C H A P T E R 2 .
5 : G E R M A N E X PA N S I O N , 19 3 8 – 4 0
2.5 Paper 1 practice: The outbreak of
war, September 1939
The full mark scheme for the full document
question on pages 189–191 is given below..
Compare your answers to this mark scheme.
First question, part a – 3 marks
According to Source A, how had Britain caused
the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939?
●● Britain had prevented the revision of the
Treaty of Versailles.
●● Britain had prevented a resolution of the
conflict between Poland and Germany.
●● Britain was the country being aggressive and
Germany was only responding to this.
First question, part b – 2 marks
What is the message of Source B?
●● The overall message is that despite the pact
and appearance of friendliness between the
two countries, neither side trusts each other.
●● Each will take the first opportunity to attack
the other.
●● Both have collaborated in the attack on
Poland.
Second question – 4 marks
With reference to its origin, purpose and content,
analyse the values and limitations of using Source
A as evidence of Hitler’s aims in 1939.
Values
●● The origin of the source gives it value: it is
a speech by Hitler, who is the driving force
behind Germany’s foreign policy.
●● A value of the date of the Source is that it was
given in late August and so gives insight into
Hitler’s views less than two weeks before the
attack.
●● A value of the purpose is that Hitler needs to
make the commanders of his army understand
his plans and he is unlikely to want to mislead
them as they are the carrying out the attack.
He says in the speech that he wants to give
them confidence, and so there is a lot of detail
in his reasoning as to why Britain and France
will not attack.
Limitations
●● A limitation of the purpose is that Hitler will
want to keep his commanders-in-chief on
side and so is likely to indicate that this is a
justified attack and that there is no chance of
Britain and France intervening.
●● The language is very positive regarding the
attack and the chances of success.
Third question – 6 marks
Compare and contrast Sources A and C regarding
Hitler’s motivations for the attack on Poland.
Comparisons
●● Both sources say that the West will not
intervene.
●● Both sources stress that this is a good
opportunity and there is a need to seize the
initiative at this moment.
●● Both sources mention the strength of
Germany’s economic position because of
autarky.
Contrasts
●● Source D mentions Hitler’s ideological aims,
such as the perceived need for Lebensraum
(living space), whereas Source C only focuses
on Poland as a cause of the tension.
●● Source C suggests that Germany has economic
weaknesses that mean it has to attack now,
whereas Source D only focuses on Germany’s
economic strengths.
●● Source D is explicitly cites Poland as a
fabricated excuse for war, whereas the
implication in Source C is that there are
genuine grievances with Poland, which
are a cause for war.
Fourth question – 9 marks
Using the sources and your own knowledge,
assess the reasons for Hitler’s attack on Poland in
September 1939.
These are the points that you could get from the sources
to help you answer the question:
●● Source A: Hitler is determined to overturn the
Treaty of Versailles.
●● Source B: The Nazi–Soviet Pact has protected
Hitler from a war on two fronts.
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●● Source C: the fact that Britain and France
were not expected to intervene; the situation
in Poland; and the economic situation of
Germany.
●● Source D: Hitler’s aim is to take over Poland
and then the Soviet Union; it is a favourable
time to take action.
You could bring in these points from your own
knowledge:
●● Hitler had the long-term aim of expanding
to the East to gain Lebensraum; his views as
written in Mein Kampf and articulated at the
meeting recorded by Hossbach are relevant.
●● Hitler’s earlier successes in Rhineland, Austria
and Czechoslovakia have increased his
confidence, and given him a strong strategic
position from which to attack Poland.
●● The Pact of Steel with Italy is significant. Hitler
had expectations of support from Mussolini,
and also from Franco after helping him in the
Spanish Civil War.
●● Hitler wanted war in order to achieve his
goals; he would never have been content with
a negotiated settlement.
●● Hitler made a miscalculation over France
and Britain; he did not understand that they
would take action if he went into Poland.