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What were Hitlers foreign policy aims for Germany and how far did he succeed in fulfilling them by 1939? -DA A dynamic foreign policy played a fundamental role in Hitlers rule, his decisions often revolving around his foreign policy aims. Hitlers aims were ambitions, the globalist school of thought most notably Rausching believe his ultimate aim was simply the maximum of power and domination; namely ultimate power. Hitler in the future planning to gain Germen supremacy in the Middle East, Africa and finally in the USA after conquering Europe. Such notions however; as Notes and Pridham state are based upon comments of vague expansion outside Europe to be found in Mein Kampf and Zweite Buck, not actions and are thus dubious.
The more readily accepted and justifiable theory, held by the continental ist school of thought, is that The conquest of lebensraum was the overriding aim of Hitlers foreign policy. Trevor Roper. Expansion of the German empire being limited to hegemony within Europe. Hitler saw the aim of lebensraum, coined as the soil policy, as the solution to the unhealthy relationship between rural and city population. Mein Kampf.
The racialist policy securing the utopian of Hitlers Arian society. The strength of Hitlers belief being reflected in the four year plans orientation towards future wars. The crushing of the Treaty of Versailles was necessary if lebensraum was to be achieved also interlinked with this was the unification of all Arians. The Treaty of Versailles was damaging to Germany both socially, economically, territorially and militarily; land being removed, Germans being separated and reparations being demanded. Perhaps most devastating was the clause in which Germany had to accept full responsibility for the war, since this proved detrimental to German pride and caused widespread disillusionments exasperated by the depression. Hitler considered the Treaty of Versailles to be a humiliating restriction of power, undermining his position and harnessing Arian progress.
He the dissolving of the Treaty of Versailles would lead to a united Arian race and opportunity for future Arian development and prosperity, a natural progression in his social Darwinist theory. In March 1935 Hitler admitted Luftwaft; the existence of an air force within Germany and issued a decree which stated Germany had no intention of further honouring the defence limitations of the Treaty of Versailles. Although the League of Nations condemned his actions forming a Stress declaration their lack of dynamic action proved to Hitler that no power in or out of the League of Nations was willing to strictly enforce the Treaty of Versailles. Nor was anyone prepared to give the French convincing guarantees if a disarmament convention was agreed.
The luftwaffe was a precarious move for Hitler as it illustrated his lack of compliance and encouraged other to question his plans. However it devalued the treaty of Versailles and allowed Hitler to evaluate the situation. Hitlers diplomatic collaboration with Britain through the Anglo-German naval agreement, which gave Germany the right to build a fleet of 35 % of the Royal Navy, proved highly beneficial to Hitler. Such a step by Britain was a direct repudiation of Versailles, by one of its own signatories, significantly undermining both it, the League of Nations and the Stress Front. Hitler had caused friction between countries, undermined their superficial unity, calmed Great Britains fear of naval threat and unnerved the French even further, who direct their efforts into the Maginot line in strike, which also benefited the military.
The reoccupation of the Rhineland in March 1936, furthered the disregard for the Treaty of Versailles, as the Treaty forbade German armed forces or fortifications on the left bank of the Rhine or within a fifty kilometre deep zone on the right bank. This action removed the political buffer of France, as the Rhineland had been her guarantee that she could if need arose strike at Germany without fear. Hitler had won his first major diplomatic success, their being no resistance by any nations, although verbal condemnation was issued by the League of Nations and gained great popularity at home. The Rhineland was a valuable asset to Hitler having great geographical importance, as it allowed greater German assertion in the East, having economic value and holding 15 million Germans.
