Question

Look at the cartoon depicting the ambitions of Hitler. Briefly describe the steps he undertook to fulfil his ambition.

Answer 1

• Withdrawal from the League of Nations (1933): Hitler pulled Germany out of the League of Nations and the Geneva Disarmament Conference to freely rebuild Germany’s military strength without international interference.
• Re-militarisation of the Rhineland (1936): In direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Pact, Hitler sent German troops into the demilitarised Rhineland zone bordering France.
• Annexation of Austria (Anschluss, 1938): Hitler invaded and integrated Austria into Germany under the slogan of creating a “Greater Germany” (Großdeutschland), achieving a long-held pan-German ambition.
• Seizure of the Sudetenland and Czechoslovakia (1938–1939): Using the Munich Pact signed with Britain and France, Hitler first annexed the German-populated Sudetenland. By March 1939, he broke his promise and completely occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia.
• Invasion of Poland (September 1, 1939): After demanding the Polish Corridor and the port city of Danzig, Hitler signed the non-aggression pact with Russia and launched a full-scale invasion of Poland, directly triggering World War II.