Hitler's foreign policy involved taking risks.

Mark scheme

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

1. [1] Many in Britain thought that Germany had a right to do what it wanted in the Rhineland.
2. [1] Britain and France did not want to risk a war over territory that already belonged to Germany.
3. [1] Hitler promised a non-aggression pact and so Britain and France did nothing.
4. [1] France had great economic problems at the time and could not afford to do anything.
5. [1] Public opinion in France was strongly against the French government doing anything.
6. [1] At first, France hinted at taking military action but then did nothing.
7. [1] Britain did not have the military resources to do anything and so did nothing.
8. [6] The failures of the League of Nations in the 1930s were crucial to Hitler as they demonstrated that the League was unwilling and incapable of taking meaningful action against aggressive foreign policies. This was evident in its inaction following Japan's invasion of Manchuria and, more pertinently, Italy's invasion of Abyssinia, which was closer to Europe. These failures showed Hitler that individual member states prioritized their national interests over international collective security. This reinforced his belief that he could continue to dismantle the Treaty of Versailles and pursue his aggressive foreign policy goals without significant repercussions from the League.
9. [1] The League had shown that it could not take any meaningful action against aggressors.
10. [1] Both Japan and Italy had got away with invading other countries. This was an important lesson for Hitler.
11. [1] The League showed that individual members put themselves first and so the League could not agree on any strong action.
12. [10] One might be surprised that Germany invaded Poland in September 1939 because Britain and France had finally shown resolve. After Hitler's previous aggressions, they guaranteed Poland's aid if attacked. Hitler, presumably, would have understood that invading Poland meant war with Britain and France, a two-front war he initially aimed to avoid, thus making his decision a significant risk and surprising given the Western powers' firm stance. OR One might not be surprised because of the Nazi-Soviet Pact, which eliminated the risk of a two-front war for Germany by dividing Poland between them. This removed a major deterrent to Hitler's ambitions. Furthermore, the prior failures of Britain and France to effectively counter Hitler's previous aggressions (e.g., Rhineland, Anschluss, Sudetenland) had taught him that they were unlikely to intervene militarily, making the invasion of Poland a logical next step in his expansionist policy.
13. [1] Britain and France promised to come to Poland's aid if it was attacked.
14. [1] By this time, Britain and France were determined not to let Germany get away with any more aggression and conquest.
15. [1] The Nazi-Soviet Pact made invading Poland a lot less risky.
16. [1] Hitler wanted to reverse the Treaty of Versailles which had created Poland.
17. [1] Poland included land that had belonged to Germany before 1919.