Reversal of Versailles - Short term Goals

Aim How was it achieved? Result

Regaining the Rhineland
(Hitler Bluffed his way
into occupying the
Rhineland)
To exploit a violation in the Locarno Pact to justify
Germanys breaking of its conditions. The plan was
code named Schulung and was to be executed by
a surprise blow with lightning speed.
The French would only act on
Germany with Britains aid.
Britain was reluctant to get
involved due to their weak
economy and military status
which meant Germany faced
little resistance.
France placed its faith in the
Maginot Line of fortifications.
Hitler used the Franco-Soviet
Pact to occupy the
demilitarized zone of the
Rhineland.
Hitlers steely nerve in maintaining
German occupation was a risky
gamble that paid off and gained him
an increase in support within
Germany.
The Western powers lack of
intervention encouraged Hitler
further and allowed him to focus on
the East.
The Western powers lost faith in
Frances ability to act.
Austrian chancellor signed the
Austro-German agreement which
allowed Austria to internationally
represented as a German State.
Reuniting with Austria
(Hitlers first act of
aggression towards an
independent sovereign
nation that was the start
of events ultimately
leading to WW2)
For all German speaking nations in Europe to
be a part of Germany
To re-unit Germany with his (Hitlers) native
homeland
To gain control of the largely German
speaking area within Czechoslovakia
(Sudetenland) which shared a border with
Austria
Destabilised Austria and
undermined its independence
The Austro-German
agreement of 1936 allowed
control of foreign policies
Undermine Schuschniggs
position in 1936 when Hitler
and Mussolini formalised the
Rome-Berlin Axis, leaving
Austria with a weakened
defence and no Italian
support
German troops created as
much disorder as possible in
Austria and put pressure on
Schuschnigg so Hitler could
claim that Austrian law and
order had broken down and
he could march German
Germany added 7 million people
and an army of 100,000 to its Reich
Gained useful resources of steel,
iron ore and Austrias foreign
exchange reserves
Increased power in the Balkans
Czechoslovakia surrounded on three
fronts by Germany
Breaking of Article 80 of the T of V
Germany acknowledges and will
respect the independence of
Austria. She agrees that this
independence shall be inalienable
Breaking of the Treaty of St.
Germain signed by Austria at the
end of WW1 to abstain from any
act which might directly or indirectly
or by any means whatever
compromise her independence
troops into Austria claiming to
restore peace.
Held a rigged referendum to
gain total control over Austria
Frances government had
resigned 2 days before and
put up no resistance
Chamberlain was determined
to appease Hitler and the Brit
public was opposed to
another European war
Gained an alliance with Mussolini
and Italy through the Rome Berlin
Axis
Regaining lost territories
(Lebensraum)
Recovery of the ethnically Polish territory of
Pomerania, Poznan, and Silesia as well as the
largely German free city of Danzig
Hitlers rise to power in 1933 capitalized on
Germanys desire to regain lost territories
Destroying an independent Poland
Hitler was as anti-Polish as he was anti-
Semitic
Return of territory in the Polish corridor
Cessation of Polish rights in Danzig
To deliver a knock-out blow to Poland within
the first 2 weeks. The primary objective
would be to cut off Polish forces in Northern
and Western Poland and seize the capital.
The Germans signed a non-
aggression pact with Poland in
1934 in an effort to woo
Poland into an anti-Soviet
alliance however Poland
began to lean towards France
Germany signed a non-
aggression Pact with the
Soviet Union which contained
secret protocols to partition
Poland and divide up most of
eastern Europe between the
two dictators
German control over Slovakia
meant it could attack Poland
from virtually any direction
By exploiting Polands lack of
a modernized military (The
budget of the Luftwaffe along
in 1939 was 10x greater than
the entire Polish defence
budget)
Nazi propaganda elaborated
on Hitlers visits to the West
Wall on the German-French
border to portray an invisible
defence line to deter French
The effectiveness of German
mechanized forces proved to be
their ability to bypass Polish strong
points, cutting them off and isolating
them
Black September: Red Army forces
crossed Polands eastern border as
Stalin moved to assist his Nazi ally
and seize his share of Polish territory
Although outnumbered 100 to 1,
Polish forces refused to surrender.
Upon defeat their ammunition was
gone, and their active duty soldiers
were outnumbered by the prisoners
they had taken
A concerted push into Western
Germany from superior French
forces behind the Maginot Line
would have been disastrous for
Hitler. Yet the French stood aside
and did nothing. Similarly, the British
did nothing but drop propaganda
leaflets over a few German cities.
Had the allies acted, one of the
bloodiest wars in human history
could have been averted
attacks when Germany
invaded Poland.
Polish defence was weaker in
terms of anti-tank guns,
artillery support and transport
Realising that escaping
civilians crowded up
important transportation
routes, disrupting Polish
military movement, Germans
began broadcasting fake
Polish news programs that
exploited the fear of the
Polish civilians and rendered
the Polish transportation
system nearly useless
Remilitarisation Hitler secretly ordered the army to triple its
strength to 300,000 (100,000 limit)
The navy started development of two 26,000
tonne battle cruisers (10,000 tonne limit)
Forbidden submarines were secretly built in
Holland, Finland and Spain
Krupp commenced manufacturing
armaments
Increased production of synthetic rubber and
gasoline made from coal
1935 Germany announced its army was to
increase to 500,000 men
The restoration of German honour through
the removal of the shackles of the Treaty
of Versailles
Tasks to be conducted in
secrecy with the general staff
not to be used
Secured documentation
Deniable oral communication
preferred
The Saar had voted through a
referendum to return to the
Reich
Hitler agreed to the East
Locarno agreement knowing
that it would clash with his
Lebensraum policy
The allies did not react with force,
but with words and protests at the
most
The conscript German army was
now restored and renamed the
Wehrmacht
The restoration of German honour
through the removal of the
shackles of the Treaty of Versailles