How did Nazi Germany annex Austria in the Anschluss of 1938?

The Anschluss of 1938 was the forced political union and annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany. This process involved a calculated campaign of political coercion and military intimidation orchestrated by Adolf Hitler.1

In February 1938, Hitler pressured Austrian chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg to grant Austrian Nazis significant political power. When Schuschnigg attempted to resist by announcing a plebiscite on the issue of independence, he was bullied into resigning. On March 11, the Nazis demanded the cancellation of the vote and the resignation of the government.12

Following Schuschnigg’s resignation, German troops entered Austria on March 12, 1938. A new Nazi government, led by Arthur Seyss-Inquart, was established to facilitate the formal proclamation of the Anschluss on March 13. This act of aggression effectively destroyed Austrian sovereignty, leading to the total absorption of the country into Germany and the subsequent persecution of political opponents and the Jewish community. The international community largely responded with appeasement, failing to prevent the illegal seizure of the sovereign state.123