On March 7, 1936, Adolf Hitler ordered the reoccupation of the Rhineland, a significant act of aggression that
violated the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Treaties. Approximately 20,000 German troops crossed into the
Rhineland, which had been designated as a demilitarized zone following World War I.
:: Austria March 1938 ::
In March 1938, and known as the Anschluss, Germany annexed Austria and declared it part of the German
Reich. Early in the morning on March 12, 1938, German troops crossed the border into Austria without facing any
armed resistance. The day after the invasion began, on March 13, 1938, Hitler officially declared the
incorporation of Austria into Nazi Germany. He referred to this as a "reunification," despite Austria having
never been part of the German Empire.
:: Sudetenland September 1938 ::
In a last-ditch effort to avoid conflict, Chamberlain convened a meeting in Munich with French Prime Minister
Édouard Daladier, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, and Hitler. Notably absent from these discussions were
representatives from Czechoslovakia. The Munich Agreement (September 29-30) was reached, permitting Germany to
annex the Sudetenland without any military intervention. Chamberlain famously returned to Britain proclaiming
that he had secured "peace for our time". Following the agreement, German troops occupied the Sudetenland
between October 1 and 10, 1938.
:: Czechoslovakia March 1939 ::
On March 15, 1939, German forces occupied the remaining Czech territories, effectively dismantling
Czechoslovakia as an independent state. The occupation included key regions such as Bohemia and Moravia, with
Prague being a focal point of this takeover.
:: Memel March 1939 ::
On March 20, 1939, German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop presented an oral ultimatum to Lithuania,
demanding the return of the Memel Territory. He threatened military action if Lithuania refused to comply,
stating that the Wehrmacht would invade if necessary. After intense pressure, Lithuania agreed to the ultimatum.
On March 22, a treaty was signed in Berlin between Ribbentrop and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Juozas Urbšys,
formalizing the cession of Memel to Germany. The treaty included provisions for a free port zone for Lithuania
and a non-aggression clause between the two nations. German troops entered Memel early on March 23, effectively
completing the occupation. Hitler himself arrived later that day to celebrate the annexation, which he framed
as a reunification of German territory.
Credits
Courtesy of the United States Military Academy Department of History.
