Even before the plebiscite that confirmed the annexation of Austria by Germany,

Adolf Hitler was already on to the next thing.

Welcome to the history of the 20th century.

The 20th century. Episode 305, Peace for Our Time.

In the past two episodes, we looked at how Germany and Italy,

and their respective dictators, Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini,

were drawing closer together, beginning in 1936, when both countries began aiding the Spanish generals in the

civil war there. In the fall of 1937, Hitler had some scandals on his hands, involving both his war

minister, Werner von Blomberg, and his military commander-in-chief, Werner von Fritch.

He had told both of them of his aim to eliminate both Austria and Czechoslovakia, and they

had warned him of dire consequences, possibly a war with France and or Britain,

a war for which Germany was not yet prepared.

Just months later, both of them were gone, and Hitler was able to resolve those scandals

and force through unification of Austria with Germany, the Anschluss, a process that involved

threats of military intervention, but in the end was effected peacefully.

The newly unified at German Reich was bigger and stronger than ever, and Adolf Hitler

was more popular than ever, both in Germany and Austria.

As had happened two years earlier, when he had ordered German soldiers into the Rhineland,

his military and foreign policy advisors had warned him that the risks were grave.

And, as had happened two years ago, he forged a head anyway, got what he wanted,

winning widespread approval with the German public, while the French and the British stood aside

and did no more than make diplomatic protests. These two dramatic successes left Hitler convinced he had a special ability, a special flare,

...