Hitler, however felt isolated he found allies in Italy and Japan each offering military strength and fascist governments. Through Germany's intervention in the Spanish civil war and the signing of a friendship Treaty with Austria in 1936 Hitler secured the October Protocols with Italy and the Anti-Comintern pact with Japan and Italy, the first preliminary steps in a highly beneficial alliances both militarily and economically. Hitlers hopes for alliance however laid in Britain, a country he respected both militarily and diplomatically. He failed, unable to sway Britain from their peaceful foreign policy, making many mistakes including the appointment of the obstinate Ribbenntrop as the ambassador for London and perhaps the signing of the Comintern pact as Britain may have felt her colonies were threatened by such a move. 1938 is said by some historian to be the commencement of a new more radical phase in German fore 3 ign policy and strategy, marked by two major successes for Hitler, Anschluss and Czechoslovakia.
Austria was detached from Germany by the Treaty of Versailles, but not all Austrians thought the independent state was viable either economically of diplomatically. Many felt an affinity with German ideology and race, often joining the Austrian Nazi Party; and pleading for a union. Once again Hitler did not need to use force, indeed the Anschluss created less hostility than the Rhineland reoccupation, France again impotent and Britain adopting the attitude summarised by Eden, People in England recognise that a closer connection between Austria and Germany would have come about eventually. The peaceful Anschluss was perhaps the greatest achievement of German Nationalism since Versailles and proved crucial to Hitlers standing. Hitler no longer feeling so obliged to listen to advice in diplomatic or military matters, having proved his capabilities and proved all reservations wrong. Eight Million Germans were added to the population; Hitler became closer to his goal of Arian unity.
The Anschluss also highlights the emptiness of the Anglo-Franco dream of Italian opposition. Hitler had encircled Western Czechoslovakia and formed a gateway to the East, which was to prove invaluable. The occupation of Czechoslovakia was a far more complex problem and Hitlers first manoeuvre that required force and was labelled an invasion. There were only 3 million German s in Czechoslovakia compared to 10 million of other races and many of the Germans preferred the new regime secured by the Treaty of Versailles; thus loyalty in Czechoslovakia was not secured. Some Germans at home were dubious of the action however Hitler dissembled such doubt effectively through propaganda that portrayed Czechoslovakia -Germans as being exploited. In 1938 Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia with his country behind him.
The action however alienated Hitler from England, destroying any chance of alliance, Hitler having infuriate Chamberlains in discussions with his unreasonable, constant, demands, The Great British public had turned against him and the appeasement policy was becoming rapidly unpopular, Britain resolving to resist further German Expansionist moves. Hitler had also upset Mussolini failing repeatedly to inform him of development and his strategies, perhaps damaging their alliance. The invasion of Czechoslovakia had gained Hitler confidence, I shall go down in History as the Greatest German. was his concluding remark. He had achieved his aim of uniting all Arians, whether they were in favour or not. Russia had failed to resist the invasion and thus the French alliance with her was smashed, France now having only her defences to rely upon.
Cha was a rich county, Hitler having gained control of her frontier defences, the coal and iron of the Sudetenland and the Skoda armaments. Hitler had for the first time succeeded in conquering a non-German territory, once again without military opposition. Hitler at this point-realised War was close and to succeed he would need allies, Britain no longer an opposition he looked to Italy and ironically Russia. Through the Pact of Steel and more significantly the Nazi Soviet Non-Aggression Pact Hitler secured the alliances and was promised support at least superficially. He had now formed the foundations for alliances that in the future proved both useful and prosperous with Italy, Japan and less significantly Russia. In 1939 Hitler attacked Poland and the phoney war was declared between Germany and Britain, once again he faced no military opposition until 1940.
Some historians argue that this move was too hasty as the four yr plan was not due to be completed to 1940 and the economy even at this point was not stable. Nevertheless Hitler had entered a war that he very nearly won. Hitler adopted a daring dexterous foreign policy between 1933 - 9, which proved largely successful. Hitler securing his aims of German unity and the removal of the Treaty of Versailles and had laid the foundations for lebensraum and maybe even world domination. Often with added economic, military, territorial and social benefits; each success improving his standing within Germany and Arian pride. Hitler only failed in his inability to secure an alliance Anglo Nazi alliance, which perhaps was an unrealistic goal, and perhaps rushing into war.
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