Lexi Webster
Adolf Hitler's expansion into Austria and Czechoslovakia was driven by his ambition to create a Greater Germany that unified all ethnic Germans. In March 1938, Hitler annexed Austria, violating international treaties and marking the first act of territorial expansion by Nazi Germany. This provided a strategic base for further invasions, and Hitler soon turned his attention to Czechoslovakia, threatening to invade the Sudetenland region, where three million Germans resided. In September 1938, the Munich Agreement allowed Germany to absorb Sudetenland, and by March 1939, German troops occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia, shattering its independence. Hitler's expansionist agenda was fueled by economic motivations, aiming to secure resources and reduce import dependence, as Germany's ambitious armament programs strained its economy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of annexation of Austria | 12 March 1938 |
| Austrian plebiscite cancelled by | Schuschnigg |
| Austrian plebiscite cancelled on | 11 March 1938 |
| German troops entered Austria | 12 March 1938 |
| German annexation of Sudetenland | 29-30 September 1938 |
| German invasion of Czechoslovakia | 15 March 1939 |
| German invasion of Poland | 1 September 1939 |
| World War II started | September 1939 |
| Austria-Hungary forbidden by | Treaty of Versailles and Treaty of Saint-Germain |
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What You'll Learn
Hitler annexes Austria in 1938
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 translates to "connection" or "joining". The annexation of Austria was the first act of territorial expansion committed by Nazi Germany and was a significant act of appeasement by other European powers, allowing Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked.
Hitler's annexation of Austria was the culmination of a prolonged period of intense propaganda within Austria. Austrian Nazis had conspired to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg attempted to maintain Austrian independence by calling a plebiscite (referendum) on March 16, 1938, to be held on March 13, 1938. However, on March 11, 1938, the Germans pressured Schuschnigg to cancel the plebiscite and resign. Within minutes of Schuschnigg's resignation, swastika armbands and flags appeared on the streets, and Austrian Nazis dominated the streets with parades, chants, and salutes to Hitler.
On March 12, German troops entered Austria and received the enthusiastic support of most of the population. Hitler's journey through Austria became a triumphal tour, with around 200,000 German Austrians gathering in Vienna's Heldenplatz (Square of Heroes) to hear him declare the unification of Austria and Germany. The annexation of Austria violated the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of the two countries.
Following the annexation of Austria, Hitler targeted Czechoslovakia, provoking an international crisis. This led to the Munich Agreement in September 1938, which gave Nazi Germany control of the Sudetenland, an industrial region with a predominantly ethnic German population. Hitler's aggression towards Austria and Czechoslovakia was part of his determination to overturn the remaining military and territorial provisions of the Treaty of Versailles and create a German empire in Europe.
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The Anschluss violates international treaties
The Anschluss, which took place in March 1938, was a clear violation of the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which specifically prohibited the unification of Austria and Germany. The annexation of Austria was the first act of territorial expansion committed by Nazi Germany and a significant breach of the post-World War I international order.
The Treaty of Versailles, which was the peace agreement after World War I, aimed to prevent Germany from becoming too powerful and prohibited the incorporation of Austria. Similarly, the Treaty of Saint-Germain, signed in 1919, forbade the union of Germany and Austria and the use of the name "German-Austria." These treaties stripped Austria of some of its territories, such as the Sudetenland region, and left it economically vulnerable.
Despite these treaties, Hitler had long expressed his desire for an Austro-German union, which was a central tenet of Nazi ideology. They considered the postwar international borders unfair and illegitimate, claiming that Germans had been denied the right of self-determination. By annexing Austria, Hitler aimed to redraw the map of Europe and create a "Greater Germany."
The Anschluss was met with enthusiasm by many Austrians and Germans, who saw it as completing the unification of all Germans into one state. However, it also demonstrated Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and disdain for international treaties. The failure of Britain and France to take significant action against this violation set a precedent for appeasement, allowing Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked, including the subsequent invasion of Czechoslovakia in March 1939.
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Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland is ceded to Germany
Hitler's expansion into Austria and Czechoslovakia was a key part of his foreign policy and his desire for 'living space' or 'Lebensraum'. In 1938, Hitler turned his attention to Czechoslovakia, and more specifically, the Sudetenland, a border area with a significant ethnic German population. Hitler threatened to unleash a European war if the Sudetenland was not ceded to Germany. This was a serious concern for Czechoslovakia's allies, France and Great Britain, who pressured the Prague government to concede to Hitler's demands.
