
just allowing Germans to live in G
Policy of Appeasement​ = Negotiating with G to ease
TOV conditions + let absorb G areas of Austria
- Seen as giving Hitler impression that Br/Fr
would do anything to avoid war
- Br gov’t in 1930s saw as normal diplomacy +
made more sense than military threats since
not strong enough to attack G until 1939 +
many saw G demands as reasonable until Sept
1 1939 (Germans in G, artificial borders from
1919)
Soviet Union: - could only protest because gov’t in
disarray (purges began in gov’t in 1934)
● 1937-8 = at least 700,000 ppl executed and
1,500,000 ppl imprisoned
- Experts on foreign issues mostly dead (killed
in purge), including those with Br/Fr relations
- Although Fr/USSR has 1934 military
agreement, it meant little (no military talks, Fr
against communism) and Br more sympathetic
to G (feared communism too)
voting age to 24 (thought young would sympathize
with Nazis)
Spanish Civil War Involvement​ 1936-9
- Spanish army revolted against gov’t in 1936
- Army = Catholic Church supporters/conservatives
- Republicans = socialists/communists/anti-church
groups
- G/I supported the Nationalists and Soviets supported
Republicans
- Br/Fr didn’t support and insisted on an arms embargo
- G/I agreed but continued to support/fight for
Nationalists
- Soviets grew more convinced than Br/Fr believed in
own security more than collective (as Republicans
destroyed) even though Spain in the League
- Br/Fr opposed communism more than fascism so
not reliable partners against G/I
Germany = gave supplies to Nationalist forces, some
German-piloted aircraft in war
- Wanted to prolong war since it was on Fr’s
southern border (wanted Fr involved to reduces forces
on G border + weaken diplomatically)
A.J.P. Taylor​ argued that Hitler was disappointed after
the war ended with nationalist victory because it ended
possibility of Fr getting involved
October 1938 - ​Sudeten Crisis
- Germans in Czechoslovakia (over 3M) wanted to be
included in G
- ​Sudeten German Party​ demanded autonomy for
Sudeten area (similar to Austria)
End of March 1938 = ​Konrad Henlein​ (head of party)
met Hitler in Berlin
- A week later, he presented ​Karlsbad Programme​, a
list of demands with aim of G autonomy in
Czechoslovakia
- Govn’t of ​President Edvard Benes​ willing to give
more rights to Sudeten Germans but not self-gov’t
- World understood Hitler was using Henlein’s party
to take Sudeten control
- Czechoslovakia demonstrated that willing to fight
(Sudeten important to economy + contained defenses
against G) by partially mobilizing military at end of
May; no attack occurred
 - Purges shocked Br/Fr + enforced fear of
communism, thus wouldn’t work together
against G
International Response:
- Czechoslovakia had alliances with Fr and Soviets and
only minority of pop’n was German
- Had modern + well-equipped military and industrial
capacity, unlike Austria
France:​ alarmed at war possibility; made eastern
alliances so no attack on Fr, not to defend other states
- Although had military alliance (Little Entente
1921), was developing Maginot Line + producing
weapons so reached out to Br
Soviet Union:​ mutual defense treaty since 1935 +
aligned with mutual assistance treaty between Fr and
Soviets (would help Czechoslovakia if Fr moved
military to prevent attack)
- Pledge = essentially meaningless since Poland in
between + Soviet purges underway + Fr would’nt
cooperate with communists or go to war over
Czechoslovakia
Britain:​ believed little reason Germans shouldn’t live in
G, but wouldn’t go to war over central/eastern European
borders; couldn’t pressure G since rearming, thus
pressured Czech gov’t to agree to demands
July 1938 = G mobilized 750,000 troops on border to
force more concessions
- Fr wouldn’t go to war over Sudeten loss + Br sent
minister to demand that gov’t agree to demands
September 1938 = Czech gov’t gave in to most Sudeten
demands
- Hitler ordered Henlein to prevent overall agreement so
that G military would have to occupy
- Two prominent Sudeten German Party members
arrested in violent demonstrations
- Henlein claimed falsely that Czechoslovakia
committed crimes against Germans in country
- Ended talks with gov’t
- Hitler announced that Czech should be broken up and
planned to exterminate Germans there
September 13 1938 = Chamberlain went to G to discuss
crisis with Hitler to find solution
New Demands
- Hitler than demanded areas with Hungarian/Polish
pop’ns to Hungary + Poland
- Hitler stated that G troops immediately occupy
Sudetenland
● Br/Fr rejected new demands and prepared for
war (G did not want this, but didn’t back
down)
September 30 1938 - ​Munich Agreement
- Mussolini alarmed (not prepared for war =
trainwreck) so called meeting between I, G, Br, and Fr
- Meeting on September 28 in Munich (Soviets +
Czechoslovakia not invited) and reached agreement
● G to receive Sudetenland + occupy in stages
from October 1-10
● Plebiscites would be held to where citizens
wanted residence
● G troops released from Czech military service
● International commision would resolve
disputed areas
- Czechoslovakia complied (Br/Fr informed that if
didn’t would fight alone)
September 30 1938 = ​Anglo-German Declaration
- G/Br wouldn’t go to war to solve problems (would
negotiate)
Results of Sudeten Crisis:
France:​ mainly favoured Munich Agreement (avoided
war)
- Weakened by crisis + ally sacrificed (strengthened G)
+ proved to Soviets that not reliable
- Aligned policies with Br (even though no alliance) as
isolated Fr had to follow = insecurity
● Increased military spending by 300% in Nov.
