German challenges to the post-war settlements (1933-1938)

Rearmament

Aided by Saarland plebiscite → Hitler declares that he will not follow TOV’s disarmament clauses
- Introduced conscription
- Increased budget for the military
- Modern air force developed
Stresa Front
- Alarmed by Germany, Britain, France and Italy tried to resist Germany’s expansion + border challenges
- Ended when the UK ⇒ Anglo-German naval agreement

June 1935
- Allowed Germany to build 35% of British Navy
- Revised terms of the TOV whilst maintaining British superiority
Allowed UK to be secure without increasing spending on arms
Showed Hitler that he did not have to follow TOV
- Greatly undermined world order

1936 – against Locarno and TOV, Hitler reoccupied the area, because…
- Secure borders with France, protect Ruhr (many natural resources for war)
- British Endorsement ⇒ legitimized expansion
  - Japan, Italy also defied LON
- Stresa Front failed → West unwilling to go to war
  - Abyssinia ⇒ difficult position for GB and FN
- Exploit this for propaganda
France ❤ USSR agreement
- Hitler argued that ^ this broke Locarno agreement so Germany should be allowed to have security
- At same time, Hitler offered non-aggression with France
- British still assured that Hitler would not start a war
March 1936 – 20k men into Rhineland
- Success for Hitler
- Blow to TOV
- Blow for France ⇒ exposed to GM aggression