Hitlers Außenpolitik einfach erklärt | Nationalsozialismus | Zusammenfassung

MrWissen2go Geschichte | Terra X

30 Aug 201810:59

Summary

TLDRThis video explores Adolf Hitler's foreign policy leading up to World War II in twelve key steps. It highlights Hitler's long-term goal of expanding 'Lebensraum' for the Aryan people and his strategic violations of the Treaty of Versailles. Key events include agreements like the Concordat with the Vatican, Germany's exit from the League of Nations, reoccupation of the Rhineland, and alliances with fascist powers like Italy and Japan. Hitler exploited appeasement policies from Britain and France to expand Germany's territory, ultimately leading to the invasion of Poland and the start of World War II.

Takeaways

📜 Hitler's foreign policy aimed at expanding Lebensraum for the German Aryan people, planning a large-scale war from the start.
🤥 The Treaty of Versailles was only a step for Hitler, not his ultimate goal; his endgame was always war.
🕊️ One of Hitler's first foreign policy moves was a concordat with the Vatican to appease conservative Catholic circles in Germany.
🚪 Hitler withdrew Germany from the League of Nations, which hindered international disarmament and peace efforts.
🇩🇪 After a Saarland plebiscite, 90.5% voted to rejoin Germany, further consolidating Nazi control.
💣 Hitler's rearmament program violated the Treaty of Versailles, but Western powers, including Britain, largely ignored it.
👥 The UK followed a policy of appeasement, hoping concessions to Germany would prevent future conflicts.
🚶‍♂️ In 1936, Hitler militarized the Rhineland, defying both the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Pact.
✈️ Germany supported Francisco Franco in the Spanish Civil War, testing military strategies and fostering fascist alliances.
📜 Hitler made alliances with Italy and Japan, formalized in the 1936 Anti-Comintern Pact, symbolizing cooperation against the Soviet Union.
📋 In 1938, Germany annexed Austria (Anschluss) with little international opposition, moving closer to the start of WWII.
🇨🇿 Hitler seized the Sudetenland and later occupied Czechoslovakia after the Munich Agreement, which aimed to avoid war but failed.
📅 In August 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, secretly dividing Eastern Europe between them, paving the way for WWII.

Q & A

What was Adolf Hitler's primary goal in his foreign policy before World War II?
-Hitler's primary goal was to acquire 'Lebensraum' (living space) for the German, Aryan people, which he intended to achieve through a large-scale war.
Why did Hitler negotiate a concordat with the Vatican in 1933, and what was its significance?
-Hitler sought the concordat to calm conservative Catholic circles in Germany and demonstrate that the Nazis could negotiate with their opponents. However, it was largely a political maneuver, as Hitler soon violated its terms by persecuting many Catholic clergy.
Why did Germany leave the League of Nations, and what was the impact?
-Germany left the League of Nations because Hitler wanted to rearm, and the League's mission of disarmament and peace conflicted with his goals. This move initially isolated Germany internationally but enabled Hitler to proceed with military expansion.
What was the outcome of the Saarland referendum in 1935, and why was it significant for Nazi Germany?
-The Saarland referendum resulted in 90.5% of the population voting to reunite with Germany, which was seen as a significant propaganda victory for Hitler's regime.
How did Hitler violate the Treaty of Versailles with respect to military buildup?
-Hitler announced that Germany would expand its army to 580,000 soldiers, violating the Versailles Treaty, which limited Germany’s military to 100,000 troops. This marked a clear breach of the treaty, but the Western powers largely ignored it.
What was the significance of the Anglo-German Naval Agreement of 1935?
-The agreement allowed Germany to expand its naval forces to 35% of the British Navy's size, marking another violation of the Treaty of Versailles. The British government hoped this would prevent a naval arms race, but it ended up aiding Hitler's military plans.
How did Hitler justify the remilitarization of the Rhineland in 1936, and what was the international response?
-Hitler justified the remilitarization of the Rhineland by citing the right of nations to self-determination. Despite it being a clear violation of the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Pact, Britain and France did not intervene, which was a major propaganda victory for Hitler.
What role did Nazi Germany play in the Spanish Civil War, and why did Hitler get involved?
-Hitler provided support to Francisco Franco's forces during the Spanish Civil War by deploying the German Luftwaffe. This allowed the Nazis to test their military forces and strengthen ties with a potential fascist ally.
What was the purpose of the Anti-Comintern Pact between Nazi Germany, Italy, and Japan?
-The Anti-Comintern Pact, signed in 1936, was a symbolic agreement aimed at countering the Communist International (Comintern) and eventually the Soviet Union. It formed a fascist alliance between Germany, Italy, and Japan.
How did the Munich Agreement of 1938 contribute to Hitler's territorial ambitions?
-The Munich Agreement allowed Hitler to annex the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia without military conflict, under the guise of protecting the ethnic German population. It was a clear example of the appeasement policy, as Britain and France hoped to avoid war, but Hitler's ambitions went far beyond the Sudetenland.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Hitler's Early Foreign Policy and Aims

