Anschluss — Annexation of Austria
On 12 March 1938, German troops crossed into Austria and were greeted in many places by cheering crowds; the following day Hitler proclaimed the Anschluss — the union of Austria with the German Reich — to massive popular celebration in Vienna. Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg had called a referendum to defend independence but was coerced into cancelling it and resigning under German ultimatum; his successor immediately invited German forces in. The annexation, explicitly prohibited by the Versailles Treaty, added 6.7 million people and Austria's industrial and gold reserves to the Reich, significantly strengthening Germany's strategic position. Britain and France protested but took no action — the 'self-determination' logic that Wilson had enshrined in the peace settlement could be twisted to justify German absorption of German-speaking Austria, making opposition politically awkward. The Anschluss demonstrated that the western powers would acquiesce in open treaty violations.
- Year: 1938 CE
- Category: Political
