BBC Rhineland clip
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The Importance
of the
Remilitarisation
of Rhineland for
Hitler
Britain and France object to Hitler’s action but do
nothing.
Gamble paid off – showed Hitler the reluctance of
the League to act effectively against aggression
Increased support in Germany
Germany has a secure Western border: the
Siegfried Line
Control of heavy industry for continued war goods
production.
Hitler arriving “into [his]
own back garden.”
Germans troops marching
“into their own back garden.”
The Importance of Remilitarisation of
the Rhineland for Britain and France
1. Highlighted British sympathy for German
grievances over the harsh Treaty of Versailles.
Lord Lothian: “… they are only going into
their own back garden.”
2. Britain starts to rearm.
3. Britain and France do not appear to be able
to rely on each other in foreign policy issues.
4. Appeasement adopted as main GB foreign
policy approach to aggressive nations in the
future.
German troops
marching
“into their own back
garden.”
British attitude to Hitler’s
Remilitarisation of the Rhineland
• Majority view in GB was that appeasement
was the correct course of action
WHY?
German soldiers marching
“into their own back garden”
across the Rhine, March 1936
Why Appeasement?
• Hitler’s offer of 25 years peace.
• Hitler’s offer to return to the League of Nations
• Hitler was justified in protecting Germany after the Franco Soviet
Pact (1935)
• Majority of public, press and politicians sympathetic but concerned
over German methods.
• Guilt of Versailles – Lord Lothian “…..own back garden.”
• “Better Hitlerism than Communism.” – fear of the spread of
communism into Germany.
• Strength of anti war feeling in GB (pacifism)
• Fear Hitler was militarily more powerful than he really was.
• Inadequacies of British armed forces. BBC clip weak GB military
• Fear of acting without Empire’s support.
• French criticised for wanting to keep Germany weak.
• French politically unstable and unwilling to act alone.
• French belief that Maginot Line would protect them from any
attack.
Goerring arriving “into [Germany’s]
own back garden.”
GB Attitudes to
Appeasement
1. What event does the goose
represent? How do you know?
2. Why is it carrying lots of
weapons?
3. What does it have in its beak?
What does this signify?
4. What is the goose trampling
on?
5. Why are Nazi flags flying?
6. Does the cartoon suggest the
goose will not wander anywhere
else in the future?
7. To what extent does the cartoon
The Goose Step
agree with the majority view in
‘Goosey Goosey Gander, Whither dost thou wander?’
GB about the reoccupation of
‘Only through the Rhineland, Pray excuse my blunder!’
the Rhineland?
Punch cartoon, March 1936
More German soldiers marching
“into their own back garden.”
Across the Rhine and into
Aachen