Nazi Foreign Policy (debate)
Encyclopedia
This article refers to the historical argument over the Nazi Foreign Policy in terms of territorial expansion. The National Socialists (Nazis) governed Germany
between 1933 and 1945. The argument being debated is whether Adolf Hitler
, who was the leader and referred to as the Führer
(Leader), wanted just eastern European expansion (to counter the threat of Communist Russia
) or whether he planned for long-term global domination. What is clear in definitive terms is that Hitler’s foreign policy had three clear aims: destruction of the Treaty of Versailles
, the idea of Lebensraum
and reuniting of Germans lost in the territorial decrees of Versailles.
who, in their respected works, claim that it was Hitler’s dream to create ‘Eutopia’ and eventually challenge the United States
. This thesis puts these two historians in the ‘Continentalist’ category, with opposition labelled ‘Globalists’. Evidence to counter these claims comes from Germany’s preparation for war in the years 1933-39 with increased interest in naval building, and Hitler’s decision to declare war on the USA after the attack on Pearl Harbor
, which shows Hitler’s determination. The Globalists use this as an argument for how Hitler’s ideology was shaped; i.e. the USA could only be defeated if Germany conquered Europe
and allied with Britain. It is said with general agreement that this viewpoint expressed by Hitler were written with the mindset that the USA was of little interest to Germany, and did not pose a threat to her existence. However, noted through speeches and recorded conversations, after 1930, Hitler viewed the United States as a Mongrel State, incapable of unleashing war and competing economically with Germany due the extreme effects of the Great Depression
. Even in the late 1930s, as Continentalists argue against world conquest, Hitler seems to still disregard the USA’s power in the world, and believes that only through German-American citizens can the USA revive and prosper. This may shed light as to why Hitler made the decision to declare war on the United States after Pearl Harbor, and continued to focus on European Expansion in the late 1930s.
to last a thousand years, clearly show Hitler's aspirations for the future. Although this seems a weak argument to make; clearly these messages are a result of Nazi Ideology intent on creating followers and boosting morale, what stems from this is the idea of ‘global character’ in reference to war. There is no doubt that Hitler dreamed about the future of his Homeland, and in preparations for war, must have thought about the consequences of victory over the USSR. His struggle, as he would reference in his most famous book, Mein Kampf
, would and eventually did take on a global character, as he found his country fighting wars on many fronts across the world. The Globalist mindset for Hitler’s foreign policy can be supported by the spiraling events of World War II
, along with his second book and the debatable meaning of Lebensraum; although the Continentalists can use Lebensraum as evidence to counter.
, a continentalist historian who has done extensive work on German history, claims in his book ‘From Kaiserreich to Third Reich: Elements of Continuity in German History, 1871-1945’ that foreign policy was just a continuous trend from Bismarck’s
imperialistic policies; that Hitler wanted an empire to protect German interests at a time of economic instability and pressure from competing Global empires. While in practice, this is not far from the truth as the idea of Lebensraum is an irrefutable fact, Fritz’s argument can be countered with the nature Hitler conducted foreign policy. He appeased, showed an apparent willingness to negotiate, and sought to win international recognition, while simultaneously initiating the strategy of threats, surprise moves, and illegal rearmament in breach of the Treaty of Versailles
. Bismarck wished upon aggressive tactics in foreign policy; Hitler seemed to like surprises, for example the non-aggression pact with Poland
in January 1934.
, a functionalist historian, has been noted many times to point towards an ideological foreign policy; fuelled by anti-Semitism
, anti-Communism
and Lebensraum. He says that Hitler acted towards these three ideals to inspire popularity in his regime and to carry on the amazing transformation he ignited upon coming to power. In relation to foreign policy, this meant the destruction of the Treaty of Versailles and the reuniting of German territories lost after World War I
, along with the eradication of Jews and communists around the world. He provides evidence with preparations made in 1938 to take land in the East of Europe, which fits in with the ideology of colonization, economic independency, and the creation of the Third Reich. Broszat offers a Continentalist case in declaring that Hitler was still dreaming of Eutopia when he did not include Poland in his plans before 1939, and focused upon Czechoslovakia
and Austria
instead; easily attainable territories. Broszat argues against world conquest in this respect, and notes that the escalating ideological radicalism of the Nazi’s anti-Semitic views prevented them from being able to launch a truly serious attempt to take over the world. Germany found itself unwillingly in a world war, not a European one.
produced a book entitled ‘Origins of the Second World War’, which paints a completely different picture of how Nazi foreign policy was shaped and executed. Taylor's thesis was that Hitler was not the demoniacal figure of popular imagination but in foreign affairs a normal German leader, and compared the foreign policy of the Weimar Republic
to that of Hitler, i.e. wanting the destruction of the Treaty of Versailles and wanting her former territories back but by peaceful means, not aggressive. His argument was that Hitler wished to make Germany the strongest power in Europe but he did not want or plan war. The outbreak of war in 1939 was an unfortunate accident caused by mistakes on everyone's part. In addition, Taylor portrayed Hitler as a grasping opportunist with no beliefs other than the pursuit of power and to rid himself of the Jewish question. He argued that Hitler did not possess any sort of long-term plan and his foreign policy was one of drift and seizing chances as they offered themselves. He assigns blame on the harsh restrictions of Versailles, which created animosity amongst Germans, and when Hitler preached of a greater Germany, the public believed in his words and was ready to accept.