1938
December 1938 = ​Franco-German Declaration​ to
respect borders/uphold peace
Britain:​ proud of gov’t for resolving crisis/avoiding
war while not fully rearmed + without allies
- Aware that Fr isolated/might work with G to save
from future conflict
- Continued rearmament (G close to using military to
resolve crisis)
Soviet Union:​ ignored through crisis + realized that
Br/Fr willing to accomodate fascist states
- Chamberlain + Fr PM Édouard Daladier agreed Czech
areas with more than 50% Germans should be ceded to
G
September 21 1938 = Czech gov’t finally agreed as way
to avoid war
- Feared Br/Fr wouldn’t oppose G if attacked USSR
- Knew their military very weak after purges and felt
isolated with Japan to east and G to west
Germany:​ Relieved that war didn’t erupt over
Sudetenland (wanted Br/Fr to back down and did)
- Prepared for short war with Czech, but Czech had
formidable defenses so good there wasn’t war
- Hitler grew more popular = saved from assassination
(plotters feared public reaction)
October 2 1938 = Poland seized Tesin with G approval
October 6 1938 = Slovakia granted autonomy (eastern
Czechoslovakia)
Final Crises and Outbreak of War in 1939:
1938-9 -​ Polish Crisis
- Port of Danzig had almost completely german pop’n
(semi-autonomous city-state ruled by League)
- Polish Corridor (west of Danzig) granted to Poland
(access to Baltic Sea)
- Areas separated East Prussia from rest of Germany
- G gov’t under pressure to obtain Danzig + Polish
Corridor (after Austria + Sudetenland taken, which
hadn’t even been part of G before)
October 1938 = G requested negotiations with Poland
about building railroad linking G with East Prussia
- If agreed, G would agree to 25 year non-aggression
pact
- Poland and G had friendly relations since
non-aggression pact in 1934 + G allowed Poland to
help when dismantling Czechoslovakia (suggestions
that should ally in Anti-Comintern Pact)
- Demanded that League return Danzig to G control
- Most logical of requests, since mainly Germans
living there + had been G’s before WWI
- However, it outraged Br/Fr public (had though
Munich agreement was end) + didn’t want to negotiate
away Polish or League territories
November 2 1938 = Hungary received large part of
southern Czechoslovakia
November 20 1938 = G granted rights to construct
highway to link Germany with Vienna
March 14 1939 =​ Undid the Munich Agreement​:
Czech President​ Emil Hácha​ met Hitler in Berlin
- Told G would invade Czech immediately or he could
agree to become part of G with some autonomy =
signed over independence to prevent war and​ Slovakia
declared independent country allied to G
- Memel returned to Germany from Lithuania
-March 1939 - ​Guarantee of Poland’s borders
- Poland stated not interested in negotiating away
territory
- Would go to war if G tried to annex Danzig from
the League
March 31 1939 = Br/Fr made public declaration that
they would guarantee Poland’s borders
- Poland wouldn’t negotiate (how Austria/Czech lost
independence) + believed guarantee made G attack
unlikely
- Agreement that Br and Poland would begin to create
formal military alliance
April 1939 = ​Britain began conscription​ to build up
military
- Br/Fr very strong + working together surpassed
German strength
August 23 1939 = ​Nazi-Soviet Pact
- G had been secretly in discussions with Soviets
- Wouldn’t fight each other + G could do what wanted
diplomatically + Soviets could reclaim former Russian
territory (such as parts of Poland)
- Signed a week before G declared war on Poland = G
didn’t fear Soviet intervention

February 1939 = ​Br announced that would support Fr
militarily​ (Fr had sought since WWI)
- Br was afraid of isolation if Fr made arrangements for
