Hitler's foreign policy involved Germany in the affairs of many countries.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2021). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1-4] e.g. 'The Agreement allowed Germany to increase its fleet.’
2. [1-4] 'It allowed Germany to build submarines.’
3. [1-4] 'It allowed Germany to have a fleet that was 35% the size of Britain's.'
4. [1-4] 'It allowed Germany to have submarines up to 45% of Britain's numbers.'
5. [1-4] 'It allowed the Germans to break the Treaty of Versailles.'
6. [1-4] 'France was not consulted.'
7. [2-3] 'Hitler believed Germany and Austria belonged together.'
8. [2-3] 'Austria was where Hitler was born.'
9. [2-3] ‘He wanted to develop a Greater Germany.'
10. [2-3] 'He wanted to unite German speakers.'
11. [2-3] 'He wanted to break the Treaty of Versailles.'
12. [2-3] 'Hitler wanted Austria's mineral deposits.'
13. [2-3] 'To increase the strength of his military.'
14. [4-5] e.g. 'Hitler stated in Mein Kampf that he wanted to create a Greater Germany and to overthrow the Treaty of Versailles. Anschluss had been forbidden by the Treaty and so a union would help him achieve both these aims.'
15. [2-3] 'Hitler could test his Luftwaffe.'
16. [2-3] 'Hitler was fighting against communism.'
17. [2-3] 'Mussolini and Hitler worked closely together in Spain, leading to the ‘Rome-Berlin Axis'.'
18. [2-3] 'Czechoslovakia was rich in resources.'
19. [2-3] 'Czechoslovakia contained the Skoda armaments factories.'
20. [2-3] 'Hitler was able to reunite German speakers.'
21. [4-6] e.g. 'The Spanish Civil War was important for Hitler as it gave him the opportunity to test the capability of his Luftwaffe in strategic bombing of Spanish towns such as Guernica. It was testing carpet bombing which made civilians a direct target. The attacks were designed in waves to maximise the damage and casualties.'
22. [4-6] OR e.g. 'The takeover of Czechoslovakia was important for Hitler. It was rich in agriculture and industry and he wanted these resources to strengthen Germany for the war effort. This made Germany more powerful. The takeover also encouraged him to think that the British and French would not try to stop him in his plans to dominate Europe.'