However, the idea put forward that he was a gifted opportunist that, although Taylor completely rules out long term planning, Hitler was shrewd enough to seize upon when presented has a lot of evidence. For example, he used the appeasement policies of Britain and France
to deliberately defy them in March 1935 when he announced conscription into the army and creation of the Luftwaffe
. He gambled upon the Austrian government to not oppose him when he invaded Vienna
in March 1938 after realizing Britain and France would never intervene. He used the opportunity of the September 1938 Munich conference to make Britain and France accept his demands for Lebensraum in Czechoslovakia. He used the breakdown in relations between Britain-France and the Soviet Union to sign the Nazi-Soviet non-aggression pact to solidify his future actions against Poland and Holland-Belgium
. Taylor's point on this debate sparked uproar and widespread rebuttal, but the whole argument on the nature of Nazi foreign policy was created from his work.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
between 1933 and 1945. The argument being debated is whether Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
, who was the leader and referred to as the Führer
Führer
Führer , alternatively spelled Fuehrer in both English and German when the umlaut is not available, is a German title meaning leader or guide now most associated with Adolf Hitler, who modelled it on Benito Mussolini's title il Duce, as well as with Georg von Schönerer, whose followers also...
(Leader), wanted just eastern European expansion (to counter the threat of Communist Russia
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
) or whether he planned for long-term global domination. What is clear in definitive terms is that Hitler’s foreign policy had three clear aims: destruction of the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
, the idea of Lebensraum
Lebensraum
was one of the major political ideas of Adolf Hitler, and an important component of Nazi ideology. It served as the motivation for the expansionist policies of Nazi Germany, aiming to provide extra space for the growth of the German population, for a Greater Germany...
and reuniting of Germans lost in the territorial decrees of Versailles.
Moltman and Hillgruber
The argument for what these aims meant in literal terms originates from the 1960s by historians Gunter Moltman and Andreas HillgruberAndreas Hillgruber
Andreas Fritz Hillgruber was a conservative German historian. Hillgruber was influential as a military and diplomatic historian.At his death in 1989, the American historian Francis L...
who, in their respected works, claim that it was Hitler’s dream to create ‘Eutopia’ and eventually challenge the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. This thesis puts these two historians in the ‘Continentalist’ category, with opposition labelled ‘Globalists’. Evidence to counter these claims comes from Germany’s preparation for war in the years 1933-39 with increased interest in naval building, and Hitler’s decision to declare war on the USA after the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, which shows Hitler’s determination. The Globalists use this as an argument for how Hitler’s ideology was shaped; i.e. the USA could only be defeated if Germany conquered Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and allied with Britain. It is said with general agreement that this viewpoint expressed by Hitler were written with the mindset that the USA was of little interest to Germany, and did not pose a threat to her existence. However, noted through speeches and recorded conversations, after 1930, Hitler viewed the United States as a Mongrel State, incapable of unleashing war and competing economically with Germany due the extreme effects of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. Even in the late 1930s, as Continentalists argue against world conquest, Hitler seems to still disregard the USA’s power in the world, and believes that only through German-American citizens can the USA revive and prosper. This may shed light as to why Hitler made the decision to declare war on the United States after Pearl Harbor, and continued to focus on European Expansion in the late 1930s.
Jochen Thies
There are other arguments for the case of the Globalists; Jochen Thies has been noted to say that plans for world domination can be seen in Hitler's ideology of displaying power. The creation of magnificent buildings and the use of propaganda to demonstrate German strength, along with the message to create a ReichReich
Reich is a German word cognate with the English rich, but also used to designate an empire, realm, or nation. The qualitative connotation from the German is " sovereign state." It is the word traditionally used for a variety of sovereign entities, including Germany in many periods of its history...
to last a thousand years, clearly show Hitler's aspirations for the future. Although this seems a weak argument to make; clearly these messages are a result of Nazi Ideology intent on creating followers and boosting morale, what stems from this is the idea of ‘global character’ in reference to war. There is no doubt that Hitler dreamed about the future of his Homeland, and in preparations for war, must have thought about the consequences of victory over the USSR. His struggle, as he would reference in his most famous book, Mein Kampf
Mein Kampf
Mein Kampf is a book written by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. It combines elements of autobiography with an exposition of Hitler's political ideology. Volume 1 of Mein Kampf was published in 1925 and Volume 2 in 1926...
, would and eventually did take on a global character, as he found his country fighting wars on many fronts across the world. The Globalist mindset for Hitler’s foreign policy can be supported by the spiraling events of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, along with his second book and the debatable meaning of Lebensraum; although the Continentalists can use Lebensraum as evidence to counter.
