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Rank the following events in Hitlers foreign policy from most significant to least.

a. Creation of the Luftwaffe (1935)


b. Remilitarization of the Rhineland (1936)
c. Assistance to Franco in the Spanish Civil War (1936)
d. Rome-Berlin Axis (1936)
e. Anschluss with Austria (1938)
f. Germans take the Sudetenland (1938)
g. Germany occupies the rest of Czechoslovakia (1938)
h. Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact (1938)
For each event you will need to say what happened, why the event is significant, who it is
significant to, and why you ranked it the way you did?
1. Creating the Luftwaffe Hitler authorized the founding/ creation of the Luftwaffe, the
Luftwaffe was the large Nazi air force spear headed by Hermann Goering.
This was a direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles which prohibited Germany from
creating or even having an air force they were only allowed civilian air travel crafts. This
event is significant to Hitler because instead it him the allies where week and would not
oppose him.
I ranked this first because if Britain and France had taken action then, and had reprimanded
Hitler for doing what he was not supposed to there may never have been a war. Hitler would
have seen that he could not get away with even the smallest of things let alone the grandiose
plans he had.
2. Remilitarization of the Rhineland The Rhineland was an area of land that bordered
Belgium. It technically belonged to Germany but again the Treaty of Versailles
prohibited them from placing military personnel there and really truly claiming it as their
own. And again Hitler directly disobeyed, militarizing the area as it previously was
before the First World War.
This even is significant to Hitler and the allied countries. It showed Hitler that once again
the allies where not ready and that they would not oppose him if he kept taking little steps
and when they finally did step in it will be too late. The allies could see that Hitler wanted
Germany back to its former glory and they thought by giving him what he wanted
they would prevent another catastrophic war. They presumed that letting this slide would
prevent further conflict.
I ranked this second because I think early events are the most significant and if they had been
handled differently many lives would have been saved and things could have ended much
differently therefore better. The Rhineland had also been quite significant on its own and
been an area of quarrel since the First World War
3. Germany occupies the rest of Czechoslovakia The agreement that Hitler and the allies
had signed gave Germany some of the Sudetenland however it still limited the amount of
land Germany could have despite this Hitler agreed to stay within his limits but a few
months later he took the whole of Czechoslovakia. This is important because Hitlers
empire was growing exponentially and very, very quickly. It is also important to Hitler
because once again he was not challenged, his empire was growing large and now had

many resources, it was of importance to the allies because Hitler deceived them once
again and it further drove them to prepare to take action.
I ranked this third because I think that the extent of Hitlers power and deceptiveness was finally
reviled it was also the loss of any last glimmer of hope that the allies had, that appeasing Hitler
would simply make him and the treat he posed go away.
4. Rome Berlin Axis The Rome-Berlin axis was an alliance essentially between Mussolini
and Hitler but also consequently between Germany and Italy. This was the official
alliance between Italy and Germany, stating that in the case of an outbreak of war the
countries would defend each other. This is significant because things were concrete now
and the evidentiality of war was realized. This was significant to Hitler and Mussolini.
They now had solidified their alliance and awaited the soon coming war. This was also
significant to the allies because whatever hope they may have had for avoiding the war
was completely gone and they had to really start preparing full steam ahead for the war
that was soon to come.
I ranked this fourth because this was the first concrete alliance of the Fascists. It was the first
affirmation that a war was very likely to happen and Italy and Germany would be fighting
together. It was also the first use of the word Axis a word that would be used to identify the
enemy or the opposition of the allies.
5. Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact Hitler and Stalin signed a non-aggression pact. An
agreement that they would be neutral and not attack/ invade one another. This was
significant because it meant that there may not be a two front war. If both sides held up
their side of the bargain. It was significant to Hitler, buying him more time to prepare for
what he perceived was an inevitable attack/ invasion by the Russians. And it was
significant to Stalin because it gave him time to prepare as well and it reassured him that
the attack would not happen for a while if at all.
I ranked this fifth because this was the first anyone had really heard about the USSRs stance and
when Hitler ultimately goes back on his word and invades the Soviet Union, the two front war
starts which was a huge determining factor to the defeat of Hitler and the Axis powers, and of
course the victory for the allied nations.
6. Germans take the Sudetenland Adolf Hitler wanted the Sudetenland and was going to
take it with force with or without the allies permission and to keep him happy, they
appeased him and signed an agreement that Germany could annex the Sudetenland. This
was significant because Hitler was growing his empire and fast. It was significant to
Hitler because again he was reinforced that if he just pressed where it hurt he could get
what he wanted and it was significant for the allies because they believed that by giving
him what he wanted there would be peace.
I ranked this low on my list because Hitler had already been taking land and it only made sense
that he would take the Sudetenland what with it being rich in natural resources. Appeasement
was already alive and well and this was just another case of it

7. Anschluss with Austria This was the political union of Austria with Germany,
achieved through annexation by Adolf Hitler http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/26730/Anschluss. This was
significant to Hitler and the allies. Once again Hitler was reinforced that the disobedience
of the treaty would cause no rebuke and once again the allies saw that Hitler meant
business and that war was on the brinks
I ranked this second to last because the alliance between Austria and Germany was inevitable
and it had no great significance to evens or people.
8. Assistance to Franco in the Spanish Civil war - Hitler provided aid for the fascists
nationalist rebels in Spain who wanted overthrow the republican government and start a
fascist nationalist revolution. This is significant because another country was becoming
fascist and these countries were banning together. Again it was significant to Hitler
because the allies stayed out they did not tamper and Hitler gained another ally
I ranked this last because Spain wasnt of huge importance in the Second World War and I feel
that its incidence did not have a great influence on much.

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