The Reichstag bombing swiftly became a hot topic across Europe and the world. Yet countries reacted differently: the Soviet Union strongly condemned the German government, while most European nations, Britain and France in particular, instead praised Adolf.
Contrary to expectations, although Britain and France remained wary of Germany, in practice both countries pursued a policy of appeasement toward it.
In truth, so long as Germany did not disrupt the old international order maintained by Britain and France—or, rather, threaten their hegemony—then Germany was not necessarily anything less than an excellent "ally" in their eyes.
Adolf wanted to launch wars and expand Germany's territory and markets, and that was no problem at all. After all, the Soviet Union was both Germany's nearest enormous market and one fully capable of satisfying Germany's appetite. The Soviet Union was also extraordinarily rich in resources and vast in land, which could make up for Germany's shortage of resources.
In other words, Britain and France supported Germany's military buildup and expansion, but only under the major premise that Germany would be the Soviet Union's enemy.
As for Adolf's purge of the German Labor Party, that was an even greater point in his favor in the eyes of Britain and France.
By now, Europe's capitalist countries had in fact all begun leaning toward the Extreme Nationalist Party, thereby strangling the development of the European Labor Party and safeguarding their own interests.
Compared with neighboring Germany, where Adolf constantly purged his opponents and consolidated his power, the House of Habsburg's rule over the Austro-Hungarian Empire was further weakened in early 1934.
Watching the imperial order collapse and rot away, the House of Habsburg became even more determined to seek a way out.
February 31, 1934.
In Vienna, Emperor Rudolf quietly signed the "Dubrovnik Port Lease Agreement" with