The first sign of retaliation following the Treaty of Versailles would be Germany’s withdrawal from the League of Nations, and the Disarmament Conference, in October 1933. Hitler felt that Germany was being discriminated against, and consequently formed a Non-Aggression Pact with Poland, to avoid any possible war with her. The Non-Aggression Pact, which was signed in January 1934, also weakened French security. Evidently, Hitler has already been preparing for war, first in removing limitations on arms, and then in further securing Germany’s safety.
In the weeks of March 1935, Hitler first announced that Germany’s air force, and then the next introducing that the government would introduce conscription to build an army of 750,000. Such action breaches the terms set by the Treaty of Versailles. Britain and France (and Italy in this case), however did not take any significant action. Both denounced Hitler’s announcement, and threatened to take action against further disturbances to the status quo (the stresa front), but such talk did not put down Hitler.
Hitler’s next move was not quite so glaring, but nonetheless progressed preparations for war. Signed in June 1935, the Anglo-German Naval Agreement allowed Germany’s navy to be the equivalent of 35% of the British Royal Navy. Such an agreement broke the Stresa Front against Germany, in addition to altering the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler’s aim in passing the agreement was for a broader agreement with Britain. It boggles the mind that Britain should allow Germany to break both the Stresa Front and alter the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, such appeasement did not work. The Anglo-German Naval Agreement is a clear example of Britain’s unreliability and selfish theory of “splendid isolationism.”
Following the Anglo-German Naval Agreement was another one of Hitler’s many famous exploits – the Remilitarization of the Rhineland. The demilitarized Rhineland belonged to Germany, but the Treaty of Versailles did not allow Germany to occupy the area with any military units, for France’s security’s sake. In face of terms, Hitler nonetheless marched 20,000 German troops into the area, or according to the British, merely walked into it’s own back-garden – another example of “splendid isolationism.” France did not intervene since it was already in as much trouble as it could possibly handle already, due to losses from the First World War. For Hitler, the remilitarization gave him much confidence, which proved vital in pursuing later actions. Hitler claimed that during the campaign the Germans were running with their tails in-between their legs, and that it was the most nerve-wracking time of his life. The Germans were ready to retreat in the event of French intervention. Imagine Hitler’s satisfaction at the moment he discovered that France nor Britain intervened.
In November 1936, Hitler formed the Rome-Berlin Axis and Anti-Comintern Pact, effectively allying with both Italy and Japan. First, Italy allied in the Rome-Berli Axis; Italy and Germany were brought together during the Spanish Civil War, where both had supported Franco’s facist forces. Japan then joined in the Anti-Comintern Pact. Ostensibly, the pact opposed communism, but in truth represented a diplomatic alliance between the three powers.
The Anschluss of May 1938 illustrates another of Hitler’s tactics – Nazi influence. Hitler, the epitome of the Nazi, could cause quite the ruckus from afar, simply due to Nazi brotherhood. For example, the Austrian Chancellor Dolfuss was assassinated by Nazis in July 1934, and Nazi ministers were accepted into government. Later in 1938, the new Chancellor Schuschnigg was to pass a plebiscite regarding Anschluss, but Hitler intervened, sending troops to Austria, who were well-received. Anschluss followed. Once again, foreign intervention was totally transparent, despite Germany’s rise in power.
To the same degree as the Anschluss, the Dismemberment of Czechoslovakia illustrates Hitler’s influence over Germans, in this case those of the Sudetenland, who caused much unrest in May 1938. Later in September of the same year, Chamberlain met with Hitler to negotiate the transfer of the Sudetenland to Germany. At the Munich Conference, the deal was set, with the Sudetenland to be handed over by October 10, a great triumph for Hitler. Chamberlain truly believed that appeasing Hitler would result in peace for Europe, as illustrated by the following quote:
He told me privately, and last night he repeated publicly, that after this Sudeten German question is settled, that is the end of Germany’s territorial claims in Europe.
But after obtaining the Sudetenland, Hitler was left disappointed since he did not annex all of Czechoslovakia. And so, Hitler began to systematically annex piece by piece, Czechoslovakia. After witnessing this, however, Britain decided to defend Poland when it was to be annexed. Unfortunately, foreign intervention proved to be too little, too late, as the saying goes. It should also be noted that Hitler signed the Nazi-Soviet Pact, to avoid a two-front war, such as that in the First World War. This exhibits Hitler’s flexibility in his foreign policy in attaining his goal.
Obviously, the driving force behind the Second World War was Hitler, not Britain or France. Britain and France merely hung by the wayside, clinging to a policy of appeasement to avoid war. Unfortunately, for Jews particularly, Hitler’s aggressive foreign policy took advantage of such inertness. At first unsure, but all the while determined, Hitler persevered and overcome his initial doubts, resulting in events such as the remilitarization of the Rhineland, the Dismemberment of Czechoslovakia, and the massive growth of the German military in the face of the Treaty of Versailles.