its own security
August 25 1939 = Formal military alliance Poland + Br
Negotiations with the Soviet Union
- Br/Fr negotiated with Soviets to get to join
anti-German coalition (prevent war) + preserve borders
- Br/Fr thought Soviets should be thankful they were
involving them + that G was threat to Soviets
- However, Soviets had lost territory after WWI and
wanted back in future (Br/Fr didn’t want this)
- Poland refused to allow Soviet army in country to
fight G (more concerned with Soviets than G)
- Therefore, Soviets would be left to fight only once
G near their territory = unfair/not real alliance
Richard Overy:​ Hitler’s “experience in Western
appeasement in 1938 convinced him that neither britain
or France would seriously fight for Poland”
(Democracy + fear of war = weak)
- Hitler believed Br/Fr war would not happen for years
April 1939 = Hitler ordered G army to prepare for
invasion of Poland called ​‘Case White’
- Plan only considered Poland’s forces (not Br/Fr)
April 28 1939 = ​G withdrew from Polish-German
Non-Aggression Pact
- Threaten Poland to negotiate, Poland didn’t respond
May 1939 = ​Pact of Steel
- Formal alliance between G and I (Rome-Berlin Axis
was only mutual support statement)
● Coordinate foreign policies + work together
economically
● Support the other in war + make war plans
together
● Coordinate propaganda/media
- Increased pressure on Fr (border with I) and Br (I had
large navy that could challenge)
A.J.P. Taylor: argued that Pact of Steel was
meaningless since no economic/policy/war
coordination
- Br worked to make anti-fascist alliances so other
countries would be brought into conflict (Mutual
assistance agreements with Greece, Romania, Turkey)
- Br/Fr refused to send poland weapons or loans (feared
that arming Poland would lead Poland to attack or
provoke a German attack) = Poland not as well
prepared as could have been
September 1939 - ​Invasion of Poland
- Poland refused all negotiations throughout
crisis
- Br/Fr hoped Poland would grant rail/road connections
+ allow Danzig to rejoin G (remove Germans + prevent
future conflict), but Poland refused
August 21 1939 = ​Mobilization of German military​ (for
Case White on August 26)
August 25 1939 = ​Invasion delayed
- Br and Poland announced they formed a military
alliance
- Mussolini asked to be released from Pact of Steel
obligations (= trainwreck)
- Italy not prepared for war (even though
wanted Corsica/SE Fr)
- Hitler granted request and Italy now just a
supporting role
- Br/Fr/G talks from August 25-26: G demanded to
move against Poland without interference + respect
British borders = rejected; Fr appeal for negotiated
settlement = rejected)
August 29 1939 = G made diplomatic gesture for
Poland to sign treaties in Berlin on August 30
- Poland would have to agree to return Danzig + Polish
Corridor to G
- Poland rejected negotiations
September 1 1939 = ​Poland invaded
- Three large G armies invaded for N, W, and S (about
1.5M men) and small Slovakian army from S
- Aircraft bombed military + civilians
- Danzig’s Nazi Party gov’t announced was merging
with G
International Response to Invasion of Poland:
- Br/Fr called to end hostilities
August 28 1939 = ​Br formal warning to G not to
violate Poland’s borders
- All Br ships in Baltic Sea and Mediterranean ordered
to leave those areas
- Br began to ration food + essential supplies
- G continued to move troops since convinced Br
wouldn’t go to war
- I called Five-Power Conference on September 2
where G, I, Br, Fr, and Poland would meet to resolve
- Br agreed but demanded G remove itself from Poland
= G refused
September 3 1939 = ​Br/Fr both declared war on G
(Hitler was shocked)