Why did Austria become part of Nazi Germany in 1938?

The annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938, known as the Anschluss, was the culmination of years of political pressure, internal instability, and shifting international alliances.

Following World War I, many Austrians initially supported a union with Germany, but this desire waned after Adolf Hitler rose to power in 1933. The Austrian government, led by Engelbert Dollfuss and later Kurt von Schuschnigg, attempted to maintain independence through an authoritarian system that suppressed both Marxists and Nazis. However, this regime lacked broad popular support and was weakened by deep internal political divisions.123

By 1938, Austria’s international support had collapsed. Italy, which had previously protected Austria, aligned with Hitler in 1936, and Western powers like Britain and France signaled they would not intervene. Hitler exploited this isolation by bullying Schuschnigg into concessions and eventually forcing his resignation. German troops entered Austria on March 12, 1938, and the annexation was proclaimed the following day, later receiving approval in a controlled plebiscite.123