3.5.9

Anschluss with Austria

Test yourself

Anschluss, 1938

In March 1938 Hitler invaded Austria. He did this after a series of events.

Illustrative background for SchuschniggIllustrative background for Schuschnigg ?? "content

Schuschnigg

  • Firstly, in January 1938 police in Austria discovered that the Nazis planned to overthrow the new Prime Minister Schuschnigg.
  • Worried about this, Schuschnigg met Hitler and agreed to let some Nazis held in Austria out of prison and said he would hold a plebiscite (vote) to decide if the Austrians wanted to be part of Germany or not.
Illustrative background for Invasion Illustrative background for Invasion  ?? "content

Invasion

  • Hitler invaded Austria a few months later in protest to the proposed plebiscite.
  • He was unopposed and in fact many Austrians greeted the Nazi troops with fanfare.
Illustrative background for PlebisciteIllustrative background for Plebiscite ?? "content

Plebiscite

  • Then, in April he held plebiscite of his own with lots of SA (Storm troopers) present.
  • The result was that 99% of people wanted Anschluss with Germany.
Illustrative background for Allied response Illustrative background for Allied response  ?? "content

Allied response

  • The Allies saw this as Hitler taking back land of German speaking people.
  • Although some people, such as Churchill, began to worry about Hitler’s future actions.

Jump to other topics

1Was the Treaty of Versailles Fair?

2Was the League of Nations a Success?

3How did Hitler's Foreign Policy Impact the War?

4Who was to Blame for the Cold War?

5Did the US Contain the Spread of Communism?

6How was USSR's Control Over Eastern Europe?

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium

  • Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions

  • Mini-mock exams based on your study history

  • Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books

Get started with Seneca Premium