Hitler's Conquest: Austria's Fate In Wwii

On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This event is known as the Anschluss, which means joining or connection in German. The annexation of Austria was the first act of territorial aggression by Nazi Germany, violating the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany. The invasion was led by none other than Adolf Hitler himself, who was born in Braunau am Inn, Austria. The Austrian Chancellor at the time, Kurt von Schuschnigg, had attempted to maintain Austria's independence but ultimately gave in to Hitler's demands and resigned on March 11, 1938, a day before the invasion.

Hitler's rise to power

Hitler's control over the Nazi Party went unchallenged by 1922, and he attempted a coup, known as the Beer Hall Putsch, in Bavaria the following year. The coup failed, and Hitler was arrested and put on trial. However, the trial brought him national fame, and he was sentenced to five years in prison, serving only nine months. During his time in prison, Hitler wrote 'Mein Kampf', which became the bible of National Socialism.

Once released, Hitler switched tactics, deciding to seize power through legal and democratic means. He began campaigning furiously, with a platform consisting of anti-communism, antisemitism, and ultranationalism. During the 1920s, most Germans were indifferent to Hitler's rhetoric, as the German economy was beginning to recover due to loans from the US.

However, the German political landscape was dramatically affected by the 1929 Wall Street Crash, which brought the German economy to a halt. Hitler and the Nazis exploited the crisis, criticising the ruling government. During this tumultuous time, the German Communist Party also began campaigning and called for a revolution. Business leaders, fearful of a communist takeover, started supporting the Nazi Party.

Hitler ran for the presidency in 1932 but was defeated by the incumbent, Paul von Hindenburg, coming in second place in both rounds. Following this, in July 1932, the Nazis became the largest party in the Reichstag, although they lacked an absolute majority. Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany on 30 January 1933, marking a pivotal moment in his rise to power.

The groundwork for the Nazi dictatorship was laid when the Reichstag was set on fire in February 1933. Hitler convinced Hindenburg to pass the Reichstag Fire Decree, severely curtailing the rights and liberties of German citizens. Hitler began eliminating his political opponents and proposed the Enabling Act of 1933, which gave the German government, with Hitler as Chancellor, emergency powers to pass and enforce laws without parliamentary oversight. By April 1933, Hitler held de facto dictatorial powers.

The Anschluss

In the early 1930s, the Austrian Nazi Party was weak and ineffective, but it gained supporters as Hitler's popularity in Germany increased. Austrian chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss was assassinated by Austrian Nazis in 1934, and his successor, Kurt Schuschnigg, continued Dollfuss' authoritarian policies. In February 1938, Hitler forced Schuschnigg to agree to give the Austrian Nazis free rein and to appoint Arthur Seyss-Inquart as Minister of Public Security.

On the 9th of March 1938, Schuschnigg called for a referendum on Austrian independence, to be held on the 13th. Hitler, however, threatened an invasion and pressured Schuschnigg to resign on the 11th. On the 12th, German troops crossed the Austrian border and were met with cheering crowds. The next day, Seyss-Inquart, who had been appointed chancellor, announced the abrogation of the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which prohibited the unification of Austria and Germany, and approved the replacement of the Austrian states with Reichsgaue. A plebiscite held on the 10th of April, with widespread Nazi propaganda and coercion, resulted in a 99.7% approval for the Anschluss.

Hitler's expansionist policies

Hitler's expansionism was also driven by economic factors. Austria was rich in raw materials and labour, with large reserves of gold and foreign currency, and many unemployed skilled workers. The annexation of Austria was a significant step towards creating a Greater Germany and was supported by many Austrians, who saw it as a completion of the unification process. However, it also faced opposition from some Austrians, particularly those on the political left.

Hitler's aggressive foreign policy and expansionist ambitions ultimately led to the outbreak of World War II in September 1939 with the invasion of Poland. His expansionist policies were not a secret, and he had been planning for war since he came to power in 1933. Despite this, Britain and France attempted to avoid war through a policy of appeasement, hoping that giving in to Hitler's demands would prevent further conflict.

Hitler's ideology

Hitler believed that humanity was divided into distinct groups, locked in a struggle with one another. This Social Darwinist view held that the so-called Aryan race, of which Hitler considered himself a part, was locked in mortal combat with the Jews. The idea of racial superiority was linked to the notion of space, land, and conquest. The Aryan race needed land to grow food and have more children, which would allow them to conquer their neighbours.

Hitler's actions, such as the annexation of Austria, were a logical consequence of the ideology he promoted.

Hitler's invasion of Poland

In the early hours of September 1, 1939, the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein opened fire on a Polish military transit depot, marking the beginning of the invasion. The attack was unprovoked and deliberate, with over 200 marines hidden below deck, ready to strike.

The invasion was preceded by rising tensions and diplomatic manoeuvring. On April 28, 1939, Hitler withdrew from the non-aggression pact with Poland and the London Naval Agreement. He also learned that British and French talks with the Soviets had failed, prompting him to sign the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact with Stalin, which allowed him to focus on Poland without the risk of a two-front war.

The German invasion was swift and overwhelming. By dawn on September 1, German forces were crossing the border from three directions. The main attack came from the west, led by Army Group South under Colonel General Gerd von Rundstedt. The second route was from Prussia, led by Colonel General Fedor von Bock and Army Group North. A smaller attack came from Slovakian units in the south.

The Polish forces were at a significant disadvantage. While they had an army of one million men, many could not be mobilized in time, and their equipment was outdated. In contrast, the Germans had amassed an army of 1.5 million men, supported by tanks, aircraft, and artillery.

The German invasion of Poland was characterized by the use of Bewegungskrieg, or war of movement, which would later become known as Blitzkrieg. This new style of warfare involved tank divisions supported by air power, punching holes in enemy lines and advancing rapidly.

The Polish forces put up a valiant fight, but they were overwhelmed. Warsaw, the Polish capital, fell to the Germans on September 28, 1939, and the last resistance ended on October 6 with the Battle of Kock. The invasion resulted in massive casualties and destruction, with Warsaw suffering heavy damage from air attacks and artillery shelling.

The success of the invasion marked the end of the Second Polish Republic. Following the invasion, Germany and the Soviet Union divided and annexed the whole of Poland, in accordance with their secret agreements. The invasion also marked the beginning of the Holocaust, with mass killings of Polish civilians, including Jews, carried out by the Nazis.

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