How far was the challenge to Versailles between 1933-36 a reaction to events rather than a consequence of ideology?
Plan
- Versailles: how it affected Germany
- What was his ideology
- Appeasement: what it was, why did they follow it, how did Hitler take his chance?
- What happened between 33-36
- Opportunist or planned?
The treaty of Versailles had made a massive impact on Germanys military and economic resources. Germany was hit hard and forced to also sign the War Guilt Clause. Most Germans hated Versailles, as the country became weak and useless, many people thought it should be overturned however, nobody had the power to do it and nobody wanted to risk war. Once Hitler had rose to power it was obvious to everyone that his plan was to over-throw Versailles and make a ‘Greater Germany’. However, Hitler’s main ideology was racial infinity and the outcome of the greater racial struggle would depend upon population, territory and resources. Of course, Versailles depleted all Germanys resources and ‘Lebensraum’ was a long way away. Hitler had definite foreign policy objectives. These were the destruction of communism and the Versailles settlement, the establishment of Lebensraum in the East and Aryan racial domination. These objectives were to be achieved through diplomacy and aggression. However, Hitler was determined to reach his aims. Does this prove he was a planner or an opportunist?
