Nazi foreign policy

 Aims:
o Pursuing Germany’s international interests
o Revise the VT= restore germany’s position
o Rightful place, dominant position in Europe, stature and prestige
o Smash Versailles, unite all germans (ein reich, ein volk), lebensrum
 Sources
o Mein Kampf: racist authoritarian philosophy, racial purity,lebensraum, look to the
east, aggression as a means of obtaining it
 Churchill: a clear plan for domination of Europe
 Seen as unreliable by A.J.P. taylor
o Second Book: 1928, secret, lebensraum, crushing bolshevism and protecting Europe
from it, talks of economic struggle with the USA
o 4 year plan, shift to wehrwirshaft, war economy, against bolshevism
o Hossbach memorandum, 1937, seen as turning point, record of a meeting, stresses
need for aggressive over diplomatic foreign policy, moves from revisionist to
aggressive, strengthens army and changes leadership
 Influences
o Context of Versailles
o German history, expansionism and militarism a logical progression?
o Economic problems: need for resources and space=lebensraum
o Expectations and pressures at home
 Promises of revision and restoration of Germany
 Support of right-wing elements= enthusiatis about aggressive foreign policy=
nationalist
 Industrialists and senior army officers support re-armament and military
build up
 Historian’s view
o Intentionalists: Hitler had a clear set of aims, divided between continentalists and
globalists
o Structuralists: argue third reich was a polycracy and foreign policy was shaped by
many influences
 Revisionist phase 1933-1937
o Cautious and careful approach, cannot afford a conflict, seen as reasonable,creates a
false sense of security, consolidation a priority, aims to strengthen links to GB and I,
weaken France
o Favourable situation, collective security weak, GB overstretched and agrees VT was
too harsh
o Aims to secure ties with allies, obtain a revision by debate, i.e four power agreement
o 1934-
 leaves geneva conference, France seen as unreasonable, leaves League, no
backlash, starts rearmament, military expenditure mulitplies x5 between 33-
4 and 34-5.
  Polish non-agression pact, guarantees borders, undermines franco-polish
alliance, Shirer- seen as proof of master plan for domination, unlikely to be
true
 Austria- Nazis assassinate chancellor Dollfuss, but order restored and
Mussolini moves troops, Hitler adapts,exposes limits of power and influence
o 1935- plebiscite in Saar, people vote to join Germany, boosts reputation,
announcement of conscription, extended armaments programme, admits possessing
Luftwaffe, only verbal condemnation, , provokes stresa front but that collapses
(anglo german naval agreement, abyssinia), emboldens Hitler
 Anglo-German naval agreement, allows Germany to have a navy 35% that of
its
 Abyssinia- shows weaknesses of League, undermines Gb F alliance, alienates
Italy, leads to signing of the Rome Berlin axis, and diverts from Rhineland
o 1936-
 re-militarisation of the Rhineland, hitlers initive, gamble, 10 000 soldiers and
23 000 officers, Churchill suggests he should have been stopped, but GB
unwilling, France wouldn’t go alone, political problems- caretaker gvnt,
divided military and politic personnel
 Spanish Civil war: establish a friendly gvnt, resources and bases, great
changes: germany now a major diplomatic and military power, no longer
isolated- improves relations with Italy, distracts from rearmament
 anti-comintern pact with japan, in 1937 joined by Italy creating rome berlin
Tokyo axis, could distract allies in east, but could bring in USA, did not see a
war with GB as inevitable,
 4 year plan
o 1937- Hossbach memorandum
o 1938
 March Anschluss: agitation done by Nazis under seyss-inquart, forced to
move quickly due to memorandum, bully into forming gvnt and invite hitler
and forces in, to protect law and order, but written by goering, Mussolini
suggest he wouldn’t object, allies do not intervene, gains resources,
strengthens economy, encircles CZ, now has 70 million inhabitants, example
of a plan realised by improvisation , hitler’s self- confidence rises,
 Munich agreement-mounts tensions, Henlein, deadline, Chanberlain flies in
to promise giving in, weakens allies, shows their passivity but gives them
time, CZ seen as artificial, german demands as founded, chamberlain wants
to avoid war, France her commitments, hitler refuses proposal, want to
move in in two days, wants cz o fulfil territorial demands of poles and
hungarieans, benes orders mobilisation, doubts set in as france mobilises, gb
moves navy, agrees to mussolini’s invitation to Munich, Hitler gains
resources and popularity, Czechoslovakia looses resources, defence line and
allies, USSR sees no chance of a united front against Nazism, foreign policy
changes, guarantee of cz integrity and declaration of never going to war with
gb-, strategy was unclear, wanted an easy military victory
  Occupation of Czechoslovakia- turmoil, hitler encourages separatist Slovaks,
Hacha demands help and hands over provinces, turns public opinion,
appeasement discredited, determination to take affirm stand
 Memel: a port in the baltic taken a week after Prague on basis of an
invitation of german council (taylor= spontaneous act) allies make a
guarantee of unconditional support to Poland, taylor= GB inclination for
military commitment
 Obercommando der wehrmacht, commander in chief and purge of civil
service, so hitler’s will unquestionable
o 1939
 March: Danzig demanded by Hitler, Poland refuses, leads to talks with USSR,
nnot guarantee uninterrupted passage of USSR troops, as , british resolve to
block any further expansion, encourage hard line attirude of poles and
hitler’s decision to crush Poland militarily
 !!! evidence of planning, non-agresison pacts with Baltic states, insurances to
hungary, Yugoslavia, pact of steel
 Nazi-Societ non-agression pact: August 39: secures border, avoides danger of
war on two fronts, gains resources du to economic co-operation, ussr regains
lost territory
 Pact of steel wit Italy
 Poland: continues with preparations, anglo polish alliance signed, hitler asks
for allowance to resolve danzing problem in return for a guarantee of gb
security, Henderson gives impression gb will back off or force Poland to
compromise, gb urge for negotiations and restate alliance to Poland, hitler
believes this to be like second munich, polish minister refuses hitler’s offer to
negotiate and ordered mobilisation, hitler invades, allies declare war
 Hitler maintained pressure and tension high, hoped Poland would stand
alone, believed in weakness of allies, received poor intelligence information,
did not realise the status of the allies was at stake, believed in his ability in
foreign relations and wanted a nazi military victory
 Territorial gains
o Saar: coal
o Austria: hydroelectric power, iron ore
o Sudetenland: coal, steel works, chemical industries
o Czechoslovakia: steel, coal, enginerring, weapons
o Polish Corridor: farming, forestery
o Danzig: shipbuilding, dockyards
o Memel: shipbuilding, forestery, farming
 Military
o Military expenditure as a % of GDP: 17 in Germany vs. 8 in GB
o Size of army, between 33 and 38 x 5
o Military spending 33-34 34-35, x5
o Navy, Luftwaffe, complete control over army
 Successes?
 o Military- navy, Luftwaffe, conscription, Rhineland
o Territory and lebensraum- Austria, cz, Sudetenland, Poland
o Revision of Versailles
o Strong military and diplomatic position
o No world conquest
 Strategy:
o Exploit opportunities (Austria, cz, SCW)
o Exploit western division and pacifism
o Appearance of mnoderation: bilateral agreements with Poland, saar
o Undermine states from within: CZ, Austria, Danzig
 = combined flexibility with aims, an opportunist but had plans

Italy’s foreign policy

 Aims:
o No clear aims upon gaining office “male Italy great, feared and respected”
 Dominate mediteranean
 Gain influence in Balkans
 Obtain colonies in Africa


Origins of WW2