Hitler(TM)s single aim in foreign policy was to expand in the east. Do you agree with this view?

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Expansion and Aggression – German Foreign Policy 1933-39

‘Hitler’s single aim in foreign policy was to expand in the east. Do you agree with this view?

‘Behind all his actions was the hope and intention that Nazism would be extended, either by more and more areas coming directly under German control, or by establishment of more and more independent governments adhering to Nazi principles’. By 1933 Hitler and the nazi party had successfully established themselves as the leading government within Germany and within the next six years Hitler would lead Germany to war. I will look at how it developed into war over this period by looking at Hitler’s foreign policy. Hitler’s original doctrine of foreign policy was written in his autobiography; Mien Kampf. A country’s foreign policy is a set of goals that seeks to outline how that particular country will interact on an official basis with other countries of the world.

After the end of the First World War and the establishment of The Treaty Of Versailles, dramatic social, economic and geographical changes occurred in Eastern Europe. Much of Germany and Tsarist Russia’s land was taking away and giving to newly formed Poland, which for over 200 years never had its own independence. Eastern Prussia still remained German, however, the creation of Poland meant Eastern Prussia no longer shared a border with Germany and the city of Danzig was a totally free state. The defeat of Austria/Hungary meant that the entire empire was dismantled and all states were giving independence, and that an Anchluss with Germany was illegal. Russia’s early exist from the First World War under the Brest-Litovsk Treaty was a result of a communist overthrow of Russia that left a huge fear upon the western European nations.

Throughout Hitler’s Foreign policy, his aims and objectives remained constant and clear. They were clearly expressed in Mien Kampf and speeches. Hitler despised the Treaty Of Versailles and saw it as a humiliation for Germany. He promised if he came to power that he would tear up the Treaty, end Germanys reparation payments to the allies and restore Germanys borders to how they had been in 1914. In Mien Kampf and elsewhere, he argued that the Aryan Race demanded Lebensraum in the east (see Appendix 1). This living space would be in the places known as Poland and Russia. Hitler was a nationalist who believed that Germany should be respected diplomatically. He also believed strongly in the union of German-speaking peoples. This would include a union with Austria, the country of his birth. He hated communism and promised to destroy the ideology world wide once he had the chance. Hitler’s economic rearmament policy meant that Germany needed raw materials such as steel, coal and oil. Germany also needed to increase the industrial capacity. Therefore, Hitler’s foreign policy aims were geared to ensuring a guaranteed supply of materials. Within a year of Hitler’s appointment to chancellor, he had withdrawn Germany from the disarmament conference and the League of Nations.

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The Treaty of Versailles had banned political union between Germany and Austria. However, such a union was one of Hitler’s cherished ambitions. From 1933, Hitler backed a campaign by Austrian Nazi’s to undermine the government of that country, led by Engelbert Dollfuss. There actions included blowing up government buildings and attacking officials. On 25th July 1934, Austrian Nazi’s had murdered Dollfuss. However, their attempt takeover of power was foiled by government troops led by Dr Kurt Von Schuschnigg. The affair raised the possibility of Nazi intervention in Austria. This was made impossible by actions of Mussolini who deployed 40,000 troops ...

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