This is partly an allusion to the customs union negotiated with Germany in 1931. The agreement was eventually struck down by the International Court at the Hague as a violation of the 1919 peace treaties; but the French government, unwilling to wait that long, brought pressure which brought on financial crisis in Austria (incidentally contributing to the onset of the Depression). In 1938, France was presented not with a customs union, but with a total annexation; behold the French response.
It should be emphasized that Schuschnigg's regime was a dictatorship as well, just not as ruthless as Hitler's - and for just that reason, at a great disadvantage. Schuschnigg and his predecessor Dollfuss had held on to power as long as they did only by making an alliance with Mussolini; but in 1938 Mussolini could no longer protect the Austrian regime, and perhaps didn't want to.
In September 1937 Mussolini had visited Germany and was treated to the full sales pitch by the Hitler, including visits to armament factories, reviews of SS and other Wehrmacht units and culminating at a mass rally in Berlin where Hitler and Mussolini gave speeches to a million Germans. He returned to Rome with the firm idea that he had seen the future of Europe.
Lincoln writes:
“It should be emphasized that Schuschnigg’s regime was a dictatorship as well, just not as ruthless as Hitler’s...”
Your posts seem informed and balanced. Much appreciated.
Do you know, or can comment on, if Austrians would have voted in favor of, or against, union with Nazi Germany?
I’ve often heard they favored it.