Elective History N Level 2003 The Second World War in Europe

1 a Study Source A
What can you tell fro this source a!out ho" #erany
!ehaved to"ards other countries$ E%plain your ans"er& '
I can tell that Germany behaved aggressively towards other
countries as Hitler was pursuing an aggressive policy of territorial
expansion during this period. This can be supported from I have a
historic mission ... dont think for a moment that anyone is going to
stop me. Hitler was pursuing an aggressive foreign policy to
expand German territory which included sending troops into Austria
to reunite the two countries.
! Study Sources A and (
Ho" siilar are these t"o sources$ E%plain your ans"er& )
Both Sources A and B are similar in showing how Hitler planned to
pursue his aggressive foreign policy by systematically conquering
territory until he achieved his aim of conquering the whole of
urope. This can be supported by Source A where Hiter pans to
con!uer Austria as part of his historic mission to e"pand #erman
territory and Source $ where Hiter has con!uered Austria and
%&echosovakia by pacing the babies' who represent the con!uered
countries' into a sack which represents #erman territoria gains.
However! both sources di"er in purpose. #he purpose of Source A is
to warn the Austrians that resistance is futile as Hitler intends to
bow their defences into bits and that anyone who is not with
Hiter wi be crushed while the purpose of Source B is to criticise
the $unich Agreement of %&'( which promised peace as the British
believed that Hitler would stop his conquest after the Sudetenland.
However! the cartoonist has stated that although (urope coud
ook forward to a %hristmas of peace' Hiter was portrayed as
having put %&echosovakia into the sack! conquering the country
although Hitler had promised that he would stop after he had
acquired the Sudetenland.
c *ead Source +
Why did Hitler a,e this speech at this tie$ E%plain your
ans"er&
)
Hitler made this speech at this time to give the impression that he
was intending to stop conquering territory so that the British! who
were following a policy of appeasement! would ma)e concessions
towards him and allow him to acquire the Sudetenland. This is
supported by It is the ast caim which I have to make in (urope.
In addition! Hitler was also made this speech and tal)ed about
uniting the German spea)ing people in the country so as to further
support his actions. This is supported by These were #ermans who
wanted to return to the )eich as their homeand. Hitler could also
be ma)ing this speech at this time as he was con*dent that the
British would give way to him as they had previously done nothing
when he violated the #reaty of +ersailles three times. As attitudes
towards punishing Germany had changed! Hitler made the speech
fully con*dent that he would succeed in getting away with acquiring
more territory.
d -se all the sources
.Hitler "anted to ta,e over the "hole of Europe&/ Ho" far
do Sources A0+ support the stateent$ E%plain your ans"er&
1
Sources A to , support the statement to a large extent. Source A
shows Hitler ta)ing his *rst steps to ta)e over urope by sending
troops into Austria to enforce a plebiscite which would allow the
-a.is to re/unite with Germany. #his was in direct violation of the
#reaty of +ersailles and clearly demonstrates how much Hitler
wanted to ta)e over urope.
Source B illustrates Hitler0s plan to conquer urope via the annexing
of territory. #he cartoon shows Hitler placing the 1countries2 Austria
and ,.echoslova)ia into his bag while 3oland! Hitler0s next conquest
and other uropean states are all lined up. #hese territories were
supposed to have been protected by the British and the 4rench but
Hitler was able to ta)e over them after he signed the $unich
Agreement with the British as a cover to gain the Sudetenland
before moving on to conquer the rest of ,.echoslova)ia. Source B
clearly shows that Hitler was intent to conquer urope as he was
planning to invade the whole row of 1countries2 by stealing the
babies from the bed.
5hile Source , tal)s about Hitler wanting to re/unite Germans living
outside Germany and assuring that the Sudetenland was his last
con6ict! Source , shows that Hitler wanted to conquer the whole of
urope as his idea of re/uniting Germans was in line with his
aggressive foreign policy of a Greater Germany which would be
increased in si.e through territorial expansion. 4urthermore!
contextual )nowledge tells me that Hitler0s assurance that the
Sudetenland was his last conquest was a lie. His speech clearly
shows he was using these issues to gain the trust of the British so
that they would sign the $unich Agreement and give him the
Sudetenland as a stepping stone to ,.echoslova)ia! 3oland and the
rest of urope.