France And England's Response To Hitler's Austria Annexation

In 1938, France and England were facing political turmoil and were desperate to avoid another world war. As such, they did little to intervene when Hitler annexed Austria. This non-intervention was part of a policy of appeasement, which allowed Hitler to expand German territory unchecked. The annexation of Austria was the first step in Hitler's expansionist agenda, which would lead to the invasion of Czechoslovakia and Poland, and ultimately, World War II.

Britain and France's policy of appeasement

Britain and France had several reasons to pursue a policy of appeasement. Both countries were desperate to avoid the slaughter of another world war, having so recently emerged from the First World War. Britain, in particular, was overstretched policing its empire and could not afford a major rearmament. France, its main ally, was seriously weakened, and support from the Commonwealth was not a certainty. Many Britons also sympathised with Germany, feeling that the country had been treated unfairly following its defeat in 1918.

The annexation of Austria, known as the Anschluss, was Hitler's first act of territorial aggression and expansion. It was widely popular in both Germany and Austria, with many Austrians enthusiastically participating in the Nazification of their country. However, it resulted in a violent outburst against Austria's Jewish population.

The other European powers did not punish Hitler for violating international treaties with the Anschluss. Their acceptance of this violation was a significant act of appeasement that allowed Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked. Indeed, the international community showed little interest in maintaining Austrian independence, with both the French and the British accepting a union between Austria and Germany as inevitable.

In March 1938, Britain was experiencing political problems of its own. Anthony Eden, the Foreign Secretary, had resigned over Chamberlain's decision to open negotiations with Mussolini, the Fascist dictator of Italy. With Chamberlain determined to appease Hitler, there was no political will to oppose Germany. The British population was also against the idea of another European war, and the Anschluss was not seen as a threat to Britain. As both nations were German-speaking, there was a sense that there was no good reason why Austria and Germany shouldn't unify.

However, anti-appeasers, such as Winston Churchill, were alarmed by Germany's annexation of Austria. They believed that if Hitler had a legitimate claim to Austria, he should have used negotiation and diplomacy rather than force. Despite his promise of "no more territorial demands in Europe" after the annexation, Hitler was undeterred by appeasement. Six months later, in September 1938, he violated the Munich Agreement by occupying the rest of Czechoslovakia, and Britain was at war.

French political turmoil

In March 1938, two days before Germany annexed Austria, the entire French government resigned, leaving the country in a state of political turmoil. This meant that France was not in a position to oppose the invasion.

The turmoil in French politics was part of a broader context of political instability and insecurity in Europe during the interwar period. The First World War and its subsequent peace settlements, particularly the Treaty of Versailles, gave rise to new ambitions, rivalries, and tensions. The sense of defeat, humiliation, and injustice in Germany had a significant impact on its foreign and domestic policies, and calls to revise the terms of the Treaty of Versailles became a major aspect of international politics in the 1920s and 1930s.

The period between the two world wars was marked by political, economic, and social unrest, which was exacerbated by the collapse of the international economy in 1929. This instability contributed to the rise of political extremism in many European countries, including Germany and Italy, where Benito Mussolini established a fascist dictatorship.

In France, the political turmoil of the 1930s was likely influenced by similar factors, including economic crises and a sense of insecurity in the face of rising extremism and aggression from neighbouring countries. The French government's resignation in March 1938 reflected the challenges of maintaining stability and cohesion in a volatile political environment.

It is important to note that the French political turmoil did not occur in isolation but was part of a broader context of international tensions and the rise of authoritarian and fascist ideologies. The failure to effectively respond to the annexation of Austria by Germany further highlighted the difficulties faced by democratic governments in Europe during this period.

Britain's political problems

In March 1938, Britain was facing political turmoil. The Foreign Secretary, Anthony Eden, had resigned over Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's decision to open negotiations with the Fascist dictator of Italy, Mussolini. Eden's resignation left Chamberlain's government in a precarious position.

Chamberlain was determined to pursue a policy of appeasement towards Hitler, believing that it was the best way to maintain peace and avoid another devastating world war. However, this policy was not without its critics, including Winston Churchill, who warned against appeasement and advocated for a stronger stance against Hitler's aggression.

The British public also played a role in Britain's political problems during this time. They were strongly opposed to the idea of another European war and did not perceive the annexation of Austria as a direct threat to Britain. Many Britons sympathized with Germany, feeling that the country had been treated unfairly after its defeat in World War I. Additionally, as both Austria and Germany were German-speaking nations, there was a sense that their unification was natural and inevitable.

Chamberlain's policy of appeasement ultimately failed to stop Hitler's expansionist ambitions. In March 1939, German forces occupied the remaining Czech territory, and Britain and France realized that there were no limits to Hitler's territorial ambitions. This marked a shift in British policy, as they became determined to prevent German domination of Europe, even if it meant going to war.

Anti-appeasers' alarm

The annexation of Austria by Hitler in March 1938 was a significant breach of the post-World War I international order. It was the first act of territorial expansion committed by Nazi Germany and a clear demonstration of their disdain for the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany. This act caused alarm among anti-appeasers in Britain and France, who saw it as a sign of Hitler's aggressive expansionist ambitions.

Winston Churchill, then estranged from the British government, was one of the few to oppose the appeasement of Hitler. He believed that if Hitler had a legitimate claim to Austria, he should have used negotiation and diplomacy rather than force. Churchill had visited Germany in 1932 and witnessed the growing Nazi threat first-hand. He made a series of impassioned speeches in parliament, condemning the regime and calling for British rearmament. However, his warnings were not heeded, and many saw him as a warmonger or someone simply trying to raise his profile.

In France, the political situation was in turmoil in March 1938, with the entire government resigning just two days before Germany invaded Austria. France was in no position to oppose the invasion and took no steps to intervene. This inaction was in part due to the country's political and military insecurity, as well as the belief that the unification of Austria and Germany was a natural union of German-speaking peoples.

The annexation of Austria shifted the balance of power in South-Eastern Europe in Germany's favour, increasing their influence in the Balkans and surrounding Czechoslovakia on three fronts. This act of aggression, coupled with Hitler's demands for the Sudetenland, brought Europe to the brink of war in September 1938. The British and French governments, while rearming, did not feel ready to confront Hitler with force and instead pursued a policy of appeasement, hoping to avoid the destruction of another world war.

In conclusion, the anti-appeasers' alarm at Hitler's annexation of Austria proved well-founded, as it marked the beginning of a series of aggressive expansionist acts that ultimately led to the outbreak of World War II.

Hitler's next objective

Hitler's annexation of Austria was the Nazi regime's first act of territorial aggression and expansion. It was a significant breach of the post-World War I international order, and the international community did not intervene to stop it. This emboldened Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked.

Hitler's immediate focus after annexing Austria was on Czechoslovakia, which was now surrounded on three fronts by Germany. Hitler manufactured a crisis in the Sudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia with a significant ethnic German population. He demanded greater autonomy for the Sudeten Germans, and this was used as a pretext to exert pressure on Czechoslovakia's ally, France, and Great Britain. This culminated in the Munich Agreement in September 1938, where Hitler met with world leaders from Italy, France, and Britain. Czechoslovakia was forced to cede the Sudetenland to Germany, with the condition that the rest of Czechoslovakia remained off-limits.

Hitler was not satisfied with this concession and continued his aggressive policies. In March 1939, he occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia, including Prague, breaking the agreement made at Munich. This was followed by the invasion of Poland in September 1939, which marked the start of World War II.

Frequently asked questions