Higher History Conference 2003 Paper Two Rhineland

1
Chronology of Boxed Section March
1936 Rhineland ? July 1936 - 39
Spain March 1938 Anschluss October
1938 Munich 1920s 1939 Overview (8
marker) Issues Factors shaping Government
reaction to events i.e. the use of
appeasement - political - economic -
military - public opinion - dilemmas (public
and private concerns of the government at the
time which influenced how they dealt with issues
at the time
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Rhineland Crisis March 1936
What happened?
Government reaction
Public opinion

• Majority view
• Treaty of Versailles was out of date. It needed
  revision. It was too harsh on Germany.
• Rhineland belonged to Germany. Germans had gone
  into own backyard.
• German action was not the same as Italian
  aggression against Abyssinia.
• It is not a serious matter to cause a war.
• Minority view
• Germany had broken Versailles and Locarno.
• Hitler should be stopped now before he gets too
  strong.

• On 7th March 1936 Hitler moved 22,000 troops into
  Rhineland -previously demilitarised under
  Versailles Treaty.
• Hitler had broken Versailles and Locarno
  Treaties.
• Britain and France did not take action against
  Hitler.
• Britain did not want to be dragged into a war
  arising out of Franco-German hostility
• Britain succeeded in preventing France
  retaliating.

• Rhineland was German. Treaty should be revised.
• French antagonised the Germans with their Pact
  with the Russian.
• Not worth fighting for.
• Government did nothing except make a formal
  protest at the way the Germans had gone about
  their grievance over the Rhineland.
• Rhineland was not vital British interest
• Germany was a bulwark against Communism (Russia).

3
Source A extract from the diaries of Harold
Nicholson - 11th March 1936 Source A The French
know that the invasion of the demilitarised zone
was only decided on against the advice of the
German general staff and the Foreign Office, and
therefore they feel that if we show firmness we
may discredit Hitler with his own people. On the
other hand, if we do nothing, then finally the
League and collective security will cease to have
any meaning. All this is indisputable, but what
is also indisputable is that the country will not
allow us to take drastic action in what they
regard as a purely French interest... 1. How
fully does Source A illustrate the issues raised
by the remilitarisation of the Rhineland in
Source A? 6 Use the source and recalled
knowledge.
4

• Do you accept Harold Nicholson's analysis of the
  remilitarisation of the Rhineland in Source A?
• What is the question asking you to do?
• Set immediate context - give a few sentences to
  put issue/event in context with our Paper 2
  course
• Identify the views of the author -in a nutshell!
  - i.e. the big picture - what is his overall view
• Make a judgement as to how far you accept what he
  is basically saying (extent)
• Back this up by selecting points from the source
  (bones) then putting flesh on them by using
  recall
• This will allow you to 'evaluate/assess' how far
  you accept them (i.e. by saying things like -
  point X by the author is accurate/relevant /or
  does highlight issues considered by the
  government / public at the time on this issue
  because ... giving reasons/evidence to develop.)
• Then use 'additional' recall to develop argument
  with balance of recall- e.g. other evidence/
  views which agree those not in agreement -then
  and since -e.g. an opportunity for some
  historiography

5

• Step 1 - Immediate Context
• Source refers to the issues in debate during the
  first major foreign policy expansion by Hitler in
  1936.
• In 1919 it had been decided to ban Germany from
  having any military in the Rhineland.
• Supposed to help French security, any German
  forces found there could be seen as an act of war
  against France.
• In March 1936 Hitler sent in 22,000 troops into
  the Rhineland and broke the terms of
  Versailles/Locarno.

6

• As 'guarantor' powers Britain and France should
  have acted.
• As it turned out, both did not.
• The remilitarisation of the Rhineland is seen
  today as a significant step in the road to war in
  1939.
• The source highlights some of the issues
  influencing British policy at the time of the
  events in the Rhineland.

7

• Step 2 -Big Picture
• Writing at the time of the actual events.
• The diary entry by Nicholson (a contemporary
  politician) notes the immediate reactions and
  general speculation of people towards what Hitler
  had done.
• He does capture the dilemma between what the
  Government should have done/perhaps wanted to do
  / or not
• The source highlights why they would not be
  willing to risk war over the issue and some of
  the factors influencing the Government debate
  over what to do.
• Many weeks of debate ensued in the House of
  Commons.
• NOW use the source.

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Step 3 Select relevant points from the source
and use recall to evaluate each point
Point one from source French know German
invasion of Rhineland was action against Army
advice

• Recall evaluating point from source
• This is accurate - Hitler later found to have
  said that his actions were a gamble/most
  nerve-racking 48 hours of his life etc. and that
  orders were given to retreat if any French troops
  appeared.

