<P> When the German Empire and Austro - Hungarian Empire were broken up in 1918, Austria was left as a rump state with the temporary adopted name Deutschösterreich ("German - Austria"), with the vast majority of the Austrian Germans wanting to join Germany . However, the victors' agreements of World War I (Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint - Germain) strictly forbade union between Austria and Germany, as well as the name "German - Austria", which reverted to "Austria" after the emergence of the First Republic of Austria in September 1919 . The constitutions of both the Weimar Republic and the First Austrian Republic included the aim of unification, which was supported by democratic parties . However, the rise of Hitler dampened the enthusiasm of the Austrian government for such a plan . Hitler, an Austrian by birth, had been a pan-German from a very young age and had promoted a Pan-German vision of a Greater German Reich from the beginning of his career in politics . He said in Mein Kampf (1924) that he would attempt a union of his birth country Austria with Germany, by any means possible and by force if necessary . By early 1938, Hitler had consolidated his power in Germany and was ready to implement this long - held plan . </P> <P> The Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg wished to pursue ties with Italy, but turned to Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Romania (the Little Entente). To this Hitler took violent exception . In January 1938 the Austrian Nazis attempted a putsch, following which some were imprisoned . Hitler summoned Schuschnigg to Berchtesgaden in February and demanded, with the threat of military action, that he release imprisoned Austrian Nazis and allow them to participate in the government . Schuschnigg complied and appointed Arthur Seyss - Inquart, a pro-Nazi lawyer, as interior minister . To forestall Hitler and to preserve Austria's independence, Schuschnigg scheduled a plebiscite on the issue for 13 March . Hitler demanded that the plebiscite be canceled . The German ministry of propaganda issued press reports that riots had broken out in Austria and that large parts of the Austrian population were calling for German troops to restore order . On 11 March, Hitler sent an ultimatum to Schuschnigg, demanding that he hand over all power to the Austrian Nazis or face an invasion . The British Ambassador in Berlin registered a protest with the German government against the use of coercion against Austria . Schuschnigg, realizing that neither France nor the United Kingdom would actively support him, resigned in favor of Seyss - Inquart, who then appealed to German troops to restore order . On 12 March the 8th German Wehrmacht crossed the Austrian border . They met no resistance and were greeted by cheering Austrians . This invasion was the first major test of the Wehrmacht's machinery . Austria became the German province of Ostmark, with Seyss - Inquart as governor . A plebiscite was held on 10 April and officially recorded a support of 99.73% of the voters . </P> <P> Although the victorious Allies of World War I had prohibited the union of Austria and Germany, their reaction to the Anschluss was mild . Even the strongest voices against annexation, particularly those of Fascist Italy, France and Britain (the "Stresa Front") were not backed by force . In the House of Commons Chamberlain said that "The hard fact is that nothing could have arrested what has actually happened (in Austria) unless this country and other countries had been prepared to use force ." The American reaction was similar . The international reaction to the events of 12 March 1938 led Hitler to conclude that he could use even more aggressive tactics in his plan to expand the Third Reich . The Anschluss paved the way for Munich in September 1938 because it indicated the likely non-response of Britain and France to future German aggression . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> <P> "How horrible, fantastic, incredible it is that we should be digging trenches and trying on gas masks here because of a quarrel in a far - away country between people of whom we know nothing ." </P> <P> Neville Chamberlain, 27 September 1938, 8 p.m. radio broadcast, on Czechoslovak refusal to accept Nazi demands to cede border areas to Germany . </P> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Before ww2 great britain adopted a policy of appeasement in order to