The video begins by explaining Hitler's foreign policy goals before WWII, emphasizing that from the outset, Hitler sought to acquire 'Lebensraum' (living space) for the German Aryan people, planning for a major war. Contrary to the belief that he only wanted to overturn the Treaty of Versailles, this was merely a step toward his greater goal of war. Hitler's early actions, like negotiating a Concordat with the Vatican, were more about pacifying conservative Catholic factions in Germany than genuine cooperation. His militaristic ambitions were evident early on, as he talked of war to Wehrmacht officers in 1933.

05:03

📜 Treaty Violations and Foreign Maneuvers

Hitler's next move was withdrawing from the League of Nations, which signaled Germany's international isolation but allowed him to remilitarize. He later organized a plebiscite in the Saarland, which voted overwhelmingly to rejoin Germany. Violating the Versailles Treaty, Hitler expanded the German military to 580,000 troops, a move largely ignored by Britain and France. Britain even signed a naval agreement with Germany, allowing it to grow its navy to 35% of Britain’s fleet size. This appeasement policy aimed to avoid conflict but only emboldened Hitler.

10:05

⚔️ Militarization and Franco's Civil War Support

In 1936, Hitler ordered German troops to occupy the Rhineland, violating both the Versailles and Locarno Treaties. The remilitarization, although risky, went unchallenged by France or Britain, marking a significant propaganda victory for Hitler. His involvement in the Spanish Civil War, supporting Franco, also showcased Germany's military ambitions. Simultaneously, Hitler solidified alliances with fascist regimes, signing pacts with Italy and Japan to form a united front against communism and the Soviet Union. His secret Four-Year Plan aimed to prepare Germany economically and militarily for war.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Lebensraum

The term 'Lebensraum' refers to the concept of 'living space,' which was central to Hitler’s ideology. He believed that the German people, particularly the Aryan race, needed to expand territorially to ensure their survival and prosperity. This idea justified Nazi expansionist policies and was a key motive behind Hitler's foreign policy, leading up to and during World War II.

💡Versailles Treaty

The Versailles Treaty, signed after World War I, imposed heavy reparations and restrictions on Germany. Hitler’s foreign policy initially appeared aimed at overturning these restrictions, but as the video explains, this was only a short-term goal. Ultimately, the treaty served as a pretext for further militarization and territorial expansion, which violated the treaty's provisions, such as Germany’s rearmament and the remilitarization of the Rhineland.

💡Appeasement Policy

Appeasement refers to the diplomatic policy of making concessions to an aggressive power to avoid conflict. In this context, the British and French governments allowed Hitler to violate the Versailles Treaty and expand Germany’s territory, believing that these concessions would prevent another war. However, as the video details, Hitler exploited this policy to strengthen Germany’s military and territorial standing, leading to World War II.

💡Rhineland

The Rhineland was a demilitarized zone as per the Versailles Treaty, meant to act as a buffer between Germany and France. In 1936, Hitler violated the treaty by sending troops into this region, which was a significant step in his rearmament plans. The remilitarization of the Rhineland was a crucial propaganda victory for Hitler and marked an early challenge to the post-World War I international order.