Fritz Fischer
Fritz FischerFritz Fischer
Fritz Fischer was a German historian best known for his analysis of the causes of World War I. Fischer has been described by The Encyclopedia of Historians and Historical Writing as the most important German historian of the 20th century.-Biography:Fischer was born in Ludwigsstadt in Bavaria. His...
, a continentalist historian who has done extensive work on German history, claims in his book ‘From Kaiserreich to Third Reich: Elements of Continuity in German History, 1871-1945’ that foreign policy was just a continuous trend from Bismarck’s
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
imperialistic policies; that Hitler wanted an empire to protect German interests at a time of economic instability and pressure from competing Global empires. While in practice, this is not far from the truth as the idea of Lebensraum is an irrefutable fact, Fritz’s argument can be countered with the nature Hitler conducted foreign policy. He appeased, showed an apparent willingness to negotiate, and sought to win international recognition, while simultaneously initiating the strategy of threats, surprise moves, and illegal rearmament in breach of the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
. Bismarck wished upon aggressive tactics in foreign policy; Hitler seemed to like surprises, for example the non-aggression pact with Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in January 1934.
Martin Broszat
Martin BroszatMartin Broszat
Martin Broszat was a German historian specializing in modern German social history whose work has been described by The Encyclopedia of Historians as indispensable for any serious study of the Third Reich. Broszat was born in Leipzig, Germany and studied history at the University of Leipzig and...
, a functionalist historian, has been noted many times to point towards an ideological foreign policy; fuelled by anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
, anti-Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
and Lebensraum. He says that Hitler acted towards these three ideals to inspire popularity in his regime and to carry on the amazing transformation he ignited upon coming to power. In relation to foreign policy, this meant the destruction of the Treaty of Versailles and the reuniting of German territories lost after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, along with the eradication of Jews and communists around the world. He provides evidence with preparations made in 1938 to take land in the East of Europe, which fits in with the ideology of colonization, economic independency, and the creation of the Third Reich. Broszat offers a Continentalist case in declaring that Hitler was still dreaming of Eutopia when he did not include Poland in his plans before 1939, and focused upon Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
instead; easily attainable territories. Broszat argues against world conquest in this respect, and notes that the escalating ideological radicalism of the Nazi’s anti-Semitic views prevented them from being able to launch a truly serious attempt to take over the world. Germany found itself unwillingly in a world war, not a European one.
A. J. P. Taylor
However, in 1961, A. J. P. TaylorA. J. P. Taylor
Alan John Percivale Taylor, FBA was a British historian of the 20th century and renowned academic who became well known to millions through his popular television lectures.-Early life:...
produced a book entitled ‘Origins of the Second World War’, which paints a completely different picture of how Nazi foreign policy was shaped and executed. Taylor's thesis was that Hitler was not the demoniacal figure of popular imagination but in foreign affairs a normal German leader, and compared the foreign policy of the Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
to that of Hitler, i.e. wanting the destruction of the Treaty of Versailles and wanting her former territories back but by peaceful means, not aggressive. His argument was that Hitler wished to make Germany the strongest power in Europe but he did not want or plan war. The outbreak of war in 1939 was an unfortunate accident caused by mistakes on everyone's part. In addition, Taylor portrayed Hitler as a grasping opportunist with no beliefs other than the pursuit of power and to rid himself of the Jewish question. He argued that Hitler did not possess any sort of long-term plan and his foreign policy was one of drift and seizing chances as they offered themselves. He assigns blame on the harsh restrictions of Versailles, which created animosity amongst Germans, and when Hitler preached of a greater Germany, the public believed in his words and was ready to accept.
However, the idea put forward that he was a gifted opportunist that, although Taylor completely rules out long term planning, Hitler was shrewd enough to seize upon when presented has a lot of evidence. For example, he used the appeasement policies of Britain and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to deliberately defy them in March 1935 when he announced conscription into the army and creation of the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
. He gambled upon the Austrian government to not oppose him when he invaded Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in March 1938 after realizing Britain and France would never intervene. He used the opportunity of the September 1938 Munich conference to make Britain and France accept his demands for Lebensraum in Czechoslovakia. He used the breakdown in relations between Britain-France and the Soviet Union to sign the Nazi-Soviet non-aggression pact to solidify his future actions against Poland and Holland-Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. Taylor's point on this debate sparked uproar and widespread rebuttal, but the whole argument on the nature of Nazi foreign policy was created from his work.
See also
- SonderwegSonderwegSonderweg is a controversial theory in German historiography that considers the German-speaking lands, or the country Germany, to have followed a unique course from aristocracy into democracy, distinct from other European countries...
- Functionalism versus intentionalismFunctionalism versus intentionalismFunctionalism versus intentionalism is a historiographical debate about the origins of the Holocaust as well as most aspects of the Third Reich, such as foreign policy...
- HistorikerstreitHistorikerstreitThe Historikerstreit was an intellectual and political controversy in late 20th-century West Germany about the historical interpretation of the Holocaust. The German word Streit translates variously as "quarrel", "dispute", or "conflict"...
("Historians' Dispute")