Germany Remilitarized the Rhineland

Definition

This refers to Hitler's decision in 1936 to send German troops into the Rhineland, a demilitarized zone according to the Treaty of Versailles, marking a significant step towards World War II.

Analogy

Imagine if a kid who was grounded and told not to leave their room decided one day just to walk out and go play outside. That's what Germany did when it remilitarized the Rhineland - it broke rules set by Treaty of Versailles.

Related terms

Appeasement: The policy of making concessions to dictatorial powers in order to avoid conflict, associated primarily with British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's approach towards Nazi Germany.

Anschluss: The annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany on 12 March 1938. It was one among Hitler’s aggressive expansionist policies.

Sudetenland Crisis: A crisis occurred in 1938 when Hitler claimed Sudetenland (a part of Czechoslovakia) where ethnic Germans lived. It led up directly towards World War II.