Remilitarization of Rhineland

Time lines

1- (28 june 1919) Treaty of Versailles was held in Paris.

2- (1935)        Was the deadline for withdrawal of Allies troops from Rhineland.

3- (1923)        France occupied Rhineland for reparation purpose.

4- (1925)        Under the terms of Locarno conference the permanent demilitarized status of Rhineland was approved.

4- (1929)        The Hague conference happened. and approved the evacuation of Rhineland by 1930.

5- (1930)        All the Allies army left Rhineland.

6- (7 march 1936) the formal remilitarization of Rhineland happened by Hitler.

World war one left behind many political, economic and territorial disputes among European nations, and Rhineland was one of the noticeable examples between France and Germany. World war one also left Germany devastated militarily and economically that she couldn’t meet the payment of reparation requirements, which lead to France’s occupation over Rhineland for reparation purpose. However under the terms of the treaty of Versailles and Locarno pact the permanent demilitarized status of Rhineland was approved after withdrawal of Allies military at 1935, but at 1936 while UN and Allies were busy with Abyssinian crisis, Hitler the German chancellor remilitarized Rhineland.

At 1919 world war one was end, and armistice was announced between the war sides. The countries which were involved in war came together and formed the treaty of Versailles in 28 june 1919 for maintaining the future peace of the world. One of the terms that the member of treaty agreed upon was the demilitarization of Rhineland (a key industrial location between Germany and France) after 1935, but until then Allies military forces while control over Rhineland.

By 1923 Germany’s economic situation faced a hyperinflation and she was not able to fulfill the requirements of reparation which she was accused to pay for Allies for causing the war.The weakness of Germany paved the way for France to occupy Rhineland for reparation purpose, which caused for more agers of German nationalists who were already angry from the harshness of reparation in the treaty of Versailles. Gustav Stresemann’s (the German chancellor and foreign minister during the Weimar republic) attempts became more significant for ending hyperinflation and rebuilding Germany’s relationship with France and other Allies.

In 1925 under the terms of Locarno pact Stresemann got a better chance for stabilizing Germany’s economy, but remilitarization in Rhineland after 1935 was reconfirmed again. At 1930 all the Allies army based on the outcome of “Hague conference” at 1929 where Britain proposed the withdrawal of Allies army from Rhineland, withdrew from Rhineland.

On the other hand German nationalists always wanted to revise the treaty of Versailles for Germany’s favor. Their efforts eventually lead for the rise of Hitler one of the German nationalists. Hitler came to power at 1933 after the collapse of Weimar republic. By now Germany was again one of the major powers in Europe in terms of Military and industrial strength.

The breach of the terms of the treaty of Versailles by both Japan and Italy while invading Manchuria and Abyssinia, the preoccupation of UN and Allies with Abyssinian crisis, the naval convention of Britain with Germany, and the breakdown of Stresa front all made Hitler to feel enough strong to militarize Rhineland. The Remilitarization of Rhineland took place when Hitler ordered his first group of army composed of 22000 soldiers to enter Rhineland at 7 March 1936. By remilitarizing Rhineland Hitler proved that now Germany was a major power in Europe and treaties which aimed to bring peace was not significant for controlling the situation. Remilitarization of Rhineland provoked the sparks of another bigger incident which eventually took place at 1939 and left the world more devastated.