World War 2 - The Build up to War part III

During 1937 the Nazi's started to accelerate their persecution of German Jews, as many were excluded from employment in the private and public sector, in many towns Jews could not find anywhere to live as well as not being able to buy food and medicine for themselves and their families, in many towns in Germany shops even displayed signs banning Jews from entering their stores.

Nearing the end of 1937 the Austrian government became aware of a plot involving Austrian Nazi's and Germany aiming to take power in Austria, using a justification that Germany was aiming to prevent another Hapsburg Restoration which in 1938 he used by demanding that the Austrian Nazi's be left unrestricted and included in the Austrian government. Under impending threat of invasion if Hitler's demands were not met Austria's Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg expecting no assistance from Britain and France, with Italy a year earlier signing a pact with, Germany no help was expected from the Italians, so reluctantly agreed. However after a sudden u-turn Schuschnigg decided he would stand up to Hitler proclaiming "Austria would never voluntarily surrender its independence". In a speech to the Austrian people Schuschnigg stated that a vote of the people would take place to ascertain whether the Austrian people wanted unity with Germany or her own independence.

Feeling outraged by Schuschnigg's act of defiance and worried that a vote would not go in the Third Reich's favour, Germany placed her troops on Austria's border ready for invasion, feeling the added pressure of the impending invasion Schuschnigg resigned to be replaced by a pro Nazi lawyer in Germany's pocket named Seyess-Inquart and on March 11th German troops crossed the border into Austria without any military engagements. The reason stated for the movement of troops was an invitation from the new chancellor to help quash a Communist uprising.

On March 13th Austria was declared a province of Germany returning Hitler to the country of his birth where many Austrians welcomed him as their saviour. Now under Nazi control the persecution of the Austrian Jews would begin as well as others who were known to be unreceptive to the cause including the former chancellor Schuschnigg who was arrested imprisoned and tortured for almost two years, then thrown into the suffering of a concentration camp.

With Austria secure under Nazi rule, Hitler would next turn his attention towards Czechoslovakia a nation created by the Treaty of Versailles which consisted of many different ethnic origins including Czechs, Poles, Magyars, Slovaks, Ruthenians and Germans. About one quarter of the population were German mainly situated in the Sudetenland which bordered Germany, The Sudetenland was an industrial part of the country and the many Germans living there resented living under the Czech government and on hearing of Austria's annexation with Germany became hopeful of a similar outcome in the Sudetenland for which they demanded political equality and independence, which would be rejected by the Czech government in Prague. Hitler publicly showing his desire to rescue the Sudeten Germans, complained to the Czech government of the treatment of the Sudeten's. Hitler in his own mind felt ready for war with a desire to crush the Czech's in the very near future, which eventually persuaded by many of his Generals and high ranking officials within the Third Reich including Hermann Goering that Germany was not yet ready for war so a diplomatic solution would need to be reached.


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