The second factor is the foreign policy adopted by the western democratic powers. As the western democratic western powers: the United States, Britain and France, were the biggest enemy of Germany, the foreign policy adopted by the western democratic powers created a favorable condition for Hitler to pursue his expansionist policy. First of all, due to the Great Depression 1929, the United States urgently needed a peaceful period for her recovery during the inter-war period. That’s why she adopted the Isolation Policy. With the U.S. being isolated and ignorant of the European affairs, Hitler’s expansionist policy was not hindered. Whereas, for Britain, she was also having problems at home after the First World War. So she also needed a peaceful period for revival. The Prime Minister Chamberlain adopted the Appeasement policy, which is a policy to achieve international peace by satisfying Hitler’s limited territorial wants. Hitler’s expansionist policy was again guaranteed by Britain’s foreign policy. Although France was the major biggest enemy of Germany, she too adopted the Appeasement Policy due to her serious internal problem. With all these foreign policy adopted by the western democratic powers, Hitler was able to pursue the expansionist foreign policy during the inter-war period.
The Versailles Treaty provides the determination and support of people for Hitler to adopt the expansionist policy to crush the Allies. While the foreign policy adopted by the western democratic powers provides Hitler with a suitable condition for him to pursue his expansionist policy.
As a result of the expansionist foreign policy, Hitler had a tremendous gain during the inter-war period. The following were his gains: violation of the Versailles Settlement, Help from Italy, Annexation of Austria, Invasion of Czechoslovakia and the Invasion of Poland.
Violation of the Versailles Settlement was the major aim of Hitler adopting the expansionist policy. This aim was more or less achieved. Hitler violated the Settlement by openly reintroducing the conscription, expanding the armed forces and building up the air force. In 1936, Germany sent troops to Rhineland, which was demilitarized since 1919. Because of the Appeasement Policy adopted by Britain and France, this action was not hindered. Thus, the aim of violating the Versailles Settlement was achieved and this was one of the gains of Hitler as a result of expansionist policy during the inter-war period.
The second gain was the help of Italy as a result of intervening Spanish Civil War, which was in the other words, a result of Hitler’s expansionist policy. During the Spanish Civil War 1936, Hitler and the leader of Italy, Mussolini, helped the right-wing militarist. With the non-intervention policy adopted by the western powers, the ring-wing militarist won and a Fascist government was established in Spain. The War drew Germany and Italy together. In 1936, they signed the Berlin-Rome Axis. Hitler gained the support of Italy who would be the close partner of Germany in the Second World War. Thus, this was another gain as a result of Hitler’s expansionist policy.
Annexation of Austria was the third gain as a result of Hitler’s expansionist policy. After the First World War, a strong movement of Germany for an Anschluss (union with Austria) took place; Hitler demanded a union with Austria in 1938. When the Austrian Chancellor refused, he was forced to resign and was replaced by an Austrian Nazi. He invited the Germans into Austria. In 1938, the Germans troops marched into Austria; Austria became Germany’s province. This was another proof of the violation of Versailles Settlement. As the Appeasement Policy was adopted, Britain and France took no action. Hitler gains Austria as a result of his expansionist policy.
Invasion of Czechoslovakia was another gain of Hitler. Although Hitler g\had promised to respect the border of Czechoslovakia, he demanded the turning of Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia into a part of Germany as three million Germans were living there. The British Prime Minister Chamberlain and the French Prime Minister Daladier called Munich Conference in 1938. According to the Munich Agreement, Sudetenland was ceded to Germany while Hitler promised not to make any further territorial demands in Europe; this was the Appeasement Policy in practice. Thus, as a result of Hitler’s expansionist policy, Sudetenland was gained.
The last gain was the Invasion of Poland. Hitler demanded Danzig and the Polish Corridor, with large German population, to be handed over to Germany. Hitler concluded the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact with the Soviet Union to prevent the Soviet intervention. Without the threat from the Soviet Union, Hitler invaded Poland on 1st September 1939. Second World War was then sparked off. The invasion of Poland thus became the last gain of Germany as a result of Hitler’s expansionist policy.
To be concluded, as a result of Hitler’s expansionist foreign policy, Hitler achieved the violation of the Versailles Settlement, got the help from Italy and finally, got the territorial gains of Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland.
