History Notes on Rhineland, Anti-Comintern Pact and Anschluss
1. Re-militarisation of Rhineland
Germany
* The Rhineland area had been a key industrial region of Germany, producing coal, steel and iron resources. * One of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles was that the Germans would not be able to keep military forces in a 50km stretch of the Rhineland, in order to protect France from the invasion of Germany. * Hitler resented this term as it made Germany vulnerable to invasion. * He was determined to enlarge his military capability and strengthen his borders. * In 1935, Hitler's plans to strengthen Germany and undermine the Treaty of Versailles were given a boost when the German-speaking Saar region voted to reunite with Germany. * On Saturday 7 March 1936 Hitler boldly marched 22,000 German troops into the Rhineland, in a direct contravention of the Treaty of Versailles.
Britain
* Whilst Germany were remilitarising the Rhineland Britain was weak economically and militarily * Did not want to commit itself to war unless it definitely had to so did nothing , even though the British government denounced the breaking of the terms of Versailles, they did not think it merited war. * At the time, Britain was in dispute with Italy over its military campaigns in Abyssinia and British forces had been moved into the Mediterranean in case Italy became aggressive. There was little Britain could do to stop Germany.
France
* France did not act. * France was between governments when Germany re-occupied the Rhineland. The Hoare-Laval fiasco (where France and Britain tried to appease Italy's leader Mussolini by agreeing to offer him the better land in Abyssinia) had been deeply unpopular and had eventually brought down the government. * French military forces had previously been moved from the Rhine to the Alps and Tunisia because of the political tension with Italy. As such, their forces near the Rhineland were weakened. * French generals also overestimated the German occupying forces;
Germany
* The Rhineland area had been a key industrial region of Germany, producing coal, steel and iron resources. * One of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles was that the Germans would not be able to keep military forces in a 50km stretch of the Rhineland, in order to protect France from the invasion of Germany. * Hitler resented this term as it made Germany vulnerable to invasion. * He was determined to enlarge his military capability and strengthen his borders. * In 1935, Hitler's plans to strengthen Germany and undermine the Treaty of Versailles were given a boost when the German-speaking Saar region voted to reunite with Germany. * On Saturday 7 March 1936 Hitler boldly marched 22,000 German troops into the Rhineland, in a direct contravention of the Treaty of Versailles.
Britain
* Whilst Germany were remilitarising the Rhineland Britain was weak economically and militarily * Did not want to commit itself to war unless it definitely had to so did nothing , even though the British government denounced the breaking of the terms of Versailles, they did not think it merited war. * At the time, Britain was in dispute with Italy over its military campaigns in Abyssinia and British forces had been moved into the Mediterranean in case Italy became aggressive. There was little Britain could do to stop Germany.
France
* France did not act. * France was between governments when Germany re-occupied the Rhineland. The Hoare-Laval fiasco (where France and Britain tried to appease Italy's leader Mussolini by agreeing to offer him the better land in Abyssinia) had been deeply unpopular and had eventually brought down the government. * French military forces had previously been moved from the Rhine to the Alps and Tunisia because of the political tension with Italy. As such, their forces near the Rhineland were weakened. * French generals also overestimated the German occupying forces;