When did Adolf Hitler remilitarize the Rhineland?
Adolf Hitler ordered German troops to enter the Rhineland on the 7th of March 1936. Nineteen infantry battalions and aircraft crossed into the zone by 11:00 a.m. that same day.
Questions about Remilitarisation of the Rhineland
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What treaty violations did Germany commit during the remilitarization of the Rhineland?
Germany violated Articles 42, 43 and 44 of the Treaty of Versailles signed in 1919 which forbade fortifications within fifty kilometers to the east of the river. The regime also renounced the Locarno Treaties signed in October 1925 which had reaffirmed the demilitarized status as permanent.
Why did France fail to stop the German forces from entering the Rhineland?
France could not afford the cost of full mobilization which General Maurice Gamelin estimated at thirty million francs per day. The French Air Force was considered inferior to the Luftwaffe and issues with aircraft production hampered their ability to replace losses.
How did the British government respond to the remilitarization of the Rhineland in 1936?
Britain issued a vague statement linking security to French security and agreed to limited staff talks without taking military action. Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin claimed Britain lacked resources to enforce treaty guarantees and public opinion would not support military force.
What were the immediate consequences of the remilitarization for European alliances?
Belgium dropped its defensive alliance with France and returned to reliance on neutrality during a war. Czechoslovak President Edvard Beneš considered renouncing his alliance with France while King Carol II of Romania concluded his country might have to move from the French to the German sphere of influence.