In March 1935 Germany announced that it would not obey the Treaty of Versailles. The league only issued a mild disapproval. Germany began with rearming and then proceeded to move German troops into a 30 mile wide zone on either side of the Rhine River. The Treaty of Versailles had forbidden this action. The zone on either side of the Rhine River was a buffer between Germany and France. It was also an industrial area. The French and British did not want risk war, so they gave into Germany’s actions in order to keep peace. One of Hitler’s promises to Germany was to get them more lebenstraum, or living space. So, after moving troops into either side of the Rhine River, they continued there pursuit of lebenstraum by announcing there plans