9

• Recall evaluating point from source
• This is accurate - some members of the British
  Government shared a fear that counter action
  could destabilise Hitler and lead to a Communist
  regime!
• This we did not want and were prepared to opt for
  the lesser evil!
• Some did not want to risk current road to closer
  friendship established with Anglo-German Naval
  Pact (1935) while others believed the 'sweet
  talk' of Hitler (promises)

Point two from source Firmness may discredit
Hitler
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Point three from source Doing nothing will
undermine the League further

• Recall evaluating point from source
• This was an issue close to Nicholsons heart
• As a key supporter of the League, he was angry at
  recent events in Manchuria/Disarmament failure/
  Abyssinia/conscription and rearmament by Germany
• He, like many others, could see the damage being
  done to the reputation of the League - a lack of
  effective response could do further damage

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• Recall evaluating point from source
• This is accurate - many examples of public
  opinion at the time reflect anti-war feeling and
  certainly over German actions to 'free'
  themselves (as it was seen at the time) from
  Versailles e.g.. letters in the press. majority
  warned against action
• e.g. elections, peace ballot, Oxford Union debate
  all reinforced this impression
• e.g. anti-Versailles feeling by many British -
  Germany had legitimate grievances - harshness of
  the treaty/sympathy etc.
• The current debate - Italy/Abyssinia was far more
  violent since Hitler claimed his move was
  defensive not offensive and Hitler's promises and
  offer of 25-year non-aggression pact sounded
  good!

Point four from source Country will not allow
us to take action
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Point five from source Issue is purely a French
concern

• Recall evaluating point from source
• This is accurate - certainly reflects the
  hostility of many in the UK towards the
  counter-productive nature of the Franco-Soviet
  Pact and the continual French obsession with
  Germany
• Germany were the victim as painted by anti-French
  propaganda

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Link back to the question
How fully does Source A illustrate the issues
raised by the remilitarisation of the Rhineland
in Source A? 6
He captures the essence of the debate on the
Rhineland issue caused at the time and the
dilemma i.e. difficult position Hitler's action
put Britain in!
So Nicholson does highlight some of the issues
which were on the mind of the Government and
public at the time.
i.e. we knew, technically, we should have acted,
but in the cold light of day were the actions
worth a war?... we concluded no!
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Additional Recall With the benefit of hindsight
and not probably known by Nicholson when he
recorded his observations in his dairy were other
factors influencing British reaction 1.
Although privately concerned the Government
wanted to cool the threat that the Rhineland
might potentially cause - with statements like
'back-garden' 'action out of proportion' etc they
hoped to take the sting out of the event.
(Although the Government did not agree with what
Hitler had done they were more concerned with the
way he had carried out the remilitarisation) but
the Government had economic/political reasons to
consider before contemplating action
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• without allies, (old WWI allies now not available
  or willing or unreliable) there was little
  funding for war, (welfare/dole)
• the effects of depression, (weak economy)
• apparent anti-war public opinion, (as examples
  above tended to show)
• overestimation of German military capability
  (believed propaganda)
• French defensive mentality having built the
  Maginot line.
• weaknesses of the British military which was
  currently overstretched due to the demands of the
  Empire and under-funded by the effects of the Ten
  Year Rule acts etc.
• All these factors had a bearing on the ability of
  the British Government to act even if they had
  wanted to. In general, the opinion at the time
  was to use the event to bring Hitler back into
  the League and move to negotiate what they
  considered as legitimate grievances to maintain
  peace. This was a step to further treaties and
  peace, not towards war as it appears now with the
  benefit of hindsight.

Additional Recall
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Additional Recall 2. Although Nicholson records
the lack of will to act, there were
some voices at the time who did demand action.
The scathing cartoons of David Low and EH
Shepherd (illustration of the Nazi Goose Step
into the Rhineland) could be added to criticisms
by Churchill, Duff Cooper and Austin Chamberlain
and a number of individual letters to newspapers.
But their views were largely unheeded.
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Conclusion
Yes, we can accept the issues raised by
Nicholson as reflecting the dilemmas underlying
the British response and a willingness to accept
and deal with Hitler. It was a compromise, the
first example of appeasement in action, as Eden
himself noted at the time.
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1-2 Selects some relevant evidence from the
source and/or recalled knowledge but without
making the required evaluation. 3-4 Selects
relevant evidence from the source and uses
limited recall to inform a basic evaluation in
terms of the question. 5-6 Establishes the main
points in the source and uses recalled knowledge
to evaluate these and reach an appropriate
conclusion.