In the 1930s, Germany first began to expand aggressively under the leadership of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. After taking power in 1933, Hitler implemented a series of policies that aimed to assert Germany's dominance over Europe and the world.
One of the first steps Hitler took in this regard was to withdraw Germany from the League of Nations and the Treaty of Versailles, which had imposed strict limitations on the country's military and foreign policy following World War I. This allowed Hitler to begin rebuilding the German military and to assert greater control over foreign affairs.
In 1935, Hitler announced the re-militarization of the Rhineland, which had been demilitarized under the Treaty of Versailles. This move was seen as a direct challenge to the other European powers, and it marked the beginning of Germany's aggressive expansion.
Over the next few years, Hitler continued to push the boundaries of what was acceptable in international relations. He signed a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union, which allowed him to focus on the west, and in 1938, he annexed Austria and part of Czechoslovakia.
These actions were met with little resistance from the international community, and they emboldened Hitler to continue his expansionist agenda. In 1939, he invaded Poland, which led to the outbreak of World War II.
Throughout the war, Hitler pursued a policy of territorial expansion, with the ultimate goal of creating a vast Nazi empire that would dominate the world. However, this expansion was ultimately unsuccessful, as the Nazi regime was defeated by Allied forces in 1945.
The aggressive expansion of Germany in the 1930s had significant consequences for the world, and it contributed to the outbreak of World War II, one of the deadliest conflicts in human history. It serves as a reminder of the dangers of unchecked aggression and the importance of international cooperation in preventing such conflicts from occurring.