The Munich Agreement was signed on September 29-30, 1938, by the leaders of Britain, France, Italy, and Germany. In this agreement, the Sudetenland was ceded to Germany in exchange for a pledge of peace from Hitler. This was a significant act of appeasement by the Allies, who hoped to prevent another world war. However, Hitler's true aim was the complete destruction of Czechoslovakia, and the annexation of the Sudetenland only served to further this goal.
The Sudetenland held key military defences, and its acquisition made the invasion of the rest of Czechoslovakia considerably easier. Indeed, less than six months later, on March 15, 1939, German troops marched into Czechoslovakia, occupying Bohemia and establishing a protectorate over Slovakia. This was a clear violation of the Munich Agreement, which stipulated that the rest of Czechoslovakia was to remain independent. With the occupation of Czechoslovakia, Hitler's policy of appeasement ended, and World War II would soon follow.
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German troops occupy Czechoslovakia in 1939
Adolf Hitler's expansionist policies in central Europe led to the annexation of Austria and the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1938–1939. This invasion culminated in the German occupation of Czechoslovakia in March 1939.
On 15 March 1939, German troops entered the remaining Czech parts of Czechoslovakia, meeting practically no resistance. The German invasion of Bohemia and Moravia, which had been scheduled by Hitler for economic reasons, was a violation of the Munich Agreement. Slovakia became an independent state, closely allied with Germany. The German occupation of Czechoslovakia was the final concession of the policy of appeasement. Hitler's invasion of Czechoslovakia was the end of appeasement for several reasons. Firstly, on 17 March 1939, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain gave a speech saying that he could not trust Hitler not to invade other countries. Secondly, on 31 March 1939, Chamberlain guaranteed to defend Poland if Germany invaded. The takeover of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 allowed Germany to strengthen its position. The German army took over large numbers of Czech tanks, and the Czech armaments industry, including the Skoda works, was taken over by Germany after March 1939.
Hitler's actions in Czechoslovakia were enabled by the Munich Agreement of 1938, which handed over the Sudetenland—a part of Czechoslovakia with a significant ethnic German population—to Germany. This agreement also gave the Nazi war machine control of 66% of Czechoslovakia's coal, 70% of its iron and steel, and 70% of its electrical power. The agreement left the rest of Czechoslovakia with a largely indefensible border, and the country ceased to exist as an independent state in March 1939.
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Hitler's expansion leads to WWII
Hitler's expansionist policies were a significant cause of World War II. In 1938, Hitler began his expansion by annexing Austria, an act known as the Anschluss. This was a significant breach of the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany. The annexation of Austria was met with enthusiasm by many Austrians, and the international community did not intervene or punish Germany for this violation. This emboldened Hitler to continue his expansionist agenda.
Hitler's attention then turned to Czechoslovakia, which he threatened to invade unless the Sudetenland, a border area with an ethnic German majority, was ceded to Germany. The leaders of Britain, France, Italy, and Germany met in Munich in September 1938 and agreed to the annexation of the Sudetenland in exchange for Hitler's pledge of peace. However, this concession only encouraged Hitler to pursue further expansion.
In March 1939, Hitler violated the Munich Agreement and occupied the Czech lands of Bohemia and Moravia, establishing a protectorate over Slovakia. Czechoslovakia ceased to exist, and this marked the end of the policy of appeasement towards Hitler. The British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, stated that he could no longer trust Hitler not to invade other countries. Hitler's invasion of Czechoslovakia allowed Germany to strengthen its military capabilities by taking over the Czech armaments industry.
Hitler's expansionist ambitions continued, and he set his sights on Poland. He demanded the annexation of the Free City of Danzig and extraterritorial access through the Polish Corridor to East Prussia. Britain and France guaranteed to defend Poland if Germany invaded, but Hitler was undeterred. On September 1, 1939, the German army invaded Poland, leading Britain and France to declare war on Germany, marking the start of World War II.
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Frequently asked questions
Hitler's first act of territorial aggression and expansion was the annexation of Austria, also known as the Anschluss.
German troops occupied Austria on March 12, 1938, 24 hours before a plebiscite was due to be held.
By absorbing Austria, Hitler turned the defences of Czechoslovakia, which were all towards the west. This meant he could now attack them from the south, where they were poorly defended.
The Munich Agreement was an agreement made between Hitler, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, Benito Mussolini, and leaders from France and Italy. In the agreement, Czechoslovakia ceded the Sudetenland, a region in Czechoslovakia with an ethnic German majority, to Germany in exchange for a pledge of peace from Hitler.
No, the Munich Agreement did not prevent Hitler from invading Czechoslovakia. On March 15, 1939, Hitler violated the Munich Agreement and moved against the Czechoslovak state. German troops marched into Czechoslovakia, occupying Bohemia and establishing a protectorate over Slovakia.