💡Anschluss

The Anschluss refers to the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938. Hitler, himself Austrian, pressured Austria’s government to allow the Nazis into power, eventually leading to German troops occupying the country. The video highlights how this annexation, met with public jubilation in Austria, was a key step in Hitler’s plan to unite all German-speaking peoples under one Reich.

💡Sudetenland

The Sudetenland was a region of Czechoslovakia with a large ethnic German population. Hitler demanded its annexation in 1938, using the plight of Sudeten Germans as a pretext. The Munich Agreement allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland without military resistance. The video explains how this was part of Hitler’s broader strategy to weaken and eventually dismantle Czechoslovakia while avoiding immediate conflict with the Western powers.

💡Munich Agreement

The Munich Agreement of 1938 was a settlement reached by Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy that permitted Germany to annex the Sudetenland. This agreement, hailed as a peace-saving measure, is used in the video to illustrate the failure of appeasement, as Hitler soon violated the terms by occupying the rest of Czechoslovakia. The agreement demonstrated the Western powers' desperation to avoid war, but it emboldened Hitler further.

💡Hitler-Stalin Pact

Also known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, this 1939 non-aggression treaty between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union included secret protocols dividing Eastern Europe into spheres of influence. As discussed in the video, this pact enabled Hitler to invade Poland without fear of Soviet intervention, triggering World War II. The pact showed Hitler's willingness to make temporary alliances to achieve his goals, even with ideological enemies like the Soviets.

💡Rearmament

Rearmament refers to Germany's rebuilding of its military strength, directly violating the Versailles Treaty, which limited Germany’s armed forces. Hitler began this process in the early 1930s, growing the German army well beyond the treaty’s restrictions. The video highlights rearmament as a key step in preparing Germany for future wars and as a signal of Hitler's intentions to pursue aggressive expansion.

💡Francisco Franco

Francisco Franco was the leader of the Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War, and he received military aid from Nazi Germany, including Luftwaffe support. As mentioned in the video, Hitler's intervention in Spain was not only ideological but also a testing ground for German military strategies and equipment that would later be used in World War II. Supporting Franco helped Hitler secure another fascist ally.

Highlights

Hitler's primary goal was to gain 'Lebensraum' (living space) for the German Aryan people, which required a large-scale war.

Despite some believing Hitler's aim was simply to undo the Versailles Treaty, his true intention from the beginning was to prepare for war.

Hitler's first foreign policy move was often overlooked—it involved securing a treaty with the Vatican to appease conservative Catholics within Germany.

Hitler's February 1933 speech to Wehrmacht officers confirmed his plans for war early in his chancellorship.

The signing of the Concordat with the Vatican allowed Hitler to propagate the image that the Nazis could negotiate with their opponents.

Germany’s withdrawal from the League of Nations in 1933 signified Hitler’s rejection of international peace efforts and his intent to rearm the country.

In 1935, Hitler announced the expansion of the German army to 580,000 soldiers, in clear violation of the Versailles Treaty.

The Anglo-German Naval Agreement of 1935 allowed Germany to build a fleet up to 35% of the size of the British navy, undermining the Versailles Treaty further.

In March 1936, Hitler’s army remilitarized the Rhineland, a violation of both the Versailles Treaty and the Treaty of Locarno.

Hitler’s support for Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War in 1936-39 served as a testing ground for the German Luftwaffe.

Hitler strengthened alliances with fascist Italy and Japan through the Anti-Comintern Pact in 1936, aiming to unite against the Soviet Union.

The Four Year Plan, written in 1936, outlined Hitler’s aim to prepare Germany's military and economy for war within four years.

In 1938, Hitler annexed Austria in the Anschluss, facing minimal resistance, a move that defied European powers.

The Munich Agreement in 1938 allowed Hitler to annex the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia, further emboldening his ambitions despite British and French opposition.

The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of 1939, a non-aggression agreement between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, secretly divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence.