In the 1930s, Germany first began to expand aggressively by
A invading Russia.
B rebuilding the German military.
C joining German forces with Italy.
D making a pact with China.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is B) rebuilding the German military.
In the 1930s, Germany, under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime, began to aggressively expand its military capabilities, which was a critical step toward its later acts of aggression in Europe. After World War I, Germany had been bound by the Treaty of Versailles (1919), which imposed severe restrictions on its military. These restrictions were designed to prevent Germany from becoming a military threat again. However, Hitler, who became Chancellor of Germany in 1933, aimed to overturn these constraints and restore Germany’s power.
One of Hitler’s key early actions was to begin rebuilding the German military, starting in the mid-1930s. He initiated a rearmament program, which included the expansion of the army, the development of new military technologies, and the establishment of a conscription system that mandated military service for young German men. This military buildup was in violation of the Treaty of Versailles, but Hitler justified it by claiming that Germany had the right to defend itself and expand its military for national security purposes.
The remilitarization of Germany played a crucial role in Hitler’s broader plans of territorial expansion. It provided the military strength needed to invade other countries, starting with the occupation of the Rhineland in 1936, followed by the annexation of Austria (the Anschluss) in 1938 and the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia in 1939. These actions were not only part of Hitler’s goal to restore German power but also part of his broader plan for territorial expansion and the establishment of a Greater German Empire.
This rearmament and aggressive military buildup were key factors leading to World War II, as it enabled Germany to eventually invade Poland in 1939, an action that directly triggered the war. Thus, the rebuilding of the German military in the 1930s was the first major step toward aggressive expansion.