Nazi ideology had a momentous impact on Germanys foreign policy during the period of 1934 to 1939. The Nazi worldview was the belief of force that was defined by struggle. Hitler aimed to restore Germany to a position of international prestige with force and aggression being necessary components to implement this. The ideologies Hitler so greatly believed in were, greater Germany, lebensraum, autarky, social Darwinism, and the rejection of the treaty of Versailles. These ideologies were Hitler's plans for Germany from the first moment he came to power and an overriding ambition for his German foreign policy.
A key component of Nazi ideology, which greatly impacted on Germanys foreign policy, was greater Germany. This key element became the backbone of what Hitler had originally planned for Germany. Hitler's clear intentions were made apparent in his book Mein Kampf where he revealed his fundamental purpose was to create a National Socialist state and eventually world conquest. In order for this conquest to be made a reality for German foreign policy, the ideology of greater Germany had to be implemented to promote the encompassing of all Germans in Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland, returning these nations to the third Reich. This is reinforced by Hitler himself "we aimin foreign policy, namely to secure for the German people the land and soil to which they are entitled on this earth". The Nazis had further succeeded with this ambition in 1938 with the annexation of Austria and Germany (Anschluss) in order to reunite the Germans in Austria with Germany once again. As the ideology of greater Germany became a reality with the Anschluss, it is clear that this had a key impact on German foreign policy.
The Nazi ideology of lebensraum was implemented into German foreign policy as 'living space' was seen by Hitler as a necessity to further unify Germans living outside German boarders.
