disarmament

collective security

Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928)

World Disarmament Conference, 1932-1934

1. undoing the treaty of versailles (TOV)

2. need to get Lebensraum (more land)

3. anti-communist stance (increased likelihood of conflict w/ Soviet Union)

Left the LON, 1933

Reclaimed Saar, 1935

Remilitarisation of Rhineland, 936

Rearmament, 1933-1935

Spanish Civil War, 1936

Anti-Comintern Pact 1936

Axis Alliance (Germany, Italy & Japan)

USA's isolation

Genuine sympathy for Germany over TOV: Chamberlain believed that Hitler's grievances were justified

National Interest

Misjudgement of Hitler: Chamberlain wrongly believed that Hitler’s aims were limited to revising the Treaty of Versailles instead of abolishing it and could therefore be satisfied with negotiations and agreements.

Anschluss with Austria, 1938

Sudetenland and Munich Agreement, 1938

Invasion of Czechoslovakia, 1939

USSR and Germany signed Nazi-Soviet Pact on 23 August 1939

Both countries agreed to not attack e/o

Privately agreed to divide Poland between them

Hitler and Stalin mistrusted e/o

The Pact was an (i) agreement of convenience and (ii) mutual benefits

Stalin thought Britain and French were too weak to stand up to Hitler

Stalin built up USSR's military capability incase Hitler invaded them with the build up of time

However, fighting a war in Europe would result in (a)(i) Germany's manpower and (ii) resources being stretched and their (b) fighting capabilities limited

Hitler hoped the pact would (a) give him authority to take over Poland and (b) persuade allies to turn a blind eye to his activities

Germany interested in Polish Corridor and Danzig because of

Germany had taken action to demand the Polish Corridor and Danzig since April 1939

Tensions between Poland and Germany grew as talks and negotions between them broke down

Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939

Britain and France declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939 -> WWII had begun

Hitler miscalculated that France and Britain would not go to war over Poland

Invasion of Poland triggered France and Britain to declare war on Germany