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When Adolf Hitler first became chancellor, German foreign policy didn’t change much for the first two years, as Hitler was focused on securing his domestic political position.

This began to change in 1935, when Germany publicly acknowledged that it was rebuilding its army and air forces beyond the levels permitted in the Treaty of Versailles. Germany withdrew from the World Disarmament Conference and the League of Nations, and in spring of 1936, moved German soldiers into the Rhineland.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening Theme

“Fantasie” from Siegfried
Composed in 1871 by Richard Wagner. Public domain.
Performed by The United States Marine Band. Public domain recording. Source.

Closing Theme

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Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some music and sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

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Adolf Hitler spent the first year and a half of his chancellorship increasing and consolidating his power.

In the summer of 1934, he unleashed the “Night of the Long Knives” campaign of murders of people he deemed a threat to his rule. Most of them were his own supporters, including conservative allies and the leadership of the SA “brownshirts.”

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening Theme

“Funeral March” from Siegfried
Composed in 1871 by Richard Wagner. Public domain.
Performed by The United States Marine Band. Public domain recording. Source.

Closing Theme

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Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some music and sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

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Even before Adolf Hitler became chancellor, it was an open secret that Germany was violating the limits on its military set by the Treaty of Versailles. After Hitler became chancellor, Germany began a massive rearmament campaign.

These developments concerned the French and the British. The French began building the Maginot Line and the British beefed up the RAF, although it was widely believed at the time that it would be virtually impossible to defend against a bomber attack.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening Theme

Pomp and Circumstance No. 4
Composed in 1907 by Edward Elgar. Public domain.
Performed by The United States Army Band. Public domain recording. Source.

“Le Chant du Départ”
Composed in 1794 by Étienne M. Méhul and Marie-Joseph Chénier. Public domain.
Performed by Wikipedia user AverynNqdieve, and used pursuant to a Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 License. Source.

Closing Theme

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Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some music and sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

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Apart from the New Deal programs meant to put people to work and get the economy moving, the Roosevelt Administration also moved to restore confidence in banking and in the stock market.

And even after the banks reopened, they still weren’t selling gold for dollars. Was the US still on the gold standard? No, as it turns out, and in fact Americans will be barred from owning gold until 1974.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening Theme

“Blues for Mundy“
Composed by Rick Whitehead. Public domain.
Performed by The United States Air Force Band Airmen of Note. Public domain recording. Source.

“A Bird in a Gilded Cage“
Composed by Arthur J. Lamb and Harry Von Tilzer. Public domain.

Closing Theme

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Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some music and sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.