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European Tensions | War
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Dieppe |
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Italy | Conscription
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France |
Netherlands |
Germany
Throughout the 30's Nazi Germany had been
growing in military power, diplomatic influence and
political attractiveness. The right wing philosophy of
Hitler and his National Socialist party offered what
seemed to many as a viable alternative to many in the
capitalistic, democratic world and as a staunch enemy to
the communist power entrenched in the USSR. The demand by Germany that
it's natural population and boarders be restored started
in 1936 with the reoccupation of the Rhineland. In March
of 1936 Hitler concluded an agreement with Mussolini of
Italy known as the Pact of steel which committed them to
each other in pursuing their territorial ambitions and
coming to each others aid in time of war. The Germans
and Italians also supported the Fascists in Spain during
their civil war. (1936-39) Many Canadians volunteered
for the international and Spanish forces that fought
against General Francisco Franco's fascists in the
Mackenzie Papineau brigade. They were denied assistance
by the democracies and were defeated.
Hitler then turned his eyes south and
executed the
Anschluss of
Austria, on 12 March 1938, into Greater Germany and then
the demand that the German territory in Czechoslovakia
know as the Sudetenland be handed over to Germany.
In 1937 Mackenzie King left for England
to attend the Imperial Conference where he backed a
declaration passed by the conference supporting the
policy of appeasement. King next traveled to Germany to
meet Hitler and judge for himself the intentions of the
Nazi regime. Unfortunately, King was charmed by Hitler
and left Germany believing that the Germans were not
intent upon aggressive expression but only wanted to
restore the country to the status which it rightly
deserved and only bring those areas with German
population back into the Reich. King congratulated
Chamberlain after the Munich agreement was signed and
Czechoslovakia's future sealed.
The heart of Canada is
rejoicing tonight as the success which has crowned your
unremitting efforts for peace. May I convey to you the
warm congratulations of the Canadian people and with
them an expression of their gratitude that is felt from
one end of the Dominion to the other.
Mackenzie King September
1938
These moves were looked upon by many in
England and France as justified. There was a fear that
by confronting Germany it might lead to another war
which would once again sacrifice the blood of generation
on the alter of nationalistic ambition. There were
however those, such as Churchill, who felt that unless
Germany were stopped early on, they would increase their
demands, rearm, and grow in power until the situation
reached a point which would make a Second Great War
unavoidable. The Czech crisis came to a head when
Neville Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister, flew to
Munich to meet with Hitler regarding a solution between
the "Great powers".
Canada and
the United States stood largely apart form these issues
and the European transformation of the balance of power.
The main issue for Canada was that if another conflict
between Britain and it's Empire against Germany did
occur, would Canada rush to the aid and support of Great
Britain. By the act of Westminster in 1931, Canada had
been formally given control of it's foreign policy by the
British Parliament and would hence make it's own
decisions about war, peace, international relations and
alliances.
The meeting at Munich produced an
agreement between Chamberlain and Hitler proclaimed that
the Sudetenland would be handed over to Germany but that
would be the 3rd Reich's last territorial demand.
Chamberlain returned to England with the Munich
Agreement in hand proclaiming the there would be peace
in our time.
This process of
appeasement of Hitler and the Nazis took on a very
sinister meaning when after giving up the Sudetenland to
Hitler, between October 1st and 10th of 1938, contrary
to the agreement Hitler and Germany invaded the rest of
the Czech homeland in March of 1939 and assisted
Slovakia to become independent and a Nazi satellite. The
powers in England and France finally realized that
Hitler could not be stopped by negotiations and
agreements. The became determined to form a larger
alliance with countries such as Poland and the Soviet
Union in order to force Germany to stop. The same logic
and diplomacy that had helped Europe blunder into the
First World War had set the stage for a Second more
terrible conflict. The tension levels in Europe had
struck a fever pitch and in Canada the rumours of the
coming confrontation were becoming loader.
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