1935: The Growing Threat of War

Abstract

In 1935 the threat of fascism to world peace greatly increased. The Axis — Germany, Italy and Japan — began to be established, and Nazi rule in Germany was consolidated. The looming menace of Nazism became increasingly obvious. On January 13, in accordance with the Versailles treaty, a plebiscite was held in the Saar, and the population voted to rejoin Germany. The overwhelming vote demonstrated that Germans could be rallied by the Nazi patriotic appeal. Two months later, on March 13, in defiance of the Versailles treaty, Germany declared itself free from the obligation not to build military aircraft.1 Three days later, again ignoring the treaty, Hitler announced the introduction of compulsory military service.2