Question

The union of Austria with Germany (March 1938) was among one of Hitler’s greatest achievements before the outbreak of the Second World War.

Discuss any four developments, other than the one referred to above, to show how Hitler achieved his objective of making Germany a great power again.

Answer 1

Hitler achieved his objective of making Germany a great power through the following developments:

1. Rearmament of Germany: Hitler violated the Treaty of Versailles by strengthening Germany’s forces. He restored conscription, increased the army, navy, and air force, and created superior weapons. Rearmament strengthened Germany’s military and increased national pride.
2. Remilitarisation of the Rhineland (1936): In 1936, Hitler remilitarised the Rhineland, which was previously a demilitarised zone under the Treaty of Versailles. This daring step highlighted Germany’s defiance of the treaty, strengthening Hitler’s standing both domestically and internationally.
3. Annexation of the Sudetenland (1938): Hitler used ethnic German complaints to annexe the Sudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia, under the Munich Agreement in 1938. This expansion boosted Germany’s land and resources.
4. Signing of the Nazi-Soviet Pact (1939): The Nazi-Soviet Pact, often known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, prevented Germany from going to war on two fronts. The agreement permitted Hitler to invade Poland in September 1939, sparking World War II.