Anschluss
Category: Andere
Wurde aktualisiert: 28 Jan 2018
Made for iGCSE Cambridge history
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Ereignisse
February 1938: Hitler meets with Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg to discuss
the persecution of Austrian Nazis by Austrian government forces.Hitler bullied Schuschnigg into appointing Seyss-Inquart, a leading Austrian
Nazi, as Minister of the Interior.9 March 1938: Having suspected Hitler's true intentions (to end Austrian independence)
Schuschnigg announces his plans to hold a plebiscite on the 13th of March.10 March 1938: Hitler finds out about the plebiscite and demands Schusnigg's resignation and
replacement as Chancellor by Seyss-Inquart. He tells his generals to prepare for the invasion
of Austria.12 March 1938: With Mussolini's approval Hitler orders the German
army into Austria and proclaimed the Anschluss had taken place.Schuschnigg reluctantly agrees and Seyss-Inquart becomes Chancellor. Why? He knows
Britain and France and Italy will not help.Early April: a (likely rigged) plebiscite reveals that there is an
overwhelming number of votes in favour of the union.His contempt for the opposition of Britain and France increased.The balance of power in south-eastern
Europe shifted in favour of Germany, increasing their influence in the Balkans.He was encouraged by the ease at which he had obtained Austria and grew
confident in his aggressive actions.Czechoslovakia would be surrounded on three fronts by Germany. This was his
next target.Austria gave Hitler more resources, such as steel, iron ore and Austria's
foreign exchange reserves. Germany added seven million people
and an army of 100,000 to its Reich. The balance of power in south-eastern
Europe shifted in favour of Germany, increasing their influence in the Balkans.Hitler's changing relationship with Mussolini meant that Italy (which
had so far regarded Austria as part of its "Sphere of Influence" and
had stopped Anschluss in 1934) gave Hitler approval to unite with
Austria.The plebiscite in April showed that the majority of the population was in favour of Anschluss so if Britain and France did
anything it would appear to be against the wishes of the Austrian people.In France the entire government resigned two days before invasion.In Britain Anthony Eden (critic of appeasement and Foreign Secretary) resigned in protest of Chamberlain's decision to
begin negotiations with Mussolini. Chamberlain was strongly for appeasement and nobody else said otherwise.One of Hitler's main Foreign Policy Aims was to overturn the
Treaty of Versailles and to create a Greater Germany by
uniting all German speakers -Austria had approximately seven million.Italy had detachted itself from British and French association (previously established by the Stresa Front of 1935). Having
fought with Germany in the Spanish Civil war 1936-1939, Italy grew closer to Germany, as evidenced by the reference to
the Berlin-Rome Axis in November 1936. Without Italian aid Britain and France were unable to provide much support to
Austria.Why did Britain and France do nothing? The effects?Why unite with Austria?
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